T-Mobile G2x Review: Gingerbread-Infused
by Vivek Gowri on August 3, 2011 2:09 AM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Tegra 2
- Android 2.3
- LG Optimus 2X
- Android
- G2x
- Mobile
T-Mobile G2x - The Verdict
I really, really like the G2x. It’s quick, powerful, understated, decently well-built, and has a great display. Nvidia gave this one to us as a long-term evaluation unit, so I’ll definitely be looking at it as a day to day phone for the next few months. I’m psyched, because this has all of the elements of a superphone - dual-core SoC, IPS display, HSPA+. In addition, the G2x runs a stock version of Android. (Ironic isn’t it, most companies are putting skins on Android to make them “unique”, and the most unique one on the market ends up being the stock Android UI.)
As a huge fan of the stock Gingerbread UI, this endears the G2x to me greatly. It’s so fluid, so smooth, and so downright responsive compared to most phones, even other similarly powerful dual-core devices. I’ve got a MyTouch Slide here as well, with the same Qualcomm MSM8260/Sense 3.0 combo as the Sensation, and the difference is almost night and day. To an extent, this is because of the asynchronous core clocking in the dual-core Snapdragon SoCs, but still, the sheer responsiveness of the G2x is probably it’s best feature.
Unfortunately, the software side of the G2x is a double edged sword. You’re basically trading that instant response for stability - this G2x isn’t as bad as the Optimus 2X that Brian had earlier, but it’s getting there. Random crashes, cellular instability, etc - I’m averaging a forced reboot roughly once every 36 hours. It’s....disconcerting, let’s put it that way. The Gingerbread update didn’t actually help the stability side of things too much, and the whole camera application ordeal is just bad. It speaks of a lack of attention to detail and testing at almost every level.
And so as much as I love the G2x, I must say that the Sensation is a better buy on T-Mobile. They’re logical competitors, and while I subjectively like the G2x more, the Sensation is better designed, better built, and much, much more stable. The software is simultaneously the best and worst thing about the G2x - the quickness and smoothness of the entire OS makes the device so much fun to use....until it crashes on you. The first time is a bit quaint, the second is more concerning, and after that it’s just annoying.
Now, if you’re open to CyanogenMod’ing it up, that route is always an option. The combination of CM7.1 and LauncherPro is pretty sweet, and me and Brian will cover it in a later article, but it’s a decent way of solving most of the software issues. I love the phone otherwise - the screen is gorgeous, the hardware is pretty decent, and I cannot stress how much fun it is to have a device this responsive. But there’s too many issues with stability with the OS and the baseband for this to top the Sensation, which is probably one of the single best all-around smartphones on the market.
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B3an - Wednesday, August 3, 2011 - link
I also get about exactly the same on my Galaxy S2.Almost feel sorry for the yanks not yet having the best phone on the planet months after release. Almost :)
Brian Klug - Thursday, August 4, 2011 - link
That's surreal, I get 4614.8 ms on SunSpider 0.9 on my SGS2 running the latest official firmware. Very very odd and unsettling, are you running a custom ROM?-Brian
Stuka87 - Wednesday, August 3, 2011 - link
Interesting use for the Honda Distributer.D3CIM8 - Wednesday, August 3, 2011 - link
I have been running a CM based Gingerbread (2.3.4) ROM with a custom kernel for some time now. I get a freeze or random reboot maybe once a week at most and I use my phone a lot. Unmounting the USB drive can result in instability occasionally. The camera isn't as nice as the LG one in 2.2 and AD2P just doesn't work. On the bright side there is a hack to get true 1080p/30fps video recording working on the camera. Netflix streaming also works which is a huge plus for me. With the custom kernel I get a minimum of a day under medium to heavy use.For reference I am using Faux123's ROM with his OC/UV EXT4 kernal. For you benchmark junkies, OCed to 1.5Ghz it scores 5000+ on Quadrant and is completely stable (my phone at least, YMMV).
On a side note, in the specs comparison chart you have the screen on the G2x listed as 4.3" instead of 4.0".
VivekGowri - Wednesday, August 3, 2011 - link
Fixed - that table got copied almost directly out of Brian's Sensation review, I wasn't looking too closely for issues. Thanks for catching it!fearsjohn - Wednesday, August 3, 2011 - link
i had the same issues random reboots and stuff going wrong and the 2.3.3 update helped some. the funny thing about it is the kernal is still based on froyo not gingerbread. i got tired of the issues and flashed eaglesblood on it which is based on cm7 and fauxs kernal and it is so much better than the half baked crap lg and tmobile sent out. and these guys do not even get paid for it.yourwhiteshadow - Wednesday, August 3, 2011 - link
passion for things cannot be replaced. that's the reason the modding community is so amazing, its the passion that drives things forward, not the money.Mr Benelli - Wednesday, August 3, 2011 - link
I must have lucked out. After the Gingerbread update I have zero random reboots and zero reception issues. I have nothing but good things to say about my particular device's performance since the update. Although, I am waiting for a root option for GB...sabrewulf - Thursday, August 4, 2011 - link
I just got 3460 on sunspider 0.9 and 3333 on 0.9.1 with my Verizon Fascinate running the latest CM7 nightly, but even the the latest stock Verizon (2.2) ROM is in the 5-6000 range. You guys should really consider removing the 2.1 results from these reviews, or at least adding 2.2 results. The GS is still an extremely capable phone and to portray it in such a poor and inaccurate light is really doing a disservice to prospective phone buyers.lowlymarine - Thursday, August 4, 2011 - link
Agreed. The iPhone has a different entry for every point release yet the Galaxy S devices languish on 2.1 months after the last one got it's official FroYo update - and after the international GT-I9000 got an official Gingerbread update, to boot.