LG DP271 review

LG makes no secret that it is aiming its DP271 at the budget end of the market.

The LG website directs you towards Argos as a point of sale and the price sneaks in just under £100 (inc. VAT).

Rotating display

Although the 7-inch screen is quite small, the layout of the DP271 makes the device seem rather large.

It resembles a reversible Tablet PC with a screen that you can view in the open position or flip round and lay back down.

This makes it great for setting on a train table or folding it and attaching it to the back of a car seat for the children.

Bulky battery

Using it in the car is also made easier as, along with a mains plug, you'll find a charger that works with an in-car cigarette lighter supplied in the box.

The 2500mAh battery clips on the back of the player and projects a good 35mm further than the stated dimensions, but acts as a useful prop to hold the player at a convenient angle. However, if you're running the LG on mains power you can remove the battery.

On the left-hand side there's a USB port for digital media, but all was not well in this department. We plugged in a USB key and navigated the controls to browse the contents.

Low quality audio

Despite claims that the DP271 support DivX, MP3, JPEG and WMA files, we were unable to move across the media menu from Music to Movies or Pictures. We burned a DivX movie to DVD and it played without trouble.

Playback of DVDs is fine, although the screen is rather basic and unexciting. The quality of the speakers is poor and you'd be advised to use one of the pair of headphone jacks supplied with this player instead.

The controls, as you may expect from such a device, are basic. You have to use the Enter button next to the navigation pad instead of simply jogging the control inwards and if you touch it when it is playing, there's a chance you'll pop the cover open.

The feel is very much of lightweight, cheap plastic, but LG delivers fair value for money with such a low price.