Reviews icon LG enV2 Review

LG enV2 Review

Verizon

Verizon

Published on: 13 May, 2008 by PhoneArena Team

Performance:

The reception and call quality on the enV2 are both excellent and have improved since the enV. We were able to place and receive calls in most fringe areas where the enV had trouble holding a signal. Call quality through the earpiece speaker was clear and lacked any background noise or interference. People that we called on a landline also agreed that the enV2 produced good sound quality, with our voice being clear and lacking any interference. We also noticed that we could turn the earpiece volume up to highest level without any noticeable distortion or “white noise” sound, unlike the Voyager. However, when using the speakerphone we did have to keep the volume down to medium, otherwise the stereo speakers would cause distortion.

The included 950 mAh battery is rated by LG to have 5 hours of talk time or 21 days of standby time on a full charge. During our testing, we were able to achieve 6 hours of continuous talk time by fully charging the battery, dialing a landline, and keeping the enV2 connected until the battery was depleted. Standby time was an impressive 8 days and was measured with the battery fully charged and the phone left on (yet unused) until the battery was depleted. These results are remarkably good; considering the talk time and standby time is almost double that of what we got using the enV and Voyager.

Click to see a large image.
Conclusion:

We are highly impressed with the overall improvements that have been made with the new enV2. It features a more modern and simplistic design with less bulk and more streamlined appearance, larger front dialpad, redesigned QWERTY keypad, larger internal display, 2MP camera, stereo speakers, and supports microSD cards up to 8GB; with the only thing missing here is an HTML browser and an Autofocus system for the camera. We recommend it for anyone that is looking for a reasonably priced phone with excellent call quality and reception, while also requiring a built in QWERTY keypad and other useful features. We also believe that the enV2 is a better device for text messaging when compared to the Samsung Alias U740, due to the fact its QWERTY keypad is rather small, since the buttons cramped together, which causes frequent typing errors. However, for those looking for a higher-end device, the Voyager is the way to go. It has almost every feature one could want, including a full 2.8” touchscreen on the front, secondary display on the inside with QWERTY keypad, stereo speakers, and Mobile TV support.

Pros

  • Redesigned and modern appearance
  • 2.4” QVGA internal display
  • Excellent call quality and signal reception
  • 6 hours of talk time on a full battery
  • Supports up to 8GB microSDHC memory cards

Cons

  • Small external display
  • WAP browser
  • Speakerphone causes distortion at high volumes
  • Does not include a microUSB data cable

PA phone rating

  • Design 8.5
  • Display 8
  • Camera 7
  • Sound Quality 8.5
  • Battery 10
  • Connectivity 7
  • Multimedia 7
  • Organizer 7
Good
8
out of 10

How do we rate?

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Model Carrier Price Today Price after rebate
LG enV2 VX9100 Black
 Free Free Buy
LG enV2 VX9100 Maroon
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Comments icon User comments

User comments

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0
1.
Okay seriously this really is more or less a downgrade from the vx9900 Env. Lets go over the actual specs here, first the Navigation Pad has no left of right buttons on the face, also the camera doesn't have a cover like on the vx9900 nor does it have auto focus. Granted you have a micro usb port now you still cant really overlook the fact that it is crippled compared to the vx9900.
0
2.
Well you can have left or right buttons on the face of your phone if you want but it wont do anything due to the front menu not requiring them.
Reply to this comment
0
3.
If you are so in love with the past, keep it.

Fact: Thinner, shorter, better outer keypad. Inner keyboard perfect for texting.
Fact: Battery life approx.50% longer than enV
Fact: Larger internal screen.

Issue: no auto-focus - honey, please hold still for 30 seconds
Issue: Camera missing a bump - get a case
Pocket calls - same answer

I had the enV, and liked it very much, however, I like the enV2 much more; so much so that I got the enV2 the day it came out after checking out the glyde.
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #2 ( Show )
0
4.
Crippled? Wtf dude, don't be a dumbass. Name ONE feature this doesn't have that the vx900 had? Come on... just one.

Fact is, this is A HELL OF A LOT less bulky while still being extremely text friendly and doubling the battery life of the original (which I thought was pretty good when I had it).

Just because you get all but hurt when a new phone is shed in a favorable light to your precious enV doesn't mean you have to post retarded comments online.
Reply to this comment
0
23.
Here's a feature the enV2 doesn't have, a bigger front screen and the capability to go into more menus (like the 9900 could) .... THAT irritates ME..... the front screen on the new env did NOT Have to be so small. They could have sacrificed the HUMONGOUS size of the keys just a TAD to make the screen a little bigger so you could have more functions. Having to open it to do EVERYTHING is a pain if you ask me.
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #4 ( Show )
0
44.
Just curious...what made you choose the enV2 over the Glyde?
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #3 ( Show )
Reply to mclifford81 Hide 5 replies to this comment
0
5.
Everybody ( including PhoneArena ) forgot to mention the one feature that makes this one of the coolest phones in the VZW lineup ... the fact that you can do over-the-air firmware upgrades and eliminate the need to have it done in the store.
0
6.
nope, they said on page 4 or 5 towards the bottom.
Reply to this comment
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7.
http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/LG-enV2-Review-review-r_1945-p_3.html

"One new feature on the enV2 is that it’s the first LG phone for Verizon to support FOTA (firmware over the air). This will allow customers to download the latest firmware for the phone without the need for visiting a store and having a technician install it. This is a valuable time-saver for both consumers and employees and we are pleased to see it starting to be implemented. We tested the FOTA, but since our enV2 has the currently latest firmware (V03), it did not download or install any updates."
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Reply to DeeMan Hide 2 replies to this comment
0
8.
I've been using the orinal lgvx9800 for 2 years. I recently upgraded my phone to the env2. I definently can say that to a certain extent, that this phone is somewhat a downgrade. Here is what i mean

LG Vx9800
Can browse games section quite heavily , the env2 does'nt allow you to do so
External had more buttons and you could go to your ringtones , photos, and tools section . the env2 does'nt allow you to do this
Keypad was more spacey on the 9800 which was somewhat a flaw because i had to move my fingers everywhere to get to the keys. which i still respect on the 9800
Photo quality was a lot better and included a flash
More bulkier. i had drop this phoen so many times and it still withheld its image .
Had more wallpaper

Overall view:
I like the env2 and i am not complaining at all . It's suppose to be an improvement from the 9900 and 9800. and it is. I am definently keeping this phone, it's thin and lightweight, and i only paid $50 for it! I like the larger buttons on it. onthe 9800 you had more buttons on the front which was okay with me but they were smaller.
I like the professional look on the env2 and i believethat's important. If your a person who want's the Qwerty keypad , a nice phone and does'nt come with a lot of features that you know you will not use, then i say give this phone a try. it's not as bad as what people make it out to believe.


0
11.
9800 camera better? lol

I had the 9800, I had the 9900, now I have the 9100... you are full of crap on the camera.
Reply to this comment
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17.
"More bulkier." -- lol
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Reply to OriginalLgEnv-user Hide 2 replies to this comment
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9.
this is not the first phone to offer FOTA. The samsung u340 has had it for a long time.
0
12.
check the text :)

"One new feature on the enV2 is that it’s the first LG phone for Verizon to support FOTA..."
Reply to this comment
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13.
I did check the text, it is incorrect. The u340 has been out for much longer and it supports FOTA.
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #12 ( Show )
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14.
Then you must not be very smart. It says "One new feature on the enV2 is that it’s the first LG phone for Verizon to support FOTA (firmware over the air)." That means it's the FIRST LG PHONE FOR VERIZON WITH FOTA. The U340 was the FIRST SAMSUNG PHONE WITH FOTA. You think some people could understand that.
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #13 ( Show )
0
15.
My bad I did not catch that.
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #14 ( Show )
Reply to anonymous Hide 4 replies to this comment
0
10.
will someone puh-lease tell meh how long it takes the enV2 to charge after u wear out the battery on the day u get it?
0
28.
1.5-2 hours...depends on how much you run it down, i have it and if i charge it with 1 bar its about 1.5 hours...if i let the battery run til the phone shuts off its 2 hours..pretty quick if you ask me
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0
21.
okay, i've been excited about this phone since i saw it in the store 2 weeks ago. there is one thing holding me back. while it's on the same level with other lg phones, the camera isn't on par with other brands that i've seen. i'm not sure how important this will be in the long run, but it has left me wondering if this is the right phone for me. the best camera by far that i've seen on a verizon phone is the razr.
what about video quality when recording a video for youtube etc-anyone have experience?
0
42.
If the best camera you have experienced is the razr then you should take a look at other phones. I've been a VZW customer for about 5 years & have had Samsung, Motorola & LG. LGs take better photos than the Motorolas by far. If you're really looking for a great camera, the best brand to go with is Samsung. The flipshot is made specifically for the camera. Regardless of whether you choose the flipshot or not the photo quality is great on almost all Samsung phones.
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Reply to AB Hide 1 replies to this comment
0
22.
hey guys i go thru cell phones like a baby goes thru diapers, ok since oct 2006
i have been thru 4 razors, 3 samsung sch-u740, 3 lg env, 5 (i lost count) motorola q, and now i am on my 2nd env2

ugh...... ok the razors, they was cool back in 06, but alot has came out, when they first came out they froze all the flippin time!!! and if u dropped it, it was over, the quality of these phones supposely came up, but still the package it outdated, even the razor 2 dont sell that good!!! its for a reason, consumers talk!!!!

ok my first samsung sch-u740- it was a great phone, i got it back in may 2007, had it until aug 2007 i gave it to my grandma, i beat the hell out of that phone, i dropped it like everyday at work, i worked at subway, so the floors were hard, lol i dropped it in the sink since we listened to music all the time at work, it worked very well even when i gave it to my grandmother.

ok the motorla Q- where do i begin......... this phone basically sucks, but i had the older verizon, thank god they came out with a newer, which by the way i heard sucked as well. it would constantly freeze, they swapped it out so many times, and they just dont play loud enough such as music, the camera is worthless (but it has a bright flash, for when u loose your keys at night). that is all it has going for it, heck i can buy alot of flashlights for the price of this phone!!!

OK now i got another sch-u740 in april 2008, i was just tired of the Q so i went back to what i loved, well i didnt love it anymore, my phone the hinge broke with in 10 days as well as the screen!!!! well i got another one and it broke within 2 days, it was freezing and restarting, etc.

so i went back to verizon and told them they have to do something, well they swapped it out for a new env2. i was like ok and the sad thing is the env2 was cheaper than my sch-u740.

the ENV2, it is ok, but for a new phone that came out in 2008 i hope LG left a lot of room for improvement!!!! this phone restarts itself and everything, the keys on the front of the phone are exc. yes it may remind the older people caculators from the 80's but hey it works, and for $100 bucks you cant beat it,

pros. good screen, exc keys, call recpection
cons. lacking wi.fi, no good IM, Email, or HMTL Browser, small outside screen, limited functions.
Reply to this comment
0
26.
all of u can kick rocks cuz this phone sux compared to the original enV...not flash...no menu (meaning frontal has been greatly decreased in user friendly status) & u have to open it for almost every single thing but calling
0
29.
your an idiot, you dont even have this phone to judge, i have this phone and i had the V and all my friends have the env, this phone is easily on par if not better, yeah it might have a small front screen but its completely designed for it, the 2 up and down keys work fine and so do the big buttons, they arent dumb when they design phones, LG has always been reliable..i only get there brand anymore..cmon dude, test something out before flaming
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Reply to sprint&t-mobile-alltell Hide 1 replies to this comment
0
30.
i have this phone and its battery life is a gondsend so far, so much better then any previous phone ive had, and i agree with the guy up there, the front keys and menu do seem a bit decreased, but LG designed the phones front interface to seamlessy work with the keys given, it works just fine for anything you need to do on it, and cmon, is opening the phone to se e a pic message that hard, you must flip open phones a millon times in your life, seriously, most phones are flip, big whoop, you wasted 1 millionth of an energy to flip open the phone...geeez...we are getting lazy something
0
32.
Exactly. Just got an env2 and at first I was frustrated that I had to open it to do everything.. then I realized, hey, I got a QWERTY phone, that's the f'ing point. If you don't want to open it, don't get a flip phone.
Reply to this comment
0
34.
it's not the opening it that's the problem. it's the using two hands that's a problem. let's say you're holding a soda in one hand and for some reason you desperately need to download a game from Get it Now. You can't put the soda down so you're basically a SOL.
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #32 ( Show )
0
35.
umm..how many times in your life are you going to be in that situation..seriously 9 times out of 10 your going to be somewhere you can set down your pop for the 5 seconds itll take to flip it open, read it and possibly answer...this argument is worthless, because if you like the phone then get it and manage, if you dont, quit your complaning and go get a non flip qwerty phone like a blackberry or something.
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #34 ( Show )
0
37.
I was joking. Jesus do I have type a more sarcastic situation for you to understand?
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #35 ( Show )
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45.
Maybe it will cut down on the texting and driving. :o)
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #37 ( Show )
0
46.
thats so true
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #45 ( Show )
0
58.
Seriously. How often do we "desperately need" to download a game? And if it's so important, we're going to have to put the soda down to play it.

I have no problem holding my EnV2 in one hand with my thumb moving over the keyboard when I "desparately need" to hold a soda while doing something else. Then again, I have no problem setting down the soda if what I'm doing on the phone is such a "desparat need."
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #34 ( Show )
Reply to anonymous Hide 7 replies to this comment
0
31.
OK i was wondering how much the phone costs when you already have a plan so just buying the phone because anywhere i go it always says "With new 2 year plan"
0
33.
with a 2 year plan: 150 at teh store and 100 online....you save some money on taht deal if u buy it online; without a 2 year plan: i think it's 350..also known as the retail price......i'm not sure of any other prices
Reply to this comment
0
39.
I looked at Walmart and it's about 400 dollars, but at Best Buy it's about 40 dollars cheaper. I havn't seen it cheaper anywhere else.
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #33 ( Show )
0
43.
wal mart & best buy are not direct verizon wireless stores. if you go to a vzw store the retail price is 319.99
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #39 ( Show )
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