LG makes 4G budget-friendly with the Optimus F3

We knew that the high-speed 4G LTE connectivity would be coming to more than just the mid-range and high-end handsets, and it looks like late 2013 is the time for that to happen, with LG announcing a sub-$300 4G model.

Aimed at those who want some impressive mobile broadband speeds but don’t want to fork out an arm and a leg for a mobile handset, the Optimus F3 is being released on the Telstra network for prepaid customers.

The smartphone comes with a 4 inch screen, 4GB of internal memory, support for more over microSD, and a 2460mAh battery which LG says should be good for a long-lasting experience.

Some of the functionality seen on other LG phones is present here, such as the QuickMemo which can freeze the screen and let you take notes, as well as QSlide which lets you run apps on top of apps for better multitasking.

It’s not the first budget LG 4G handset, however, with the F3 joining the F5, an entry in the Optimus F series that we saw earlier in the year.

“The LG Optimus F3 is a great addition to not only the F-Series range but to the entire LG mobile portfolio of devices as it highlights our focus on broadening the options in 4G enabled handsets,” said Lambro Skropidis, General Manager of Marketing for LG in Australia.

“We are currently working with our operator partners to assist their customer migration to 4G to ensure all newcomers to these mobile networks are being accommodated, regardless of their budget.”

From what we can tell, the F3 might even be close to a slightly downgraded model of the F5, reviewed earlier in the year. In that handset, we saw a dual-core processor, Android 4.1.2 “Jelly Bean,” WiFi, 5 megapixel rear camera and 4G too, which are features also present in this new handset.

Spec-wise, the processor and graphics chip have changed, so it’s not exactly the same, and the screen is also a touch smaller, dropping from the 4.3 inch quarter-HD screen in the F5 to a 4 inch model with 2011’s screen resolution of choice, 800×480.

If 4G has eluded you up until now, it might be worth checking out and putting in your hand, because with a recommended retail price of $249, it’s certainly a not-so-exy way of seeing what the fuss of 4G is all about.