Big form factor phones are the one which people expect the maximum out of them. Apart from the specs and looks what they provide, essentially they are expected to serve more than a phone. Now, the segment again gains all the attention with the series of launches by various companies in the recent times. LG does blow its horn with the new V20 smartphone launched in India recently.

Announcing a flagship offering is a great deal which including offering good specs within the price segment. What if when the phone pushes the price boundaries without a strong reason? The fact is that LG V20 claims the first to get Android 7.0 Nougat with few unique specs. LG had made sure that the flagship does not miss any of the latest offerings including the pioneering dual-cameras. Specifications and features do compete with other competitors in the segment irrelevant to price tag.

Digging into LG V20 review, let’s get to know what it has stored for the price of Rs. 54,999 in India.

Design:

LG V20 sports a great design which stands tough in the premium smartphone looks competition. It measures 159.7 x 78.1 x 7.6mm in dimensions and weighs about 174g. The built quality is amazing as LG uses AL-6013 aluminum, a popular material in the aircraft industry.

If you think phablets are not so easy ones to carry, LG V20 ensures a great feel in holding without any loss in the grip. The device flaunts a 5.7-inch screen which is pretty good in looks and dual rear cameras. On the back, a finger print is adjusted just below the camera. The front panel of the phone has come up with a slight attractive look with front facing camera sensor takes place on the left edge of the display panel.

The left edge makes space for physical keys, and bottom incorporates a 3.5mm audio out jack and USB- type C port. Microphone and audio out speaker are also observed on the underside edge.

Display:

LG V20 features a dual IPS screen which the main screen has a 5.7″ diagonal and QHD resolution with 513ppi. The second screen is a 2.1″ in diagonal with 160 x 1040 pixel resolution. It is not the full 1440 pixel wide, as a part of the screen is cut off for the selfie cam and sensors.

Unlike the LG G5, LG V20 makes use of only second screen. The touch input still works and allows you to access shortcuts even when the phone is locked. The main screen resolution is bright and images are sharp. The display measures a maximum of 475pixel units in manual mode which is much higher when compared to LG G5 screen.

LG V20 provides a popular blue light filter which reduces emitting blue light from the screen. The device provides a great color accuracy comparative to other LCDs in fact. The contrast what the device offers is good. In spite of IPS display, the device managed to produce good blacks.

Hardware and performance:

The LG V20 is powered by the Snapdragon 820 chipset which has become common in all Android flagships. It’s paired with 4 gigs of RAM, and the latest Android 7.0 Nougat provides further optimizations. While the optimizations only limit to apps, there is a need for improvement in RAM usage as well.

Overall, LG V20’s performance is great with its Snapdragon 820. Moto Z-Droid and OnePlus 3 came close to the likes of the LG V20 performance. But where the main conflict comes is which one to choose? While the other offerings in this price segment boast 6GB RAM utilizing the Snapdragon 820 chipset. But Android 7.0 Nougat is the main embossing element in the section while the rest still offers 6.0 Marshmallow.

The audio department is where the phone excels, and you can enjoy premium audio through wired headphones or speakers for a crisper, fuller playback experience.

When you compare with other Snapdragon 820 powered phones, LG V20 performance lags behind. LG V20 again finds itself in a dominant position if we talk about the GPU. Adreno 530 GPU is a perfect mate for the processor for a battery gaming performance. AnTuTu 6 and Basemark OS 2.0 benchmarks state LG V20 stands above Lenovo Moto Z and OnePlus 3.

Software:

Besides the fact the first phone with Android 7.0 Nougat, LG V20 also supports Vulkan 3D Graphics API. There are plenty of features to show off about Nougat which Android has long lacked. A native split screen multitasking feature is live on LG V20 while some companies are offering custom versions.

The split-screen mode allows you to use either in portrait and landscape. However, portrait mode alone allows you to adjust dividing line and many apps do work well. Other app squishes into the keyboard when an app needs a keyboard and leads a small space to keyboard.

LG’s floating app implementation, QSlide, is still making its existence in some places like Messaging, Phone, and the video player. Android Nougat premieres Google in Apps which is a recent addition. The quick switch is another valuable feature with which you can easily juggle more than two apps.

The home button displays your home screen but does not dismiss the apps in the split screen view. The app switcher button shows the split screen icon and double tapping it gets back the two.

The V20 packs a curate selection of wallpapers which also include some B&O branded ones. Pinching out is a nice way to show off the beautiful wallpapers which hide all shortcuts and widgets temporarily. Sugary Nougat performs multitasking with ease and the notifications have Quick actions.

Camera:

LG V20 has got two physical cameras on the rear panel. Just like its predecessor, V20 does have the most advanced settings and controls of its generation. The unique dual cameras provide a wide-angle view in addition to the field view which normal smartphones get.

To capture more of the scene, the main camera switches from 75° to 135°. The normal camera is equipped with 16 MP sensor of f/1.8 aperture, and the wide camera has a fixed focus, an 8MP sensor of f/2.4 aperture. LG claims the highest resolution wide-angle camera which produces both the normal and wide views in lower resolution for consistency.

Another interesting and exclusive feature is LG V20 has implemented built in Qualcomm’s video stabilization with Snapdragon 820. The camera works really well, and there is no delay between reading the sensors and adjusting the image. Few traditional features remain same like optical image stabilization (OIS), Laser Phase Detection Autofocus system.

The shutter speed, white balances are amazing, and focusing is sharp. The 5MP selfie camera has a single lens and sensor. It is good at its range if we expect a decent result what a 5 MP camera cam provide. Surprisingly, it offers 83° normal and 120° wide modes which is more than enough for a 5MP camera. LG V20 does offer a good video quality of 1080p at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps and also 2160p which comes out very well.

Battery:

LG V20 comes with a 3,200mAh non-removable battery at its back. Considering the 5.7″ split screen, we can’t agree up on the battery capacity is huge by any standard. Another fact is that the device comes with an IPS screen which provides a bright display and consumers more power as well.

Though there are energy saving options like ambient light and proximity sensors, the procedure is quit challenging. The battery served around 20 hours on calling and also managed about more than 7 hours on web browsing.

Other flagships in the range manage to serve more than 10 hours. On Video play test, LG V20 showed similar results and lasted about 8 and half hours.

Pros:
  • Dual Display - Primary and secondary
  • Dual-lens camera
  • Powered by Android 7.0 Nougat OS
  • Removable battery,
  • Smooth Gaming Experience with powerful GPU
 Cons:
  • Expensive
  • Screen edges feel sharp
  • Not water-resistant

Verdict:

After the G-series, V20 is another anticipated phone from LG. Coming to the phone itself, LG V20 is not the one for all. There are few scenarios where it works the best, but this is not just enough for a phone of that price. In spite of the known competition in the Android segment, the company has failed to show uniqueness in the device.

There are a couple of element to show off, be it Split screen and dual cameras, those aren’t actually enough if you are spending such a huge amount. Keeping all this aside, there is a subdued fact that LG V20 is a good device to use. Where the main conflict arises is if we think about compromising on things to choose the first Android Nougat phone. And that too at this cost??

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