Although it promises a top-quality imaging performance with its 8-megapixel camera, the LG Renoir KC910 is a mobile that offers much more than picture perfect snapping.

The successor to LG's popular Viewty, the Renoir is another touchscreen-controlled device that combines high-class imaging with top-end phone features.

Alongside its 8-million pixel sensor, Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens and standalone camera-like gadgetry the LG KC910 has Wi-Fi support, high-speed HSDPA 3G mobile connectivity, A-GPS positioning technology - and some punchy multimedia functionality.

Dolby music support

The onboard music player is bolstered by Dolby Mobile audio processing – a first for a UK mobile phone - while LG is supplying an 8GB MicroSD memory card in with the phone for a hefty amount of out-of-the-box storage.

Like the Viewty, the Renoir has decent video capture facilities too, with VGA quality shooting, plus slow-motion and time-lapse capture options. In addition DivX and Xvid video playback is supported.

There's a decent spread of additional gadgetry included – although unlike some high-end phones the Renoir doesn't enjoy the flexibility of a smartphone operating system, limiting its application customisation compared to, say, the iPhone 3G or T-Mobile G1 'Google Phone'.

iPhone likeness

Naturally for any touchscreen device, there'll be iPhone comparisons made, and the Renoir's minimalist black-fronted design doesn't go out of its way to avoid them. At a fraction under 14mm thin, it's a slim pocketful of high-tech phone gadgetry.

Its overall dimensions – 107.8(h) x 55.9(w) x 13.95(d) mm - and 110g mean it has a bigger footprint than the Viewty, but is slimmer, despite its upgraded camera. It's smaller and lighter than the iPhone, though that superior camera makes it a shade thicker.

The Renoir has a 3-inch WQVGA (240x400 pixel) 262K-colour touchscreen display, smaller and less detailed than Apple's device, but it's still a good size for viewing snapshots, browsing the web and checking out videos.

It has a built in accelerometer, which flips the screen automatically between landscape and portrait in certain functions – multimedia viewing, messaging, and browsing, for example - to optimise your screen view.

Importantly, though, the large screen size also provides ample room for finger-tapping control. It's spacious enough to avoid the frustrating mis-pressing or cramped feeling you get from some tiny-screened touch-operated efforts.

Simple interface

The tidy front fascia has three low-key buttons in a row under the display (Call, End and a central Multitasking button), plus a discreet low-resolution video call camera above.

The plastic panel covering the front is the usual sort of smudge-attractor, though it's perfectly fine when using the handset.

Around the back, a slick graphite finish accentuates the camera look and feel. The lens pokes out a bare few millimetres.

It has a slider-operated cover to protect the optics; unlike the Viewty, there's no zoom control ring around it, relying instead on a more conventional zoom rocker on the side/top of the phone/camera that doubles up as the volume control – and a touchscreen zoom option.

Handy touchscreen

LG's done a good usability job on the touchscreen control system. It's an evolution of the user interface used on previous models such as the KF700, but feels smoother and more responsive.

LG has made improvements to the set-up – scrolling through lists feels more fluid, for example, and controls react swiftly to finger action.

Haptic feedback is present, letting you know when buttons are pressed, and the strength can be adjusted if you prefer. LG has also upgraded the quality and quantity of widgets users can pull up on to the home screen.