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 Network
One of the major hardware differences between the G2x and the Optimus 2X is the cellular radio. While the O2X uses a Infineon X-Gold XG616, similar to what you can find in the Samsung Galaxy S/Nexus S and the iPhone 4, the G2x uses Qualcomm’s MDM6600 baseband, the whole point of the switch being to support HSDPA 14.4 on T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network. At launch, T-Mobile advertised the G2x as a quadband 3G device, with support for HSPA+ over the 1900/850 MHz (AT&T) bands as well as the standard 2100/1700 MHz T-Mobile 3G bands. This, unfortunately, was a blatant error in T-Mobile’s information - after the G2x’s release, it became readily evident that quadband support was only for EDGE/GPRS, not 3G. How an error of this magnitude managed to slip through until the device started shipping (it was advertised with quadband 3G at CES in January) remains unanswered.
But no matter - if you’re on T-Mobile, HSPA+ works, and well. I saw speeds generally in the range of 3.5-6 Mbps downstream and 1.5-3 Mbps upstream. I’m not as obsessive with speed tests as Brian is, so I don’t have enough data points to construct a speed graph like he had, but they’re fairly consistent with results I’ve seen before. T-Mobile’s HSPA+ is faster in Seattle than in Tuscon where Brian is, which is why my numbers are so much higher.
We ran into some issues with cellular stability with the G2x - Brian complained about it before sending me the phone, and I personally experienced a couple of rather disconcerting periods where the G2x would be unable to send or receive cellular data for a span of 5-10 minutes, unless you got impatient and pulled the battery first. It looks like the implementation of the new baseband was rushed, but this is still a pretty significant issue to slip through. It’s something that I haven’t noticed post-Gingerbread, but it’s only been two days since the update released. I wouldn’t say it’s a major problem, but definitely an annoyance. It’s not the only indication that the transformation from Optimus 2X to G2x was a hurried process either, as we’ll see on the software side.
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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.