LG VX8360

The LG VX8360 is a clamshell EVDO cell phone, and what one credible review considers a minor update of the LG VX8350 -- a bit thinner, with some of the older product's rounded body squared off a bit. CNET's Nicole Lee goes as far as saying there's no compelling reason to buy the update if you already have the older model. A review at PhoneArena.com says the LG VX8360 is a good cheaper alternative to the LG Chocolate 3 if you are willing to sacrifice some quality in the design, the music player and the camera. Reviews say the LG VX8360's music player and 1.3-megapixel camera/camcorder are not bad -- about what you'd expect for the price.

Owner reviews point to a recurring annoyance: You can't operate the speakerphone when the phone is closed. Some also say the cover on the charging port is hard to remove and put back. But at least the microSD is on the side of the phone rather than under the battery, and other design plusses include dedicated external keys for the camera, music player and speakerphone. Most reviews say the LG VX8360 has decent call quality, and there is support for IM and mobile email functions. There is some criticism of the Web browser. While CNET's Nicole Lee praises it, saying she was able to download a song in 40 seconds, PhoneArena editors report difficulty loading full HTML pages and that the 2-inch screen is too small for viewing Web pages. PhoneArena.com tested battery life and got about a half-hour more than the promised five hours of talk time, which is pretty good.

We found professional reviews from CNET, Consumer Reports and PhoneArena.com, each of which employ thorough testing. You'll need a subscription to see Consumer Reports' coverage. We also found owner reviews at CNET, PhoneScoop.com, Amazon.com, PhoneArena.com and PhoneDog.com.