Every year LG releases two flagship smartphones. Its LG G7 ThinQ was announced this past May, which is next-gen model of the LG G6, and now it has announced the LG V40 ThinQ, which the next-gen model of the LG V30. In terms of specs and design, both smartphones are quite similar, but there are some stark differences.
First, the LG V40 ThinQ is a bigger-screen smartphone. Its 6.3-inch screen is closer to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 (6.4-inches) than the LG G7 ThinQ (6.1-inches). Secondly, like its predecessor, the LG V40 ThinQ has an OLED display. This means that its colors will be brighter, its blacks darker and its picture will just look better than on the LG G7 ThinQ and its LCD display. And finally, the biggest differences, which makes the LG V40 ThinQ stand apart among all smartphones – not just other Androids – is its camera. Or more accurately, its cameras. That’s because the LG V40 ThinQ has a total of five: three on the back and two on the front. Comparatively, the new iPhone XS and XS Max have four total cameras. So do the new Samsung smartphones. And last year’s Google Pixel 2s just have two cameras, one in the front and back.
Its rear-facing camera system has a 12-megapixel standard camera (f/1.5, optical zoom), a 16-megapixel super wide camera (f/1.9 ) and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera (f/2.4) – all of which are able to capture photos and videos that look pretty different with a distinct field of view. The neat thing is that it’s easy to utilize all three cameras at once. That’s because when you open the camera app on the LG V40 ThinQ, three live previews will appear in the top of the screen and you can quickly select which camera you want to take a photo or video with. There’s also a feature that LG is calling ‘Triple Shot,’ which takes a photo with all three cameras at once and can stitch them together into an animation. And that’s pretty neat.
The LG V40 ThinQ has dual front-facing camera system comprised of an eight-megapixel selfie camera (f/1.9) and a slightly wider five-megapixel camera (f/2.2). The combination of the two cameras means that you can shoot creative selfies, with portrait lighting and adjustable bokeh, similar to the iPhone XS/XS Max’s Portrait Mode. It’s worth noting, however, that the LG V40 ThinQ’s front-facing camera system still isn’t capable of facial recognition – you can’t unlock the phone by looking at it.
It’s the rear three-camera system that really makes the LG V40 ThinQ unique, and arguably more versatile than any other smartphone. However, having more cameras doesn’t necessarily mean that the LG V40 ThinQ is going to take better photos; after all, the Google Pixel 2 has one rear camera, compared to seemingly every other flagship smartphones’ two, and many people still consider it to set the bar for smartphone photography. So if you’re looking for the best smartphone with the best camera system, my money would be to still wait for the Pixel 3, which will be announced on October 9.
Just to round things off, the LG V40 ThinQ has a couple other non-camera features that LG smartphones have become known for. It has a 32-bit hi-fi DAC and it’s one of the few flagship smartphones that still has a 3.5mm headphone jack – meaning this is going to be one of the best sounding smartphones for people still using wired headphones. The LG V40 ThinQ has a dedicated button for Google Assistant and a microSD card slot for expandable storage (it comes with 64GB already built in), too. It supports wireless charging and it’s P68 water and dust resistant, as well.
The LG V40 ThinQ will be expensive, starting at $900. You’ll be able to pre-order it on October 12, and it’ll be available in stores starting October 19.
Key Specs
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Display: 6.4-inch 19.5:9 QHD+ OLED FullVision Display (3120 x 1440 / 538ppi)
Storage: 64GB built-in; up to 2TB with microSD
Rear Cameras: 16MP Super Wide (F1.9 / 107°); 12MP Standard (F1.5 / 78°); 12MP Telephoto (F2.4 / 45°)
Front Cameras: 8MP Standard (F1.9 / 80°); 5MP Wide (F2.2 / 90°)
Battery: 3300mAh
Operating System: Android 8.1 Oreo