David Lim's Auckland, Aotearoa Blog, Apple iPhone iPad Pro Repair

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Samsung Galaxy R vs. LG Optimus 2X: Affordable dual-cores (Google Android, Smartphones)

Affordable and dual core wouldn't normally belong in the same sentence. In 2011. And you don't need to press fast forward. Just sit back and enjoy. There's a lot stewing in the industry's pot and we think the place smells of quad core already.

So, two affordable dual-core Android smartphones it is. The Samsung Galaxy R and the LG Optimus 2X have been duly and thoroughly reviewed but we thought a head-to-head comparison wouldn't hurt - we've certainly been asked plenty of times which one is better.

The LG Optimus 2X prides itself in being the first dual-core smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy R follows at quite some distance but runs on the same chipset - the NVIDIA Tegra 2. Both have comparable screens too: 4" of WVGA IPS LCD on the Optimus and a 4.2" WVGA SC-LCD on the Galaxy R.

What sets them apart is imaging - the Optimus 2X is in line with the current flagships with an 8MP still camera and 1080p video, while the Galaxy R stops at 5MP/720p.

Here's a quick summary of the ups and downs of the two phones in direct comparison.

Samsung I9103 Galaxy R over LG Optimus 2X:

A bigger screen: 4.2" vs. 4"
Thinner: 9.5mm vs. 10.9mm
Double the RAM: 1GB vs. 512MB
Faster HSDPA: 21Mbps vs. 7.2Mbps
Slightly better battery life
USB On-The-Go support
Bluetooth 3.0 vs. 2.1

LG Optimus 2X over Samsung I9103 Galaxy R:

Better still camera: 8MP vs. 5MP
Better video camera: 1080p vs. 720p
HDMI TV-Out (with cable in the box) over no TV-Out at all

The Optimus 2X has fewer wins in its column, but they're all major victories. At least on paper - we'll see if the difference holds up in our tests or if the Samsung camera can make up for the lower resolution with better detail.

There are, of course, other differences too. It's between Samsung's TouchWiz and LG's custom skin on top of Android Gingerbread. And there's the design and build quality too: both have metal inlays on the back but the Galaxy R is more than a millimeter thinner.

LG Optimus 2X • Samsung I9103 Galaxy R

Other than that, the two phones are close enough in terms of specs to make this a fair and square fight. And exciting too. Let's get started with an overview of the hardware and software.

Software and Hardware overview

The Samsung Galaxy R is the thinner of the two at 9.5mm (the Optimus 2X is 10.9mm thick).

Samsung I9103 Galaxy R

The 2X is just a tad smaller, though the actual difference in both width and height is negligible. And it's down to the screen size. The R has a 4.2" screen, while the 2X has a 4" diagonal. The relative difference is about 10% of screen real estate but the resolution is the same.

We'll have a look at the performance of the displays in more detail further on.

LG Optimus 2X

As far as weight goes, the two are practically impossible to tell apart - 139g vs. 135g. The thing to note is the Samsung Galaxy R weighs less despite having a larger brushed metal inlay on the back cover.

It has a slightly bigger battery than the LG Optimus 2X too - 1650mAh vs. 1500mAh - but we'll see whether that makes any difference in our battery test, since the power consumption is important too.

The loudspeaker performance is another area where those two differ. They actually ended up even on one of the three tests, but the Samsung Galaxy R was noticeably louder in the other two. Here's how they did and how that compares with other phones we've tested.

Speakerphone test	Voice, dB	Pink noise/ Music, dB	Ringing phone, dB	Overal score
Nokia Lumia 800	60.9	59.0	61.7	Below Average
Apple iPhone 4	65.9	66.5	67.3	Below Average
Samsung I9000 Galaxy S	66.6	65.9	66.6	Below Average
LG Optimus 2X	65.7	60.0	67.7	Below Average
Samsung S8600 Wave 3	68.0	65.8	69.7	Average
Samsung Galaxy W I8150	69.6	66.6	67.0	Average
Samsung I9103 Galaxy R	65.7	65.7	71.5	Average
Samsung S8500 Wave	69.8	66.6	75.5	Good
HTC Titan	75.8	66.2	82.7	Very Good
HTC Desire	76.6	75.7	84.6	Excellent

As far as software goes, both phones are currently running Android 2.3 Gingerbread with both manufacturers committed to an Ice Cream Sandwich update. LG is expected to release ICS for the Optimus 2X in Q2, while Samsung's time table is yet to be confirmed.

We won't dig into the Samsung and LG custom launchers for Android. We've found that this is a personal preference and it's something you'll have to decide on for yourself. It appears the differences between TouchWiz and LG Home are mostly aesthetic.

The video player on the LG Optimus 2X handled 1080p videos (FullHD MP4 videos were problematic and MKV a straight no-go) and the Samsung Galaxy R matched it in FullHD video playback (with MP4 videos presenting problems again).

The LG Optimus 2X has a key advantage though - the Optimus 2X has a microHDMI port, which allows it to actually play those FullHD videos on an HDTV. There's a microHDMI cable included in the box too, so you don't have to worry about getting one. Depending on how you plan to use the phone, this might be one of the deciders.

The Galaxy R has only DLNA to rely on for connecting to TVs, but the Optimus 2X has that covered too.

One the thing that the Galaxy R has over the Optimus 2X in wired connectivity is USB On-The-Go. With it, you can hook up some external storage and and manage files on it. You'll need an OTG cable though, which isn't included in the box.

That aside, both phones have very similar software features. Both offer Flash-capable web browsers, come with Office document editors out of the box and offer social networking integration.

It's hard to pick a winner in this category. The Galaxy R is thinner and with a bigger screen, and with a slight advantage in loudspeaker performance. However, no TV-Out is a deal breaker for some. The standard microHDMI port of the Optimus 2X can save you some hassle (no MHL adapters or proprietary cables needed).

Screen comparison

The LG Optimus 2X and the Samsung Galaxy R use LCD screens with their own proprietary technology to improve the image quality.

Slight color and contrast loss when viewed at an angle is observed in both, although the problem is less prominent in the Galaxy R.

LG Optimus 2X • Samsung I9103 Galaxy R

Identical resolution and a slightly smaller screen means the Optimus 2X has an edge when it comes to sharpness. It beats the Galaxy R with a pixel density of 233ppi vs. 222ppi. It's not enough though to make a difference to the naked eye.

The LG Optimus 2X offers much better black levels - even at 100% brightness, the blacks were darker than what the Samsung Galaxy R managed at 50%. The 2X leads in contrast too, as the table below shows.

Where the Galaxy R wins out however is brightness - it's more than twice as bright. Here are the hard numbers:

Display test	50% brightness			100% brightness
Display test	Black, cd/m²	White, cd/m²	Contrast ratio	Black, cd/m²	White, cd/m²	Contrast ratio
LG Optimus 2X	0.23	228	982	0.35	347	1001
Motorola RAZR XT910	0	215	∞	0	361	∞
HTC Sensation	0.21	173	809	0.61	438	720
Samsung Galaxy W I8150	0.29	243	853	0.50	423	853
HTC Rhyme	0.43	265	609	0.58	402	694
Samsung I9001 Galaxy S Plus	0	251	∞	0	408	∞
HTC Sensation XE	0.23	172	761	0.64	484	752
HTC Radar	0.26	204	794	0.59	471	797
Samsung I9103 Galaxy R	0.51	407	806	0.92	785	858
LG Optimus Black	0.127	332	1228	0.65	749	1161

In conclusion, let's say it again. The Samsung Galaxy R has a 4.2" screen, which has 10% more surface area than the 4" screen of the LG Optimus 2X. It means though that the WVGA resolution is stretched a little thin on the Galaxy R - it has a 222 ppi against 233 on the Optimus 2X. The Optimus 2X display has better blacks but the Galaxy R display is brighter and has slightly better viewing angles.

This post sponsored by:
Dr Mobiles Limited
1 Huron Street, Takapuna, North Shore 0622
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Sony Mobile announcing the Xperia P and Xperia U at MWC (mobile phone tech news updated and report)

Sony gets right to it - Xperia P (rumored as Nyphon) and Xperia U (rumored as Kumquat) go official. They are the smaller versions of the Xperia S.

The Xperia P has a 4" display of qHD (540 x 960) resolution, which features the so called "White Magic" technology for superior sunlight legibility. It has an 8 MP camera with 1080p video recording and a dual-core NovaThor U8500 processor with 1 GB of RAM. It's an aluminum unibody device.

Xperia P

The Xperia P will come in brushed aluminum finishes in three versions. It also has NFC connectivity compatible with the Xperia smart tags.

The Sony Xperia U has a 3.5" 480 x 854 Reality display, Sony's xLOUD technology, a 5 MP camera with 720p video recording, dual-core 1 GHz processor and 512 MB RAM.

Xperia U

The Xperia U's transparent band at the bottom changes color too.

Using the Xperia P with Sony's SmartDock

Both devices will be globally available in Q2 this year.

Also the Xperia S is now shipping globally and will be available at the Barcelona Sony Store exclusively this week.

The first person in the world....

First in the World

1.	Chairman of Peoples Republic of China	Mao-Tse-Tung
2.	President of the Chinese Republic	Dr. Sun Yat Sen
3.	President of U.S.A	George Washington
4.	Chinese Traveller to India	Fahein
5.	Foreign Invader to India	Alexander the Great
6.	Person to reach South Pole	Amundsen
7.	Person to reach North Pole	Robert Pearey
8.	Person in Space	Yuri Gagarin
9.	Person on Moon	Neil Armstrong
10.	Lady to climb Mount Everest	Junko Taibei
11.	European to visit China	Marco Polo
12.	Place where atom bomb was dropped	Hiroshima
13.	Man to walk in Space	Alexei Leonov
14.	Woman cosmonaut in Space	Valentina Tereshkova
15.	Woman Prime Minister of a country	Mrs. Srimavo Bhandarnaike
16.	Woman President of a country	Maria Estela Peron
17.	Woman to Command a Space Mission	Colonel Eileen Collins (U.S.A.)
18.	The first residents of International Space station	Bill Shepherd (USA), Yuri Gidzanko and Sergei Krikalev (Russia)
19.	The first blind man to scale Mt. Everest	Erik Weihenmayer (USA, May 25, 2001)

20.	The first Muslim woman to become the Secretary General of Amnesty International	lrine Zubeida Khan
21.	The first space astronaut to go into space seven times till date	Jerry Ross (U.S.A.)
22.	The first South African to become the second space tourist	Mark Shuttleworth
23.	The first woman Prime Minister of South Korea	Ms. Chang Sang
24.	The first youngest grandmaster of the world in chess	Sergey Karjakin (Ukraine)
25.	The first adventurer flying successfully across the English Channel without aircraft	Felix Baumgartner (July 2003)
26.	China's first man in space	Yang Liwei
27.	The first Muslim woman to receive Nobel Prize	Shirin Ebadi (Nobel Peace Prize 2003)
28.	The woman with the highest individual Test score making a new world record	Kiran Baloch (Pakistani cricketer, scoring 242 runs playing women's cricket test against West Indies in Karachi in March, 2004)
29.	The first woman of the world to climb Mt. Everest four times	Lakpa Sherpa (Nepali)
30.	The first woman to cross seven important seas of the world by swimming	Bula Chaudhury (India)
31.	The first aircraft pilot to round the entire world non-stop by his 2 engine aircraft in 67 hours	Steve Fossett (March 2005)
32.	The first woman to be appointed as a Governor of a province in Afghanistan	Habiba Sorabhi
33.	The first woman of the world to swim across five continents	Bula Chaudhury (India) (April 2005)
34.	The first woman athlete to touch 5.0 meter mark in pole vault	Ms. Yelena Isinbayeva (Russian, July 2005)
35.	The first Hindu Chief Justice of Pakistani Supreme Court	Justice Rana Bhagwan Das Took over on Sept. 2, 2005 as Acting Chief Justice
36.	The first duly elected woman President of an African country	Allen Johnson Sirleaf (elected President of Liberia in Nov. 2005)
37.	The first woman Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan	Shanshad Akhtar (Appointed in Dec. 2005)
38.	The first woman Chancellor of Germany	Angela Merkel (Took over in Nov. 2005)
39.	The first woman President of Chile	Dr. Michelle Bachelet
40.	The first woman Prime Minister of Jamaica	Portia Simpson Miller (Feb. 2006)
41.	The first woman foreign Secretary of England	Margaret Backett (May 2006)
42.	The first double amputee to scale Mt. Everest	Mark Inglis (May 15, 2006)

HTC officially announced their MWC line-up of Android smartphones: One X, One XL, One S and One V

HTC officially announced their MWC line-up of Android smartphones. Unsurprisingly, the devices unveiled are the flagship One X and One XL, the mid-range One S, and the starter One V. Let's start with the most interesting one.

HTC One X

The One X is the most powerful Android smartphone HTC have built to date and it's built around a 4.7-inch Super LCD 2 display sporting a 720p (1280x720 pixels) resolution. A 1.5GHz quad-core Tegra 3 chip for the global edition of the phone and a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core for the LTE variant coupled with 1GB of RAM will be making sure Android 4.0 Ice Scream Sandwich is running at its best with no apps making it think twice.

At the back, the One X sports an 8MP snapper, which packs a special Dual Shutter camera module, which allows you to take photos while shooting 1080p video at the same time. We are quite impressed. And the main camera itself rocks a 22mm wide angle lens, f/2.0 aperture and a BSI sensor. Face and smile detection are on board as well as burst shooting mode up to 5fps.

Storage on the One X is limited to 32GB with no microSD card on board, but HTC compensates its lack with 25GB of free Dropbox storage for two years. NFC, DLNA, Bluetooth 3, Wi-Fi N, 3.5mm headphone jack and microUSB with MHL are on board, too. Oh, and it's also got Beats Audio enhancement, so music through that 3.5mm jack should sound extra nice.

The display of the One X is covered in 3D Gorilla Glass, which is another way of saying the screen glass is tapered on the edges as on the Nokia N9 and Lumia 800. The whole body of the phone is one piece of polycarbonate plastic, just like the N9. It's quite slim, too, measuring only 9,29mm. Impressive for a 720p screen, Tegra 3-packing (or Snapdragon S4-packing) Droid.

HTC One XL

The HTC One XL is a variation of the One X but packs LTE, hence the L at the end of the phone's name. As we mentioned above, the One XL will be packing the Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz.

HTC One S

The One S is the slimmer brother of the One X and as it happens is the thinnest phone HTC has ever produced.

Slimmer, but also less powerful, it's powered by a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor on the MSM8260A platform thus making it more of a mid-range model, rather than a truly fledged flagship.

Still, the One S is packing a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display and an 8MP shooter at the back with an f/2.0 lens and a LED flash. The audio of the One S is enhanced by Beats Audio as well.

The One S is built around HTC's usual aluminum unibody design and is just 7.6mm thick. HTC has gone the extra mile by giving the One S a crystaline ceramic metal finish, which is achieved by baking the aluminum in plasma. This whole process transforms the aluminum into ceramic making it 4 times harder and scratch resistant.

HTC One V

And lastly, the HTC One V is the entry level addition to the HTC line-up at MWC.

As such, it's packs a 1GHz single-core yet unspecified CPU Snapdragon S2 processor, 512MB of RAM and a 3.7-inch WVGA LCD display. The One V runs Ice Cream Sandwich, but unlike it's fellow relatives from the One family, which run Sense 4.0, the One V is coated with the older Sense 3.6.

At the back there's a 5MP camera with autofocus and f/2.0 lens recording 720p videos. Unfortunately, HTC has omitted the front-facing camera on the One V. Storage is limited to just 4GB sans microSD card slot, but a deal with HTC and Dropbox comes to the rescue. It gives users 25GB of free Dropbox online storage for 2 years.

A 1500mAh battery will give the phone its power juices while a quadband GSM and WCDMA radios will take care of the telephony. The One V also packs GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The whole HTC One family of phones will be globally available come April this year.