The LG Optimus L3 is the brand’s attempt to hit the budget Android market in style and, at the first hurdle, it manages to beat both the Samsung Galaxy Ace and Huawei Ascend G300 from the very first glance.

The design is slick, palm-sized and even manages to take a couple of design flourishes from the LG Prada 3.0.

For a £99 phone, that’s quite an achievement but it’s the insides that count too. Has LG managed to offer a decent spec for the money and, often an LG failing, the overall user experience?

LG Optimus L3: Design

It’s fair to say that the LG Optimus L3 is one of the best looking budget Android phones out there. Yes, it’s plastic and has a big LG logo on it but, really, LG has made big steps towards a premium style without aping any rivals as other brands have been known to do whenever Apple releases a new smartphone.

The palm size dimensions - 102mm x 61.6mm x 11.7mm - mean that it really is pocket sized and hits the mark where style and convenience converge.

The 3.2 inch screen goes close to the edge without looking out of place and, overall, it’s a pretty impressive piece of design to hold and stare at.

As the first model of the LG ‘L’ range, it’s a great start and genuinely beats any smartphone to arrive from Samsung in the last couple of years.

The physical button at the bottom of the smartphone reveals the illuminated Android buttons which is a nice touch.

All of this signals good things for the forthcoming LG Optimus L5 and LG Optimus L7 smartphones.

Full black and Soft white are the two colours available at launch but more will follow.

LG Optimus L3: Features

There’s a 3 megapixel camera, 1540 mAh battery, acceptable screen and fast browser.

During use, there’s an easy to use interface and LG hasn’t meddled with Android too much, using Optimus UI 2.0 Lite on top of Android Gingerbread and resisting the urge to add bloatware or needless apps.

The 32GB MicroSD expansion option is welcome and playing a few 320kps tracks was simple and the sound quality on a par with mid-range rivals.

Facebook and Twitter produced fast results. LG admits this is an entry level fun phone for social networking, music and calls and it nails them all.

8GB of memory would have been a bonus alongside a better , 5 megapixel camera but, as it stands, the 1GB storage and 3 megapixel camera is an acceptable sacrifice to own a £99 phone which you won’t be embarrassed to reveal in the pub.

The camera produces average results, has limited shooting modes but snapping is surprisingly fast - it’s only the shutter bang that feels a bit Fisher Price...