Review: LG Lancet for Verizon Wireless
Jun 22, 2015, 8:30 AM by Eric M. Zeman
The LG Lancet is a low-cost Windows Phone that's easy grasp and offers a lot of value for the dollar with Microsoft's productivity apps on board. The Lancet proves that sometimes small stands tall. Here is Phone Scoop's full review of this compact handset.
Is It Your Type?
The LG Lancet is for a particular group of people. It's a compact, inexpensive Windows Phone that provides access to a range of Microsoft products and services. If you're in the market for an easy-to-handle, low-cost handset on Microsoft's platform, the LG Lancet checks off all those boxes.
Body
The Lancet doesn't aspire to be much and that's just fine. LG crafted a simple, straight-forward phone that breaks a bit with the designs the Korean company uses for its high-end and specialty handsets. The Lancet is a black-and-blue block with clean lines and conservative styling. There's nothing about it that stands out as unique other than, perhaps, its size.
Compact handsets are a rare breed these days. The bulk of phones have screens measuring 5 inches or more, which make for large footprints. The Lancet has a 4.5-inch screen and this let LG keep the phone's dimensions in check. The Lancet is significantly smaller than many of today's most popular phones, which should make it appealing to those who prefer something that can easily be managed in a single hand.
The front and back halves of the phone have juxtaposed materials, something we see quite often on today's smartphones. The front is all glossy and reflective, while the back is matte and muted. The glass surface of the front almost blends seamlessly into a black plastic rim holding it in place. The glossy and matte surfaces meet along the side edges and form a contrasting seam.
I wish the Lancet were a hair thinner, but it's hardly chubby at 10.7mm. The side edges are flat, but the back surface has a nice curve to help the phone rest a bit deeper in your palm. I was able to use the phone one-handed while walking down busy Manhattan streets without problem. It should easily fit into most pockets.
LG did well with the materials. It's certainly not flagship quality, but the Lancet never feels cheap. The plastics are solid and have pleasing textures. I don't think you can ask for much better from a device in the Lancet's price range.
On the phone's face you'll clearly see the LG and Verizon logos, which are silver-colored and reflective. The user-facing camera is visible, as is the notch carved into the glass for the earpiece speaker. There are no buttons on the front, leaving the glass smooth and unbroken. The plastic frame around the glass creates a small ridge that is barely noticeable.
Button and port placement follow industry norms. The volume toggle is on the left edge. It's a large, flat button and its profile makes it hard to miss. Travel and feedback are good. The screen lock button is on the right edge of the phone. It, too, has a good profile and pleasing travel and feedback. I wish it were just a bit bigger. The headphone jack is on top and the USB port is on the bottom.
It's quite easy to peel off the rear cover of the phone. With the cover off, you can choose to remove the battery, SIM card, or memory card. You have to pull the battery to reach the SIM card slot. The cover itself is rather plain.
The LG Lancet is a fine little phone, all things considered.
About the author, Eric M. Zeman:Eric has been covering the mobile telecommunications industry for 17 years at various print and online publications. He studied at Rutgers Newark and University of Kentucky, and has a degree in writing. He likes playing guitar, attending concerts, listening to music, and driving sports cars.
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Comments
If the screen was higher res...
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