Pros
1.Bigger screen-More noticeable than I expected, since it's only .3 inch larger on paper. Typing is slightly better, but still difficult in portrait mode. Feels more colorful and vibrant, but that could be just me(maybe I'm under "my phone's new wohoo" hallucination mode). Resolution is same as V.
2.Better processor/OS-200Mhz higher and gingerbread 2.3(OV is 2.2). Lot less lags in apps. Can handle desktop websites better(with some lags) with flash(Wifi recommended). Autoswitching between landscape and portrait is lot faster than V, so I actually turned it on unlike V. Big improvement in video playback. I didn't need to download additional codecs to play unconverted videos.
3.Flash support-Phone's not powerful enough to handle big sites like dailyshow/colbert/etc in high resolutions(frozen video with audios only), but it managed to handle South Park, videogame sites, etc. Recommended on Wifi connection only.
4.Slimmer design-Expected it to be no big deal for me, but once I held it I can definitely feel the slimness of it compare to V.
5.Better camera-5 megapixel vs 3, with LED flash support. Flash is bright enough to take good pictures in dark settings(in-doors anyway), and camera autofocuses during the camera mode(or you can focus manually by touching the screen). V autofocused after pressing the shutter button, so Elite takes pictures 3~ times faster. It's almost instantaneous. Also has micro mirror for self-portrait.
6.Bigger storage for apps900mb~ solely for apps. Even more space if you move your apps(apps that support app2SD).
7.Better/louder sound-Sound is coming out of the speaker where you listen in phone conversation(I don't know what it's called. Earspeaker?). It's louder, and more importantly(for me anyway), you can listen to music while the phone is facing up. OV's sound output was on the rear side, so often times, I either put V facedown or leaned it somewhere to hear it in full volume. No more with Elite.
8.GPS-Locates me faster than V. Google Map is way smoother than V.
9.Supports more 3D games-They're on PlayStore. Haven't tested them since I don't care for them, but they're there unlike V.
10.Faster MicroSD speed-Loads up pictures and videos way faster than V.
11.NFC support-Paypass creditcard. It might come in handy if I forget my wallet at home, but not many stores actually have Paypass. I've seen some at Mcdonald and gas stations.
Cons
1.Shorter battery life-This may be YMMV, possibly depending on what apps you downloaded. I'm using mostly the same apps I used on V, and battery life seems 1.5/2 times worse on Elite. Without JuiceDefender, Elite sucks up 3-6% per hour during standby. V usually used up 10~% per hour with 3g/wifi, while Elite is using 15-20% per hour. Now I'm using Elite with JD, and everything turned off(even location data and background data).
2.No tethering. Don't download any tethering apps/widgets. There have been reports that phone will give permanent data error, forcing users to reset the phone via Virgin Mobile customer service. V supported apps like Foxfi(which I will miss since I comboed it with my tablet).
3.Volume buttons-Twice smaller than V, and they're on opposite side. Hard to get used to.
4.3G doesn't reconnect as fast as V, making JuiceDefender little annoying to use. Maybe I wasn't getting good reception. YMMV.
Neutrals
1.Speedtest-No noticeable difference. Typical Sprint speed. YMMV.
2.Physical design-Rear battery cover is plastic(V was rubberish), making it bit slippery to hold onto from time to time. This combined with front touch buttons(V was physical buttons), occasionally I end up touching the front buttons by accident. YMMV. Also, no dedicated camera button. Tiny mirror next to camera lense makes it easier for selfportrait picture, but no dedicated camera button found on V kind of cancels the mirror benefit.
3.Haven't found a way to turn off shutter sound while taking pictures. Silent mode/media volume won't do anything, so this is bad for those who want to take pictures without alerting others.
Final thoughts
Feels and performs like higher-end phone compare to V, right down to worse battery life. I honestly can't recommend it to all Virgin Mobile users though because everyone's in different situation. There are those who want to keep $25 grandfathered plan(which this phone doesn't qualify anymore). There will be HTC Evo V/3D shortly, which has twice better specs at twice the cost. Sprint 4G/Wimax doesn't have good coverage for those who are interested in upgrading to HTC Evo/$35 a month plan.
PS-English is my second language so go easy on the grammar please. This review was coming from nonrooter.
Received product quickly in quality retail packaging. Activation was simple and quick (I did NOT port a number, just got a new one).
Comparing to my previous phone, a Motorola Droid (original) -
The good -
This phone is MUCH faster, you can tell when it's responding to opening programs, obtaining GPS navigation directions, really in every aspect
The phone's speaker (speaker phone) offers amazing clarity for what it is.
Since the speaker/speakerphone is so loud when it's turned all the way up, it makes for a better alarm than the Droid
The web (at least for me) is really quick to open, load show search results, overall very pleased with browsing on this
Voice dictation/recognition works AWESOME I'd say even a bit better than the Moto Droid, which was really great with this
The Battery seems to last longer, at least right now. Even after messing with the phone, apps, downloads, etc. for about an hour the battery was still near full.
The phone's VERY light would could actually be a bad thing (I could picture myself dropping it a little easier)
Not so good -
The texting portion is a bit harder on this than on the Moto Droid there are some minor things, but it's also noted that most of these inconveniences will be overcome by using the phone more and getting more accustomed to it. (For example on the Droid, exclamation mark, question mark, period, comma, etc would be offered after every 'space' in case you wanted to end a sentence.. This phone requires me to press and hold on one of the letters to get the same result). Not a huge deal, just slows me down a bit.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE When I was activating this phone w/Virgin Mobile, I was offered insurance on the phone for $5 a month. They also mentioned the deductible would be 25 dollars, and I could redeem this twice a year. I am noting this because it's CHEAPER than listed some places regarding Virgin mobile's insurance.
For the price of the phone, and the plan $50.00 a month for 1200 talk minutes, unlimited data and unlimited text it's hard to feel 'taken' it's a great feeling stepping away from the huge corporate "V".
Buy LG Optimus Elite Prepaid Android Phone (Virgin Mobile) Now
This so far seems to be a very solid phone. It has several advantages over the Optimus V including Android 2.3 rather than 2.2 on the Optimus V, more memory, a slightly larger screen (3.5" vs. 3.2") and a faster processor.
In terms of memory, the phone comes with roughly 900 MB of main memory that is free (compared to about 150 MB on the Optimus V). Additionally, about 2 GB of memory is in a separate "partition" that can be treated as if it is an SD card, including moving apps to it. While the phone does not come with a microSD card, there is a microSD card slot inside the back cover that can be used for even more storage.
While the specs for the phone report it is an 800 MHz processor, reports on the Internet (which I confirmed with my phone using Quadrant) is that currently the phone is shipping with a processor speed of 1 GHz, a nice upgrade.
In terms of connectivity, the phone seems to compare well with the Optimus V, receiving strong cell and data signals, as well as the GPS finding satellites quickly.
For the price, this phone is tough to beat; though those wanting a high end phone from Virgin Mobile will want the Evo 4G.
Read Best Reviews of LG Optimus Elite Prepaid Android Phone (Virgin Mobile) Here
I wanna start by saying this is a great phone to have. Its affordable plus Virgin's plans are great. I recently just canceled my contract with sprint to save money. I had the HTC evo 3d, which was a great high-end phone. I was afraid to go to this phone from that one, but I made the switch. It definitely wasn't that much of a downgrade at all. Well the main apparent sacrifice was the screen size. The evo 3d's screen size is 4.3, this one is 3.5. However, this phone has a brighter, more vibrant screen, and the colors are also better. I know this. I had the evo 3d for almost a year. This is lightweight and quite thin. I like it alot and I'm happy I got it. The camera is also pretty good too. It shoots fast! Its very good for people who have shaky hands or are taking pics of moving targets. And the flash is another great plus. Overall, I'm very satisfied with it and I'm not sad about coming from the evo 3d to this.
Want LG Optimus Elite Prepaid Android Phone (Virgin Mobile) Discount?
My wife had the Optimus V and constantly complained about running out of space. That phone only has 150mb of user space, this one has about a gig (4 GB total, 1 GB user accessible). One less complaint I will be hearing...
I am very impressed with this handset. As others have noted it actually has a 1 Ghz Snapdragon type processor, not the 800 mhz listed, along with 512mb of RAM. It is very fast and smooth in operation. Running Android 2.3.7 helps enormously (a huge upgrade from the Froyo previous Optimus Vs were running). Not worried about whether ICS is coming to it, Gingerbread does the job just fine.
The wifi receiver seems very fast, and the GPS (a real GPS, BTW) acquired a lock and fix almost immediately.
Screen size is 3.5", which doesn't sound like much of an improvement over the 3.2" of the Optimus V until you put them side by side. The Elite's screen is *much* easier to type on. It's the same size as an Iphone (it actually looks alot like one...)
I have been toting around a Droid X for a year and a half yolked to Verizon. I am starting to think that the wife just got me beat...
I'd highly recommend this one to anyone looking for a decent Android phone and who is trying to avoid the ridiculous costs of a contract with the big carriers. For $150 up front and between $35 and $55 a month you get the full experience.
VM is going to make alot of money off of these, I think.
EDIT: One week later, and the OE has lost a star. I had to return the first unit because some malfunction was killing the battery FAST. It would die in less than 6 hours. I have been using Androids for a couple of years and know all the tricks, couldn't get the first one to settle in. Took it back and exchanged it for another one, and after some fiddling I have the battery sipping juice. The replacement unit has been acting a bit quirky too (one random reboot, some strange stuff involving the Wifi reciever and call/messaging lags, which toggling Airplane mode seems to fix fine) but I *think* I have it running fine now... And when it's running fine it's still a 5 star phone for the price.
I docked it a star because the first one was a lemon and the second one has been acting funny, but seems tight as of now. I can't give something with that record 5 stars. Still, this is an impressive phone for the price tag. I'd still upgrade to it from the OV, it is just that much better a phone. I would say that with the issues I have had, though, someone with little knowledge of the Android OS or inclination to play around with the settings (like my wife) might have a hard time with this phone. It is finicky, but when calibrated right it runs like a champ.
Just be ready to send it back or exchange it, because it seems this initial batch obviously has some defective units floating around. Amazon has a great return policy, so I wouldn't worry about it.
EDIT 2: A few weeks later and the OE is running like a champ. It is sipping battery after a couple of changes (Airplane mode resets a couple of times, mostly) and running smooth and fast. Wife is getting home with 40% battery after 12 hrs continuous no charging, not bad for a small, thin phone. Now Otterbox just needs to make a case for it...
The wife is very happy with it compared to the OV. VM is finally starting to get some really good phones out there.
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