LG G Pad 7.0 7-inch Android Tablet Review: No Frills

Swimming in an ever-rising sea of tablets, the LG G Pad 7.0 (V400) 7-inch Android Tablet is an unremarkable slate with an unfortunate name that you’ll unexpectedly find yourself using, especially if you can find it for $100 (or less) this holiday season.

Released this summer with a street price around $150 for the 8GB Wi-Fi only edition, the LG Pad 7.0 (available in black or white) falls into the category of “budget” tablet. Its uninspired design may not catch the attention of gadget-philes, but it should interest bargain hunters. On Ben’s Bargain’s, we’ve seen the low end model drop as low as $90 in September, and it was $99 as recently as early October. Expect it to hit that price point or lower in the coming weeks.

If you don’t already own a mini tablet or “phablet,” then picking up an LG G Pad 7.0 for $100 with its up-to-date Android OS (4.4 KitKat) and good build quality is a fantastic value over those sub-$100 generic tablets with horribly outdated screen resolutions and old non-upgradeable Android operating systems.

If you’re interested in the LTE edition, there’s a current promotion from AT&T Wireless offering the LTE model (which has 16GB RAM over the standard 8GB in the Wi-Fi version) for 99 cents when you also buy a smartphone on AT&T’s $0 down Next installment plan.

Simple but Very Useable

The LG G Pad 7.0 packaging is standard fare, including a micro USB cable and separate power adapter and Quick User Guide. (You can also download the 132(!)-page user manual.)

Once you’re done initially charging the tablet, you’ll go through a series of Welcome screens and Google account setup screens. You’ll then be introduced to two of LG’s special features: the Knock Code and QPair.

Knock Code is a security feature that you lets you create a series of finger taps on a 4×4 grid on the display to unlock the tablet. I liked the Knock Code feature until I totally forgot it. After five failed attempts, I was given a chance to enter a pre-selected PIN. The Knock Code is optional and there are five other screen lock methods to fit your taste.

QPair allows you to sync an Android phone with the LG G Pad via Bluetooth so you can check phone calls and texts as well as social media notifications.

From the outset, you’ll notice the LG G Pad is very comfortable to hold in one hand, and after an hour or two, it still remains a very practical little tablet for handheld use. The soft plastic back is not too slippery.  It’s the same height (4.5″) and nearly the same weight (0.65 lbs.) as the standard-bearer Google Nexus 7 (0.66 lbs.). It’s only a shade thicker at 0.4″ compared to the 0.34″ Nexus 7.

LG wisely did not try to reinvent the wheel. It’s a good form factor, and they stuck with it. It’s not innovatively light or thin, but it’s good enough.

On the top of the tablet, you’ll find the headphone jack, mic, IR blaster (more on that later) and a microSD card slot. I quickly threw in a 32GB card because the 8GB internal storage is pretty skimpy, but the rated capacity actually goes up to 64GB. Not bad. You can find decent Class 10 32GB to 64GB microSD cards on Ben’s Bargains for anywhere between $15 to $30 these days.

HD YouTube videos looked nice on the solid if not cutting edge 1,280 x 800 pixel IPS display with good viewing angles and smooth playback. The main drawbacks were the overly reflective display and tinny sound from the two rear-facing speaker grilles.

I was excited to use the Miracast feature that allows you to mirror the tablet screen onto compatible devices. I used a Roku streaming stick for the Miracast test, and it was  easy to use: just press the Miracast button in the top right and that’s it. After an initial hitch, I was able to easily watch YouTube videos on my TV through the Roku without any stuttering or sync issues. (Browsing and searching YouTube on the tablet is a lot faster than on the Roku.)

I liked the idea of the Quick Remote feature which transforms the LG G Pad 7.0 into a universal remote for your home theater using the aforementioned infrared blaster. It was straightforward to set up and I was able to turn on my Sony TV with the tablet in under a couple minutes. In practice, Quick Remote on the LG G Pad 7.0 was limited to just TV and cable box remotes with no customizable remote option. Hopefully, there’s an update down the line so you can add remotes for Blu-ray players, stereos and so on.

The LG G Pad 7.0 also has the Dual Window feature which allows you to open up two apps side by side in adjustable windows. I thought Dual Window worked pretty well but you are limited to a few core apps like Chrome, Email, Google Maps and YouTube. It was also not immediately obvious how to quickly switch out of the dual window setup without going into settings to turn it off.

The 5MP rear camera and 1.3MP front camera are pretty weak. I got grainy results in standard light conditions, but I did like Gesture Shot which lets you open your palm and close your fist to set a 3-second timer for selfies.

As with other Android 4.0+ tablets, I had fun turning the LG G Pad 7.0 into a king-sized phablet using the Google Hangouts and Hangouts Dialer apps (free on the Google Play store).

Meat and Potatoes

Although the LG G Pad 7.0 lacks the “sizzle” you see in some of the latest gadget offerings, I found it very practical and useable for everyday activities like shopping online, watching YouTube or browsing the internet. The 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 8GB memory and Adreno 305 graphics are not top of the line specs, but they don’t have to be for basic usage. LG’s Optimus UI has the “flat” appearance that’s popular right now and it’s very customizable and should satisfy all but the pickiest of users (or iOS aficionados).

There are a lot of options out there, so the LG G Pad 7.0 doesn’t really stand out of the crowd. But if you can get it for under $100, then it’s a great buy.

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2 Comments

1. 

   Kirsten

   November 10, 2014 at 3:23 am

   I appreciate an honest review. It does seem lacking in some aspects but as you stated, if you can get it at under a hundred dollars, then it would be fine by me.

   Reply
2. 

   joy person

   November 6, 2014 at 8:14 pm

   I love that you can add a memory card. I have an iPad mini and I can’t load anymore content because I can increase the memory on the device. I love the sleek look of this tablet and what you get out of it. Definitely worth considering.

   Reply