LG VX-8300
Average Ratings
Good, but not great
My best friend has this phone. I've used it for extended periods, & have done all sorts of testing. Overall, it's a good phone with an admirable feature set, but it does have some MINOR drawbacks.
PROS:
-Lightweight/relatively compact
-Nice design
-Good earpeice volume
-Better reception than most LG's (but see cons)
-Sounds nearly landline quality from the other end.
-Stereo speakers
-Feels sturdy (but see cons)
-Can customize all 4 scroll wheel shortcuts
-Can choose from animated flash themes & change menu bar colors
-VZ Navigator
CONS:
-Although this phone gets better reception than other LG's I compared it to (VX-5200 & VX-4500) it still has mysterious reception issues. For example, the phone will show: EV |||| (full bars) but 1X disappears & the phone can't make calls or send text messages. The Motorola E815 can still make calls in the areas where the 8300 can't.
-Call quality is generally quite good, but varies by area while the E815 is more consistent.
-Front screen is very difficult to read in sunlight
-Clock on front screen is too small (digital is small, & minimized is nearly unreadable)
-Font size in menus is too small
-The battery door is flimsy; wiggles/creaks after a few months (the rest of the phone feels solid).
-Can't use the speakerphone with the flip closed.
-The animated themes slow the phone down & the standard themes are rather boring.
-Poor choice of ringers
Overall, this is probably one of Verizon's best phones at the moment. It seems to be one of the few phones that has all the must have features and does almost everything well. However, I feel it is a step below the E815. The E815 gets better reception, has even more customization options, and the speakerphone works with the flip closed. If you have an E815, wait for something better. For many people, the reception difference will be insignificant and the 8300 will be more than adequate. If you live in a weak signal area, try the Moto V3m or V325 instead.
See ya!
I have been an LG fan for several years and I am very upset that they would put their logo on this.
Cons:
-Hearing: the in the middle of a conversation it would become almost impossible to hear the person on the other end. I noticed this problems when calling both cellular and land lines.
-the phone would start the music player on it's own. When I called in about the rep said that is very common!?! It wore down my battery life
- it was boring
-Speaker phone- hard for others to hear you
-Didn't come with a belt clip! I thought Verizon would take care of their customers better.
Pro:
-External mp3 player- I didn't use it, but seemed to be easily accessible
-Size- easy to store in my pocket.
-Camera quality was nice!
VX8300
This phone is a good solid piece of hardware. Remember that the main point of a cell phone is to make and receive calls consistently with clarity and ease of use.
Pros:
Solid Case and Construction
Clear main screen with great resolution
Clarity of voice reception
Good Voice Recognition
Cons:
Small Font on Front Screen
Very Few Ring Tones
I confess that I have only used this phone for 1 week but I have already noticed huge differences between it and my old LG VX6100. Voice Recognition software is much better. Speakers are better. Voice clarity is very good. Signal sensitivity is better in normally low signal areas. I find the phone easy to use. New menu layout was quick and easy to learn. I haven't used the VCast features yet or Blue tooth headset but I will try these soon. The dedicated speaker button is a definite plus. The camera takes poor shots indoors but nice ones outdoors in sunlight. Verizon is definitely shorting us on the Ring tones in order to force the use of "Get it Now". I don't like that but I also can't do anything about it except complain. You may want to try going to a small Cellular phone store and not a "Verizon only" store. I got a great deal on the phone, with rebate I paid nothing, and the transfer of the contacts was free. Verizion charges $10. I think the phone is a good, solid, well functioning unit and would recommend it.
Perfection Incarnate
Yes, I give it a 5.0 because for ME, the features I want are there and work as good as one can want.
Being a simple, older, old fashioned type of user who just wants a practical PHONE with amenities which make it easy to communicate, this one is aces. I wanted a LOUD speakerphone, because blue-tooth for me is impractical (I wear hearing aids and have a police radio earpiece in one ear most of the work day. Yet, one must yak on the phone when one is driving, so it might as well be as safe an operation as can be done, for a reasonable price, and a minimum of hand use.
The voice command allows me to flip it open, set it in the dash holder, and call someone "hands free". I set it up with the "voice train" feature, but found after experimentation that as long as you use the exact words you have in your contact list, the phone has no trouble interpreting my voice choices. I simply say "Call Johns Mobile", "home", or "work find using the word "Mobile this is what the instruction booklet uses) instead of "cell", I rarely have the infamous "choice list" come up which is a big distraction when you're driving.
I recently traded in a Samsung because it just would not receive a complete sentence without breaking up, something I have never had happen with an LG, and I've had a 6000,6001 and an 8100. Reception in this LG ROCKS, the Samsung WAS a rock, except for the camera, which was 2 megapix, which is why I bought it.
The LG has the usual 1.3, and it'll just have to do because the only reason I use it is to have up to date pics of my kids to show my friends. And it's handy to snap a police evidence pic instead of having to go back to the office and grab CID's bulky cam.
I don't use any of the amenities like VCast and Get it Now, that cost a monthly or user fee except the camera,which I can send the pics to my computer when I'm on vacation, say in Hawaii. They go through just great. I don't "text" because I don't have the patience.
I'll probably LG for life.
Great Phone, Good Job LG
I'll start off by saying I was unsure if it was the right time for me to upgrade. My E815 has worked perfectly since day 1 and the battery's finally starting to drain a little faster than before.
I decided after much research to make the jump. I'm happy I did.
Here's my synopsis:
Pros:
Great Signal Quality: better than my E815 which always had a better signal than anyone else I knew.
Extremely solid feel/build: Comfortable, light and just feels right to hold
Flash UI - HUGE plus, I never liked Verizon's canned UI.
Great MP3 sound: Better sound quality then my fiancee's chocolate
Customizable shortcut keys: Another BIG plus, it's more friendly than I've been used to.
Great battery life: no need to elaborate there
Bluetooth Sync: easy to use and my computer found everything nice and easy
Cons:
Camera is only "Good": Maybe the learning curve, but it's a little rough still for indoor pics
External Antenna: Never a deal-breaker for me, but it couldn't hurt. But with a signal this good, I won't bash it.
No text reading on the outer screen: A step back from the 8100, but hopefully a firmware flash will do something about this.
MP3 Software not as good as the Chocolate: Unfortunate with such great sound quality.
For how minimal the cons are on this, I can comfortably say Verizon and LG have a big time winner with this one. But primarily as a phone, it's phenomenal.
The 8300 is a Solid Phone
I like everything about this phone except for 1 small minor detail. When you are talking on the phone, the handset speaker often blocks out because your ear is not directly on the speaker opening.
Other than that...battery life is great. Keypad is awesome. Design is top notch. This is my 2nd LG phone (had the VX-4500 previously). LG's are awesome - they take a beating. In fact, my daughter is now using my 4500 that is 2 years old because her crappy Motorola died after 9 months.
Get this phone - you will not be disappointed.
This Phone is Excellent but...
This phone is an incredible phone...it has incredible reception, the speakerphone works great, the menus look really nice and theres a good mp3 player...only problem i have witht his phone is that when im text messaging someone, if i want a digit from #2, i always hit the speaker fone and the speaker turns on...this is annoying..happens almost everytime i text someone...maybe its juss my hands or maybe the speaker button is too close to the number 2...wud have been nice if LG switched the clear and the speakerphone buttons, but oh well...but this phone by all means is incredible and you should buy it, but please not encourage everyone to buy this fone bcuz i like it when everyone doesnt have the same fone as me..
Amazing
I absolutlely LOVE this phone. My last phone was terrible, so when I switched to this one I was extremely excited. :) This phone doesn't get the best service in the "out-in-the-country" areas where I live being that it is didgital and not tri-mode, however, I have only dropped one or two calls in the 3 months that I have owned this phone. The camera is impressive and so is the video camera. Speakers and speaker phone works great... and it can be LOUD. All in all, great phone.
-Tabatha Hutchinson
Yup - it's a keeper.....
After much thought I returned my recently aquired sammy 930 for the LG 8300... and am glad I did. The 930 is a great phone & I stand by my review - however - there are a couple of things I couldn't get used to (my prior phone was the LG 8100) I used the "*" key multiple times per day to change from normal ring to vibrate. There is no shortcut I could find to do this on the 930 & I couldn't get used to the inconvience however small that may seem. I also find the rounder ear piece on the 8300 more comfortable. My primary use for a cell is as a phone - that is what my review is based on. I have yet to use the mp3 player & probably will not do so....
Pros:
Good loud call clarity - improvement over the 8100,actually had to take the phone away from my ear a little in quiet environments.
Updated IU
VZ Navigator
Ability to change to vibrate with one key
Great reception
Easy to read outer display
Good speakers (here I do think the 8100 was louder though - still OK and loud & clear enough)
Buttons are all big enough & easy to press
Same chargers as the 8100
Comfortable on the ear
Think the overall look of the phone improves on the 8100
Cons:
External antenna (only from a looks perspective - honestly think gives better reception.....)
Camera quality is terrible indoors even with flash (if this is important to you - it is not a priority to me)
External display clearly downgraded from the 8100.
Think the 8100 felt a bit more solid (probably because was bigger & heavier)
This is a wonderful phone. The cons are minimal and if you never owned the 8100 you probably wouldn't think of them aside from the external antenna. I am sure I'll be happy with this for the next 2 yrs.
Great Phone!!!
I have owned this phone for about a week now and I have to say I am extremely impressed. I have been with Verizon Wireless for 4 years now and this is my third Verizon cell phone. I live on Lake Michigan and have always had poor reception at my home no matter the cell phone until now. I have yet to drop a call or have the phone cut in and out during a call. For laughs I brought the phone in my basement where with other phones I would have no service, and with the VX8300 I was able to make and receive calls. I have not had an opportunity to play with the camera, video player, and MP3, but if you are looking for a cell phone with great call clarity, great design, and incredible reception look no further.
