A 4G LTE smartphone on AT&T? Why, yes of course. The LG Nitro HD contains some top-of-the-line specs, including a 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 AH-IPS display, dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm APQ8060 processor and 1.3 front-facing / 8 megapixel rear cameras. With all of this coming together for a higher than the average $250 on a new 2-year agreement with AT&T, there’s quite a spot to be filled. In fact, the only thing the Nitro HD should be is exceptional, and our evaluation of it should prove if it is. That being said, the review is after the break.

Price as Reviewed: $249.99 on new 2-year agreement with AT&T 

Design

The LG Nitro HD’s design consists of rubberized plastics and a tapered AH-IPS display. The screen is fantastic, and has more pixel-per-inch than seen on the iPhone 4S: at a stellar 329ppi, it really shines. In order to describe theNitro HD in one word, it would be most obvious to say: sleek. It’s not the most handsome of the dual-core smartphones on the market, but it is sleek enough to fit comfortably in just about any hand, and the measurements prove that: 5.27 x 2.67 x 0.41 inches (133.9 x 67.8 x 10.4mm). It weighs 4.5 ounces, and while that is light, it does not radiate the impression that plastic makes the LG Nitro HD feel cheap (devices with plastic builds tend to make creaking noises when compressed with the hands, however the Nitro does not have this problem, thankfully).

Best of all, this design is so well sculpted that unlike the Amaze 4G (hello, 2011) which literally digs into your hand, the Nitro HD achieves something that only a few of the great devices of today have–true industrial design. Perhaps the only two things I dislike about its aesthetics is that the charging port is covered by a plastic flap (and is located at the top of the Nitro HD’s frame) and that it lacks a dedicated touch-sensitive Search button; it only contains Home, Back, and Menu buttons.

Performance

A 1.5GHz dual-core processor with 1GB RAM allows for almost constant use of the handset in apps without lag. Every press, notification, and snapshot is snappy to the point where it feels as if certain UI interactions are instantaneous. Now imagine the possibility of a Galaxy Nexus-esque device when the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update hits the Nitro HD this year? That would pack a serious punch.

Software

There are times that it is impossible to understand why certain Android manufacturers do certain things, and LG has done exactly that with their LG UX skin that runs on top of Google’s Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread. The software design is very “shiny”, if not passable to the likes of HTC’s Sense UI, and I don’t see what issues would arise for the average consumer using it, but if it were a personal device, I’d get sick and tired of it soon enough, and perhaps so would the ordinary user. It isn’t memory intensive, so it’s not taking away from the 1GB of RAM, and otherwise doesn’t make much of a fuss otherwise.

Benchmark: 2431 Quadrant score, which is much better than the Amaze 4G’s 1766.

Let me just summarize: LG needs to either practice on their Android software enhancements (well, the built-in screenshot taking is nice), or just hire an entirely new team. Or you know, follow the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich design guidelines.

Camera

LG has taken an industry-standard 8 megapixel camera capable of 1080p HD video recording. The shooter takes clear and concise shots and shoots crispy video with exceptional quality and sound — descriptive words you don’t use frequently on the camera sensors seen on smartphones. A gallery of shots taken with the Nitro HD is seen below. Per usual, the camera of the Nitro HD or any other smartphone with similar specs will not replace your DSLR, but as a point-and-shoot, will suffice. Conditions tested in include: the great outdoors, pavement, a laptop screen, and then some.

LG Nitro HD Test Shots

Battery

There is really a downfall to the LG Nitro HD, besides the fact that the Galaxy Nexus is superior to most Android devices right now, is that the Nitro’s battery lasts only but 7-9 hours on a full charge when in use on WiFi. Now I know you’re asking for 4G LTE data speeds (or even HSPA+) for that matter, but AT&T forgot to send a SIM card with this review unit, so unfortunately I couldn’t run what may have been the most exciting of the tests. Keep your charger nearby to keep the Nitro HD powered on, if you wish to use it the whole day.

Final Verdict

Score: 8/10

An LG Nitro HD vs. the Galaxy Nexus? Samsung’s offering would triumph the Nitro HD. In. Every. Single. Way. Plus the $250 on contract stacks against the Nitro HD’s good deeds. But if there’s a 4G LTE device on AT&T that is worth your U.S. currency (and was not announced at CES 2012), then the Nitro HD should fit the bill.

LG Nitro HD Delivers First True High-Definition Experience for AT&T Customers

Exclusive to AT&T Customers, Android-Powered LG Nitro HD Provides High-Definition Display, Lightning-Fast Processing Speeds and AT&T 4G LTE Capabilities
Dallas, Texas, November 28, 2011

Key Facts

LG Nitro™ HD, the first smartphone in the AT&T* portfolio with a true high definition screen becomes the third 4G LTE smartphone for AT&T customers.
Available in AT&T stores and online Dec. 4 for $249.99 with a two-year commitment.
Dual-core 1.5 GHz processor and access to AT&T’s 4G LTE makes Nitro HD the ultimate high-performance super phone.
AT&T 4G LTE recently expanded to 15 markets. AT&T plans to reach 70 million Americans with 4G LTE by year-end 2011.
LG Nitro HD

The LG Nitro™ HD, featuring a 4.5-inch True HD AH-IPS display, will be available exclusively to AT&T customers beginning Dec. 4 in company owned stores and online. Setting a new standard for a mobile device, LG Nitro HD comes equipped with a stunning true high-definition touchscreen display, a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor and access to AT&T’s 4G LTE where available, making it the ultimate high-performance superphone. Not only is LG Nitro HD powerful and incredibly fast, it also features multitasking abilities and offers the latest evolution in mobile device display technology for higher image resolutions and text readability.

Taking advantage of LG’s new proprietary True HD technology, LG Nitro HD’s 4.5-inch AH-IPS (Advanced High-Performance In-Plane Switching) display supports resolutions up to 1280 X 720 pixels and offers unrivaled color accuracy, brightness, battery efficiency and performance. LG Nitro HD’s 500 nit display luminance allows for clear viewing in direct sunlight and RGB stripe pixels deliver incredibly accurate true-to-life color rendering.

LG Nitro HD offers incredibly quick speed, power and efficiency in a slim design (5.27″ X 2.67″ X 0.41″) making it easy to view, create and share in HD. LG Nitro HD multitasks seamlessly and with AT&T 4G LTE and HSPA+ where available, it easily browses even the most content-heavy websites and runs HD games with ease, including HD gaming from the Gameloft HD game store and Zynga Poker HD.

An 8-megapixel HD camera and 20 GB of total memory (4 GB on-board plus 16 GB via In-box microSD) allows users to capture and view crystal-clear True HD images and video. Wi-Fi Direct™ technology and DLNA® features offer wireless HD content streaming options, making it easier and faster than ever to share HD content with the people and networks that matter the most.

AT&T is the only U.S. carrier providing 4G using both HSPA+ and LTE technologies. HSPA+, when combined with enhanced backhaul, provides customers with compatible devices 4G speeds, meaning customers get a faster and more consistent 4G experience, even when outside of an AT&T 4G LTE area.

Pricing and Availability

Be one of the first to experience the phenomenon of LG Nitro HD on Dec. 4, available exclusively in AT&T company owned stores and online for just $249.99 after a two-year contract.

Via: T-Mobile