LG Accolade VX5600 Review

Introduction:

Since the introduction of the LG VX5200 back in 2005, there has been a newer model released by Verizon each year (except for 2009), including the VX5300, VX5400, and VX5500; up to the new Accolade VX5600 for 2010. There have been some changes in features between models as well, such as removing Analog support, going from Bluetooth 1.0 to 2.1+EDR, and increasing the camera from VGA resolution to 1.3MP, not to mention the cosmetic appearance. But one concept has remained within the series: that it is intended for people who are looking for a basic mobile phone at a low price and without a lot of added bells-and-whistles that they’ll never use. The only competition to the LG Accolade VX5600 currently would be from the Samsung Smooth and the Nokia 2705 Shade, as both are also basic phones at a low price.

Included in the retail package are the LG Accolade VX5600 phone, 1000mAh battery, wall charger with detachable microUSB cable, and user guide.

Design:

Who says a basic and inexpensive flip phone has to look bad? Not LG, as the Accolade VX5600 looks better and has a more streamlined appearance than its predecessors. The front of the device is more simplistic and has a two-tone design with a mirror-like finish around the 1.04-inch external display and 1.3MP camera. We also like the darker graphite-gray color that is used instead of the silver color of earlier models. The LG Accolade is easy to hold, as the corners are rounded and the device is of average size, though its plastic construction does feel a bit flimsy as you can bend and flex the phone some. Located on the left side are the volume rocker, voice command key, microUSB port and 2.5mm headset jack, with the camera button on the right side. There isn’t a microSD memory card slot included on the device.



You can compare the LG Accolade VX5600 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

The hinge opens and closes smoothly, but once opened it does bend back rather easily if any pressure is applied. The internal display remains 1.76-inch, with a 176x220 pixel resolution and 262K color support, which is the same as the VX5500, but we did notice that colors and image contrast did look better on the Accolade. There are also 7 brightness levels for the user, but even with it set to the maximum, the display can be difficult to read in direct sunlight.


Located on the bottom is the d-pad for menu navigation. The only change we noticed here is that the center OK button is now larger and doesn’t stick-out as much, so it is easier to use with your thumb. The numeric keypad has also undergone a minor facelift, as the numbers are now larger in size and the LED backlight is white instead of yellow, allowing it to be easily seen in low-light conditions. Pressing on keys still provide a good “click” response and their large size makes for dialing number or typing a text message a breeze.

So, we prefer the design of the LG Accolade VX5600 to that of its predecessors. It's fairly compact and fits well in the hand, thanks to its more rounded shapes. Still, if we are to compare it with most of the handsets that get released nowadays, we believe that it doesn't look as contemporary. At least using it is relatively pleasing, thanks to the larger d-pad and number keys.