LG V60 ThinQ 5G Dual Screen Test: Not quite a flagship
"The LG ThinQ V60 5G has a massive battery and a unique dual-screen case, but poor software and mediocre design hold it back."
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Dual screen case can be useful
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Excellent performance
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Long battery life
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Reasonable price
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Frustrating software
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Camera is far from the best
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Slow fingerprint sensor
The LG V50 ThinQ brought a number of innovations to the company's smartphone line. It was the first LG phone to support standard 5G bands and the first LG phone to join the folding phone trend, albeit with an accessory that added a second display instead of a foldable OLED screen. Now LG wants to repeat the trick.
Just a problem. The phone on which it is built – the LG V50 ThinQ – was average at best.
That doesn't mean that the new LG V60 ThinQ is a bad phone. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, 8 GB RAM and Android 10, the device has a lot to offer. However, given the price of $ 800 or $ 900 with the dual-screen accessory, it's hard for him to stand out from the many outstanding flagship phones you can buy today.
Design and ports
The LG V50 offered an iterative design update compared to the 2018 LG V40. So you would expect the newer LG V60 to modernize things a bit. Fortunately, it does.
While the V50 had a notch that was almost as big as that of the iPhone X, the V60 swapped things for a smaller semi-circular section. This makes the huge display look even bigger. While a hole cutout like the Samsung Galaxy S20 series would make the phone look even more modern, the small cutout of the V60 is acceptable.
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The phone has two design modes depending on whether you are using the dual screen case or not. Without the case, the phone looks and feels relatively slim, especially for a device of this size. The camera module on the back isn't flush like the V50, but it doesn't protrude as far as the latest iPhone, Pixel, and Galaxy models.
Below is a USB-C port and a headphone jack. The volume rocker and a special Google Assistant button are on the left. The power switch is on the right.
However, add the display case and it's a completely different ball game. The LG V60 is not small at first and the case is bulky. However, the advantage is the second display and the protection of your phone in the event of a fall.
The phone with a connected dual screen is actually thinner than "real" foldable phones like the Samsung Galaxy Fold. With the case, the LG V60 sits at 0.59 inches thick, while the Galaxy Fold has a bulky 0.66 inches thick when closed. This is surprising and a point for LG.
Placing the device in your pocket is easy. All you have to do is slide it in from the top and make sure the USB-C connector is inserted into the phone connector. You must then use the supplied magnetic USB-C adapter or wireless charging to charge the phone. On the front of the case you'll see a small monochrome display that shows information such as the time, battery life and notifications. It is a practical addition.
The LG V60 is available in two colors – Classy Blue and Classy White. They both look good, but I'm a fan of Classy White's slightly pearlescent look.
Display quality
While the LG V60 ThinQ 5G has an OLED display, the resolution is 1,080p – a step back from the 1,440p screen of the V50 ThinQ. Combine this with the fact that the refresh rate is only 60 Hz and you have a very mediocre viewing experience, at least compared to other modern flagships.
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Maybe mediocre is not the right word. The colors on the display were still bright and vivid, and thanks to the fact that it is an OLED display, the black levels were still deep and dark. We could see the display easily even in bright sunlight. It is an excellent representation in many ways. However, the competition has brought the display quality to a new level, so the LG V60 ThinQ feels left behind.
You will also see an optical fingerprint sensor on the display – another slight disappointment. Although the sensor was accurate, it reacted somewhat slowly. I can't help but assume that an ultrasonic sensor would have performed better. This phone has no face recognition. Therefore, a fast fingerprint sensor is important.
The dual screen case
The most interesting feature of the LG V60 ThinQ is of course the dual screen case. It's not a "real" foldable phone like the Galaxy Fold or Motorola Razr. While these phones offer a single foldable display, the dual screen accessory offers a second display of the same size and resolution.
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The dual screen can be useful, especially when multitasking and playing. With multitasking, the second display makes it easier to watch videos on one side and record them on the other. By using the LG Game Pad with compatible games, mobile gaming becomes even more intense.
On the other hand, the extra bulk is a serious problem. If you are used to a big phone and use your phone for high productivity, the case is absolutely worth the extra batter. But if you see it more as a gimmick, you can safely skip buying a game.
You can also turn the case on and off if you want. It is easy to add or remove the case. You can just keep it at home. Or you can leave it at home for everyday use, but bring it with you for trips of several days. This increases the versatility that a "real" folding phone cannot offer. You also have additional accessories that allow you to keep an overview.
performance
The LG V60 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor as well as 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. There is also a microSD card reader so you can expand the built-in memory if necessary.
In daily use, the V60 ThinQ is relatively fast even with heavy multitasking. This is expected from a Snapdragon 865-equipped phone. It did well in benchmarks, although there aren't many Snapdragon 865 smartphones to compare with. Here are the benchmark results we've achieved.
- Geekbench 5 CPU: 920 single-core, 3410 multi-core
- AnTuTu 3DBench: 548.375
- 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme Volcano: 6,542
The phone continued to perform well during mobile gaming. I played a few rounds of Fortnite and Asphalt 9 on the phone with good results. However, this is what I would expect from any flagship phone, so LG doesn't earn any bonus points here.
software
The LG V60 ThinQ 5G has Android 10 with the LG skin over it. At first glance, the software looks good. But the more I used it, the more bloatware I found, and much of it can't be easily removed.
Part of the bloatware is common for Android skins – like a gallery app when most people are likely to use Google Photos. Other unnecessary software is less common and includes preinstalled games like Modern Combat 5 and Sniper Fury, which are thankfully removed. Some apps are installed by the network operator. McAfee recommended by T-Mobile. It all adds up to too many apps and is frustrating. Even worse, many of the apps can only be "deactivated" so that they still take up space.
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Other aspects of the software could also use work. It has long been known that LG's skin apps are reordered, and that still happens here. After we decided to sort apps alphabetically, we installed some new apps – and they were placed at the bottom of the list instead of in alphabetical order. Also, the phone kept telling me to learn how to use gestures.
In a word, LG's software can be described as annoying. At a time when even Samsung is trying to downsize its Android skins, LG would do well to follow suit.
Photo and video quality
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LG updated the camera array for the V60. The end result is a triple lens system with a 64 megapixel 1: 1.8 main sensor, a 13 megapixel 1: 1.9 ultrawide lens and a 0.3 megapixel time-of-flight lens that captures depth information.
It is somewhat disappointing to see the lack of a telephoto lens. Most flagship phones offer this feature, and some, like Samsung's S20 range, offer zoom features that range from great to class-leading. In defense of LG, the fact that the main sensor has 64 megapixels allows the phone to take lossless pictures with 2x zoom. This is just as easy in the camera app as in phones with telephoto lenses. With the digital zoom, the phone can deliver photos with up to 10 times the resolution.
In general, photos taken in good light are detailed, but the camera struggled with low-light conditions, which will be disappointing in 2020 when iPhone 11 Pro and Pixel 4 are great for shooting in low-light conditions.
The most interesting thing about the camera of the V60 is the fact that thanks to the Snapdragon 865 chipset it can record 8K videos. However, this takes up space (362 MB per minute). Despite the high resolution, the video did not look as good as the one recorded on the iPhone thanks to the iPhone's improved stabilization and image processing.
The front-facing camera has a size of 10 megapixels and is fine for most applications. The camera struggled again in low light, and in portrait mode it had some problems with edge detection and hair. This is not a big disadvantage, but something to consider when other manufacturers put millions in their camera software.
Great battery life
The best thing about the LG V60 ThinQ is the battery. The device is powered by a huge 5,000 mAh battery. That's a lot of juice, even for a phone with a 1440p 120Hz display. When you consider that the display comes with 1080p and 60 Hz, the phone easily lasts a day of heavy use, with a solid 40 percent remaining.
As expected, the dual display accessories drained the battery considerably, and I found that the phone still contains a lot of petrol even after the second display has been used for a long time.
To really put the battery to the test, I set it up so that a 1080p video is continuously streamed over WiFi, with the display at full brightness. It took almost 13 hours. It is an excellent result.
Price, availability and warranty information
The LG V60 ThinQ costs $ 800 without the dual display accessory or $ 900 with the accessory. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, it was only available from AT&T and T-Mobile, and there is still no word on an unlocked version of the phone.
The V60 comes with a one-year warranty. If you register the device with LG, you will receive a second year free of charge. The limited warranty covers manufacturer defects, so you are unlikely to discover them in the second year of use.
Our opinion
The LG V60 ThinQ is a solid phone that is disappointed by a frustrating software experience and so-so functions. From the camera quality to the design to the display, the LG V60 ThinQ stands short of its competition.
However, if you're just looking for a flagship phone and don't want to pay more than $ 1,000 for the Samsung Galaxy S20, consider the LG V60 ThinQ.
Are there alternatives?
If you want a Snapdragon 865-equipped phone in the price range below $ 800, this is the way to go – but only because it's the only option. If you can wait a bit, it is worth doing so as OnePlus 8 is likely to offer a better viewing and software experience and is likely to support 5G.
If you don't mind spending a little more money, consider the Samsung Galaxy S20, which offers a more modern design and better camera, but still supports 5G.
How long it will take?
If you choose the LG V60 ThinQ 5G, you should expect a lifespan of at least two years, which you can extend to three or four years. The device has a glass facade, so we recommend buying a housing. It also has an IP68 water resistance. Although we don't recommend letting it swim, it should survive accidental falls in the pool or bath.
LG doesn't have the best track record of software updates. Although the phone comes with Android 10, the latest version of Android, you shouldn't expect timely updates in the future. For this reason, the phone may lose relevance earlier than expected.
Should you buy one?
No. We only recommend buying this phone if you like the idea of the dual display case. Otherwise, the features are not convincing enough to warrant the purchase of this device.
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