Credit: GSMArena YouTube Channel

LG Optimus G2 finally arrives and the South Korean maker needs something big, grand and impressive to take on the current smartphone leaders. Optimus G2 is insanely powerful and the first devoid of side controls. Can Optimus G2 capture the same audience as Samsung and Apple?

Operating System and User Experience

Since LG is one of the manufacturers left behind Google when it comes to Android version releases, Optimus G2 runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean out of the box even it's launching was after Android 4.3 official release.

LG had to rewrite a part of Android 4.2.2 OS to enable audio improvements which is 24-bit at 192KHz that will give users more definitive sound. Overall interface seems intuitive and unlocking or relocking the screen has been made easier by the double tapping action.

LG's new UI may be a complicated issue to novices but could also be a delight to advanced users. It is so intuitive that it allows complex manipulation of the interface such as font changing, floating transparent widgets, pervasive remote control in the notification bar and more.

Insane Hardware

LG Optimus G2 is one of the very first smartphones to run the all-new quad-core Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 processor which also used by the Sony Xperia Z Ultra. Optimus G2's Snapdragon 800 CPU is clocked at 2.26GHz and partnered with 2GB of RAM.

LG also backed up the Optimus G2 with enough power to withstand more than a day of usage by equipping a 3000mAh battery unit. Other specifications include full HD screen display, 13MP rear camera shoot with optical image stabilisation and fully redesigned Hi-Fi audio.

All-New External Design

Optimus G2 is a large flagship smartphone with sleeker and slimmer design. HTC One and Optimus G2 have similar thickness but the Taiwanese flagship has better back casing using aluminium while the G2 is encased with a plastic cover.

The main feature of the G2 design is the devoid of side controls and these controls - volume rocker & power key - are now located at the rear part of the device, just below the camera. LG's new design enables user to become more familiar with the intuitive capabilities of the smartphone instead of fully depending on physical keys.

Upsides and Downsides

LG Optimus G2 has an amazing 5.2-inch of full HD display screen and surrounded by a thin bezel. Another upside is the overall powerful set of hardware to support multi-tasking, 4G LTE, high-graphics gaming and high-demanding applications.

However, the design itself can be dull which resembles the Samsung Galaxy S4 and even worse, encasing the Optimus G2 in plastic. Another major downside is the lack of SD card support which commonly needed for keeping more HD videos. Optimus G2 has a 32GB on-board storage that will never be enough for storing all the data files you want.

LG Optimus is insanely powerful, improved compared to its predecessor and definitely will be an eye-catching smartphone regardless of some drawbacks here and there.