GADGET WATCH: LG Optimus Black

The LG Optimus Black is one of this year’s most interesting smartphone releases. It has a surprisingly thin body, a bright, wide screen and is light compared to its competitors.

But although it may have enough power to prove itself as an enterprise-worthy smartphone, does it have what it takes to rise above the fray?

Features and Hardware

The phone features an extremely thin design, weighing only 109 grams and measuring 9.2 millimetres across. The four-inch screen nearly covers the entirety of the front of the device, with four touchscreen buttons at the bottom of the front.

On the back of the phone is a five megapixel camera with an LED flash, along with a loudspeaker. There’s also a “g” key on the side of the phone that allows you to swap through home screens.

The phone is powered by a 1Ghz OMAP processor, which is slightly less powerful than some other smartphones being released right now. The Optimus Black records HD video, uses a NOVA screen, has support for DivX and XviD, and can share over Wi-Fi networks using some inbuilt software.

What’s the verdict?

There’s a lot to like about the LG Optimus Black.

Engadget says the design of the phone is nearly ideal, calling its thin body and wide screen clean and elegant. It also praised the highlighting behind the four Android keys.

“We’ve seen our fair share of Android button backlights either leaking or failing to turn on when they should, so the perfect execution by LG on the Optimus Black is worthy of commendation,” it said.

Computerworld also praised the phone, saying it was easy to use, and also said the user interface was nice and simple.

“Unlike more-expensive smartphones that I’ve seen recently, the Optimus Black wasn’t overloaded with every imaginable branded widget and app. Because the phone isn’t linked to a specific carrier, LG managed to keep these elements to a reasonable number.”

Reviewers have also praised the camera and the crispness of the display.

But there are complaints. In essence, reviewers say the Optimus Black just doesn’t have the hardware guts to stand up to its competitors.

TechRadar also said the fact the phone is running Android 2.2 is a set-back, and “seems a shame when there are more recent Android updates available, although it coped with most processes perfectly fine”.

CNET also write gesture controls and the NOVA display “feel a bit gimmicky”.

Engadget said while the gadget was an impressive package, it disappointed in the battery life department and hardware specs were underwhelming.

“The one thing keeping the Optimus Black in the conversation is Android and its inherent software and ecosystem strengths, but even that has the stale taste of Froyo in a Gingerbread-eating world.”

Who’s it for?

The Optimus Black is definitely a powerful, competent phone, but one that appears to be quite underpowered and featureless for the current generation.

If you’re looking for a phone that doesn’t break the bank and is able to provide a solid range of features, then the Optimus Black might be a good choice. But if you want something with more bells and whistles, you might be better off checking out the Nexus S, or the Galaxy, which come with much more power.