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Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE Review
Our friends over at LG have sent us the Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE for us to review. It is there latest and greatest eco-built device. It is the first 4G LTE device for Sprint. Yes, keep in mind that Sprint’s 4G LTE network has still yet to be launched. So, for now this device running on 3G(EVDO). We will get into all of this and more in the full review. Which by the way, begins right now!
Design
Now the LG Viper 4G LTE for Sprint is a very interesting device. It has a very thick build, making it as thick as some of the smartphones from last year. It comes in at .46 inches thick, from the side you can tell it. However, when you are holding it in your hand is quite comfortable. This may not be the most beautiful device on the market, if LG made it thicker more people would like it. On the top of the device you will find the power/sleep button and headphone jack. The left hand side is home to your volume rocker and micro USB port. On the back you have a fake brushed aluminum back, it has a 5 mega-pixel back camera with LED Flash, a speaker, and a LG logo. Now, the entire device is made from 50% reclined plastics, so all of the eco fans will love it. If you take the back off you all find the 3.7 V Li-ion battery and a 4GB micro SD card. Keep in mind that the back of the device does have NFC built-in. There is an aluminum siding that goes all around the device. Above the screen you can find the ear piece, LED notification light, front-facing camera, and Sprint logo. Under the screen you will find the 4 touch capacitive buttons. I would have like to see the device being a little thinner but, LG and Sprint decided not to do this. Overall, the device’s design is pretty nice.
Hardware And Network Speed
Now, we move on to the hardware of the Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE. The device may have a 50% recycled design but, most of the hardware is new. It has a 4-inch NOVA touch screen, with a resolution of 800 X 400. It has protection from Corning Gorilla Glass. This screen is found on many Windows Phone devices and it works well with Android. The screen is very bright and it makes color’s look super vibrant. In terms of viewing angles, when brightness is high they are very good. It has both 4GB of internal storage and a 4GB micro SD card. For speed you will get access to Sprint 4G LTE, when the network launches. Their 4G LTE network is still in deployment stage. For now we are stuck on Sprint’s 3G EVDO network, which will give you not the fastest speeds in the world. However, this is Sprint’s first 4G LTE device. So once that network launches in your area you will get to enjoy those speeds. You can see our network test below.
NJTechReviews Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE Speed Test
- Ping 234ms, Download .18Mbps, Upload .23Mbps
- Ping 265ms, Download .53Mbps, Upload .08Mbps
- Ping 235ms, Download .52Mbps, Upload .67Mbps
- Ping 348ms, Download .06Mbps, Upload .05Mbps
The speeds were average for what you would expect on a 3G EVDO network. Our fastest download speed was .53Mbps and our fastest upload speed was .67Mbps. For speed when using the phone you get a 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processor with 1GB of RAM. You can also share your data connection via a mobile hotspot. On the back of the device you have an okay 5 mega-pixel camera with LED flash. On the front you get a VGA camera for self-portraits and video chatting. Overall, the hardware on the Viper 4G LTE is good.
Software
No Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on the Viper 4G LTE just yet, however the update is coming. It needs to pass carrier testing before it can be deployed out to the masses. Right now, it is running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and a plain flavor of the operating system. Since you have a Near Field Communications (NFC) chip built-in the device, you have access to service like Google Wallet. Which lets you pay just by sampling tapping your phone on the pad. Instead of a user interface on this device, you get Sprint ID packs. This lets you choose what user interface and certain theme you want on the device. You can choose the one that best fits your needs. There is plenty of pre-loaded applications like Google App Suite, YouTube, Music, Music Player, NASCAR, Pandora, Play Store, Google Wallet, Google Shopper, Polaris Office, Rhapsody, SmartShare, Sound Hound, Sprint ID, TeleNav GPS, and more. You also have LG’s latest app, “Life’s Good Fairy Tales”. It lets you add your own customization into a story tale. You can put yourself or your child into the story, and then they can watch themselves as they appear throughout the story. Overall, it makes for great fun with you and your child/friends. This application is free on the LG Viper or you can buy it for your other Android device for $0.99 via the Play Store. The software on the LG Viper 4G LTE for Sprint is great.
Bottom Line
The Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE is the first 4G LTE device for the carrier. So, therefore it gets some special treatment right away. However, it also gives you some nice hardware at an affordable price. It is just $99.99 with a 2-year contract or $399.99 with no contract. It features a great 4 inch screen, 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processor, and eventually 4G LTE speeds. I wish they could have made the design less thick and nicer, but you can’t always get what you want. However, if you want a 4G LTE device from Sprint and don’t mind the thickness of the device, then go for it. However, you may want to wait for the HTC EVO 4G LTE and for future 4G LTE devices from the carrier. Just keep in mind that the network is still in deployment. For More Info On The Sprint LG Viper 4G LTE, Please Click Here.
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