When launching apps, browsing the Web, and opening video content, I wasn't blown away by lightning-fast responsiveness, but I didn't notice any serious lag time between the touch or gesture of my finger and the device's execution of the task.

Display

The phone's 4-inch WVGA display (480 by 800 pixels) uses NOVA technology, which LG says requires far less power (during indoor use) than the LCD and AMOLED displays that other smartphones use; during outdoor use, though, it produces a much brighter and more visible screen. I found that the display rendered HD video content reasonably well: Images seemed sharp and had accurate colors. But the blacks weren't deeper and the whites weren't brighter than those I've seen in smartphone displays using Samsung's Super AMOLED technology, for example. And when I held the Optimus under direct sunlight next to an and an 18-month-old , the Optimus's display did not appear to be significantly more visible.

User Interface

I liked the simple look and feel of the user interface. Unlike more-expensive smartphones that I've seen recently, the Optimus Black wasn't overloaded with every imaginable branded widget and app. Because the phone isn't linked to a specific carrier, LG managed to keep these elements to a reasonable number, which should make it easier to find the stuff you use on a regular basis.