Optimus V - No service - Any good for games?

[mogulman]

My wife has an Optimus V. She is getting ready to switch providers because of her job.

We don't really need an extra phone.

My question:
Is the Optimus V without service useful? IE... Can my son, or me, use it with just wifi? Is it any good at playing games or is it too slow?

It looks like they are going for about $80 on ebay now, so would I be better off selling the Optimus V, and using the money towards a tablet or ipod touch?

 

[watskyhotsky]

Without 3G service, its basically an iPod touch.

You could put a fresh IHO rom on it, keep it in airplane mode, turn wifi on when needed. it would make a GREAT mp3 player and web device.

without 3G the battery life is much much longer. I have a OV in airplane mode that Im using for the SAME purpose and its on the 6th day without being plugged into a charger. 3G is a major battery killer.

also, you can throw a 8 or 16 gb sd card full of media and it would definately be competitive with an ipod touch.

for gaming, its not really going to do much... any games that do run arent going to run perfectly.


I'd say keep it becuase you can use it as a mini kind of tablet (an android tablet is basically the same thing with a bigger screen) and if the day comes where you need a phone, it can be activated again. its not stuck as a tablet forever

 

[mogulman]

yeah..but without service... is it as good or almost as good as an ipod Touch for games... Or is it kind of sucky because of the hardware/os?

I know the CPU is slower then some other android devices...

 

[watskyhotsky]

yeah..but without service... is it as good or almost as good as an ipod Touch for games... Or is it kind of sucky because of the hardware/os?

I know the CPU is slower then some other android devices...

having service doesnt change the hardware. i just told you in my other reply that it wasnt good for games.

first of all, most "good" games dont even run. the ones that DO, run slowly and laggy. even angry birds lags

its not a gaming phone. its a web browsing device and music and video device. those tasks it does well.

 

[mogulman]

ok..thanks!

 

[watskyhotsky]

it will beat a ipod 1 and 2, but a ipod touch 3rd gen will beat this phone. if for only that it has a better gpu.

besides that, way better and more high quality games are being developed for the ipod and iphone, so even if this was a blazingly fast phone, the iphone or ipod would be a better choice regardless

 

[MasterTec]

Also keep in mind that there are free apps that allow you to use it as a phone in wifi areas. Some people buy them and never even bother to activate them.

 

[economichitman]

If you root and overclock it runs angry birds pretty well. It would work well as a pocket wifi entertainment system.

 

[notown]

Maybe not full 3d rendered games but I can run all of angry birds, plants vs zombies, illusia, drag racing...and many other games on full speed.

 

[JerryScript]

The Optimus V plays a lot of decent games when overclocked to around 800. Here's a thread discussing 3d games that work (finding them is an excersize left up to you )
3D Games for LG Optimus V

• - Android Forums

• 
  
  The only reason to get an iPod touch is if you want to waste money.

 

[watskyhotsky]

I should mention the Optimus V plays gameboy and SNES emulators VERY well.

not becuase of the hardware, but becuase it has the volume keys and the camera key in the correct place for shoulder buttons, and the touchscreen is VERY responsive to minute button presses. you can map the L and R or any other buttons to the hardware keys from inside Gameboid or most other emulators.

I used this for L and R on some games and A and B on others. really helps. cant do this on the triumph and I do miss it. being able to control the game efficiently makes the entire experience so much better.

 

[SkunkShampoo]

That's true. I wouldn't say the OV isn't good for gaming. I play games on mine all the time. There is a pretty good sci-fi 3D mmo I was playing a few weeks back. It ran amazingly well. That said, the pickings are slimmer compared to what a high end device can handle. There will be a lot of interesting games that just weren't made to run on old hardware.

I think the OV does the essentials and does them well. It isn't a high end phone, but its the best low end phone you'll find. Most of the benefits you get from an android device aren't tied to the phone service, so its pretty cool.

 

[drwatson32]

I haven't run into a game that it doesn't play well... don't play them often though. I have a Nintendo DS

 

[watskyhotsky]

I haven't run into a game that it doesn't play well... don't play them often though. I have a Nintendo DS

oOOoo high roller

 

[mknollman123]

I may get stoned for this, but if it is for your son, unless he is nerdy and likes to tinker like we do - I would sell it and get an ipod touch refurb. I love this phone and Android, but my older son has an ipod touch 4 and my younger has an ipod touch 2 - they both blow this away as far as gaming goes.

I love this phone for 2 reasons - Virgin's cheap plans and the nice small for factor - neither of those are what you are looking for.

Here is a refurb ipod touch 2nd gen for 130 -
iPod touch? Gen 2 8GB (GameStop Premium Refurbished) for Electronics | GameStop

The only real upside you would have is that there seems to be more good FREE games in the Android market. But if you want it for gaming the touch refurb is a better choice. It also has a bigger screen.

 

[JerryScript]

I think it boils down to a cost factor. You have a phone that plays decent games, many free of charge, and can be purchased for $50-$100. Or you have a refurb unit costing up to 3 times as much that plays better games, but they cost you as well. So total out of pocket costs for the iPod touch will run you over $200-$300 to get the same experience as your old OV, and even more if you truly want to say you are using it to a greater potential than the OV.

 

[vee]

I'm thinking of giving my ov away to my niece for use as an mp3 player. I just made the switch away from ov less than a week ago and gotta say.. It's a really really low end phone. For gaming you would only be playing a number of good decent games. For an mp3 with wifi it isn't bad to have for a child though. Now I understand all the reviewers on Amazon telling devs to ban the OV so ppl don't give bad reviews of non working games =/

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk

 

[JerryScript]

I'm thinking of giving my ov away to my niece for use as an mp3 player. I just made the switch away from ov less than a week ago and gotta say.. It's a really really low end phone. For gaming you would only be playing a number of good decent games. For an mp3 with wifi it isn't bad to have for a child though. Now I understand all the reviewers on Amazon telling devs to ban the OV so ppl don't give bad reviews of non working games =/

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk

If you think the OV is a "really really low end phone" then you obviously haven't tried the Intercept, the Ascend, etc, etc. The OV is a mid level phone currently, though that changes as fast as tech does.

We are each carrying more processing power in our pockets than it took to place men on the moon. Fact is, games can be written properly to work fine on the OV, so the devs should put in the work instead of relying on programming shortcuts that take advantage of supposedly superior phone's tricks. If they want to sell to OV owners and gain the revenue, then they have to put in the work. I know that I have fallen victim to the allure of programming for the highest specs in order to be "cutting edge." However, that backfires almost every time, since the public is never cutting edge.

Of course, if they only want to program for a single hardware set, they can always develop for the iPhone.

IMHO, the real issue is that Amazon and the Android Market should make the review system better take into account fragmentation of phone specs. A reviewer's phone/tablet info should be displayed with the review. That way readers can see if an app will work on their phone.

 

[vee]

I had both the ascend and intercept, those I would call obsolete. And I'm not saying the OV is bad, I had it for a full year. I'm saying it's low end now. Hell, my photon will almost be mid range in a few months when tegra 3 is released. The OV was a mid ranged phone a year ago, I'm not speaking from a biased stand point, but from personal experience for exactly 1 year. OV definitely has the best community around tho. All in all, it would be good to keep for the casual person. iOs is overrated.

And about tech... People who have owned a pc, laptop, calculator, microwave, anything with technology. Should know not to get on a 2 yr contract because you will left behind and stuck.

Devs can make any game work on any phone if they put in the work. Look at xbox's specs running high end pc games at 30 fps with 2004 hardware. But that's a whole nother topic lol.

Edit: of course this is just my opinion and no disrespect towards you jerry, my OV has had backside since release date with a 2 day avg batt life =)

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[JerryScript]

Although I was very long winded, I was really only responding to you calling the OV very very low end.