The LG V40 THINQ, selling at R13 000.00 – R16 000.00 at the time of writing, is trying to live up to high expectations and, in my opinion, is moving in the right direction.
There are many new and positive features in the LG V40 THINQ, including:
- Good quality picture and video production and consumption
- Extra loud audio and boombox feature
- Beautiful, lightweight look and feel with fewer finger print issues
- Highly customisable
The high price could prove to be a negative, along with a slippery and fragile feeling without cover; some kinks in new features; and a short battery life
The V40 THINQ is pushing into the high-end phone category and is using good sound, good display and ultimate customisability to win over users.
The V40 THINQ is smooth, silky and lightweight (167g weight, 7.7mm thick). It is comfortable to hold, despite the larger size (unless you have a one-handed preference) and the curved glass – melting into and sandwiching the aluminium – gives it an expensive feel. This expensive feel, though more solid than previous versions, still has a little give to the back – likely for the sound features.
A cover may be needed for the more slippery fingered of us, and it appears to have been considered in the design as the rear camera glass is raised off the back of the phone, lining up to be flush with a cover on. Whether this adds to the camera’s performance when there is a cover is still to be debated.
The back is available in four colours – Aurora Black, Moroccan Blue, Platinum Grey and Carmine Red – and is sandblasted with added glitter. This adds to the silky feel and keeps finger smudges at bay.
Finger print security is included on the back in the natural index finger position.
The V40 THINQ comes with IOS Android v 8.1.0.
The screen is 6.4-inches with P-OLED (Plastic OLED) display that boasts great colour reproduction, deep blacks and high-quality brightness with up to 7 customisations (Auto, Cinema, Sports, Game, Photos, Web, and Expert – which allows you to adjust until the colour meets your requirements)
There is a thin bezel around the screen – though not starkly thin and acts as the answer to Apple X’s front look.
There is the option to keep the notch in the screen, or to keep it flush – which speaks of LG’s strong customisable features – the phone can be made to work and feel as you would like it to.
One of the big positives for the V40 THINQ is the addition of the extra loud (DAC) audio features that were introduced previously (G7) and still work to enhance the experience of watching videos or listening to music on this device. This is backed up by the high-resolution screen which is very enjoyable.
The included earbuds work specifically with the DAC sound system. There is also an option for a surround sound effect which would work well for movies but not as well for listening to music.
The V40 THINQ includes the boombox experience (along with the extra loud audio features) which is best heard on a flat surface – and could replace a Bluetooth speaker if needed.
The V40 THINQ functions very well with games – though not the best in performance compared to new Apple products- it is impressive, and we found no lagging and little heat build up during our play throughs. This would be attributed to the high-quality processor to generate the graphics needed for this phone’s functions.
The biggest unique features revolve around the additional lenses which allow you to capture different feels and preset modes for landscape, portrait, zoom, wide angle on selfies and then the usual pics.
The rear cameras are 12mpx with 2x zoom and wide angle featured on separate lenses. There is a mode where you can take a picture of the same thing in all three modes, which gives you a ‘zoom in’ video of the subject and the individual pictures on their own too. This has limitations as the picture qualities can be affected by unsteady hands or moving subjects in the time it takes to take the ‘picture’.
Videos can be shot at an impressive 60fps at 4K, though more comfortably in HD (1080). This is ideal for short videos – such as would be needed for social media.
The front cameras are 8mpx for the main (portrait) and 5mpx for the wide angle (“group-ie” pics). The ease of switching between modes and the output is very pleasing – with good colour and brightness in all conditions. In portrait mode the background is blurred around your face – though the AI can sometimes get confused between hair and background (Just a warning).
3300mAh battery will get you about one day of moderate use, but it won’t allow you to indulge in videos and streaming throughout the day. On the plus side, the provided charger is fast charge enabled which will get you 80% battery in about half an hour.
Internal storage of 64GB + SD expansion (up to 2TB) allows for mass storage of pictures and videos which is ideal for use of the phone for content creation.
The V40 THINQ comes with “auto” google assist (no “hello google”) – there is a button on the side hooked up to google assist. This is a great convenience if you use it often. It happens to be very easy to press when trying to unlock the screen or put your phone away as well – but it can be disabled if that becomes too bothersome. The buttons on the sides and for the main screen can be customized as well to what suits you best.
The LG V40 THINQ is ideal for content creators and social media workers as it provides all the tools needed in handy presets and excellent quality product. It has some staunch competitors with regards to those products in its price range but taking into consideration its ease of use and the fact that LG, true to their brand, is able to cram so much in – and allow you to use it the way you want to – makes the V40 THINQ one of my favourites in the running.
SPECS:
DISPLAY
6.4-inch QHD+ OLED Display
(3120 x 1440, including notch); 538 ppi
MEMORY
64GB internal memory
microSD: supports card up to 2 TB
CAMERA
Rear:
12MP Telephoto Zoom
16MP Super Wide-Angle
12MP Standard
Front:
5MP Wide
8MP Standard
PROCESSOR
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
up to 2.8 GHz x 4 + 1.7 GHz x 4 Octa-Core
BATTERY
3,300 mAh Non-Removable
PERFORMANCE
Platform: Android 8.1 (Oreo)
User Interface: LG UX 7.1
Charging: USB Type-C port; wireless charging; Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
Internal Memory: 64GB (Usable memory varies by carrier)
microSD: supports card up to 2 TB (cards sold separately)
RAM: 6 GB
Hearing Aids: Rated for M4, T3
- Review by Allan Davison