LG Optimus Vu II takes aim at Samsung’s Galaxy Note II

LG has announced a revamped version of its big-screen phone, the Optimus Vu II, that maintains the same boxy look as its predecessor. The Optimus Vu II’s 5-inch display is only outmatched by Samsung’s Galaxy Note II phone, which would be the main rival of the Vu, judging by its size.

The Optimus Vu II has a 1024-by-768 pixel resolution display. The aspect ratio is 4:3, which makes the phone quite boxy and wide. When reviewing the original Vu, my colleague Armando Rodriguez found that the wide form factor made the phone uncomfortable to hold for long periods of time. In comparison, the Galaxy Note II has an even larger screen, at 5.5 inches, but with a 16:9 aspect ratio that makes the phone narrower and easier to handle.

The Vu II runs on a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor with 2GB of RAM. There’s also an 8-megapixel camera on the back and 16GB of on-board storage, as well as a microSD card for expansion. This is almost on par with the Galaxy Note II, which also has 2GB of RAM and a microSD slot, but Samsung’s device has a speedier 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor.

Unlike the Galaxy Note II, which will come with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the Optimus Vu II will arrive with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Both devices also make use of styluses, but only the Galaxy Note II actually houses the stylus in a slot inside the phone.

LG didn’t say when the phone will be headed to the U.S., considering the first Vu has yet to make it stateside. The Vu II does have LTE support, and will cost some $860 unlocked in South Korea, although this is no indication of how much it will cost with U.S. carrier contracts.