LG L70 Dual: The Understated Phone with Potential

The L70 Dual is part of LG’s recently launched L Series, a line that offers regular users sensibly built Android KitKat 4.2.2 phones. Looking at its price point, I was initially confused as to where the LG70 Dual positions itself in the market. After all, it seemed alanganin especially after a quick look at the specs. But after a week with it, I totally understood what LG was trying to do, and indeed, it did it well.

LG L70 DUAL D325 SPECS

OS: Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Processor:
Dual Core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 Qualcomm MSM8210 Snapdragon 200
Display:
4.5-inch IPS LCD capacitive screen, 480 x 800 pixels
Wireless Connections:
HSPDA (21 Mbps), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooh v4.0, A-GPS, GLONASS, FM Radio
Memory:
4GB expandable to 32GB via microSD, 1GB RAM
Connectors:
microUSB v2.0
Camera:
5MP with autofocus and LED flash (Main), VGA (Front-facing)
SIM Card Slot:
2x Regular SIMS
Battery:
2,100 mAh
SRP:
Php 8,490

UNBOXING

LG L70 - unboxing

The LG L70 Dual package contains the unit, the battery (not in photo), a USB charging cable, a USB charging head/travel adapter, in-ear earphones, a quick start guide, a pamphlet of LG mobile service centers, and an LG Mobile Warranty Card.

LOOK AND FEEL

LG L70 - front

The LG L70 Dual is one of those phones that make you smile when you hold them. The design isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it’s pretty. It’s slim. It weighs just right. Oh, did I mention that it was pretty?


LG L70 - back

LG L70 - back 2

Although made of plastic, the L70 Dual’s body does not look cheap. The corners gently slope to its textured, easy-grip back panel. The 4.5-inch screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 2, making it impervious to scratches, and just below the display, you’ll find four capacitive buttons for the back option, the home window, the menu, and the SIM switching function. These buttons sadly don’t have LEDs underneath, which makes them hard to see in environments with low lighting. Physical buttons for volume are on the left edge of the device, while one for power/sleep is on the right.

DISPLAY

A scene from "Breaking Bad" by AMC

A scene from AMC’s “Breaking Bad”

A 480 x 800 pixel display does not sound all that impressive, but looking at the home screen, the L70 Dual still delivers crisp edges and colors. Video viewing was a different experience, though: there was a bit of pixelation as I watched Breaking Bad, but it’s acceptable.

Utilizing the phone while under sunlight was a bit tricky. I had to tilt it at a certain angle for me to read stuff on it. It takes a bit of getting used to.

SOFTWARE

LG L70 - software2
Above the vanilla Android 4.4.2 KitKat is LG’s very own UI, which similar to other phones in the L Series, gives great user experience. It’s simple, intuitive, and just right for a phone that can be held in one hand. The lay-out is also very neat and straight-forward, making it easy for anyone to navigate it.

Several features include the KnockOn, which allows you to tap the screen twice to wake the phone up, and the Knock Code, a homegrown security system that utilizes a tapping pattern instead of a numeric or gesture code. Other cute additions are the Quick Memo for those times when you need to jot down notes on apps and save them as screenshots, and the Quick Slide, which gives you a one-stop access to recenlty used apps in your pull down drawer.

PERFORMANCE

Screenshot of "Reaper: Tale of a Pale Swordsman"

Screenshot of “Reaper: Tale of a Pale Swordsman”

 The dual-core processor and the 1GB RAM ensures that multi-tasking is a smooth experience. However, it might get you into a bit of a frustrating fix when downloading huge games. I tried downloading Asphalt 8 and Cytus several times, and both of them either didn’t finish installing or couldn’t be opened after installation. This is probably because the processor only clocks at 1.2GHz, which isn’t enough power for some performance-demanding apps. As the phone isn’t really marketed as a gaming platform, this is quite understandable, so best stick to the regulars and leave heavy games to the LG70 Dual’s older siblings to avoid crashes.

"Reaper - Tale of a Pale Swordsman" on the LG L70

“Reaper – Tale of a Pale Swordsman” on the LG L70

Battery-wise, the LG70 Dual delivers. Intermitent calling, continuous texting, and once-in-a-while email replying and Facebook checking has the device going for more than a day before charging. When I cranked up online usage, I still got to squeeze 8 to 11 hours out of it.

CAMERA

The 5-megapixel camera produces decent images in good lighting. The auto-focus function works well, although I needed to tap on the screen several times to have it focus where I wanted it to.

LG L70 Camera1

LG L70 Reaer Camera
LG L70 Camera2

As expected, taking a photo in conditions with lower lighting or with lots of shadowy areas tend to produce slightly grainy, but still acceptable results.

LG L70 Camera3
The front-facing camera is VGA, so picture quality is a little sub-par.

LG L70 Front Facing Camera

CONCLUSION

The fact there are many other phones in the market that deliver better specs for the same price point that the LG70 Dual has initially got me worried, but using it for a week made me realize hat it sits comfortably at the mid-range level. It isn’t for those looking for a powered-up machine for the lowest price: it’s for the smart consumer who’s looking for a phone that does what needs to be done on the best possible platform without so much of the unneeded bells and whistles. There aren’t many phones like that today, and I’m glad that LG has managed to hit that sweet spot between beauty and functionality.

YAYS!
– Simplistic but classy design
– Android 4.4.2 KitKat
– LG’s inuitive UI
– Battery life

NAYS
– 1.2GHz processor that causes demanding apps to crash
– VGA Front-facing camera

 

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