LG Optimus G vs HTC One X

Introduction:

Never thought of as being one of the premier players in the Android sphere, LG’s reputation is seemingly going in the correct direction with the LG Optimus G. For once, they really have the upper hand, as they’re the first ones to come to market with an Android smartphone that blends a quad-core processor with 4G LTE connectivity. Fittingly, we’re pitting LG’s prodigy with HTC’s current flagship device in the HTC One X – mainly to distinguish which of the two can actually reign supreme over the other. Sure, it’s been out for many months and will be replaced soon, but the HTC One X is no slouch in this day and age, so it’ll be interesting to see how the outcome plays out.

Design:

Now this is a tough cookie folks, as they have their own distinctive design cues to make them attractive to a wide array of people. Intently handling the two, it’s obvious that they’re employing very different aesthetics – as the HTC One X has a curvier feel with its unibody polycarbonate body, versus the slab-like and glossy look of the LG Optimus G. Both are naturally sturdy with their constructions, but somehow, the LG Optimus G comes off as the more premium looking device between the two thanks to its Crystal Reflection rear casing and glass surfaces.


Finding the same set of three Android capacitive buttons beneath their screens, we’re thankful that they’re spaced evenly from one another to reduce any of those annoying accidental presses.

Quickly looking around the sides of the handsets, it’s obvious that they’re sporting the same exact items. Specifically, the listing includes their 3.5mm headset jacks, power buttons, volume controls, microphones, noise-cancellation mics, and microUSB ports for charging/data/video-out connectivity. Worthy of pointing out, we do prefer the more pronounced and tactile feel of the LG Optimus G’s power button and volume controls.


Display:

Easily regarded as one of their main centerpieces, both handsets are able to enthrall our interest thanks primarily to their brilliant, attractive, and polarizing displays. Specifically, it’s a 4.7-inch 768 x 1280 HD IPS Plus display on the LG Optimus and a 4.7-inch 720 x 1280 Super LCD 2 panel in the HTC One X. On paper, LG’s offering has the slight advantage in the pixel density department, but to tell you the truth, it’s hardly noticeably better to the eye – as the two are exquisitely detailed. Even though they are both LCD screens, their color productions are drastically different, it’s warmer with the HTC One X as opposed to the more natural tones of the LG Optimus G, . However, we find the LG Optimus G display to be more visible in outdoor conditions.

Interface and Functionality:

For a long time, HTC delivered the goods by enhancing the core Android experience, but for a change in pace, we’re now finding LG’s custom Android experience to be more comprehensive. Visually speaking, we still like the style and look of HTC’s 4.0 Sense experience, but when it comes to depth of functionality, LG has made some considerable ground in making its experience the deeper between the two. Without a doubt, LG’s custom Android experience takes multi-tasking to a higher level with its QSlide and Dual Screen/Dual Play features, which are items that the HTC One X doesn’t offer with its experience. Call it a changing of the guard, but for a change, LG has triumphed over HTC in the experience department.



Although the core functions of their organizer apps are intact, HTC’s set are able to stand out more for their cool transition effects. Looking at the email experience, it’s a safe bet to say that the two are more than effective in keeping us productive on the go – especially when there’s nothing different with the Gmail experience.



Presenting us with enough room for our finger to play around with, we don’t find one to be better when it comes to the messaging experience. Not only are they spacious with their layouts and offer us the ability to input punctuations and numbers from their main layouts, but we find the responsive nature of the two keyboards to soundly solidify the perfect experience.




Processor and Memory:

For the average Joe, it’s rather difficult to distinguish which of the two is the faster when it comes down to raw performance, as they exhibit smooth executions with a variety of basic tasks. However, as we’re able to test them out to their limits, we find the LG Optimus G giving us that tight and snappy performance that we desperately crave to make it the stand out winner. Showing off its worth, the quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with 2GB of RAM goes beyond the benchmark results put out by the dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 CPU with 1GB of RAM on the HTC One X.

Getting more bang for the buck, the Sprint version of the LG Optimus G presents us with 32GB of internal storage out of the box, while the AT&T one has 16GB and microSD slot. Meanwhile, with the AT&T variant of the HTC One X, we’re only given a measly 16GB of internal capacity.

Internet and Connectivity:

By now, we’re all aware that these two are superb devices for surfing the web, naturally, mainly due to the fact that they offer exceptional and smooth navigational controls combined with speedy 4G LTE connectivity. Between the two, we notice that the LG Optimus G is more gracious with its fluid movements than its rival, but it’s not something that we’d consider to be a deal breaker in this category. Rather, it’s just the annoying way that the HTC One X renders things on the go with its constant blinking actions – essentially sticking out the most in our minds as being a distraction. Aside from that, they’re wonderful.



With various versions of the two handsets floating around, we know that they’re available in GSM and CDMA variants – though, the CDMA version of the HTC One X is the HTC EVO 4G LTE for Sprint. Not too much of a shocker, they share many common connectivity features. The listing consists of aGPS, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, mobile hotspot functionality, and NFC.

Camera:

Being the newer device and all, the LG Optimus G is sporting a higher count 13-megapixel camera in its Sprint variant, while the AT&T model has an 8MP shooter. The HTC One X is flaunting an 8-megapixel camera. Not a shocker at the very bit, they both feature and the ability so shoot video on 1080p. Additionally, they’re packing along 1.3-megapixel front-facing cameras that also have the ability to shoot 720p video.



Even though the LG Optimus G’s 13-megapixel camera is trumping the 8-megapixel snapper of the HTC One X on paper, it doesn’t prove to be any better with its actual results. Instead, we find the qualities of the two cameras to be nearly identical to one another for the most part. Looking at the shots taken outdoors with abundant lighting around, they put out the same level of detail – though, there’s just a small fraction of saturation with the Optimus G’s color reproduction. Under low lighting situations, however, we do notice that there’s a better exposure balance seen with the LG Optimus G’s results. As a whole, there’s only a marginal improvement found with the LG Optimus G, but it doesn’t quite step over the HTC One X in this specific area.

Likewise, we can say the same thing about their 1080p video recording quality, as neither one really puts out results that are vastly better than the other. In fact, they share many common elements – like their softer looking details, noticeable artifacting, and smooth recording. Compared to some of the other greats out there, the results from the two are nothing worth boasting about merrily.

LG Optimus G Sample Video:



HTC One X Sample Video:



LG Optimus G Night time Sample Video:



HTC One X Night time Sample Video:



Multimedia:

Looking beyond the stark differences between the stylized look of their respective music players, they’re actually both conventional by nature – as well as their functionality. Cranking their volumes to the max, their speakers emit the same powerful tones that roar with enough veracity to liven a quiet room.



Considering that they’re both sporting 4.7-inch displays, it’s more than ample enough to provide us with an ideal video watching experience. Well, it merely comes down to which one you’ll find as being more appealing – the warmer tones of the HTC One X, or the more neutral stance of the LG Optimus G. Whatever the case, you can’t go wroth with either of them.

Call Quality:

Neither is actually perfect when it comes to call quality, primarily because of some of the nagging issues that come up between them. Specifically, the HTC One X’s earpiece sounds weak in noisy environments – while there are some distortion issues that pop up on both ends of the line with the LG Optimus G.

Battery:

Testing them out exclusively with last-generation data speeds, HSPA+ for the HTC One X and 3G EV-DO with the LG Optimus G, we’re given very similar results with battery life – and that’s despite finding the HTC One X having the smaller 1,800 mAh battery. With the two, we’re able to get through a solid day of normal usage with fully charged batteries. Meanwhile, heavier usage permits us at least 12 hours of battery life.

Conclusion:

Being the new kid on the block clearly has an advantage, as the LG Optimus G is sporting hardware under the hood that’s more coveted right now – essentially giving it more nods when you factor in outright pricing. Specs aside, LG has made some considerable ground in enhancing its custom Android experience to put it in a more favorable position over the Sense experience of the HTC One X. When we think about the LG Optimus G’s superior hardware, premium construction, and its extensive software features, it really pulls itself ahead of the HTC One X at this point. Then again, we all know that HTC is about to unleash its newest flagship in the HTC One X+, which might give LG’s offering a good run for its money. But in the meantime, the LG can give itself a toast in knowing that they’ve finally triumphed over HTC’s best offering.

LG Optimus G vs HTC One X: