The beginning of the first half of 2013 was marked by the release of the second generation smartphone LG Optimus L7. Everything about its hardware and software stuffing, strengths and weaknesses will be discussed in this article. It should be noted right away that this is not one device, but a whole group. Behind this name are the devices P710, P713 and P715. There are no significant differences between them. The exception is only the number of SIM cards. The first two gadgets can work with only one, and the last model is equipped with two slots for installing them.
Equipment
Not quite standard equipment in the LG Optimus L7 second generation. Inside the box is a compact charger, USB cable for charging and connecting to a personal computer, the smartphone itself, and a battery. Among the documentation, there is a mandatory warranty card and user manual. All this is in Russian. But the headphones are not included. It is difficult in this case to understand the logic of the Korean company. In any case, she saved on this. But the calculation is probably made on the fact that the potential owner either already has a high-quality stereo headset, or he will buy it additionally.
Flagship orientation
LG Optimus L7 Dual, like all other smartphones in this line, is equipped with a very productive processor model MCM8225 from the company "Qualk". It is immediately worth noting that this manufacturer occupies a leading position in the segment of mobile chips for smartphones. Only here a similar decision at the time of the device’s release belonged to the middle class. Now it is an entry-level smart phone. But still, if you compare the MCM8225 and MTK6572, it is better to choose the first of them. He has more performance. This single-chip system is based on two A5 revision cores, which, at peak load, operate at a clock frequency of 1 gigahertz. Other "chips" are also supported, which can significantly save battery life. For example, in the absence of load on the core, it stops. Or, when performing a simple task, the frequency of the CPU can drop to 250 megahertz.
Graphics and touch screen
All devices of this line are equipped with a screen with a diagonal of 4.3 inches, which is based on a fairly high-quality IPS matrix. At the same time, its resolution is 800 pixels in height and 480 pixels in width. The pixel density is 217 PPI. The screen itself is not covered with protective glass and without a special film in this case can not do. Only two touches to the touch screen are processed at a time. The weak link in this smartphone is the graphics adapter. It's about Adreno 203. Its performance is sufficient to run video in HD quality, but only with the help of special media players that software download the video card. For the Internet, reading books and undemanding toys, its hardware resources will be enough. But for demanding applications, it will be missed. This is the main drawback of all modifications of the second generation LG Optimus L7. The price of $ 125 today compensates for this drawback to a certain extent. But still I would like more from a device of this level.
Memory and its volume
Things are much better with the memory subsystem. First of all, it is worth highlighting a random access memory device. Unlike most similar smartphones, the 2nd generation LG Optimus L7 is equipped with 768 MB of high-speed memory standard DDR3. But competitors often boast 512 MB. Such a solution can significantly improve the performance of the device by offloading the hardware resources of a smart phone. Not bad things are with the built-in flash memory. Integrated into this device 4 GB. The system itself takes up 1.2 GB. For installation of programs reserved 0.8 GB. The rest of the flash allows the user to store their data. For example, music, films, photographs. Also, the smartphone is equipped with a slot for installing microSD memory cards with a maximum capacity of 32 GB. True, in the kit there is no such drive at all. Therefore, you have to buy it separately. A capacity of 8 GB is enough for comfortable and normal operation on this gadget.
Ease of use and housing
The second-generation L7 is a classic all-in-one with touch input. The front panel is made of ordinary plastic. Fingerprints remain on it, and it can easily be damaged. To prevent this from happening, you need to protect it with a special film. Alas, it is not included in the package of delivery, and it will have to be purchased separately. All corners in the device are rounded. This is a significant difference from its predecessor, which was a classic rectangle. A metal insert is made throughout the frame. Unlike most similar devices, this model has 4 physical and 4 hardware buttons. In addition to the power button (on the right) and the volume swing (on the left), there is also a programmable button (the user can configure it at his discretion). Above the screen is the earpiece, front camera and proximity sensor. Below the tap are four touch buttons. In addition to the usual "Menu", "Home" and "Previous", there is also one that allows you to quickly select the necessary active SIM card. The back side of the smartphone is made of textured plastic. If the dirt on the black surface of the device is not very noticeable, then the white one gets dirty quickly. Therefore, without a cover it will be difficult
get along. It is also better to get it right away. Fortunately, finding covers on the LG Optimus L7 is not so difficult, and their prices are quite affordable.
Photo and video
Two cameras are installed in this device. The one that is brought to the front of the device is designed to make video calls on third-generation mobile networks or using special software (for example, Skype). Its quality is poor - only 0.3 megapixels. But on the back side is the main camera. It belongs to the merits of the LG Optimus L7 II. Customer reviews that like to take a lot of pictures and shoot using a smartphone confirm this. An 8 megapixel matrix has already been laid here. There is a system of LED backlight and image stabilization. It also supports the ability to record videos in a resolution of 720 by 480 pixels. This, of course, is not Full HR, but the picture quality is acceptable, the color rendering is excellent.
Battery and its features
Another indisputable advantage of the LG Optimus L7 2nd generation is the battery. It is equipped with a 2460 milliampere / hour battery. Among its direct competitors there is not a single device that could boast of a similar indicator. According to the manufacturer, this capacity is enough for 12 hours of continuous listening to MP3 compositions or radio, 6-7 hours of video playback. With an intensive load on the device on a single charge, you can stretch 2-3 days. If you use the smartphone minimally, then maybe 5 days is enough. Another advantage of this model is that the battery is removable. That is, when he develops his resource, it can be replaced without any problems.
operating system
An interesting situation with system software in the second generation LG Optimus L7. A review of the documentation suggests that in this case we are talking about an outdated version of the Android OS with serial number 4.1. Additionally, a proprietary development of a Korean manufacturer is installed on top of it. In general, the software part in this smartphone does not differ from the flagship of LG - Optimus G. Among the preinstalled applications, the Memo utility can be distinguished. It allows you to immediately launch 2 applications and switch between them as needed, that is, it turns out full-fledged multitasking.
Exchange of information with the outside world
A sufficiently large set of communication capabilities of the LG Optimus L7 II. Customer reviews and experts confirm this. He has everything necessary for data exchange. First of all, this is the Wai-Fi module. The most common versions of this standard are supported: b, g, and n. The maximum speed of information transfer using this method is 100 Mbps. An alternative option to connect to the global web is the second and third generation mobile networks. In the first case, the information transfer rate is measured in hundreds of kilobytes (it will be possible to communicate on social networks and view simple sites). But in third-generation mobile networks, this figure increases significantly and can be a maximum of 21 Mbit / s. This is enough to watch videos from the Internet, download "heavy" sites and make video calls. Also in the device is integrated bluetooth for data exchange with similar devices. To navigate the terrain, the smartphone is equipped with a ZhPS module. Therefore, the gadget can be used as a navigator in a car. There is also a MicroUSB format port. It allows you to connect to a personal computer, but its primary function is to charge the battery. Separately output 3.5 mm jack for external speakers. Moreover, both headphones and speakers can be used.
Summary
The LG Optimus L7 of the 2nd generation turned out to be fairly balanced. He has virtually no weaknesses. We can distinguish only the lack of a protective glass, a plastic case, unstable to scratches and other damages, and a weak graphics adapter. The first two problems are easily eliminated by the additional purchase of a protective film and a cover. But the question cannot be solved with the video card, and this must be taken into account at the stage of choosing a smartphone. But the advantages of this model are many. First of all, it is a productive dual-core processor from a leading developer. The increased amount of RAM in comparison with analogues is another plus. Also an important advantage is the large battery capacity. To summarize: the LG Optimus L7 phone is an excellent mid-range gadget, by purchasing which you will get a friend and helper “all in one”.