LG CU500 Review Roundup

Last Updated
- Added review by Laptopmag (19th October, 2006)

LG CU500 is a the first Cingular High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) clamshell phone that provides fine multitasking performance and video. This thin handset has weight of only 105g and 19mm thick, featuring 1.3MP camera, microSD memory card slot for video/music/photos storage, and 3G network. Not to mention, LG CU500 also supports MMP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+ formats and bluetooth wireless technology. LG CU500 is available at Cingular for $99.99 (with a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate).

+ REVIEWS:

Laptopmag reviews the LG CU500, they rated the phone 3.5/5 and write:
“The CU500 sports a clean and well-spaced keypad and navigation array. Below the volume toggle is a small key that provides direct access to the MP3 player, camera, and camcorder. A row of media playback buttons (Rewind, Play/Pause, and Fast-Forward) resides underneath the external color LCD… PROS: 3G HSDPA connectivity, Access to Cingular Video services, Excellent rotating 1.3-MP camera, Stereo Bluetooth. CONS: microSD Card slot behind battery, Some menus not intuitive, HSDPA coverage limited to 18 markets.”

Digital Trends reviews the LG CU500, they rated the phone 7.5/10 and write:
“Video from Cingular Video and MobiTV, however, were both superior to Verizon V Cast and Sprint Power Vision video offerings, with crisper, cleaner, and smoother video with fewer buffering pauses. Our only complaint is the lack of a widescreen option as found on V Cast phones…Pros: HSDPA/EDGE world phone, Superior integrated MP3 player, Cingular Video, MobiTV applications, Superior Bluetooth Stereo connectivity, Convenient 1.3-MP rotating camera, External music/camera controls, Landline voice quality. Cons: Buried microSD flash memory slot, No included sync cables or earphones, Difficult to transfer photos from phone to PC.”

CNET reviews the LG CU500, they rated the phone 8.3/10 and write:
“The primary feature of the CU500 is definitely its support for HSDPA. A 3.5G technology, HSDPA is a successor to UMTS, a 3G technology, both of which are designed for better mobile phone performance. While the transfer speeds for UMTS typically theoretically cap out at 2Mbps, the speeds on HSDPA have the potential to get up to 14.4Mbps. The CU500 can’t support speeds that high, of course, but it can perform up to 1.8Mbps, which is still much faster than what’s offered on Cingular’s UMTS network. It lets the CU500 manage with aplomb high-speed streaming video services such as Cingular Video, not to mention support for various music services under the Cingular Music header…The bottom line: The LG CU500 is one of the fastest phones we’ve ever tried, with swift downloads and impressive video streaming speeds. The feature set is impressive; the picture and audio quality are great; and the slim, attractive design is a bonus.”