LG Optimus 3D Max Review

How can you differentiate your product from an entire range of top-end Android handsets without having to compromise on the features? You simply add that missing dimension to it, and you can concoct a device with a completely different USP, adding on to the features that current ones have. That’s exactly what LG first did with their Optimus 3D, which unfortunately, wasn’t exactly a groundbreaking phone. Now, they have come up with the second version of the phone, dubbed the LG Optimus 3D Max. But, will a couple of changes here and there make the 3D Max a more worthy product? Let’s find out.

Not AMOLED, but good enough

Design and Build Quality

LG and Samsung seem to have been left behind, as far as the design and build of their phones is concerned, as all their phones still have that plastic-y, uninspiring feel to them. The 3D Max is no different. It borrows heavily from the design of the Galaxy S II and where it mainly differs from its predecessor is that it is lighter and more compact. The bulge around the cameras at the back has disappeared and the device has a small bump towards the bottom that gives it a reassuring feeling when held. The device comes with a textured back and glossy sides and we sincerely hope this is the last device in LG’s repertoire that comes with a sub-par design.

Not a major change over the predecessor

The Optimus 3D Max comes with a 4.3-inch display with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels with four capacitive backlit buttons towards the bottom and the usual list of sensors and a VGA front camera on top. The top consists of a 3.5mm headphone slot and a power ON button, while the left consists of hard-to-find volume buttons and a micro USB charging slot. The 3D button is located to the right and it lets you easily access 3D content along with doubling up as a shutter button. At the back, there are two 5 megapixel cameras, an LED flash and a speaker grill. The SIM card slot as well as the microSD card slot is located underneath the back flap and not under the battery, so it is hot swappable. The important thing to note here is that there is no micro HDMI slot that was present in the earlier offering. 

The back

In terms of build, this device feels far more light and easier to hold, due to its slim 9.6mm form factor. It doesn’t win any accoladesthough, as we’ve seen a lot of phones in a cheaper price range (HTC One V, Nokia Lumia 800) that look and feel a lot more premium than the Optimus 3D Max does. 

Features and Performance

Interface

The Optimus 3D Max is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual core Cortex A9 processor with a TI OMAP 4430 chipset and PowerVR SGX540 graphics. Sadly, it comes with Android Gingerbread onboard, and with everybody now wanting Jelly Bean, we’re hoping this one makes the switch soon. That said, Gingerbread isn’t slow and laggy, the phone works quick and is smooth and lag free. There’s 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory, which is ample for multitasking without hanging. The ocassional hiccup, though is still present and we’re hoping that it goes away with Jelly Bean. The UI may be slick, but LG’s custom skin still falls short of the competition in terms of looks. 

The interface

We put the Optimus 3D Max through a couple of benchmarks and here’s how it fared. Browser mark gave it a score of 43128 placing it a little above the HTC Evo 3D that got a score of 35057. Linpack gave the phone a score of 50.2 points, keeping it close to the HTC One X (52 points) and above the Sensation XL (45 points). AnTuTu gave the 3D Max a score of 5540 points as opposed to the 4934 that the HTC EVO 3D got.