LG Prada Phone 3.0 Android phone

LG Prada Phone 3.0 review: All style, but not enough substance

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LG's Prada Phone 3.0 is the third smartphone the company has developed in conjunction with Italian fashion label Prada following the LG Prada (KE850) and the LG Prada (KF900). Described by LG as a smartphone that combines "style and substance", the Prada Phone 3.0 has a nice design and some handy software but has too many flaws to recommend amongst excellent competition.

Pros

  • Classy looking design
  • Bright screen
  • Monochrome UI

Cons

  • Poor battery life
  • Low screen resolution
  • Inconsistent interface

Bottom Line

LG's Prada Phone certainly looks the part thanks to a classy design that blends well with the company's unique, monochrome user interface. Unfortunately, this interface is also the cause of much inconsistency. When combined with only average performance, poor battery life and no real class leading features, the Prada Phone is quickly lost among better competitors.

Would you buy this?

  • Where to buy

    Priced from: $ 235.00
    Selling at 4 stores
See all prices

• LG Optimus Black review
• LG Prada (KE850) review
• LG Prada (KF900) review

Stylish and elegant

As you would expect from a phone emblazoned with the famous Prada logo, the LG Prada Phone 3.0 definitely looks the part. It features Prada's signature "saffiano" pattern on the back in a classic black colour. The rear cover is plastic which may turn off some expecting a more leather like finish, but it doesn't detract from the overall look and feel of the phone and makes it very easy to grip. The sleek, curved edges measure just 8.5mm thick and do give the Prada Phone a distinctive touch, though there is no mistaking its overall size. It's almost as large as the HTC One X despite having a smaller 4.3in screen.

We love the wealth of elegant touches found on the Prada Phone. The power and camera shortcut keys are round, machined-metal buttons that look and feel classy. The slider that covers the micro-USB port is the same and is definitely one of the best we've come across on any smartphone. We also love the tiny silver surround on the headphone jack, along with the soft, white backlight around that appears around the power key when the screen is turned on.

For all its elegance, however, there are a few annoying design elements of the Prada Phone 3.0. The power and camera shortcut keys aren't raised enough and need a real firm press to activate. The volume buttons are annoyingly on the left side which doesn't really cater for right-handed users. The ergonomics of the phone aren't too flash, either. We found it hard to hold the phone in one hand and reach the power button, for example.

The LG Prada Phone 3.0 has a 4.3in IPS "NOVA" display that boasts excellent brightness. Similar display technology was used on the LG Optimus Black and the outdoor brightness of 800nits is almost twice as much many other smartphone screens, resulting in excellent sunlight legibility. Unfortunately, the LG Prada Phone 3.0 is let down by a rather low 480x800 resolution. The screen displays a clear image, but the resolution means text and finer details aren't as crisp as many other competing smartphones. The latest flagship smartphones like Samsung's Galaxy Nexus and the HTC One X are equipped with 720p HD displays and the LG Prada Phone 3.0 simply looks outdated and outclassed next to them.

Next page: Software, performance and battery life

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