LG launches the V60 ThinQ 5G and the dual-screen accessory is still a thing
LG has announced the LG V60 ThinQ 5G, and the good news is that it has continued with its dual-screen add-on accessory.
Whether LG can achieve great sales remains to be seen, as LG has been going much the same way as HTC or Sony of late. It’s a shame because LG has been producing impressive devices for some time, under a huge shadow from its arch nemesis Samsung.
The V60 ThinQ 5G (perhaps half of the problem LG has now is down to the ridiculous naming; please LG, just drop the ThinQ bit now) has arguably concentrated on the basics, and doing these things well.
For instance, there’s no curved edges on the display. The 6.8-inch display is also ‘just’ a full HD+ resolution (1080×2460 pixels) one, rather than 2K or 4K. At 395 pixels-per-inch, it’s still ample.
Look to the future
What’s most important is the flagship Snapdragon 865 SoC, with Sub6 5G access (European users won’t really miss the lack of mmWave support), a cat 22 LTE modem (which should offer speeds in excess of 400Mbps on a decent 4G network, let alone 5G), Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, wireless charging, QuickCharge 4.0+, and a 5,000mAh battery.
For anyone that wants a future proof device, for at least the next couple of years, LG has delivered.
There’s 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage, which can operate with cards of up to 2TB in capacity.
The phone also ships with Android 10, and if there is any concern for an LG device, it’s that an upgrade to Android 11 might keep customers waiting for longer than buying a device from someone else.
Compared to something like the Samsung S20 Ultra with the big ‘Space Zoom 100x’ branding, the LG offering looks decidedly understated.
In fact, on the camera side LG has made the rather odd decision to do away with a telephoto lens entirely, and stick with a dual-camera configuration comprising a standard 64-megapixel camera with f/1.8 aperture, and a 13-megapixel wide-angle (117 degree field-of-view) with f/1.9 aperture. The 64-megapixel camera also features Optical Image Stabilisation.
Alongside these cameras is a Time-of-Flight (ToD) camera for depth detection. I think most people would have preferred a telephoto camera, and this is perhaps the one thing that could prove a dealbreaker for many.
Up front is a 10-megapixel selfie-camera, with a 72.5 degree field-of-view and a f/1.9 aperture. This is positioned in the middle of the display that gets a tear-drop style notch to accommodate it.
Video recording includes 8K video capture, as well as HDR10+ support. Time lapse recording is another offering, with electronic image stabilisation and a dedicated ‘Steady Cam’ mode for a more smooth and stable recording.
Sounds good
Where LG regularly scores highly is in the audio department, with the phone sporting four individual microphones to capture 3D audio, a ‘voice bokeh’ mode that can emphasise voices or ambient noise, stereo speakers with even audio distribution, LG’s 3D Sound Engine that uses AI to recognise audio content and adjust parameters automatically, a 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, custom and preset audio settings, a digital filter, and HD audio recording.
Many YouTubers have been using LG V-series devices for their video content for some time, and it would seem the LG V60 continues to offer a professional audio and video setup for content creators to enjoy.
Second screening
There have mixed opinions of the clip-on second screen that LG first introduced last year with the LG V50.
Despite being promised a device to look at, I never got a chance to properly test it out. It seems a lot of other people didn’t get to try it either, with the end result that very little has been said about it, good or bad.
When I got hands-on time with it, I was very impressed and could see major potential with it.
Of course, it adds bulk to the phone. But once attached, you get two identically sized screens (both with the same resolution), as opposed to a full-width display you would get with an unfolded Samsung Galaxy Fold or Huawei Mate X/Xs.
It’s worth remembering that these are extremely expensive devices, with varying levels of concern about long-term durability, and for a lot of the time both will be in a folded position for use as a ‘normal’ phone.
In the case of LG’s solution, when you don’t need the second screen you simply remove it and have a much smaller and lighter ‘single screen’ phone to carry around.
My thoughts
There’s no right or wrong way to do it, and LG may well produce a folding device of its own in due course, but I can see plenty of potential with LG’s removable solution.
A second screen allows you to refer to information while using another app, or actively work on two things at once.
LG’s big issue is convincing people that it’s a great idea.
I’m sure that if the likes of Huawei or Samsung had done this, they’d have done a better job marketing it, by throwing a lot more money at marketing.
LG doesn’t spend anywhere near the same amount of money, so as an accessory for one specific phone model, LG has to first sell people a V60, and that could be quite a challenge.
However if you’re reading this, you’re already a lot more informed than most, so I would thoroughly recommend you keep a look out for this phone if and when it comes to the UK, and take some time to try it out if you can.
Specifications
Phone Specs Camera Specs Dual Screen Specs
Pricing & Availability
LG has not yet given a price for the LG V60 ThinQ 5G, but has stated it will be less than the entry level Samsung Galaxy S20 (that’s around £900). The clip-on second screen will be sold separately, although in some markets it may come as part of a bundle.
There is also no news on a UK release, with it being more likely that a UK network will announce availability in due course.
More info: LG Mobile