LG has been a quiet yet strong competitor in the field of gadgets. Most people associate the brand with home and commercial appliances that they seem to overlook its delivery of quality smartphones. This includes LG Optimus 4X HD, L7 P705 and the most popular to date. These, however, belong to the high-end group and maybe that's the reason why many people are not aware of LG's products. Well, it looks like LG has a new game plan, as evidenced by the release of the LG Optimus F3 retails for as low as $179. We take a closer look at LG's budget offering, and if it delivers more than what it's worth.

F3's Design

Manage your expectations. LG Optimus F3, being a budget phone, is a lightweight gadget. This is because F3 comes with a plastic-textured casing that feels hollow in hands. Despite its not-so-elegant feel, it is hard to deny that it has a compact design and comfortable to hold.

It is noticeable that Optimus F3 has an LED-lit Home button that -like the other LG Optimus models-blinks different colors (depending on the notification) which comes in handy. On the sides, you will be able to spot the power button, volume control, 3.5 mm headset jack, standard mic, and micro USB port which is used for charging and data connectivity.

New Phone's Resolution (Display and Camera)

With 480 x 800 pixels WGVA resolution, LG Optimus F3 has a reasonable display specs for a budget phone. The display comes with a 4 inch IPS-LCD panel. The screen gives of a neat display as details are visible but zooming in the browser can be on the downside. The viewing angle of Optimus L3 is also an average for its kind-browse at a different angle and images will fade and be distorted. But unless you'll be viewing photos every time, it shouldn't be a problem.

LG Optimus F3 has 2 cameras-one rear and one front camera for video calls and selfies. The front camera has a 0.3 megapixel resolution while the rear camera has 5.0 megapixels. The 1080p video can be shot and expect that video clips to be of a standard quality-nothing too outstanding with the quality of photos and videos.

Keeping F3 Running

LG Optimus F3 runs on 1.2 GHz processor with 1 GB RAM. These numbers may sound wimpy at first, but after realizing that Optimus F3 is not your mainstream high maintenance phone, havig a 1.2 GHz processor and 1 GB RAM is a pretty sweet deal. It gives enough running power for your humble phone.

For the battery life, this phone is powered by a 2460 mAh battery which is too much for a whole day's consumption. Unless you are exploiting every features of LG Optimus F3, your fully-charged battery can last one whole day-one and a half is even possible-if you browse the web, e-mail, text, on moderation. But all in all, battery life of LG Optimus F3 is outstanding.

Going Around the Phone

One of the best things about LG Optimus F3 is its interface. This is because it's powered by Android 4.1.2 or Jelly Bean. But take note, LG Optimus F3 also has the LG Optimus UI skin which runs on top of the Android Jelly Bean. Both are simple and easy-to-use, perfect for older users who easily get confused with all the features of most gadgets.

So whether you use your phone to access your office's RingCentral VoIP service or just to access your personal Gmail account, the LG Optimus F3 is one of your frontrunners. Especially if you're on a tight budget, this gadget will surely give you a good run for your money.

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