LG Spectrum
Key specs
Critic consensus
“The LG Spectrum offers everything you'd expect on a top-notch Verizon Wireless cell phone, including 4G LTE data speeds, a true high-definition (720p) display, and a powerful camera and 1080p camcorder. Our tests revealed a few significant flaws that weren't immediately apparent given the Spectrum's high-end specs, but it's still a solid choice nonetheless.”
“Rather than setting this at the usual price point of $299.99 that we’ve grown to see with Verizon’s top-shelf Android smartphones, it’s blessed with an even better $199.99 on-contract pricing, which is perhaps one of its most appreciated offerings. Even though LG has made some great strides on the Spectrum over its previous work with the Revolution, it simply pales in comparison to some of the other devices it’s competing against. Yeah, we adore the 4.5” True HD IPS display it’s packing along, but there’s simply nothing new or unique that the LG Spectrum can call its own. And now that the Galaxy Nexus is out and available packing the latest Android experience, it’s rather revolting to see this one launching with Gingerbread.”
“Yes, the $199 LG Spectrum has a high-quality 720p display, fast 4G LTE speeds, and a sharp camera. However, the industrial design doesn't impress as much as the ultra thin $199 Droid RAZR, and we prefer the Super AMOLED display and newer and sleeker Android 4.0 software on the Galaxy Nexus. The heavy-handed Android skin on the Spectrum and the lack of a Search button are other turnoffs. Overall, the LG Spectrum looks great when you're playing content--and streams it fast--but that's not quite enough.”
“From a consumer standpoint, the LG Spectrum is a pretty nice device, hitting all the bullet points. The specs are high-end, the cameras are good. It'll be getting an update to Android 4.0. And LG's user interface provides a great starting point for building your own homescreens. Or it'll be entirely usable out of the box. From a smartphone nerd/tech reviewer's point of view, jumping from the Galaxy Nexus and Android 4.0 back to Android 2.3 Gingerbread -- and a highly skinned version of Gingerbread at that -- is a bit of culture shock. There's a lot in Ice Cream Sandwich that we want to see carried over to manufacturers' implementations. The question is will they, and how long will it take? For right now, today, the LG Spectrum shows how far 4G LTE devices have come on Verizon in the past year. Slick and sleek are in. Big and bulky are out. And for $199 on contract, the LG Spectrum is well worth a look.”
Watch before you decide
In Depth
The LG Spectrum is one of many CDMA/LTE smartphones available from Verizon in the US.
It looks pretty promising on paper, with decent features such as a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 CPU, 1GB RAM, 4GB storage, a 4.5-inch HD screen, and a 1,830mAh battery. It has an 8MP camera with LED flash at the back, a front-facing secondary cam, a bunch of wireless features that include GPS with A-GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and support for both LTE and EV-DO Rev. A data. All of these are kept inside a body that measures only 11mm thin and weighs 141 grams.
It performs just as well as you might expect it to based on its list of specs. The main problem with it is that it runs an older version of the Android OS. In a time when devices are being announced with the latest version of Android pre-installed, the Spectrum is stuck with version 2.3. Not to mention a rather unremarkable looking exterior and, according to most reviewers, a not-so-attractive custom user interface on top of its Android OS.
Need to Know: LG Spectrum
1. Powerful innards and large HD touchscreen display. (The Good)
2. Supports 4G LTE network speeds. (The Good)
3. Android 2.3 Gingerbread as the default OS. (The Bad)
4. A limited amount of internal storage space. (The Bad)
What people actually want to know
When was the LG Spectrum released?
The LG Spectrum was released on January 19, 2012.
How long does the battery last on the LG Spectrum?
The LG Spectrum has a 1,830 mAh battery.
Does the LG Spectrum have a headphone jack?
Yes, the LG Spectrum has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Where can I download the LG Spectrum manual?
You can view and download the LG Spectrum manual on our dedicated manual page.
Questions & answers
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Try this -- Go to Settings > Display > Auto-rotate screen
Check on "Auto-rotate screen" to automatically switch the orientation of the screen as you turn the phone sideways. Now when you want to text in landscape mode, just turn your phone sideways.