LG Optimus L5 is the best option. Description of the smartphone LG Optimus L5 E612

LG faced a giant challenge in 2016; its new smartphones will have to compete with the Samsung Galaxy S7. To counter Samsung and the ubiquitous iPhone, LG decided to innovate and reimagine the way we use smartphones with the release of the LG G5.

Modular LG G5 - Reviews

The LG G5 is truly different. This is a phone that has a detachable bottom and battery, a better camera than its predecessors and higher quality sound. It's a small change, but damn exciting because of what it represents and what it could mean for the future.

For the LG G5 to be successful, people must not only see the potential, but also love the phone. Eclipsing the glories of Samsung and Apple is a mammoth task for LG. Does the G5 have something that will make people buy it and dive into the world of modular smartphones?

The magic is hidden in the LG G5 slot

The magic of the LG G5 lies inside the slot, the phone's modular port. It is located at the base of the device, where the battery is located. On the right side of the phone there is a small button for hidden mounting. It pops out the bottom of the phone and disconnects the battery, allowing you to remove the entire module. It's all well designed, and wisely done. It’s not easy to unhook the module and let it crash onto the floor. You have to put in some effort if you want to pull it out. It takes a steady hand to remove the battery and a firm final push to secure it into place. None of these steps will happen by accident, so G5 won't figure itself out on its own.

However, it all feels alien because we are used to treating our phones as thin and fragile devices. But, with regards to the G5, rough handling is necessary here, unless of course you want to swap modules. The first few times you do this, you will be surprised, because everything is on the verge of breaking.

The amount of work, thought, effort and commitment that went into creating the LG G5 is amazing.

The first time we swapped modules, we were very afraid of breaking the phone, so we asked another colleague who already had practice and did it. It took several rounds of changing modules to learn how to smoothly and harshly tug and pull on the module.

We would like to have an easier way to replace modules, or for each module to have its own battery and not have to yank it every time you move it from place to place. Alternatively, the battery could be hidden in the rear so that changing modules would not require relocating the battery. Of course, this will be annoying for those who don't want a removable battery.

The amazing G5 camera that steals the show

The LG G4 and V10 are two of the best camera phones ever made, and LG hasn't sacrificed any of the photography features in the G5. The G5 is absolutely fantastic and we can't stop shooting with it. The sensor is almost identical to the V10, with 16 MP and an F/1.8 aperture, as well as laser autofocus and optical image stabilization. There is also a dual lens here, but not for selfies - on the front, like the v10, but on the back.

The first camera provides a regular view of the world, while the second provides an expanded 135-degree field of view, providing ample opportunities for creativity. They are used independently of each other, unless you activate a special mode in which two points are meshed with each other to create strange photo hybrids. This is a feature you won't use often, but it can produce fun collages.

The wide-angle lens is addictive. It changes the look of the camera completely, and changes the way and type of focal points. The results look great, especially when shooting perspectives and wide-open spaces. There is a slight fisheye effect for the G5's wide-angle shots, but again, as long as you put some thought into the final image, it's not distracting.

LG has included its incredibly easy-to-use Manual mode for the G5, where ISO, shutter speed, focus and white balance can be adjusted. This manual mode is the most convenient for users. You'll find it very easy to use for adjusting images due to its simplicity.

The front-facing 8MP selfie camera also has a wider angle than other phones like the iPhone 6S Plus and comes with an effective mode for smoothing tones.

The LG G5 camera is a pleasure to use; This is a huge plus for phone sales. The wide-angle lens sets the phone apart from its competitors - and is an improvement over the G4 and V10.

Using the CamPlus module

Considering how well the LG G5's camera performs, you might be wondering what the CamPlus module is for. However, after using CamPlus, we can honestly say that it enhances the G5's camera, producing even higher quality images.

The module is not very big, but it has an extra battery to keep your phone charged. There is a dedicated photo button, a button for recording video, and a zoom wheel. We compared it to the standard zoom of the Galaxy S7 Edge and iPhone 6S Plus, and the results with both phones were grainier.

The CamPlus module sees what other smartphone cameras can't, and it's truly impressive. If you take the LG G5 and CamPlus on vacation, you won't need to pack any other camera to take great photos. The addition of a camera button and zoom wheel will also be useful when you're shooting with gloves in the winter. This eliminates the need for a phone's touch screen to get the best quality images, making your G5 feel like a real camera.

For LG G5 there is also a special module for improving audio.

OS Android 6.0

The LG G5 is equipped with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS with some modifications; it differs from previous LG smartphones, primarily due to controversial decisions that are similar to Apple firmware.

Now all your apps are spread across multiple home screens. The list of pre-installed apps isn't that long, it includes the usual apps for email, contacts, weather, plus tools like a voice recorder, calculator, task manager and FM radio.

The LG G5 is a powerful device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 and 4GB of RAM on board, which allows the smartphone to not get as hot when processing large amounts of data as the 810 version.

Battery life needs improvement

Let's start with the positive. It's completely replaceable, so if you're carrying a spare battery, it only takes a few seconds to swap out a dead one for a charged one. Try this on any other flagship phone in 2016?

Recharging will have to be done every day, and possibly more than once. If you got into GPS coverage for two hours, took a few photos, and generally used your phone for email, messages, and apps; the battery will “die” at the end of the working day. It's not much different from the Galaxy S7 or iPhone 6S Plus. At least if you have a second LG G5 battery, it's not a disaster.

Charging also features QuickCharge 3.0, which is a step up from the Galaxy S7's standard QuickCharge 2.0.

And finally we come to the sophisticated design of the G5. At first glance it looks boring, but not ugly. Over time, we've come to love the subtle design details of the LG G5.

There are curves in the most unexpected places - the screen slopes back at the top, and there are no nasty sharp edges to make it awkward to hold. The metal is smooth and without seams.

In any case, the design of the LG G5 should not be judged right away. You have to live with it for a while, and you will be grateful to the developers for their well-thought-out design and shape.

LG should also be congratulated because the implementation of the modular system is almost invisible on the G5. There are no buttons of unusual shape or size, or stupid drawn arrows on the body, everything is done aesthetically and in the same style.

Although the LG G5 is not much smaller than the LG G4, its streamlined shape makes the smartphone very compact. It's slightly larger than the Galaxy S7 and weighs 159 grams. The display is 5.3 inches diagonally, smaller than the G4 and slightly larger than the Galaxy S7, but it has the same 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. The fingerprint sensor, as is standard for LG, is located on the rear panel, although the volume control on the G5 has been moved to the rear side.

Need more updates

LG usually updates its phones at least once a month, but it's not much better than Samsung or any other Android phone maker. It's a shame, and we'd like to see phone makers take more initiative in getting Android updates. Because Android phones that don't receive regular updates are vulnerable to hackers, viruses, and are generally less secure than iPhones. They also don't get new software features often. LG and others need to work to fix this epic problem.

G5 Warranty and Durability

LG offers a one-year warranty with the G5, so if there are problems, you'll have to send it back to the company for repairs.

It is not known how strong and durable the modules are, if they are replaced over and over again, will this cause problems? But this will be determined over time of use. The LG G5 is not waterproof, which works against it compared to the Galaxy S7. However, when it comes to drops and shock, the G5 will likely win the Galaxy S7's drop tests.

Bottom line

The amount of work, thought, effort and commitment that went into creating the new LG G5 is amazing. While other brands are accused of copying technology, LG has come up with something that will lead to new types of smartphones. It's bold, exciting and full of glorious potential.

However, at the moment, the potential of a modular phone has not yet been fully realized, and there are only a couple of replaceable modules.

However, the LG G5 is undoubtedly one of the best flagship phones of 2016, and you won't be disappointed with it, whether you have the modules or not.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	66.5 mm (millimeters) 6.65 cm (centimeters) 0.22 ft (feet) 2.62 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	118.3 mm (millimeters) 11.83 cm (centimeters) 0.39 ft (feet) 4.66 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	9.5 mm (millimeters) 0.95 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.37 in (inches)
Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	125 g (grams) 0.28 lbs 4.41 oz (ounces)
Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	74.74 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 4.54 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Black White

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 MSM7225A
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.	45 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.	ARM Cortex-A5
Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	16 kB + 16 kB (kilobytes)
Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory.	256 kB (kilobytes) 0.25 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel.	1
CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	800 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc.	Qualcomm Adreno 200
Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.	512 MB (megabytes)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends.	TFT
Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.	4 in (inches) 101.6 mm (millimeters) 10.16 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	2.22 in (inches) 56.36 mm (millimeters) 5.64 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	3.33 in (inches) 84.54 mm (millimeters) 8.45 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.5:1 3:2
Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail.	320 x 480 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail.	144 ppi (pixels per inch) 56 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device.	60.76% (percent)
Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics.	Capacitive Multi-touch

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Rear camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its back panel and may be combined with one or more secondary cameras.

Flash type The rear (rear) cameras of mobile devices mainly use LED flashes. They can be configured with one, two or more light sources and vary in shape.	LED
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, indicating the approximate number of pixels in millions.	2560 x 1920 pixels 4.92 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record.	640 x 480 pixels 0.31 MP (megapixels)
Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording speed (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps.	30fps (frames per second)

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, and making devices easier to discover and connect. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device.

3.0

Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols that provide faster data transfer, energy savings, improved device discovery, etc. Some of these profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here.

A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVCTP (Audio/Video Control Transport Protocol) AVDTP (Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) FTP (File Transfer Profile) GAVDP (Generic Audio/Video Distribution Profile) GAP (Generic Access Profile) HFP (Hands-Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) MAP (Message Access Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) SPP (Serial Port Protocol) SDP (Service Discovery Protocol)

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.

Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours.	1500 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices.	Li-Ion (Lithium-ion)
2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network.	10 h (hours) 600 min (minutes) 0.4 days
2G latency 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network.	900 h (hours) 54000 min (minutes) 37.5 days
3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network.	9 hours 20 minutes 9.3 h (hours) 559.8 min (minutes) 0.4 days
3G latency 3G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	900 h (hours) 54000 min (minutes) 37.5 days
Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery.	Removable

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

Head SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device close to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards, subject to the guidelines of ICNIRP 1998.	0.9 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Body SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards.	0.64 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Head SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are regulated by the CTIA, and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values.	0.74 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard.	0.85 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)

Probably the most competitive segment of the smartphone market today is the segment in which devices running the Android operating system are located. One of such devices is which will be discussed in this article in different sections.

The competition that was mentioned does not allow many models to stand out from their competitors absolutely advantageously only due to technical characteristics. That is why the emphasis lately has been placed not so much on equipment, but on the original, comfortable and practical design and, of course, the price of the device.

LG began to adhere to this concept. Its employees decided that the key that would allow them to succeed in the market would be the attractive appearance of the LG L5 smartphone, the characteristics of which will be given below. The result of the work of the company’s engineers was a line called “L-Style”. It includes three devices: Optimus L3, Optimus L7 and LG L5. Its characteristics have been improved compared to the younger device, and this, in fact, will be discussed in the article.

Dimensions

The size in all 3 planes is as follows: it is 118.3 mm in height, 66.5 mm in width, and 9.5 mm in thickness. The weight of the device is 123 grams.

A look on the edge

Located on the front side During a telephone conversation, it will react to the position of the device relative to the head of the speaker in order to automatically turn on and off the display backlight. There, on the front panel, is the company logo, the main speaker, and also has a 4-inch diagonal. It is worth noting that the screen has a very good resolution for such a diagonal of the LG L5. The characteristics of the display will be discussed in more detail later, but for now we will evaluate the design of the smartphone.

The front panel also includes standard keys found in the Android operating system. These are “Menu” and “Back”, which are made in the form of touch buttons, as well as “Home” (physical type).

The left side contains volume keys. There are no keys or inputs on the opposite panel.

As usual, at the top end there is a jack for a 3.5 mm wired headset, and at the bottom end there is an input for charging the device. In our case it is MicroUSB. With its help, you can also connect the device to a personal computer.

If you pay attention to the back edge, you can find a camera there. Its resolution is 5 megapixels. It also has auto focus and LED flash. We will also talk about the LG Optimus L5 E612 camera, the characteristics of which are rated as average.

There is another speaker on the rear panel. Its design is a bit unconventional: it is divided by a kind of bridge. It ensures that the device is pressed to the surface. And this, in turn, allows the sound not to be delayed or reflected, but to pass through calmly.

With some effort, you can remove the back cover. Below it is a slot for a flash drive, a slot for a SIM card, and a battery. When pressing the touch keys, the user of the device will not feel vibration, because in fact there is no vibration. And this is perhaps the first drawback of the LG Optimus L5 E612 smartphone. The characteristics indicate that the vibration response of the keys for this model is inactive. And users often note that it obviously wouldn’t hurt.

It is quite difficult to judge the appearance of the device. It may appeal to some people and not to others at the same time. It’s impossible to please everyone, so in the case of this model we can only talk about the relativity of design. But nevertheless, many note that although the smartphone has a rather strict appearance, it does not look budget at all.

Build quality

The device is constructed quite well. It is impossible to notice any backlash or any creaks in it. Its back cover has a textured surface, which allows the smartphone not to slip out. In addition, the texture allows you to hide rubbing and scratches. The only thing that may alert users is the plastic edging of the LG Optimus L5. The characteristics of this material indicate that the edging may peel off during many months of use.

LG L5 Dual: display specifications

The first acquaintance can please the user of this phone. Indeed, the screen is not that small, and color reproduction seems to be at a high level. However, impressions are quickly forgotten during the operation of the model. Time passes, and they are replaced by a constant accounting of the device’s shortcomings.

First of all, such shortcomings of the screen include the relatively low density of dots per inch. It is only 144. You can get used to this. But you will never be able to come to terms with viewing angles that are, in fact, simply disgusting.

This will not be a problem for the average LG Optimus L5 user. The characteristics suggest that when performing a standard set of tasks, viewing angles that introduce aberrations into images are invisible. However, this will be very clear when playing on the phone. You can completely forget about playing normally in applications where you need to tilt the device. The picture will simply fade out. But the responsiveness of the screen can really please people who purchased this phone model. The display accepts up to 5 simultaneous touches.

Camera

Good picture quality was not expected from the device. However, even this managed to surprise users of the LG L5 E612. The specification indicates only 5 megapixels, but the photos do look quite sharp. With sufficient lighting, of course. In general, the price-quality ratio was unambiguously maintained here.

In the case of video, things are a little worse. The resolution will be only 640 by 480 pixels (this is the maximum). If it were not for problems in management, then, in principle, such a shortcoming could be forgotten.

Nutrition

It's no secret that many devices running the Android operating system cannot work all day without recharging unless third-party programs are used. And they, in fact, briefly extend battery life. But LG Optimus 5 coped with this problem.

It has 1540 mAh. If you believe the manufacturers' words, the operating time can be almost 10 hours. This is about continuous conversation. In standby mode, the device can remain “one click to connect” for up to 900 hours.

Many experts who tested the smartphone noted that the numbers were actually confirmed. If you turn on all wireless communication modules on the device, set the screen backlight to maximum and start playing video continuously, the device can last 9.5 hours.

Ordinary users will be able to squeeze two days of work out of the model without recharging. At the same time, you can exchange text messages and make phone calls with average intensity.

LG Optimus L5 Dual: characteristics and conclusion

Well, in terms of design, the device gets a solid B. The characteristics of autonomous operation also receive the same rating. If we look at the technical equipment, we can give it a solid three, and the camera also deserves four points on a five-point scale.

LG Optimus L5 is one of the representatives of the L-Style line. This gadget takes place exactly in the middle between the budget option LG Optimus L3 and the more expensive Optimus L7. Therefore, we can say that this particular model will win the hearts of more people, because it harmoniously combines stylish and laconic design, as well as excellent performance.

Design

The gadget is fully consistent with its model range and therefore looks stylish and strict. High-quality plastic was used as the material for the smartphone body. There is a protective glass on the front panel that protects the device from scratches and damage. Below, on the front part there are standard buttons: “back”, “home” and “menu”. The space above the display is occupied by a speaker protected by an internal mesh. The headphone input and power button can be found on the top edge. And the bottom end is occupied by a microUSB connector and a microphone. The left side “sheltered” the volume rocker, but the right side remained absolutely clean. The camera, flash and two audio speakers are located on the rear panel. By removing the back cover you can find the battery, under which there is a SIM card slot. Overall, the LG Optimus L5 is built very well and reliably. No cracks, defects or play were found. The smartphone feels comfortable and pleasant in the hand, and thanks to the smaller display diagonal compared to the L7, it is also very comfortable to operate. The gadget is presented in traditional colors – black and white.

Display

LG Optimus L5 has a four-inch diagonal display, TFT matrix and a resolution of 320 by 480 pixels. Therefore, the user will still see some graininess, but even with such characteristics the screen shows a good picture. The device has wide viewing angles and very high brightness, which allows you to use the gadget on a sunny day. Gorilla Glass acts as a protective barrier against various types of scratches and damage.

Performance

The hardware is fully consistent with budget smartphone options. The “iron heart” is the Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 MSM7225A, and this processor absolutely cannot boast of either the clock speed or the number of cores: one core and 0.8 GHz. There is also not a lot of RAM - 512 MB, and not a lot of built-in memory - 4 GB. However, the user can increase this volume using memory cards. If we translate all these numbers into ordinary speech, then we can safely say that this gadget is definitely not suitable for modern games and videos on the Internet, but these characteristics are sufficient for solving work tasks, listening to music and general surfing the Internet. For a non-demanding user this is quite enough.

Camera

5 megapixels, autofocus and LED flash are the only things the LG Optimus L5 can boast of. Despite such a small set, the camera still allows you to take fairly good pictures that are distinguished by excellent detail. If you look at the pictures not on the phone screen, but on the computer, the pictures look even brighter and more contrasty. As for the camera in this smartphone, there are two disadvantages: the absence of a front camera and a hardware key that allows you to call the camera.

Autonomous operation

The gadget has a removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 1540 mAh. This is enough for the smartphone to last for two days without recharging with moderate use. In talk mode, the LG Optimus L5 will last about ten hours, and if you leave it turned on somewhere on a shelf and not use it at all, the charge will last for a whole month.

Bottom line

Overall, the smartphone turned out quite good. There are no frills or bells and whistles in it. It is simple and easy to use and does a great job with the basic functions of any phone. This model is ideal for those who are just getting acquainted with the world of touchscreen phones or for those who do not care about powerful and modern functionality.

Technical characteristics of the LG Optimus L5 smartphone

Dimensions
Length x Width x Height, mm	66.5 x 118.3 x 9.5
Weight, g	123
Display
Matrix	TFT
Display diagonal, inches	4
Display resolution, pix	320×480
Camera
Main, Mp.	5
Frontal, MP.
System
operating system	Android 4.1
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 MSM7225A
Processor frequency, GHz	0.8
Number of cores	1
RAM, GB.	512 MB
Internal memory, GB.	4
Interfaces
3G Network	There is
2G Network	There is
WiFi	There is
Bluetooth	There is
Nutrition
Battery capacity, mAh	1540

Contents of delivery:

• Telephone
• Battery
• Charger
• USB cable
• Instructions

Positioning

LG Electronics has started selling the Optimus L5 (E610) smartphone, which is an intermediate solution between the budget Optimus L3 and the relatively expensive Optimus L7. Unlike the older model, the L5 has a display with a smaller diagonal, lower resolution, a simple TFT matrix and a weaker processor.

In the price category up to 9,000 rubles, the device boasts the latest Android 4.0.3 OS. True, with the release of Jelly Bean, the Ice Cream Sandwich version begins to slowly lose relevance, since Android 4.1 takes Google’s “OS” to a new level. Otherwise, the smartphone's parameters are quite boring: 512 MB of RAM, 5 MP camera with the ability to record 0.3 MP videos and 4 GB of Flash memory.

On the one hand, it turns out to be a quite attractive gadget, on the other hand, there are little things that upset us that could have been eliminated, and then, from my point of view, the LG Optimus L5 would have become a hit. What little things we are talking about, you will learn from this review.

Design, dimensions, control elements

Despite the fact that LG Optimus L7 and L5 look very similar to each other, we still managed to find differences in design. Firstly, L5 has all sharp corners, while L7 has slightly rounded bottom corners. Secondly, the P705 is slightly thinner (8.7 mm versus 9.5 for the E610). Thirdly, the back cover of the older model almost completely covers the right and left edges; in addition, it has a different texture: in L7 it is longitudinally flat, and in L5 it is in the form of diamonds. It looks more impressive on the E610, but the back of the Optimus L7 smartphone feels better in the hand. In LG L3, the back panel is slightly more prominent than in LG L5.

Like the entire L-style line, the device is made entirely of plastic. The black version is currently available for sale, and the white version will be available soon. In both the first and second cases, the front and rear panels are painted in the corresponding colors. In my opinion, the LG Optimus L5 in “light” looks more impressive and elegant. At least it shows less fingerprint marks.

The device is assembled very well, there is nothing to complain about: there is no vertical or horizontal play, the lid does not bend down to the battery, and does not crunch or squeak when squeezed.

The dimensions of the LG E610 are as follows - 118.3x66.5x9.5 mm, weight - 125 grams; LG E400 - 102.6x61.6x11.9 mm, weight - 110 grams; LG P705 - 125.5x67x8.7 mm, weight - 122 grams; Prada by LG 3.0 - 127.5x69x8.5 mm, weight - 138 grams. By the way, the new product used an interesting technology called “Floating Mass Technology” - this is the optical effect of perceiving a smaller thickness than it actually is. Due to its small size and weight, the LG L5 fits perfectly in the hand and is a little more convenient to operate than the LG L7 due to the use of a smaller display diagonal. The phone fits into jeans or trouser pockets, but be prepared that the L5's angular shape will likely make itself known when you bend over or sit down. Best worn in a jacket or top shirt pocket.

The screen is easily soiled, fingerprints quickly cover the surface, although they are erased relatively easily and quickly. The display is not protected by Gorilla Glass, as was implemented in the Optimus P705.

There is a proximity sensor on the front panel. Reacts quickly and clearly. The device does not have a light sensor. There is a speaker nearby. Its volume is slightly above average (it was louder in the L7), the interlocutor can be heard clearly, the timbre is pleasant, but the low frequencies are slightly less than in the speaker of the LG Optimus P705.

Below the screen there is a mechanical Home button recessed into the body. Its dimensions are 14x5 mm, rectangular in shape with smoothed edges. The stroke is minimal, the pressure is firm. To the left of “Home” is the touch “Back”, and to the right is the “Menu”. Since I used the L7 for a long time, this arrangement of buttons no longer raised any questions for me.

At the bottom there is a microUSB and a microphone, at the top there is a standard 3.5 mm jack for connecting headphones and an on/off button (almost recessed into the body). There are no elements on the right, and on the left there is a volume rocker key: thin and long, slightly rising above the body, and it is almost impossible to feel it with your finger.

The speakerphone is located on the back side, along with the camera module and flash. To remove the back cover, you need to pry it off by the protrusion on the top end. You will find a slot for a memory card on the left (hot-swappable), a slot for a SIM card is above the battery (but you still have to remove it).

LG Optimus L5 and Samsung Galaxy Ace 2

Display

The LG Optimus L5 smartphone was equipped with a relatively large display - 4 inches (physical size - 84x56) for the price category of smartphones up to 9,000 rubles. However, the resolution was left at the level of budget devices - 320x480 pixels (density - 144 pixels per inch). And this is the first remark. The second is the low quality of the matrix: for some phone model from Fly it would be forgivable, but not for a large vendor. Viewing angles are small: for example, when tilting the screen toward you, the colors are strongly inverted, away from you the contrast drops, and when you turn it right or left, the image acquires a purple tint and the brightness decreases slightly. Even on the Chinese Highscreen Yummy Duo the quality is better.

The matrix is ​​made using TFT-LCD technology and is capable of displaying 16 million shades of color. The sensor, naturally, is of a capacitive type and handles up to 5 simultaneous touches. Sensitivity is slightly above average, i.e. on L7 it’s still better.

The brightness is high, and in daylight it is quite enough for comfortable reading from the screen. But in the sun they still go blind, and quite strongly.

In general, the screen quality of the LG Optimus E610 was disappointing, especially after the gorgeous IPS matrix in the LG Optimus P705. The lack of a light sensor also did not help the phone.

In the “Display” settings, auto-rotate is turned on or off, the font size is set (regular or large), the key backlight is turned on or off, and the time before the screen turns off is adjusted (from 15 seconds to 10 minutes).

LG Optimus L7 (left), 3D Max and L5 (right) displays:

LG Optimus L5 display matrix

Viewing angles of the LG Optimus L5 display

Battery

The LG L5 uses a removable lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery with a capacity of 1500 mAh, 3.8 V, 6.5 W. If you compare the battery life of the L7 and L5, the latter holds a charge a little longer, possibly due to the lower resolution and lower quality of the display matrix, as well as the use of a less powerful processor.

The promised operating time is up to 10 hours of talk time and up to 900 hours (a little more than a month) of standby time. These data have been partially confirmed in practice:

Communication capabilities

The smartphone operates on GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and HSDPA 900/2100 networks. Speed ​​HSDPA – 7.2 Mbit/s (in LG Optimus L7 – up to 21 Mbit/s), HSUPA – 5.76 Mbit/s, EDGE – 236 Kbit/s, GPRS 32-48 Kbit/s. In the “Cellular network settings” section there are several items: data transfer, data roaming, network mode (automatic switching between GSM/WCDMA, WCDMA or GSM only), access point, “2G networks only” and selection of telecom operators (automatic or manual) .

There is Bluetooth version 3.0 with A2DP, and the Wi-Fi module (802.11 a/b/g/n) supports Wi-Fi Direct. The phone can be used as an access point (Wi-Fi hotspot). The sensitivity of Wi-Fi was not satisfactory: even in difficult conditions it shows 1-2 bars.

USB version 2.0 is present for data transfer and synchronization. When connected to a PC, a menu appears on the smartphone screen with a choice of actions:

• Charging only
• Media synchronization (internal memory and microSD cards visible)
• Shared USB modem
• Software from LG

Memory and memory card

The LG Optimus L5 smartphone has 512 MB of RAM, with about 160 MB available. I note that in the Optimus L7 this memory was about 110 MB. Unfortunately, the LG E610 behaves exactly the same as the older model: it seems that there is not enough RAM, although in fact (judging by the application manager) it should be quite enough. For example, when switching from one application to another, the device may pause for as long as 2-3 seconds. It doesn’t happen often, but this is exactly what happens with Skype running. In this case, there is only one piece of advice - unload applications from the RAM more often.

4 GB of Flash memory is allocated for installing applications, but only about 2.6 GB is free. So, you will have to buy a memory card (maximum capacity - 32 GB).

Camera

Oddly enough, the Optimus E610 uses exactly the same camera module (5 MP with autofocus) as the Optimus P705. There is a flash, but no front camera. It seems to me that this is a small minus for LG, since now more and more people are starting to use video chats, especially on devices in the mid-price range.

The maximum size of photos is 2560x1920 pixels, videos - 640x480 pixels. It is interesting that here the low video resolution can be fully justified by the low price of the gadget, which cannot be said about the LG P705, which records videos in the same quality.

In general, the pictures come out very good: good detail, correct white balance, more or less normal dynamic range. I was also pleased with the minimum focusing distance - 20-30 mm.

There is no separate activation button for the camera, so it is launched through a shortcut in the menu or from the “Lock Screen”. To focus, you need to touch the screen (“touch focus”) or immediately press the touch shutter button - automatic focusing will occur.

Photo mode interface: on the right – activate the shutter, switch between photo and video shooting, go to the gallery; on the left – “zoom”, brightness, modes, flash and settings; at the top – resolution, shooting mode, memory, battery charge and number of remaining frames.

Settings:

• Focus (auto, face tracking)
• Image Size (5MP, 3MP, W3M, 1MP and W1M)
• Scene programs (normal, portrait, landscape, sports, sunset and night)
• ISO (100, 200, 400 and auto)
• White balance
• Color effects
• Timer
• Geotags
• Shutter sound

Photo mode interface: on the right – activate the shutter, switch between photo and video shooting, go to the gallery; on the left – zoom, brightness, resolution, flash and settings; at the top are sound, memory and battery charge.

Settings:

• White balance
• Color effects
• Geotags
• Sound (record or not)
• Auto review (off, on, 2 or 5 seconds)
• Memory (microSD card or internal memory)

“Gallery” is represented by a slightly modified Android 4.0 album.

Video file characteristics:

• Format: MP4
• Video: AVC, 2000 Mbit/s
• Resolution: 640x480, 30 fps
• Audio: AAC, 156 Kbps
• Channels: 1 channel, 48 KHz

Sample photos:

Performance

LG installed the Qulacomm MSM7225 chipset with the index “a” in the Optimus L5 model. This means that a single-core ARMv7 Cortex-A5 processor is installed here (http://www.arm.com/products/processors/cortex-a/cortex-a5.php), operating at a clock frequency of 800 MHz (minimum - 320 MHz ). In this case, the DPS is Hexagon QDSP5 at 350 MHz, Adreno 200 video accelerator, and the process technology is 45 nm. Let me remind you that the LG Optimus L3 uses the MSM7225a chipset, while the LG Optimus L7 uses the Qulacomm MSM7227a (1 GHz). The difference is that the MSM7225a operates on processors with clock frequencies from 600 MHz to 800 MHz, and the MSM7227a - from 800 MHz to 1000 MHz.

All of these models use the Adreno 200 graphics accelerator. Interestingly, it is capable of pulling toys like “ShadowGun” - this surprised me personally. However, despite quite good performance, in general the smartphone behaves slowly: it takes a long time to launch some applications, slowly unloads programs from memory, and sometimes the interface lags. It seems that the incompletely optimized shell is to blame for this, since the LG P705 has the same problems.

By the way, new firmware was released for the latter, but it did not affect the speed of the device in any way.

Brief technical information:

Antutu Benchmark

Navigation

The smartphone has a GPS navigator. Its functionality is the same as most budget phones. “Cold” start – about seven minutes, “hot” – up to 10-15 seconds. Due to the fact that “gpsONE Gen 7” is installed here, there is no GLONASS.

Software platform

The test sample runs on the Google Android 4.0.3 operating system, and this is a significant plus, since until now most devices have not received ICS.

Shell and menu

The design is the proprietary Optimus UI shell version 3.0.

To activate the backlight, you must press the phone's power key or the “Home” key. The “lock screen” contains information about the time, date and network. They are represented by branded widgets. To configure them, you need to go to the “Screen lock” section. He contains:

To unlock, you need to swipe your finger across the screen. This function is implemented in a very original way: when you move your finger in the circle, the “Main Desktop” smoothly appears.

The “main desktop” is represented by widgets and shortcuts. To configure it, you need to click on “Menu” and select the appropriate item containing:

• Animation (show animation or not)
• On-screen effects (main, breeze, accordion, panorama, carousel, Jenga, domino)
• Scroll wallpaper (whether the wallpaper will scroll when swiping)
• Scrolling screens (show first desktop after last)

The top drop-down panel contains quick launch shortcuts for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, or those you configure by clicking on the “Edit” button. On the same panel there is a button to launch settings and various notifications. You can remove them by swiping your finger over them or by clicking the cross in the top right.

The “four” shortcuts can be replaced with other elements (“Menu” cannot be removed). To see all the desktops (there are only 5), you need to pinch your fingers to the center of the screen.

The new firmware introduced the “Quick Memo” application - quick notes on the smartphone screen. She also knows how to take screenshots. Located in the notification panel at the top left.

If you don't like the skin, you can always install any other one, but you can't switch to the bare ICS skin.

Challenges

The dialer is large and convenient. When you enter the first digits, a list of subscribers with matching numbers opens. When you make a call, a huge contact avatar appears on the screen and, unfortunately, the quality of the picture display is low. In order for it to be high, you need to re-set the subscriber photos.

Also, during a call, the following buttons are displayed: “turn on hands-free”, “contacts”, “call dialer”, “turn on/off Bluetooth” and “mute”. The call log displays a list of incoming and outgoing calls.

“Contacts” are presented in an alphabetically ordered list. On the right, you can select the letter with which the subscriber's last name or first name begins. To create a new contact, you need to click on the “plus” at the top of the screen. The following information is entered for each contact:

• Avatar
• Telephone
• Email
• Group
• Mailing address
• Organization and much more

Messages

For typing, a proprietary LG keyboard, similar to an iPhone, is used. The symbols are large and well separated from each other. It is very convenient to print. The language is switched by pressing the RU/EN button. The view can be landscape or portrait. The number of remaining characters is displayed at the top of the text input window. Long-pressing button 123 launches the keyboard settings.

For those who have vision problems, I advise you to switch the font size in “Display” to “Large”. Really handy feature.

I repeat once again that those who are looking for a smartphone with a large font (in SMS, menus and settings) - I advise you to take a closer look at the LG Optimus L5 or L7. The latter has an even larger font size.

Applications

I see no point in listing all the programs again. If you wish, read previous reviews of LG smartphones. There is standard software from Google and LG. Below are screenshots.

Web browser

A proprietary web page viewer is used. Cute and quite functional. There is an original function for enlarging the image: you need to hold the “+” button (located in the bottom center) and tilt the phone down or lift it up. Despite the fact that the device operates on an AMRv7 processor, for a reason unknown to me, Flash was missing. I tried installing other web browsers and installing a flash player - it didn’t help. Most likely, the test sample is to blame, since everything works fine on both the LG Optimus P705 and LG Optimus E400.

Multimedia

Music player

In the player you can organize songs by artists, albums, songs and folders. When playing music, the screen displays: a huge album cover, the name of the artist and the album title, and below are the player control buttons. In settings: search, add to favorites, SmartShare, add to playlist, delete, share (note, Bluetooth, Gmail, Skype, SMS/MMS), set as ringtone, information and settings.

Settings:

• Show notifications (on, off)
• Sleep timer (off, 10, 20, 30 minutes, 1 or 2 hours)
• Equalizer (off, bass reduction, treble boost, bass boost, vocal boost, headphone boost)

I don’t recommend using a standard music player: it doesn’t produce very high-quality sound. I installed one of the most popular ones - PowerAMP. I tested the musical capabilities of the LG Optimus L5 with it.

The volume in the headphones is high. The low and high frequencies are well developed; the mids, it seemed to me, were slightly overwhelmed.

The speaker volume is slightly above average.

Default music formats supported: MP3, AAC, AAC+, AMR, MP3, MIDI, WAV, WMA

FM radio

Operates in the FM range: 87.5 – 108 MHz. The screen displays the frequency scale, settings, 6 cells for saving the most interesting stations, switching the sound to the speaker and turning it off. The volume in the headphones is slightly above average, the receiver sensitivity is good.

Video player

Everything I said in the LG Optimus L3 and L7 review is generally true for the L5. In short, the standard player plays AVI, MP4 and 3GP formats recorded with DivX, H263, H264 and MPEG-4 codecs.

When installing, for example, MX Video Player, the list of supported formats and codecs expands. The maximum resolution should not exceed 1280x720 pixels (this resolution is “for show” - hardly anyone will watch the slideshow). Regular DVDRips work without problems.

Conclusion

The call quality is good, on par with any other LG smartphone. The vibration alert is quite noticeable in the pockets of outerwear.

After the L3/L5/L7 tests, I can say that the entire “L” line turned out to have some “roughness”. For example, take the LG Optimus L3: convenient, fast and pretty, but the screen resolution is 240x320 pixels. The Optimus L7 smartphone - everything seems to be fine, but it records videos in a resolution of 0.3 MP, and the processor is not the “fastest”. It’s a similar story with the Optimus L5: with a fairly large diagonal, the quality of the matrix is ​​low and the resolution is low, and there is no front camera.

Fly IQ255(Dual SIM, 4-inch screen with a resolution of 320x480, 512 MB of RAM, 1 GHz processor, 3G and a ridiculous price - 6,490 rubles).

pros:

• Android 4.0
• Autonomous operation
• Large display diagonal
• Slim body
• Good build
• Not a bad camera

Minuses:

• Low display resolution
• Low quality screen matrix
• Lack of Flash in the browser (possibly a sample bug)

Specifications:

• Class: smartphone
• Form factor: monoblock
• Case materials: plastic
• Operating system: Google Android 4.0.3
• Network: GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS/HSDPA 900/2100
• Processor: single-core, 800 MHz, Qualcomm MSM7225a
• RAM: 512 MB
• Storage Memory: 4 GB (2.6 GB available)
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi (b/g/n/), Bluetooth 3.0 (A2DP), microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charging/synchronization, 3.5 mm for headset
• Screen: capacitive, TFT-LCD 4"" with a resolution of 320x480 pixels
• Camera: 5 MP with autofocus + LED flash
• Navigation: GPS
• Additionally: accelerometer, proximity sensor, FM radio
• Battery: removable, lithium-ion (Li-Ion) capacity 1700 mAh
• Dimensions: 125.5x67x8.7 mm
• Weight: 122 grams

Roman Belykh ()