An entry-level prepaid mobile phone boasting HSDPA connectivity and a microSD card slot, LG's KF310 is well featured for its price but it is let down by a mediocre design.
The KF310 mobile phone is a gloss black slider with chrome edging and a largely plastic build. It's quite a chunky phone; it's thicker than many competing handsets and possesses a very small display, despite the large amount of unused space around the screen. It feels reasonably sturdy, but the gloss finish is a nightmare to keep clean of fingerprints.
The spring-operated slider is sturdy and firm, but the keypad and controls are a mixed bag. The keypad is very flat and the keys aren't well spaced, so it will be a while before you can adjust and start sending speedy text messages. The five way navigational pad is chunky and the buttons are slightly raised; it's comfortable enough to use. There are also two selection buttons and answer and end call keys.
Unfortunately, the LG KF310's display is difficult to see in direct sunlight. Its small size means it's not suited to watching videos or viewing photos, despite the phone supporting both of these functions.
One area where the LG KF310 definitely scores points is its user interface. Although it isn't the fastest we've come across, it's generally speedy and keystroke lag isn't an issue. It is also easy to use, utilising a grid with labelled and animated icons.
Call quality is a mixed bag; we found incoming audio to be soft at times and it can be difficult to hear in a noisy environment. Outgoing audio was good for most part, with our callers not having any complaints.
The phone's features are fairly standard, though it does support Google Maps and the Opera Mini web browser. HSDPA connectivity is an excellent addition considering the price, but browsing the Web on the KF310’s tiny display isn’t a positive experience.
Multimedia support is fair, with the LG KF310 featuring dual cameras (a VGA camera on the front for video calls and a 2-megapixel camera on the rear for happy snaps) and video and music players. For extra storage, LG includes a microSD card slot on the left side of the phone. Unfortunately the phone lacks a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and A2DP Bluetooth is not supported. This means you’ll have to make do with the included headphones, which have a proprietary connection.