The beautiful Fx0 Firefox phone looks great, feels cheap

Smartphones running Firefox OS tend to be on the cheap side. That's, of course, by design, since the devices are made with developing markets in mind. So it came as a surprise when the striking Fx0 handset hit the scene last month. Running the latest version of the OS, the LG-designed device is both gold and transparent, turning it into an almost immediate object of desire for those perfectly content with their premium phones. Unfortunately, handling the phone at Pepcom this evening showed that, while it's still perfectly pretty, it still feels disappointingly cheap.

The 4.7-inch Fx0 still looks like a jewel in hand — and you shouldn't expect anything less from Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka — but it just doesn't feel like a premium handset. Picking it up, you're immediately struck by the sharp, plasticky edges that feel like they might dig into your palm with prolonged use. What's more, it's thick in a way that makes it feel like yesterday's LG smartphone. That's a shame, since I really wanted to like this phone at first glance. The OS is responsive and snappy, and the camera seemed decent after my short time with it.

Looks only get you so far

All in all, I can still at least say I'd love to own this phone, but I couldn't imagine paying the roughly $420 it would take to own it. Frankly, looking is enough.