Budget smartphones LG Optimus L3 II and L5 II review
LG’s range of budget-oriented smartphones is expanding this year with the addition of the Optimus L3 II and the L5 II. These are some of the best value Android smartphones on sale today, but what are the main differences between them and which is going to be the most suitable companion for your palm and pocket?
Here’s a quick rundown of the LG Optimus L3 II vs LG Optimus L5 II, complete with the key tech specs and the benefits of each.
LG Optimus L3 II
This is the younger brother in the current Optimus range, bringing impressive affordability and a respectable array of capabilities to the table.
On the LG Optimus L3 II you get a 3.2 inch touchscreen display up front and the phone has a single physical button below it to act as the home key.
It weighs just 107 grams and is a fraction over a centimetre thick, ensuring that it is easy to take out and about with you and hold comfortably for extended periods. The small screen means you can use it one-handed, which is not something that can be easily achieved with its significantly larger siblings.
A single core 1GHz processor and 512MB of RAM make for decent performance and although there’s just 4GB of storage on offer, you can pop in a microSD memory card if you want a little bit more room for all of your pictures, videos and apps.
The Optimus L3 II uses Android Jelly Bean and has a mildly tweaked user interface to bring a bit of personality to bear on Google’s solid operating system. A 3.15 megapixel camera on the back lets you snap photos and record video clips. Since this is a 3G smartphone with Wi-Fi also available you will be able to upload your media files to social networking sites quickly.
As well as the ability to write notes over any screen using Quick Memo, we particularly like the cheese shutter which lets you take photos with your voice. Cheese!
LG Optimus L5 II
The design of the marginally costlier LG Optimus L5 II, is a little sleeker and more stylish, with a metal effect back plate and angular edges giving it a more professional look.
It uses the same processor, RAM and storage as the L3 II, which means that it does not necessarily perform any differently with the Android Jelly Bean software onboard. However, there are a couple of key differences that you need to bear in mind when making your choice.
The L5 II has a bigger display with a higher resolution, measuring four inches across the diagonal and giving you 480×800 pixels to play with. This is the kind of screen that would have been at the top of the market a few years ago and so it is good to see it appearing on cheaper devices today.
The second enhanced feature is the five megapixel camera which has an LED flash to help improve those shots you need to take in dim lighting conditions. Further more, as a budget smartphone with NFC connectivity, you can share photos and music with a simple tap to any compatible smartphone. There are plenty of great uses for NFC technology, such as processing mobile payments or connecting to wireless speakers, thus ensuring the LG Optimus L5 II offers a future proof edge over the L3.
There’s also the inclusion of a Quick Button on the L5 II which lets you connect up to your favourite apps with a single press. No fuss, no nonsense.
Which should you buy?
Both of these bargain handsets from LG are undeniably among the best value Android smartphones available. You can browse the web, access social networking services, capture images and even navigate from place to place using GPS.
Comparing the LG Optimus L3 II against the L5 II, if low cost is the priority and you want a super compact device then the Optimus L3 II might be the best option.
On the other hand if you have a bit more cash to spend and you are looking for something with a bigger screen and a better camera, then the Optimus L5 II will meet your needs. And at this price point if you can save up a little more cash it can make a lot of difference.
These are just two of the great value smartphones of 2013 . Filled with quirky tools and Google features, what are your thoughts on these entry level android phones?