(This is long, I know!)
Review of the Optimus G Pro (and Android) by a WP Lover
While on forums, I often find that trust is a hard thing to gain. Your ability to convince others is usually built on a foundation of posts count, titles, quality incites and the occasionally begged for Thanks and Likes. I have noticed that WPCentral forums are usually a little weary of those who you bring up devices with the other OSes. As my signature says, I enjoy multiple platforms and looking for the latest and greatest. Hence, my trip to AT&T corporate store bore a new phone to my collection, the LG Optimus G Pro. I’m going to compare it to the Lumia 920 with WP8, in some cases, as that is my primary phone. While I know they aren’t exactly direct competitors (phablet vs phone), they are both high end devices for their given OSes.
General Specs:
1.7ghz Snapdragon 600 quadcore
32gb Storage with an sdcard slot
2gb RAM
AT&T LTE Capable
Screen:
The G Pro is packed with a fantastic 5.5”, full 1080p IPS LCD screen. That comes out to a whopping 400ppi. The colors look beautiful and stunning. Just from comparing the two side-by-side, the LG screen looks a tad bit better than the 920, though WP doesn’t seem to show off the screen quality as well as some Android setups. I found touch to be accurate and sensitive.
Buttons:
G Pro places the ‘power’ button in a similar spot as the 920. The volume rocker is on the left side in the middle with an ‘open’ button on the upper portion of the left side. This ‘open’ button is programmable with LG’s software in the settings menu. It comes as a quick access button to the memo utilities. These allow you to write over what you are working on and things of that nature. The button does have two levels of pressure, obviously for those people who want to turn it into a camera button (half way for focus, full push to take a shot). All the buttons are easy to press, though I would prefer them to protrude slightly more like the 920. On a bigger phone, they can be hard to find at times.
The front-bottom of the phone has a thin, oval physical ‘home’ button surrounded by the typical capacitive ‘back’ and ‘menu’ buttons. The ‘home’ button is lit up around the edges by a multi-color LED that acts as a notification LED. I know I am not the only 920 (or WP owner in general) who wishes their phone had this type feature! It lights different colors depending on the notification. The center button is flush with the front, making it a little harder to press than I would like. I am hoping this is something I get used to.
Overall, I prefer the 920’s button layout. On a phablet, I would prefer if all the buttons were on the button two-thirds of the device, making all of them better for one-handed use.
Overall looks:
The G Pro has a black face, aluminum band around the sides and a very dark blue/black on the back. The back has a diamond type pattern on it. To me, it looks like a lot of other phones (esp. the Note 2). It doesn’t have any features that really pop out or grab your attention. Even its size (actually slightly smaller than the Note 2) doesn’t get notice anymore due to the popularity of phablets.
One of the things that pulled me into the 900 and 920 was dramatically different style Nokia used compared to any other company. Not only is it different but the colors said “Hey, look at me!” G Pro has classic style that won’t offend anyone, but you won’t be turning heads either (which in the business world might be a good thing).
Camera:
I won’t get into the specs very much for a simple reason: most people wouldn’t be able to pick out a certain megapixel or other stat just by looking at an image. I will say the Pro has a 13mp camera with an LED flash. Pictures produced are great for a smartphone, though the 920 still rules the roost when it comes to night shots. I haven’t had any time to take significant video with the Pro so I can’t comment on that. The FFC is just that, a FFC. Just like 99.9% of phones, nothing special to see here.
Speaker/Speakerphone:
This is a clear win for the 920. The Pro comes with a speaker right to the side of the camera. It isn’t very loud, has no bass and sounds okay at best. While I don’t find the sound coming from the 920 great either, I definitely hear clearer music. In a perfect world, all phone would have the speaker(s) in the front like the HTC One. With the 920, I can use my hand as a cup to guide the sound forward from the bottom of the phone. This provides a louder experience. The Pro’s speaker doesn’t really allow for this.
Ports/Expansion/NFC/Charging/IR:
Pro has the mini USB port at the bottom and the headphone jack on the top left. Next to the headphone jack is an IR blaster. LG includes software that is incredibly easy to use to setup the virtual universal remote. Once setup, typical functions can be accessed from the notification center, meaning it is also available from the lockscreen. This is a feature I personally have wanted since my Palm Treo 8 years ago. The blaster works well, as I tested it from about 20 feet distance from the devices. The phone also includes a slot for an SD card, which is located under the back cover. NFC and wireless charging is built into the Pro. It uses the QI standard and should work fine with any compatible devices. LG included NFC software but I haven’t used it at all.
I wish the 920 had the IR blaster. While I don’t see that happening anytime soon, I highly recommend Nokia add it on their next flagship. It isn’t for everyone, but most people can find use for it. Like the 920, I find the NFC to be useless for most people. I know some people live and die by whether their phone has an SD slot so that is a bonus for the Pro.
Software keyboard:
Android has about a million different available keyboards. I am only going to talk about the stock keyboard the G Pro come with. First off, it sucks. Let’s just be perfectly honest. Compared to WP’s keyboard, the G Pro is a lot harder to type on without messing up. It has more options and the word prediction is fine, but the keys just stink. I will be doing more research to find a better keyboard on Android. WP8 phones all use the same keyboard and I find it to be much more accurate than the stock keyboard on any other device.
Android:
I swear I am not attemping to create a ****** war with this section! Let me start off by saying I own a Nexus 7. It is the only Android device (before the Pro) that I currently own that I would consider high-end still. Frankly, I found Android (stock) on a tablet to boring and unproductive. While it has more options than SimCity, the amount of effort needed to make it close to what I wanted was too much. With phones, I have even less patience. I don’t want to have to change around launchers, kernels, roms, etc. to get what I want from my phone. Because of this, I depend on the OEM to have a well thought out layout from the start. Where I want the icons and what widgets I need should be the only two things I NEED to worry about from the start.
For me, LG did a wonderful job with Android. It made it a colorful, fun experience that is quick and essentially lag free. Before I go on, let me address lag. Lag is both under- and overstated by most people on forums. WP does a great job of having very little lag on the main part of the OS. You can float effortlessly from one app to another and back to the start screen. It really is a joy to use. Android 4.1.2 on the Pro is also buttery smooth. I opened all sorts of apps (ESPN Watch, Temple Run 2, Chrome, Firefox, etc.) and then switched between all the apps. I did my best to slow it down and make me cry, but it didn’t (I have made my Nexus 7 come to its knees before). Everything seemed to flow properly like a flagship should. Just like WP, Android has its fair share of apps that are slow and frankly aren’t well done. When I hear people use certain apps as part of their lag explanation, I wonder if they realize a perfect OS can’t make a crappy app run well.
When it comes to general user experience on apps, I did notice one thing on Android that bothered me. With some apps, the ‘back’ button is used to go back one page or option. On others, it is used to go back to the starting screen of the given app. While still on others, it is used to go back to the phone’s start screen. It seemed like there was a lack of consistence in the use. This happened both small and big named apps. On WP, use of buttons seem pretty universal. I think this could easily frustrate some more novice users of Android.
There are some cool options in LG’s version of Android. The one I find most helpful was their lockscreen setup. It shows the time, date and weather at the top, while the bottom contains shortcuts to different apps (which you can change). To unlock the phone, you place your finger on any open area and swipe it in any direction. To unlock the phone to one of the specific app shortcuts, you place your finger on the shortcut and swipe up. This gives quick access to the apps you use the most.
QSlide is a great feature exclusive feature of LG Android phones (though Samsung also does this in a different way). It is essentially small apps that can run on top of what you are doing. They included such things as a calculator or email. They show up as pop-up boxes. Sliding a bar allows for the app to become almost entirely transparent, giving the user to keep it up and working while using the main app. I can definitely see this as being a useful tool to those who do work on their phones.
I could spend all day going over Android and LG’s version specifically, but those are some main points.
WP will give you a much more uniform experience, from the apps to the OS in general. Microsoft has done a good job at making sure everything feels coherent. It is easier to setup and a lot harder to get lost in than Android. For myself, phones need to be quick and easy. WP is still the king, though Android offers a lot of options that make it great choice.
If you are going from WP to Android, Android to WP, or using both, using the same base services are going to be hard. I use Outlook.com, Xbox Music, Office and other Microsoft products on my 920. Most of these are either significantly harder or impossible to use well on an Android device. The same could easily be said for using Google’s services on a WP.
Conclusion:
I guess the ultimate compliment to any device would be to say you recommend it. I would recommend the Optimus G Pro. I found it a quick, fun device to use that offered many options. I personally bought it over the Note 2 because of two reasons: better specs and $100 cheaper. The only thing the Note 2 has over the Pro is the S-Pen, and frankly I didn’t see myself using it frequently.
Would I recommend it over my 920? In most cases, no. Both the 920 and WP feel like they were built better and more ready for the long haul compared to the Pro. I also find WP easier to use and better for smartphone novices or light users. That said, you can’t get the Pro’s sort of screen size and space on WP or iOS. Pro also offers abilities like IR blaster that you can’t get on other platforms. Android is also a lot more customizable and flexible than WP. Also, there are many apps that haven’t made their way to WP yet, so I would suggest checking out specific ones while making a decision. If these reasons are very important to you, the Optimus G Pro would be an excellent choice.
Review of the Optimus G Pro (and Android) by a WP Lover
While on forums, I often find that trust is a hard thing to gain. Your ability to convince others is usually built on a foundation of posts count, titles, quality incites and the occasionally begged for Thanks and Likes. I have noticed that WPCentral forums are usually a little weary of those who you bring up devices with the other OSes. As my signature says, I enjoy multiple platforms and looking for the latest and greatest. Hence, my trip to AT&T corporate store bore a new phone to my collection, the LG Optimus G Pro. I’m going to compare it to the Lumia 920 with WP8, in some cases, as that is my primary phone. While I know they aren’t exactly direct competitors (phablet vs phone), they are both high end devices for their given OSes.
General Specs:
1.7ghz Snapdragon 600 quadcore
32gb Storage with an sdcard slot
2gb RAM
AT&T LTE Capable
Screen:
The G Pro is packed with a fantastic 5.5”, full 1080p IPS LCD screen. That comes out to a whopping 400ppi. The colors look beautiful and stunning. Just from comparing the two side-by-side, the LG screen looks a tad bit better than the 920, though WP doesn’t seem to show off the screen quality as well as some Android setups. I found touch to be accurate and sensitive.
Buttons:
G Pro places the ‘power’ button in a similar spot as the 920. The volume rocker is on the left side in the middle with an ‘open’ button on the upper portion of the left side. This ‘open’ button is programmable with LG’s software in the settings menu. It comes as a quick access button to the memo utilities. These allow you to write over what you are working on and things of that nature. The button does have two levels of pressure, obviously for those people who want to turn it into a camera button (half way for focus, full push to take a shot). All the buttons are easy to press, though I would prefer them to protrude slightly more like the 920. On a bigger phone, they can be hard to find at times.
The front-bottom of the phone has a thin, oval physical ‘home’ button surrounded by the typical capacitive ‘back’ and ‘menu’ buttons. The ‘home’ button is lit up around the edges by a multi-color LED that acts as a notification LED. I know I am not the only 920 (or WP owner in general) who wishes their phone had this type feature! It lights different colors depending on the notification. The center button is flush with the front, making it a little harder to press than I would like. I am hoping this is something I get used to.
Overall, I prefer the 920’s button layout. On a phablet, I would prefer if all the buttons were on the button two-thirds of the device, making all of them better for one-handed use.
Overall looks:
The G Pro has a black face, aluminum band around the sides and a very dark blue/black on the back. The back has a diamond type pattern on it. To me, it looks like a lot of other phones (esp. the Note 2). It doesn’t have any features that really pop out or grab your attention. Even its size (actually slightly smaller than the Note 2) doesn’t get notice anymore due to the popularity of phablets.
One of the things that pulled me into the 900 and 920 was dramatically different style Nokia used compared to any other company. Not only is it different but the colors said “Hey, look at me!” G Pro has classic style that won’t offend anyone, but you won’t be turning heads either (which in the business world might be a good thing).
Camera:
I won’t get into the specs very much for a simple reason: most people wouldn’t be able to pick out a certain megapixel or other stat just by looking at an image. I will say the Pro has a 13mp camera with an LED flash. Pictures produced are great for a smartphone, though the 920 still rules the roost when it comes to night shots. I haven’t had any time to take significant video with the Pro so I can’t comment on that. The FFC is just that, a FFC. Just like 99.9% of phones, nothing special to see here.
Speaker/Speakerphone:
This is a clear win for the 920. The Pro comes with a speaker right to the side of the camera. It isn’t very loud, has no bass and sounds okay at best. While I don’t find the sound coming from the 920 great either, I definitely hear clearer music. In a perfect world, all phone would have the speaker(s) in the front like the HTC One. With the 920, I can use my hand as a cup to guide the sound forward from the bottom of the phone. This provides a louder experience. The Pro’s speaker doesn’t really allow for this.
Ports/Expansion/NFC/Charging/IR:
Pro has the mini USB port at the bottom and the headphone jack on the top left. Next to the headphone jack is an IR blaster. LG includes software that is incredibly easy to use to setup the virtual universal remote. Once setup, typical functions can be accessed from the notification center, meaning it is also available from the lockscreen. This is a feature I personally have wanted since my Palm Treo 8 years ago. The blaster works well, as I tested it from about 20 feet distance from the devices. The phone also includes a slot for an SD card, which is located under the back cover. NFC and wireless charging is built into the Pro. It uses the QI standard and should work fine with any compatible devices. LG included NFC software but I haven’t used it at all.
I wish the 920 had the IR blaster. While I don’t see that happening anytime soon, I highly recommend Nokia add it on their next flagship. It isn’t for everyone, but most people can find use for it. Like the 920, I find the NFC to be useless for most people. I know some people live and die by whether their phone has an SD slot so that is a bonus for the Pro.
Software keyboard:
Android has about a million different available keyboards. I am only going to talk about the stock keyboard the G Pro come with. First off, it sucks. Let’s just be perfectly honest. Compared to WP’s keyboard, the G Pro is a lot harder to type on without messing up. It has more options and the word prediction is fine, but the keys just stink. I will be doing more research to find a better keyboard on Android. WP8 phones all use the same keyboard and I find it to be much more accurate than the stock keyboard on any other device.
Android:
I swear I am not attemping to create a ****** war with this section! Let me start off by saying I own a Nexus 7. It is the only Android device (before the Pro) that I currently own that I would consider high-end still. Frankly, I found Android (stock) on a tablet to boring and unproductive. While it has more options than SimCity, the amount of effort needed to make it close to what I wanted was too much. With phones, I have even less patience. I don’t want to have to change around launchers, kernels, roms, etc. to get what I want from my phone. Because of this, I depend on the OEM to have a well thought out layout from the start. Where I want the icons and what widgets I need should be the only two things I NEED to worry about from the start.
For me, LG did a wonderful job with Android. It made it a colorful, fun experience that is quick and essentially lag free. Before I go on, let me address lag. Lag is both under- and overstated by most people on forums. WP does a great job of having very little lag on the main part of the OS. You can float effortlessly from one app to another and back to the start screen. It really is a joy to use. Android 4.1.2 on the Pro is also buttery smooth. I opened all sorts of apps (ESPN Watch, Temple Run 2, Chrome, Firefox, etc.) and then switched between all the apps. I did my best to slow it down and make me cry, but it didn’t (I have made my Nexus 7 come to its knees before). Everything seemed to flow properly like a flagship should. Just like WP, Android has its fair share of apps that are slow and frankly aren’t well done. When I hear people use certain apps as part of their lag explanation, I wonder if they realize a perfect OS can’t make a crappy app run well.
When it comes to general user experience on apps, I did notice one thing on Android that bothered me. With some apps, the ‘back’ button is used to go back one page or option. On others, it is used to go back to the starting screen of the given app. While still on others, it is used to go back to the phone’s start screen. It seemed like there was a lack of consistence in the use. This happened both small and big named apps. On WP, use of buttons seem pretty universal. I think this could easily frustrate some more novice users of Android.
There are some cool options in LG’s version of Android. The one I find most helpful was their lockscreen setup. It shows the time, date and weather at the top, while the bottom contains shortcuts to different apps (which you can change). To unlock the phone, you place your finger on any open area and swipe it in any direction. To unlock the phone to one of the specific app shortcuts, you place your finger on the shortcut and swipe up. This gives quick access to the apps you use the most.
QSlide is a great feature exclusive feature of LG Android phones (though Samsung also does this in a different way). It is essentially small apps that can run on top of what you are doing. They included such things as a calculator or email. They show up as pop-up boxes. Sliding a bar allows for the app to become almost entirely transparent, giving the user to keep it up and working while using the main app. I can definitely see this as being a useful tool to those who do work on their phones.
I could spend all day going over Android and LG’s version specifically, but those are some main points.
WP will give you a much more uniform experience, from the apps to the OS in general. Microsoft has done a good job at making sure everything feels coherent. It is easier to setup and a lot harder to get lost in than Android. For myself, phones need to be quick and easy. WP is still the king, though Android offers a lot of options that make it great choice.
If you are going from WP to Android, Android to WP, or using both, using the same base services are going to be hard. I use Outlook.com, Xbox Music, Office and other Microsoft products on my 920. Most of these are either significantly harder or impossible to use well on an Android device. The same could easily be said for using Google’s services on a WP.
Conclusion:
I guess the ultimate compliment to any device would be to say you recommend it. I would recommend the Optimus G Pro. I found it a quick, fun device to use that offered many options. I personally bought it over the Note 2 because of two reasons: better specs and $100 cheaper. The only thing the Note 2 has over the Pro is the S-Pen, and frankly I didn’t see myself using it frequently.
Would I recommend it over my 920? In most cases, no. Both the 920 and WP feel like they were built better and more ready for the long haul compared to the Pro. I also find WP easier to use and better for smartphone novices or light users. That said, you can’t get the Pro’s sort of screen size and space on WP or iOS. Pro also offers abilities like IR blaster that you can’t get on other platforms. Android is also a lot more customizable and flexible than WP. Also, there are many apps that haven’t made their way to WP yet, so I would suggest checking out specific ones while making a decision. If these reasons are very important to you, the Optimus G Pro would be an excellent choice.
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