LG Optimus 2X review

LG Optimus 2X review: Battery life

We weren't really sure what to expect from the Optimus 2X in terms of battery life. You might think that a more powerful processor would mean more power consumption, but Nvidia suggests that a dual-core chip should actually be lighter on the battery.

In practice, the Optimus 2X turns out to be pretty average for a modern smartphone. The large LCD screen is always going to be a big power draw, for example, and the Tegra chip isn't going to change that.

After a pretty typical day for us (a bit of music in the morning, regular 3G Twitter checks and browsing throughout the day, about 30 minutes of phone calls, a couple of YouTube videos and some Wi-Fi browsing in the evening), the battery was at 18 per cent. That's right in line with what we expect these days.

So you'll be charging every night if your usage is comparable to ours, but could get a few days out of it if you're careful.

One of the features of Android 2.3 is better power management, so if the update does arrive on the Optimus 2X, this could improve.

Connectivity

The LG Optimus 2X is no slouch when it comes to connections. In terms of cabling, there's micro-USB for connecting to your PC and that mini-HDMI port. The 8GB of built-in storage can be expanded by up to 32GB with the addition of a microSD card.

Wirelessly, you've got Wi-Fi covering b, g and n protocols, so you can make the most of a fast connection. HSDPA 3G connectivity means fast mobile broadband if you've a good signal.

Bluetooth is here, but only in its 2.1 form. No speedy 3.0 version, which is a bit of a shame. However, A2DP music streaming is enabled.

There's the obilgatory A-GPS chip for location tracking, and there's even an FM radio, in case you get bored of all the modern technology.