LG Optimus G for AT&T and Sprint review: Double impact

Display

Both the LG Optimus LG for AT&T and Sprint feature a 4.7" True HD-IPS+ LCD screen of 768 x 1280 resolution and 470 nits of brightness. They employ the so-called borderless design, which is another way of saying there only the bare minimum of bezel. There's just enough to let you comfortably hold the phone without worrying that your palm of fingers will touch the screen.

The display of the LG Optimus G

LG uses a screen technology called Zerogap touch - it basically means the all the screen layers are laminated together to prevent glare and the in-cell touch layer is actually inside the LCD. The top layer is Gorilla glass for protection.

We put the LG Optimus G through our usual display tests and here's how it scored. You can find more about the testing procedures here.

Display test	50% brightness			100% brightness
	Black, cd/m2	White, cd/m2	Contrast ratio	Black, cd/m2	White, cd/m2	Contrast ratio
LG Optimus G	0.14	197	1445	0.33	471	1438
LG Optimus 4X HD	0.34	369	1077	0.68	750	1102
Nokia 808 PureView	-	-	-	0	455	∞
Samsung Galaxy Note II	0	215	∞	0	402	∞
Motorola RAZR i	0	169	∞	0	370	∞
Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III	0	174	∞	0	330	∞
HTC One X	0.15	200	1375	0.39	550	1410
Apple iPhone 5	0.13	200	1490	0.48	640	1320

Sadly, the LG Optimus G screen is quite reflective, which leads to a rather mediocre performance in strong sunlight.

Contrast ratio

• Nokia 808 PureView
  4.698
• Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III
  3.419
• Samsung Omnia W
  3.301
• Samsung Galaxy S
  3.155
• Nokia N9
  3.069
• Samsung Galaxy Note
  2.970
• HTC One S
  2.901
• Samsung Galaxy S II
  2.832
• Huawei Ascend P1
  2.655
• Nokia Lumia 900
  2.562
• Apple iPhone 4S
  2.269
• HTC One X
  2.158
• Nokia N8
  2.144
• Apple iPhone 4
  2.016
• Sony Ericsson Xperia ray
  1.955
• Sony Xperia U
  1.758
• LG Optimus G
  1.753
• LG Optimus 4X HD
  1.691
• HTC One V
  1.685
• LG Optimus Vu
  1.680
• HTC Desire V
  1.646
• LG Optimus 3D
  1.542
• Nokia Asha 302
  1.537
• Nokia Lumia 610
  1.432
• Gigabyte GSmart G1355
  1.361
• Sony Xperia miro
  1.324
• HTC Desire C
  1.300
• LG Optimus L7
  1.269
• Meizu MX
  1.221
• Samsung Galaxy Pocket
  1.180
• Sony Xperia tipo
  1.166
• Samsung Galaxy mini 2
  1.114

We snapped a shot of the display under a microscope and here's what the RGB matrix of the Optimus G looks like.

LG Optimus G display matrix

The viewing angles are good thanks to the IPS+ tech, but not without some color shift and contrast loss.

When we put the LG Optimus G side by side with the Galaxy S III and Optimus 4X HD it was clear that the Optimus 4X HD is inferior but the Optimus G has quite decent contrast for a non-AMOLED unit and actually has more accurate color rendering than the over-saturated AMOLED screen on the Galaxy S III. Overall, the image quality is nothing short of impressive.

Handling

The LG Optimus G is about the same size as the other Android flagships but does well to set itself apart with its bold and assertive styling. It may not have as good handling as the Galaxy S III, but it comes close in feeling comfortable in the hand. The build quality is rock solid.

The magnificent screen up front and the excellent handling for a device this size, make the Optimus G a pleasure to use. It may come a few points short of a perfect score for looks, but it still feels like a proper flagship - now let's see if it behaves like one.

Both versions of the device are easy to handle