LG VX-8100
Phone Scoop Review
Nov 17, 2005 by Jesse Lewin
In-depth review of LG's mainstream EV-DO phone for 2005. read review ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
MP3 Player?
I have only had the phone a few days, and like it alot.
Technical Information seems to be lacking:
1)How can you say it is an mp3 player when it only supports .wma music files?
2) Nobody knows the maximum MiniSD card size that is usable. The manual states 512MB, but LG service senter told me that it will support any size.
3) Knowbody knows if firmware revisions will effect the maximum size of MiniSD card that you can use.
I would think these to be basic questions that should be easily answered correctly, and not guessed at by people. I have asked the Verizon Sales Representative, LG Customer Serive and Verizon customer service, and recieved multiple answers.
If you need voice dialing, avoid this one
I rely on the straightforward voice dialing of my LG VX4400. But it seemed time to upgrade so I got the 8100. It's really, really cute and full of really, really cute stuff. But when it comes to THE feature I need most, voice dialing, it's a complete disaster. Instead of being able to assign voice dials to specific numbers, you have to voice through a series of menus to get to the person you want, then down the list of numbers for that person til you get the one you want. Makes you wonder if the person who redesigned this ever actually watched someone use voice dialing.
On the cute side, the phone also comes with an extremely limited set of ring tones (my old one has many more and many better) and Verizon charges ridiculous fees for other tones.
This one's going back tomorrow.
An Amazing Phone-Better than Motorola
I got this phone over a month ago from Verizon. I originally purchased a Motorola E815, as I swore by Motorola for many years, they never let me down, until now. I was origannly asking for the Samsung 950, but I was given this phone. Now I will tell you, if there was anyone biased against LG, it's been me. I would have never purchased one EVER. I am proud to say I am pleasantly surprised by this phone. Now I'll be the first to admit, it doesn't have the same signal strength as a Motorola...Motorola has them beat in that department. However, this phone is eons better than the E815. It doesn't ever freeze, it feels much sturdier, and it's a true multimedia phone, versus the motorola, which distorts pictures and I feel sound. This phone has an amazing camera clarity, the ringers sound phenomenal, and the voice clarity is absolutely astounding. I highly recommend this phone to ANYONE who needs a phone. The only downfalls are what Verizon does to it, referrening the GUI Change and the Bogging down of the Bluetooth Capability. if you have any questions or anything, my email is there...
Excellent overall Phone
Ive only had this phone for only a couple of days but the few days that Ive had it I have enjoyed it very very much I renewed my contract with verizon for 2 more yrs I think I got a really good deal with this phone first off the retail price for the phone was at 199.00 with the 2 yr deal plus knock 100.00 dollars off for the 100.00 dollar credit verizon gives you for renewing with them again plus on top of that their is a 50.00 dollar rebate from lg overall my phone cost me 49.00 dollars.Now for the review Excellent sound from both outside speakers and earpiece both loud and crystal clear sound.I almost forgot to mention I also the phone I also got 1 free month of vcast music from verizon plus 5 free songs I can download which I aready did every song sounds excellent can actually have phone closed and activate player from the front buttons it has for player press play button for about 2 seconds starts playing your music awsome. The two speakers it has on the sides sound awsome stereo quality sound very loud for somthing so small very vivid colorful screens inside and out easy to learn features very user friendly love my phone Highly recommend.
POOR RECEPTION
Bought this "latest and greatest" evryone brags about phone and its been a dissapointment. Yes it has all the bells and whistles. Thanks to verizon part of those are locked. The durability and design are what you would expect from LG. Solid and ease of use. But the reception on this phone is horrible. I had it for two weeks. At that point i borrowed a motorola my uncle has from verizon and compared the two on my routine route. where i thought i should have a signal there indeed was. Just couldnt be picked up by the lg. the motorola never failed. So thinking it was the phone i had it exchanged for a new one. Same thing. My advice from someone who has owned moto for many tears. Go with the motorola. Im on my way to exchange the lg for the E815 myself.
PRO,s.. media player to play wma's. nice display though no different that the E815, 1.3mpcam, durable.
CON's.. POOR reception. volume fluxuates, dropped calls. 2.99 for a ringtone. Come on verizon, dont you make enough money. let me upload ringtones via usb.
Small world response
I was reading Larry's review and I couldn't disagree more...with the phone and the store. I couldn't believe someone actually mentioned the store I deal with in Hamilton (small world). I didn't listen to my sales rep at the wirelesszone and I regretted it. My rep, Nick, told me the downsides of the phone, but I wanted it anyway, and got it. I had all the problems he said although the speakerphone was great. That store has always been great for me. I switched to another phone (Motorola 815) and I love it! I guess different strokes for different folks. Anyway, had to respond when I saw the post. I always deal with that store and won't go to the other stores in the area.
I don't think so!
I love the features on my phone, but I HATE the fact that I cannot hear who I am talking to! I turn the volume up, but still cannot hear. I tried to put the headset in, to see if that would help, but that really didn't do anything. I tried the speaker phone, but that seems like garbage. What's the use in having a speakerphone, when the people on the other end cannot hear you?? I'm considering turning this phone in and hopefully having success with the Motorola E815.
Very Unhappy with this phone
I bought this phone in August, and I've been extermely disappointed with it. I've had notihng but problems with this phone. I'm on my third phone now, and I'm still have issues. First they phone would ring whne it was on vibrate, almost all the time. Then the connection for the charger broke and I had to have it replaced again. Since then I've been having issues with the battery life.
PROS
Camera
MP3 Player
Bluetooth
CONS
Signal Strength
Sound Quality is horrible
Battery life
Big
In my opinion, the cons heavily outweigh the pros, because those are things you'd buy a phone for. I wouldn't reccomend this phone to anybody.
phone should be useful, like your woman
Even though the e815 is the only one without it out of my options, the 8100 is most economic, has my number one priority: bluetooth and has vcast and stereo speakers to sweeten the deal. It also has expandable memory with a mini sd, so that's what really matters. I love motorola due to past experiences (StarTac) and I didn't like my LG phone cuz it was too plain but this one has more features, I love my audiovox cuz of the quality and nature of the phone but geting another LG won't hurt cuz I've seen good reviews and bad reviews and I can deal with it. It's not about having the coolest phone, it's about having a useful phone. What can my phone do for me? That's what I must really take into consideration. So the LG VX-8100 is the one. I'm not really settling cuz it has exactly what I need. And as long as I can listen to SoaD on my phone, it's all good. Plus the stereo speakers give it a more "entertainment" sorta look, which I like. The e815 speakerphone was too confusing for my taste in the beginning :-P So bam, post that review up on phonescoop, lol
BY IZZY
Not affiliated with cheaman1
Worst Phone I've Ever Had
If you like bells and whistles you will love this phone. If you like to call other people on this phone you will not like it at all.
-the phone shuts off randomly
-the speaker volume is horrible
-the bluetooth earpiece reception is terrible
-this is the 4th VX 8100 that I have had in 2 weeks.
-the first the volume was way to low to hear even on the high setting
-the was static on the line all of the time
-the third the screen just went white and fuzzy all of a sudden and wouldnt come back
the biggest complaint is the bluetooth earpiece. this is the biggest reason that I got this phone. I have gone through 3 headpieces and all of this time I thought that it was the bluetooth earpiece. well I used it on my friend's phone(not an LG) and the reception was great you couldn't even tell he had the earpiece in. I plan on doing some more tests with the earpiece but as of right now I would say that LGs Bluetooth technology really stinks.
the camera is OK. the Vcast is really cool. I dont really use the MP3 player. the speaker phone is OK.
I am currently looking at replaceing this phone with a different manufacturer, samsung or motorola I guess. I had a LG VX6000 for 2 years and it was great. this phone is a huge dissapointment to me from LG.
