LG has taken the right course in conquering the smartphone market, after the next new product that came to me, I was convinced of this. The last two LG smartphones we reviewed turned out to be so good that we had to come up with a badge system to reward the best. The first owner of the coolest badge was Optimus G. But one or two successful models is not an indicator, especially since these are two almost identical smartphones, from the same class - top-end. But today we have a middle class and it is also good - Optimus L7 II Dual. Yes, naming fail, nothing can be done.
It was good, and sales seemed to be going well too. Be that as it may, I have repeatedly met people with this model. However, I don’t think that the success of the smartphone was ensured by the L-Style design, which LG praised. In the new L7 there is not a hint left of the previous forms; it is an ordinary smartphone, I would even say inexpressive. But, oddly enough, it is more pleasant. At least it is very well assembled, there are no creaks or backlashes. This is very important; for example, I immediately form a negative opinion about a smartphone if it’s flimsy out of the box. This is exactly what the first L7 sinned with; here and there I wanted to take it differently, so as not to feel the “shaking and creaking of the lid completely.”
The LG Optimus L7 II is also made of plastic and also has a removable battery cover, but the body feels well built. It was thanks to the assembly, from the first minutes of meeting, that I liked the second generation L7 much more than its predecessor.
We are testing a model with two SIM card slots – Optimus L7 II Dual. Unlike the first generation L7, now the dual-SIM model appeared on the market even earlier than the single-SIM one. We didn't have the latter, but judging by the photos, they look very different in appearance. In L7 II without the Dual prefix, the design still resembles the familiar L-Style. It has a different shape, and there are three keys under the display, one mechanical. In the dual-SIM model, the body is different, and there are four keys under the display, all of which are touch sensitive. One of them is responsible for changing SIM cards.
In addition to all the standard elements, which I will not list, I noticed one extra button on the left side of the smartphone.
This key brings up the QuickMemo application. After pressing this key you will receive a screenshot of the screen you are currently on. You can immediately make a note on it and share the result on one of the social networks, or send it by email. I considered this feature not significant enough to put it on a separate key, especially since LG had practiced this before: Optimus 3D had a separate 3D key, Optimus Black generally had a G button. But I thought so until an outsider didn’t say how convenient it is and that he wants the same in his Samsung.
Display
The diagonal of the IPS display is 4.3 inches, as in the L7, and the resolution remains unchanged - 480x800 pixels. Pixel density – 217 ppi. I can’t call the picture too grainy; for a mid-segment smartphone, the picture looks good, but nothing more. For example, at a slight tilt, the colors on the display are distorted, and at a tilt of 160 degrees, the picture becomes completely unreadable. It seems that the smartphone has an IPS display, but it seems that someone simply made a mistake in the characteristics; somehow it doesn’t look IP-worthy. Protective glass or plastic collects fingerprints well, the screen gets dirty almost immediately, and you will have to wipe it regularly. The small indentations from the display (the frame) had a very positive effect; at first I thought that the L7 II had incorrect aspect ratios, only then I realized that it was the frame that left such a visual effect.
Cameras
There are two cameras and that's already good. The front one, however, is VGA, but let it be for video calls. Perhaps someone will use the second SIM card slot just for 3G to communicate via Skype. And the main camera has an 8 MP sensor and records video at 720p. There is a flash and autofocus. Photos come out quite good, autofocus is adequate and determines what to focus on quickly.
Examples of photos and videos
Specifications
The smartphone is powered by a dual-core Snapdragon Qualcomm MSM8225 processor, clocked at 1 GHz, Cortex A5. This is in every way better than MSM 7227a. In synthetic tests, the smartphone shows average results, but we didn’t count on records. Graphics accelerator Adreno 203. With this hardware, the main functions of the smartphone are performed normally (not reactive), but with games like Dead Trigger you will have to endure or not play at all. The smartphone thinks about it here and there, even responds to the control keys after a few seconds. In a word, it is not a gaming smartphone. However, you can miss a couple of birds between calls.
768 MB of RAM is enough, considering that you won’t be playing on the L7 II. You can count on full multitasking if you work mainly with Evernote, mail, Twitter and similar applications. But, if you open 5-8 tabs in the browser, applications in the background close. 4 GB of built-in memory is again sufficient, given the ability to expand it using a memory card. This is all good, nothing can be called a compromise, but the main advantage of the smartphone and its advantage over the first “seven” is the battery. From 1700 mAh the capacity has increased to a fantastic 2460 mAh. A year and a half ago, we looked at such a battery in the Galaxy Note and couldn’t believe our eyes, but here the display is smaller, and in general the device is less demanding. This is a serious bid for leadership in the class, even I will give preference to autonomy over much else, and those who need constant communication on two SIM cards will definitely appreciate the autonomy. We can safely talk about a whole day of very active work with a smartphone, with Twitter, mail, calls and birds.
Specifications LG Optimus L7 II Dual
- Dimensions: 121.5 x 66.6 x 9.7 mm.
- Operating system: Android 4.1.2 JB.
- CPU: dual-core, Snapdragon Qualcomm MSM8225, 1 GHz.
- Graphic arts: Adreno 203.
- Display: IPS, 4.3″, 480 × 800.
- Memory: 4 GB flash expandable (Micro SD up to 32 GB)
- RAM: 768 MB.
- Camera: main - 8 MP, video recording at 720 p, front - 0.3 MP.
- Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0.
- Interface connectors: 3.5 mm headphone jack, micro USB (OTG support).
- Battery: Li-Pol battery 2460 mAh.
Software, management of two SIM cards
The proprietary LG Optimus UI 3.0 shell is installed on top of Android 4.1.2. In principle, I didn’t see any big differences from its predecessor, but on the first L7 the interface was much smoother; in the new product it’s not that it slows down, it’s just that the fps is noticeably lower. This may be due to some visual effects, for example, when you move from one table to another, the distance between the icons increases, creating an elastic effect. But the processor in the L7 II is also more productive; in general, the situation with the interface is not clear to me. On the other hand, we had a first-generation L7 that was sold, we took it out of the display case and it worked well. This same sample is not commercial and the firmware, as company representatives told us, may be crude. I don't think so, but still. Maybe I'm too spoiled by Optimus G?
Optimus L7 II Dual has one radio module. This means that during an active call from one SIM card, the second will be unavailable. In other cases, both cards are active. The shell, of course, supports two SIM cards. The menu has a SIM card management item where you can assign an icon and color to each, change the name and select the card from which messages will be sent and outgoing calls made. But you can always select another card if you press the right soft key before making a call/sending SMS. On the one hand, this is more convenient than separate menus in the system, but since the key is touch-sensitive, you can accidentally touch it and call from the wrong number.
Conclusion
This smartphone has every chance of becoming a new hit. It has all the ingredients for this: good design, good assembly, sufficient performance for routine tasks, expandable internal memory and, most importantly, excellent battery life. For this, a smartphone can be forgiven a lot, but, in essence, everything is fine. Optimus L7 II Dual is clearly not for gamers or geeks. This is a finished product out of the box, with which there is no need to tinker, and the device won’t let you play demanding games anyway - that’s not what it’s for. The buyer must clearly understand what he wants, and in this case, those who need a reliable two-symbol long-liver will be satisfied.
General characteristics
Type
Deciding on the type of device (phone or smartphone?) is quite simple. If you need a simple and inexpensive device for calls and SMS, it is recommended to choose a telephone. A smartphone is more expensive, but it offers a wide variety of options: games, videos, the Internet, thousands of programs for all occasions. However, its battery life is significantly less than that of a regular phone.
smartphone operating system Android OS version at the start of sales Android 4.1 Case type classic Controls touch buttons Number of SIM cards 2 Weight 115 g Dimensions (WxHxD) 66.6x122.2x9.7 mmScreen
Screen type color IPS, touch Touch screen type multi-touch, capacitive Diagonal 4.3 inches. Image Size 800x480 Pixels per inch (PPI) 217 Aspect Ratio 5:3 Automatic screen rotation There isMultimedia capabilities
Number of main (rear) cameras 1 Main (rear) camera resolution 8 MP Functions of the main (rear) camera autofocus Recording videos There is Max. video frame rate 30 fps Front-camera yes, 0.3 MP Audio MP3, AAC, WAV, WMA, FM radio Headphone jack 3.5 mmConnection
Standard GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G Interfaces
Almost all modern smartphones have Wi-Fi and USB interfaces. Bluetooth and IRDA are a little less common. Wi-Fi is used to connect to the Internet. USB is used to connect your phone to a computer. Bluetooth is also found in many phones. It is used to connect wireless headphones, to connect your phone to wireless speakers, and also to transfer files. A smartphone equipped with an IRDA interface can be used as a universal remote control. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones
Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 3.0, USB Satellite navigation
Built-in GPS and GLONASS modules allow you to determine the phone's coordinates using signals from satellites. In the absence of GPS, a modern smartphone can determine its own location using signals from cellular operator base stations. However, finding coordinates using satellite signals is usually much more accurate. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones
GPS A-GPS system yes DLNA support yesMemory and processor
CPU
Modern phones and smartphones usually use special processors - SoC (System on Chip, system on a chip), which, in addition to the processor itself, houses the graphics core, memory controller, input/output device controller, etc. Therefore, the processor largely determines the set of functions and device performance. Glossary of terms for the category Mobile phones
Qualcomm MSM8225, 1000 MHz Number of processor cores 2 Video processor Adreno 203 Built-in memory capacity 4 GB RAM capacity 768 MB Memory card slot Yes, up to 32 GB Operating system: Operating system. Symbian OS - This is probably the most common operating system for smartphones.The most common Symbian-based platforms now are: Series 60 (the most popular platform, used on Nokia, Panasonic, Samsung, Lenovo, LG and Sony Ericsson models, etc.), Series 80 (used in some Nokia models), Series 90 (currently used only on Nokia 7710), UIQ (models from Nokia, Benq, Motorola, Arima, Sony Erisson, and MOAP (closed platform, installed on Fujitsu, Sony Ericsson, Mitsubishi and Sharp phones).
Android This is Google's operating system, also sometimes called Droid.
Right after the introduction of smartphones and tablets in the market, Android gained immense popularity due to its beautiful appearance and efficient performance.
The main advantage of Android compared to other operating systems is its almost completely open architecture and deep integration with Google services. There is already a sufficiently large amount of software for this OS so that almost any user does not feel left out, and the software market is developing quite dynamically.
Apple (iOS) This is Apple's operating system used in the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.
iOS was revealed on June 29, 2007, when the first iPhone appeared.
BlackBerry This is the operating system of Research in Motion (RIM).
Windows Phone and Windows Mobile are Microsoft's latest mobile operating system.
The main advantages of Windows Mobile are the interface familiar to desktop PCs, good implementation of multitasking, support for devices with high screen resolutions, a wide variety of smartphone models, and an abundance of software for every taste and for any task. Today's filling of the Windows Mobile communicators market allows the user to find decent models in almost any price range.
Bada (bada means ocean in Korean) is a new platform for smartphones that allows developers to create feature-rich applications that enhance the user experience on mobile devices.
The Bada operating system for Samsung phones includes a new UI framework for the next generation of user interface for Samsung Touch phones. The UI framework makes using the phone simple and relaxed, without compromising its functionality. It is a revolutionary innovation that significantly enhances the conventional user interface of touch phones.
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 66.6 mm (millimeters) 6.66 cm (centimeters) 0.22 ft (feet) 2.62 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 121.5 mm (millimeters) 12.15 cm (centimeters) 0.4 ft (feet) 4.78 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 9.7 mm (millimeters) 0.97 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.38 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 118 g (grams) 0.26 lbs 4.16 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 78.49 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 4.77 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Black White |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Play MSM8225 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 45 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A5 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. | 32 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv7 |
| Level 0 cache (L0) Some processors have L0 (level 0) cache, which is faster to access than L1, L2, L3, etc. The advantage of having such memory is not only higher performance, but also reduced power consumption. | 4 kB + 4 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 16 kB + 16 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. | 1024 kB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 2 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1000 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. | Qualcomm Adreno 203 |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 768 MB (megabytes) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | IPS |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 4.3 in (inches) 109.22 mm (millimeters) 10.92 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 2.21 in (inches) 56.19 mm (millimeters) 5.62 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 3.69 in (inches) 93.66 mm (millimeters) 9.37 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.667:1 5:3 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. | 480 x 800 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. | 217 ppi (pixels per inch) 85ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 65.25% (percentage) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.
| Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device. | CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) |
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting. | LED |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. | 3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device. | 720 x 480 pixels 0.35 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | Autofocus Digital zoom Geographical tags Self-timer Scene Selection Mode |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.
| Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours. | 2460 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices. | Li-Ion (Lithium-ion) |
| 2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network. | 12 h (hours) 720 min (minutes) 0.5 days |
| 2G latency 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network. | 800 h (hours) 48000 min (minutes) 33.3 days |
| 3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network. | 12 h (hours) 720 min (minutes) 0.5 days |
| 3G latency 3G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network. | 800 h (hours) 48000 min (minutes) 33.3 days |
| Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery. | Removable |
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.
| Head SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device close to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards, subject to the guidelines of ICNIRP 1998. | 0.735 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards. | 0.599 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Head SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are regulated by the CTIA, and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values. | 0.57 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard. | 1.3 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
Live photos of LG Optimus L7 II Dual
Contents of delivery:
- Telephone
- Battery
- Charger
- USB cable
- Instructions
Introduction
Traditionally, most of the devices that will be sold throughout the year were presented at the world's largest exhibition, Mobile World Congress 2013. In addition to the flagship device LG Optimus G Pro, the company rolled out an updated L-series of smartphones with the prefix “II” - the second generation. If you are interested in briefly reading about all the devices, I advise you to open the page dedicated to the exhibition. By the way, we also recorded for you a presentation that took place in Moscow.
Today's review will be dedicated to the LG Optimus L7 II Dual - the successor to the previously popular L7. First of all, the changes affected the design - instead of a strict rectangular shape, the new product received a more streamlined “figure”. Whether this is good or bad is most likely up to you to judge. In my opinion, it was much nicer. Naturally, the developers changed the chipset: instead of the dead Qualcomm MSM7227, they installed the nimble MSM8625. Of course, there is only a dual-core processor, but it allows you to run almost any games and applications. RAM was also increased from 512 megabytes to 768 megabytes. We upgraded the camera a little, updated the OS, but the most interesting thing was that we installed a capacious battery with a capacity of 2460 mAh. For this class of smartphones, this is a good bonus when considering the device as a purchase.
Design, dimensions, control elements
An interesting solution is to use different designs for essentially the same model: the “single-case” version of the L7 II has sharper corners, and in general the design is close to the previous version of the smartphone. The “dual SIM” version of LG II has sloping edges and is somewhat reminiscent of old LG phones, for example, Optimus Black, Sol, One and so on. I think it’s strange the decision to use a semi-gloss back panel on both the P710 and P715, considering the textured back cover on the P705 (the first generation of Optimus L7) is quite pleasant to the touch. In addition, the LG L7 had a metal insert on the back - a frame for the camera; new devices do not have this feature; the camera is designed somehow too primitively.
The LG Optimus L7 II Dual is sold in two colors: white and black. In my opinion, a gadget in white looks more elegant and prettier. At least fingerprints will be less noticeable on the back. Although they are practically invisible on a black smartphone. In addition, it is worth noting that the white panel has small convex dots, while the black one is absolutely smooth (and slippery, I would add), only small notches are applied to the edges. Over time, scuffs or scratches may appear on it, but since the plastic is painted on the inside, the defects will not be noticeable.
The screen is relatively easily soiled, so fingerprints abundantly cover the surface of the display, which, alas, is protected only by durable plastic and not “gorilla” glass. However, after three weeks of active use of the L7 II Dual, not a single scratch remained on the screen.
For the build quality of the phone, the designers should give it 5 out of 5. The device is really well built, not the slightest play, creaking or crunching in case of strong compression. It fits perfectly in the hand thanks to its fairly compact dimensions (122x66x9.7 mm), very light weight (115 grams) and the almost oval shape of the case.
On the front panel there are: a front camera, a proximity sensor and a speech speaker, covered with a thin metal mesh. Its volume is very high, the headroom is large, the interlocutor can be heard clearly and intelligibly, the timbre is pleasant (mostly low and high frequencies predominate). The quality of the speech speaker can be compared with the quality of the speakers in the Samsung Galaxy S Duos and LG Optimus L7 of the first generation.
There are no complaints about the sensors - they work correctly.
Unlike the “single-SIM” version of the LG L7 II, the “dual-SIM” version does not have a mechanical “Home” key. Below the display there are only touch buttons: “Back”, “Home”, “Menu” and a special one for switching between SIM cards, as well as launching SIM management settings. These buttons are painted on the body with silver paint. The strangest thing is that they do not have a backlight: during the day you can see them without problems, but in the dark you have to “point” your fingers along the bottom area of the smartphone in the hope of getting to exactly the button you wanted to click on.
Due to the fact that the button for switching SIM cards is touch-sensitive, there were moments when the main SIM card was unexpectedly changed. Therefore, before making a call or sending a message, just in case, make sure that you have chosen the right SIM card.
At the bottom there is a microUSB and a microphone, at the top there is a second microphone for noise reduction and a standard 3.5 mm audio output for headphones or a headset.
In this version of the phone, LG specialists have provided a separate mechanical button on the top left side to launch any application, be it “Camera”, “Music”, “Voice Recorder” or some kind of game.
Just below is the volume rocker key. On the left side there is a thin and small button to turn the device on/off.
On the back side there is a speaker at the bottom, a flash and a peephole on top, slightly recessed into the body.
To remove the back panel, you need to pry it by the recess of the microUSB connector. The memory card is inserted on the top left, on the right - one above the other - are slots for installing SIM cards (regular miniSIM).
Comparative sizes:
LG Optimus L7 II Dual and Meizu MX2
LG Optimus L7 II Dual and HTC One
LG Optimus L7 II Dual and Huawei Ascend G600
LG Optimus L7 II Dual and Alcatel OneTouch Star
Display
Today, the LG Optimus L7 II Dual smartphone has the usual screen diagonal for most similar devices - 4.3 inches. The physical size of the display is 52x94 mm. The resolution, unfortunately, was not increased compared to the previous generation of the device; in general, it remained the same - 480x800 pixels. Most likely, this was not done so as not to create a competitor to the LG Optimus L9.
The matrix is made using IPS technology. Its quality is comparable to the quality of the L7 matrix, however, purely subjectively, the picture looks better on the screen of the first generation LG smartphone. Under large tilts of the Optimus L7 II Dual screen, the image loses brightness and color rendition deteriorates slightly.
In the sun the picture fades a lot, but in general the information is readable (the photo below did not convey the image correctly). In the shadows the behavior of the matrix is not bad.
In general, the screen is not bad, but there are a huge number of devices on the market with a lower price but a higher quality display, both in terms of sharpness and color rendition.
The touch layer is capacitive and supports up to 10 simultaneous touches. The sensitivity of the touchscreen is good.
It is not known who got the Smart Screen technology from whom (LG from Samsung or vice versa), but the Optimus L7 II has it. That is, when you turn on this mode while you are looking at the screen, it works as soon as you turn away - after a certain period of time it goes out. I couldn’t understand how it worked: the screen turned off when the timeout selected in the settings occurred, regardless of whether I was looking at the display or not.
Screen comparison between LG Optimus L7 and L7 II Dual (left):
Battery
The LG L7 II Dual uses a removable lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery with a capacity of 2460 mAh, 3.8 V, 9.3 W. Despite the rather impressive battery capacity for a device of this class, the device’s “lifetime” was slightly longer than the lifespan of any other Android smartphone.
The promised operating time is up to 12 hours of talk time and up to 800 hours of standby time. These data have been partially confirmed in practice:
- Talk time only – up to 9 hours
- Only in music playback mode – up to 35 hours
- Only when playing video (maximum display brightness, maximum volume in headphones) – just over four hours
- Games only – just over four hours
- Web surfing only (via Wi-Fi, screen brightness 40%) – up to 10 hours
- Only web surfing (3G, brightness varied from 40 to 100%) – 7 – 8 hours
If you use the phone for about 15-17 hours, the battery will be completely discharged provided: 15-25 minutes of calls per day, three hours of using Wi-Fi Internet (Twitter, mail, downloading applications and installing them), about five hours of mobile Internet with simultaneously listening to music (a couple of hours).
From USB it charges within 5 hours, from a charger - an hour less. By the way, the phone “feels” when power is connected to it from USB, and when from the network adapter: an inscription appears on the screen saying that the device will charge slowly due to low current.
The “Energy Saving” section contains the following items:
- Auto-sync (enable or disable).
- Wi-Fi (deactivate if not connected)
- Bluetooth
- Brightness (10 – 50%)
- Time before screen turns off (15 or 30 seconds, 1 minute)
Communication capabilities
The smartphone operates in GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 900/1900/2100 networks. Speed HSDPA – 7.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA – 5.76 Mbit/s, EDGE – 236 Kbit/s, GPRS 32-48 Kbit/s.
Both slots can be used to work in the 3G network, but alternately, i.e. if, for example, SIM1 is in 3G, then the other one must be switched to 2G. And vice versa.
There is Bluetooth version 3.0 with A2DP. The Wi-Fi module (802.11 a/b/g/n) supports DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) - a standard that allows compatible devices to transmit and receive various media content (images, music, videos) over the home network, as well as display it in real time.
The phone can be used as an access point (Wi-Fi hotspot). USB version 2.0 is present for data transfer and synchronization. Wi-Fi Direct is also used to “transport” files. The sensitivity of Wi-Fi was not satisfactory: even in difficult conditions it shows 1-2 bars.
Memory and memory card
The previous generation of the L7 smartphone had 512 MB of RAM. In the new version of the phone it is slightly larger – 768 MB. Of this volume, about 260 MB is usually free - not a lot, but this volume is quite enough for most tasks and for smoother operation of the interface.
The smartphone has 4 GB of flash memory built-in, but only 1.78 GB is allocated for installing applications and games. Partially the presence of a memory card slot helps. The maximum volume of a micro-edit is 32 GB.
Camera
The LG Optimus L7 II Dual has two camera modules: the main one is 8 MP BSI (in LG L7 it was 5 MP) and the front one is 0.3 MP. There is a small single-section flash. The maximum size of photos is 3264x2448 pixels, videos are only 720x480 pixels. For such a poor resolution in a phone worth 10,000 rubles, let’s say “thank you” to the Qualcom chipset! Now even simple smartphones for 5,500 – 6,000 on MTK6577 provide HD.
The lens has a standard aperture of f2.8 and a viewing angle of 33 mm. The maximum ISO value is 700, the minimum is 100; maximum shutter speed 1/25 s, minimum – 1/6000 s.
The photo quality is mediocre, although the white balance and autofocus performance are worth praising. The main complaint is the incorrect choice of exposure: frames often come out with overexposure or with darkened areas, and the touch focus somewhat aggressively adjusts the exposure.
There is nothing to say about video quality: in 2013, offering a smartphone for 10k that records videos in a resolution of 740x480 pixels is simply ridiculous (if it weren’t so sad).
Photo mode interface: on the right – activate the shutter, switch between photo and video shooting, go to the gallery; on the left – switching to the front camera and back, voice control, modes and settings; at the top – resolution, shooting mode, memory, battery charge and number of remaining frames.
To focus, you need to touch the screen (“touch focus”) or immediately press the touch shutter button - automatic focusing will occur.
Photo mode interface: on the right – activate the shutter, switch between photo and video shooting, go to the gallery; on the left – switching to the front camera and back, selecting resolution, flash, zoom and settings; at the top are resolution, sound and battery charge.
Characteristics of the video file recorded on the main camera:
- Format: MP4
- Video: AVC, 2000 Mbit/s
- Resolution: 720x480, 30 fps
- Audio: AAC, 96 Kbps
- Channels: 1 channel, 44 KHz
Sample photos:
Performance
This device has a Qualcomm S4 Play MSM8625 chipset. The processor is dual-core (ARM Cortex-A5), frequency 1 GHz, technological process 45 nm, instruction set - ARMv7, graphics accelerator Adreno 203. This chip is practically no different from the MSM8225. Below is the characteristic:
If we compare the Qualcomm MSM8225/MSM8625 and MediaTek MT6577 chipsets, I did not notice any difference. Both have difficulty “digesting” HD video, not all toys are included, and the speed of the interface is relatively smooth. Actually, performance tests say the same thing.
brief information:
Performance tests:
Navigation
The smartphone has a GPS navigator. Cold start of determining the coordinates of LG P715 is about 7-8 minutes, hot start is about 15 seconds. Unfortunately, indoor satellites are detected reluctantly, so the navigator had difficulty finding only two or three of them. However, in open space in clear weather, L7 II identified more than 8 satellites.
Software platform
At the moment, the smartphone runs on Google Android version 4.1.2. Just the other day, two firmwares arrived in a row. Build number JZO54K, software version – P71510e-CIS-XX.
Shell and menu
The design is the proprietary Optimus UI shell version 3.0. You can read more in the review of Optimus L7 and other LG smartphones. Below are screenshots.
Challenges
The dialer is large and convenient. When you enter the first digits, a list of subscribers with matching numbers opens. Working with SIM cards is simple: if you want to call or send SMS using one or another SIM, just press the special touch button at the bottom of the device. Everything else is standard for LG smartphones.
Messages
A proprietary LG keyboard is used for typing. It is very convenient to print. The language is switched by pressing the RU/ENG button. The view can be landscape or portrait. For those who have vision problems, I advise you to switch the font size in “Display” to “Maximum”.
Applications
I see no point in listing all the programs again. If you wish, read previous reviews of LG smartphones. There is standard software from Google and LG. Below are screenshots.
Multimedia
Music player. In the player you can organize songs by artists, albums, songs and folders. When playing music, the screen displays: a huge album cover, the name of the artist and the album title, and below are the player control buttons. In settings: search, add to favorites, SmartShare, add to playlist, delete, share (note, Bluetooth, Gmail, Skype, SMS/MMS), set as ringtone, information and settings.
Settings:
- Show notifications (on, off)
- Sleep timer (off, 10, 20, 30 minutes, 1 or 2 hours)
- Audio effects (turn on or off Dolby Mobile)
I don’t recommend using a standard music player: it doesn’t produce very high-quality sound. I installed one of the most popular ones - PowerAMP. I tested the musical capabilities of the LG Optimus L7 with it.
The volume in the headphones is high. The low and high frequencies are well developed; the mids, it seemed to me, were slightly overwhelmed. Overall great value.
The speaker volume is slightly above average.
Default music formats supported: MP3, AAC, AAC+, AMR, MP3, MIDI, WAV, WMA
FM radio. Operates in the FM range: 87.5 – 108 MHz. The screen displays the frequency scale, settings, 6 cells for saving the most interesting stations, switching the sound to the speaker and turning it off. The volume in the headphones is slightly above average, the receiver sensitivity is good.
Conclusion
The call quality is good, on par with any other LG smartphone. The vibration alert is quite noticeable in the pockets of outerwear.
The smartphone left conflicting feelings. And it’s not that it works poorly or somehow doesn’t work well, it’s just that there’s not much difference relative to the previous generation. For example, the camera has the same quality of pictures, records videos in low resolution, the screen remains the same (type of matrix, its resolution and diagonal), the shell is old.
What did the new chipset and new software bring? Perhaps a little smoother operation of the interface and support for most simple games. The work time has increased, but not so much that “ah”.
Roman Belykh (
