LG Optimus G Pro preview: First look

Design and build quality

The Optimus G Pro design language is pretty different from that of the Optimus G. The pattern on the back might be similar, but the overall look of the smartphone sits closer to the Galaxy S II than to its sibling.

LG Optimus G Pro

LG went for a full-plastic build for the Optimus G Pro, but still managed to deliver a premium, quality feel. The phone is agreeably heavy too - for a device of this size. The Optimus G Pro measures 150.2 x 76.1 x 9.4 mm and weighs 160 grams.

The build quality is solid and it doesn't give in to any bending or twisting even though it's quite big. The great build quality aside, we are also very pleased with how nice hardware key LG hasused on the Optimus G Pro.

The good news continue with the availability of a customizable shortcut button near the top of the left side. You can use it to quickly launch apps when the device is unlocked.

Above the display we find the usual gang - a centrally located earpiece, a proximity sensor and the secondary 2.1MP video-call camera right next to it. The LG Optimus G Pro supports dual-video recording, which means you are able to capture video with both cameras simultaneously.

The result is a single 1080p recording, which looks quite like a video call screen. The feed from the primary camera takes up the whole screen, while the feed from the secondary one appears in a small box in the bottom left corner. And the good thing is that you can actually swap which camera is primary, and which secondary.

The earpiece, the proximity sensor and the video-call camera

Below the display is the hardware Home key surrounded by Back and Menu capacitive touch keys. There is a nice LED status light below the Home key. It is highly customizable and lights up in different colors depending on the notification - incoming or missed calls, alarms, calendar reminders, apps, etc.

The hardware Home key with the hidden status LED beneath

The left side of the Optimus G Pro houses the aforementioned customizable Q-Slide key and the single-piece volume rocker below it. On the right side is the lonely Power/Lock key.

The left side of the Optimus G Pro • The Power/Lock key on the right

The G Pro has a 3.5mm audio jack on the top side, while the (MHL) microUSB port is at the bottom.

The audio jack and the secondary microphone on top • the connectivity port at the bottom

The battery cover is made entirely of glossy plastics, but it is nicely textured and reminds us a bit of the Nexus 4 back. The 13MP camera sensor, the LED flash and the loudspeaker grille are here.

The Optimus G Pro stylish back with the camera lens and the loudspeaker grille

A peek under the battery cover shows us the hot-swappable microSD card slot, the 3140mAh battery unit and the micro-SIM slot under.

A peek under the battery cover

The Optimus G Pro managed to impress us with its looks and build quality. The slim profile, minimalistic screen bezel and the beautifully textured back are its key assets, while the hidden status LED below the Home key is another clever addition we liked.

Handling the LG Optimus G Pro