Another Windows Phone 7 handset, the LG Optimus 7 isn’t a million miles away from the other four launchers due to Microsoft’s stringent minimum hardware specs and tight control over the software itself. So what can set the LG Optimus 7 apart? And can it take on HTC’s already impressive offerings?
What we like
Although the design of the handset is very familiar, we do like the gorgeous metal back piece with snazzy camera plate.
With 16GB of memory, the LG Optimus 7 offers the largest amount of storage on a Windows Phone 7 handset to date, which is a pretty important consideration given that there’s no way of adding external storage. So if you want to store a lot of media, documents and apps then you might want to consider this handset.
Panorama camera mode is a nice addition, but it’s a bit tricky to get a proper panorama even with the onscreen guide. Still, it’s nice to have something setting the camera apart from the HTC 7 Mozart, for example, which offers an 8-megapixel snapper to the LG Optimus 7’s 5.
As we’ve noted in other Windows Phone 7 handset reviews, the interface is very user-friendly and beautifully designed. There’s the same focus on panoramic page layouts and live tiles with images and information pulled from your personal apps.
Another differentiating factor on the LG Optimus 7 is the inclusion of Play to DLNA – this allows you to stream media content stored on your phone to a PC, Xbox 360, TV or stereo. The set up is pretty straightforward, but you’ll need any compatible devices to be connected to a Wi-Fi network.
Although the handset is quite bulky it still manages to be quite sleek at the same time – the screen is ultra-responsive, and web browsing is really rather lovely.
What we don’t like
The buttons – they feel cheap and grate against the sleek look of the rest of the handset. The middle menu button, in particular, is awful – like a stuck-on bedazzle sequin which actually hurts my thumb.
We’re also less impressed with the camera than we’d hoped; although the additional features like panorama are a nice touch, the images aren’t exactly top quality and the LED flash offers a rubbish photo light.
Overall the build quality doesn’t feel quite as slick as the handset’s HTC counterparts.
Conclusion
At first glance, the LG Optimus 7 is a great looking handset. Although the screen is gorgeous, the buttons and overall build quality are disappointing. We’d like to see a better camera to set the handset apart, but we definitely approve of the inclusion of Play to DLNA which gives the LG Optimus 7 an edge.
Specification
| OS | Windows Phone |
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