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LG enV3 VX9200
A very good all-around messaging phone for Verizon
- Excellent build quality and design
- Comfortable keyboard
- Camera has flash
- Vibrant LCD screens
- Poor web browser
- Non-standard headphone jack
- Mediocre camera
LG's enV gets another refresh
Reviewers are unanimous that the LG enV3 VX9200 is a significant improvement over its predecessor, the well-reviewed enV2. It's slightly bigger -- measuring 4.11 inches by 2.13 inches by 0.65 inches and weighing 3.77 ounces -- but most users find that the enV3 is easier to hold. Thanks to its rounded edges, reviewers say it feels smaller than the boxier enV2. It comes in two colors, slate blue and maroon.
Like the rest of the enV series, the enV3 features a folding clamshell design. It has a small LCD screen and numeric keypad on the exterior; when the phone is opened, it reveals a QWERTY keyboard and 2.6-inch LCD screen. Both screens, reviewers point out, are pleasing to the eye, and the keyboard, which has shortcut keys for messaging and contacts and a traditional space bar, is praised for its roominess and ease of use. PhoneArena.com editors note that the keyboard is more comfortable to use than the Samsung Alias 2's, though the enV Touch's keyboard is roomier. Among similar models from Verizon, the enV3 is judged superior to the Motorola Rival, which reviewers say suffers from durability issues and a sub-par display, and a step down from the pricier enV Touch (an upgrade to the LG Voyager) and the Samsung Alias 2, both of which have flashier designs and more advanced features.
Call quality good, multimedia features a mixed bag
Call quality is praised across the board, with many testers reporting good signal strength even inside large buildings. The LG enV3's speakerphone also gets good marks, though some reviews say it can sound distorted at top volume. Talk time is rated at about five and a half hours, although individual reviewers report varying results: CNET gets less, PCMag.com gets more and InfoSyncWorld.com gets it "just right." Most testers confirm that the phone can last for several days of intermittent use without recharging. Reviewers like the music player, which is compatible with the Rhapsody music service and offers a speedy interface. One disappointment is the 2.5 mm headphone jack, which is too small for standard headphones; no adapter or compatible headphones are included.
The enV3 comes with a 3-megapixel camera (up from the enV2's 2 megapixels) and adds an LED flash, but most reviewers find it unsatisfactory, even taking into account the fact that camera phones in general tend to underperform dedicated digital cameras. Many find the images blurry due to issues with the auto-focus. Others point out that the placement of the lens makes it difficult for users to take pictures without their hands getting in the way when the phone is open. Reviewers prefer the LG enV Touch's 3.2-megapixel camera, particularly for outdoor shots. The included software also gets a poor review from most critics. The web browser in particular is slow, difficult to use and prone to jumbling site layouts; experts also prefer the enV Touch's browsing experience. (The enV touch has a full HTML browser.) Reviewers note that the enV3's user interface, while functional, has not been significantly upgraded from that of the enV2.
The LG enV3 is covered extensively by CNET, PCMag.com, InfoSyncWorld.com, MobileBurn.com, PhoneArena.com and PhoneScoop.com, with most comparing it to the more expensive and feature-rich LG enV Touch. CNET also features about 30 user reviews.
| Rapid Car Charger (CLA) for Verizon LG VX-9200 (ENV3) VX9200 / VX11000 (ENV TOUCH) VX-11000 by Accessory Export | |
(46 reviews) In Stock. |
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Our Sources
1. CNET
CNET's Nicole Lee has few bad things to say about the LG enV3, which she sees as a significant improvement over the enV2. Aside from the number keypad being "a little flat to the surface," the enV3's design is praised. Call and voice quality are cited as very good, though the extra cost of visual voice mail and corporate email support are minor drawbacks.
Review: LG enV3 - Slate Blue (Verizon Wireless), Nicole Lee, June 3, 2009
2. PCMag.com
Sascha Segan describes the LG enV3 as an excellent value and a good all-round phone. Call quality is deemed very good, though not flawless, and Segan says he gets a little over six hours of talk time from the battery. The 3-megapixel camera is described as "so-so," and the fact that the headphone jack isn't compatible with standard headphones is described as an annoyance. Nevertheless, Segan says that the LG enV3 is a great budget pick, though those willing to spend more would do well with the LG enV Touch.
Review: LG enV3 VX9200 (Verizon Wireless), June 25, 2009, June 25, 2009
InfoSyncWorld.com's Philip Berne compares the LG enV3 to its predecessor, the enV2, and says that it improves upon the older model in every way. Call quality on the enV3 is very good, as is messaging. Multimedia functions are described as good, but nothing special, and Berne isn't thrilled with the web browser. He is also disappointed by the camera, saying that shutterbugs would be better served with the camera on the LG enV Touch. Berne also points out that his test model was inordinately buggy.
Review: LG enV3 Review, Philip Berne, June 18, 2009
Ricky Cadden recommends the LG enV3, saying call quality is "superb" and reception is uniformly good, even indoors. Battery life is long, Cadden says, lasting more than 10 hours while doing a variety of tasks such as emailing or listening to music, although he does not provide a figure for continuous talk time. Negatives include a frustrating web browser and non-standard headphone jack.
Review: LG enV3 VX9200 for Verizon Review , Ricky Cadden, July 6, 2009
PhoneArena.com finds the LG enV3 to be an improvement over the enV2, and editors applaud its styling and larger LCD screens. Reviewers say the web browser is awkward and slow, however. They get five hours of continuous talk time on a full battery charge, but find it odd that the figure is about an hour less than they get with the enV2, which uses the same type of battery.
Review: LG enV3 VX9200 Review , Editors of PhoneArena.com, June 8, 2009
The LG enV3 gets top marks from Eric Zeman for its design and build quality, and he finds call quality and reception to be equally impressive. Though his accounting is vague, Zeman says that the battery lasts about three days, even when the phone is used extensively. The small headphone jack and the placement of the camera lens are his only hardware complaints. More than 15 users offer their input as well.
Review: Review: LG enV3: Is It Your Type?, Eric M. Zeman, June 19, 2009
7. Phonedog.com
Aaron Baker's brief review for PhoneDog.com is quite enthusiastic about the LG enV3. He praises the form factor and both internal and external keypads. Baker likes the web browser, too, but points out that a lack of direct URL input will make things difficult for the dedicated Internet surfer. Baker finds that the battery provides about five hours of continuous talk time, and that call quality is very good.
Review: LG enV3 Slate Blue Review, Aaron Baker, June 24, 2009
