Skip to main content

Hands on: LG Optimus G Pro holds its own with Galaxy Note 2

Check out our full review of the LG Optimus G Pro cell phone.

Mobile World Congress may be the launchpad for the global version of the LG Optimus G Pro, but it feels like we already know it intimately. Though there were a lot of new LG devices on display, we couldn’t help but spend most of our time with the G Pro.

At the risk of stating the obvious, the Optimus G Pro is big, and every bit of its 5.5-inch screen is felt when you pick it up. It feels solid in the hand, and amazingly shaves about 20 grams off the weight of competing devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and even the Nokia Lumia 920’s overall weight. The back has the same spangly finish as the Nexus 4, and looked great against the white chassis. There was no flex to worry about, although the buttons on the side are made of plastic and have an unpleasant, cheap click to them, not unlike most Samsung products.

LG Optimus G Pro camera
Image used with permission by copyright holder
LG Optimus G Pro side
Image used with permission by copyright holder

LG may have skimped a little with the buttons and building materials, but it certainly hasn’t done so with the screen, as its 1080p resolution looks fabulous. The demo videos were beautifully crisp and the 400ppi pixel density produces such detail and sharpness, it makes us want a similarly high-res display on every other mobile device we own.

LG’s new features are a mixed bag

Android 4.1.2 is installed along with LG’s own user interface, although there isn’t much to separate it and Samsung’s TouchWiz, with the pair sharing similar icons, transitions, and animations. They’re not twins, but would certainly be considered close relatives. Like Samsung, LG uses custom apps baked into the OS to differentiate itself from others, some of which look useful and others bizarre.

LG Optimus G Pro at MWC
Image used with permission by copyright holder

On the helpful side we’ve got QMemo, which turns the screen into a notepad and you use your finger to trace out notes. The handwriting recognition is good, but it needs some concentration to “write” neatly, as jotting anything at speed results in massive, scrawled letters on the screen. QMemo can be accessed through the notification center, but it’s at its best when assigned to the QButton on the side of the device. This shortcut key means QMemo is a single, simple click away when on a call, a time when you’d you’re likely to need it most.

So, QMemo (and the QButton) are additions we could see ourselves using. (The Q button can be used as a shutter button, as well.) Dual Recording on the other hand, isn’t. It records a video using both front and rear cameras at the same time, with the forward-facing cam’s picture (containing your face) appearing in a little picture-in-picture box. Even LG struggled to give a good reason for its existence, saying it would be helpful in business meetings, but not elaborating any further. During playback, the extra window is distracting and detracts from what’s presumably the focus of the video – recorded using the rear camera – making Dual Recording feel like a feature produced purely because it could be done, rather than fulfilling a need.

(Editor’s note by Jeff: While I agree with Andy that no one needs dual-sided recording, the feature could come in handy in select circumstances and LG implemented it in an impressively polished way.)

LG Optimus G Pro keyboard
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The list of LG’s custom apps continues in a similar vein. A collaboration tool for sharing screens and content, the option to display three apps at the same time, and the now obligatory universal remote (named, you’ve guessed it, QRemote) are among the best ideas shown.

Huge phone, gorgeous screen

Like all tablet/smartphone hybrid hardware, the overriding impression of the Optimus G Pro is it’s size. LG has made a few concessions in the OS to compensate, such as the ability to shift the keyboard and dialer over by a centimeter or so to make one-handed use a more viable prospect; but the fact remains any mobile device with a screen this big won’t be for everyone. The daintily-handed could find it awkward (although this is hardly unique to the Optimus G Pro), and should try before buying. For all those already convinced this is the form-factor for them, the few missteps here aren’t enough to eclipse the gorgeous screen and LG’s mostly value-adding apps.

(Photos by Ben Nelson, Envision Studio)

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
The LG G8 ThinQ lets you unlock your phone with your hand’s vein pattern
The LG G8 ThinQ smartphone is now available for purchase unlocked
lg g8 thinq vs v50 review 19

LG's bringing not just one, but two phones to Mobile World Congress 2019. Just a few months after releasing the LG V40 ThinQ comes the V50 ThinQ, which brings 5G connectivity, and then there's the new LG G8 ThinQ, which uses strange air gestures to control the phone.

While the V50 ThinQ has a lot to offer, the G8 ThinQ is the phone many people will consider buying in the near future -- and for good reason. It boasts excellent specs, an improved camera, and will likely be cheaper than the 5G-ready phone. Here's everything you need to know about the LG G8 ThinQ, and check out our full review for more in-depth impressions.
Design
It's true that 2018 was the year of the notch, but it looks like that trend will continue well into 2019. The LG G8 ThinQ has one, and it closely resembles last year's G7 ThinQ. There's a similar 6.1-inch edge-to-edge screen, with the notch cutout at the top for what's known as the Z Camera (more on that later), along with a small chin bezel at the bottom. Apart from that, however, there seems to be slim bezels all around, and it overall looks elegant.

Read more
How to change your iPhone’s notification sound in iOS 17
how to change iphone default notification sound ios 17 sounds screenshot

Apple made a change to the default notification sound when it launched iOS 17, replacing “Tri-tone” with “Rebound.”Users have been unable to switch back to the original sound or select a different one as the default, and not everyone is a fan of the new tune. As you'd imagine, that's left some folks rather annoyed.

Read more
5 things I want to see in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and S Pen stylus on its screen.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is definitely one of the best smartphones on the market right now, no doubt about that. You get incredible performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, plenty of RAM and storage, a whopping 200MP camera, two telephoto lenses for 3x and 5x optical zoom, S Pen integration, and more. It’s certainly an impressive package.

But it’s not perfect. In fact, some weaknesses could be improved in the next version, the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Here’s what I hope to see next year.
A new design
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (left) and Galaxy S23 Ultra Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more