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The LG Optimus 4X HD is a really fun piece of kit. It pushes the boundaries for LG and is the first phone we think that establishes it as a serious player in the Android field. We're big fans and can find nothing bad to really say about it.
We liked
The design of the Optimus 4X HD is spot on and LG has clearly worked hard to make the interface nice and customizable.
Things like changing fonts and adding homescreen folders may be unimportant but little touches make all the difference.
Messaging is an absolute delight as is using the keyboard and that quad-core processor flies along like you wouldn't believe.
We didn't like
But the fact is, whilst the Optimus 4X HD price tag is roughly the same as comparable phones, LG doesn't have the same reputation or following to ensure people will choose it over others.
There are no real annoyances with the phone but enough little niggles like the screen being a fingerprint magnet, a poorly designed screen-and-glass combo and no LED notification to make it grate a little on occasion.
Verdict
If we didn't live in a world where we have the Galaxy S3 and the HTC One X, there is no doubt about it – the LG Optimus 4X HD would be the best phone out there bar none. Its specs are fantastic.
The trouble is, LG has released this handset six months too late which means it offers nothing new. Unfortunately – and it pains us to say this – LG has simply created a me-too handset – or that's how it looks. And while we like it, we're not blown away because we've seen it all before.
If you want a cheap quad core phone, this could be a real steal in a few months - and it's definitely a rival for media mobile of the moment too.
In summary, we do recommend it – it's a cracking piece of kit. And if you can get it on a good deal, we say 'go for it' but there's no real reason to pick this over a Samsung Galaxy SIII, a Sony Xperia S or an HTC One X.
We do like it a lot. But we'll save the bunting for the next LG offering which we hope sets the bar, rather than joins it.
