LG V40 ThinQ review: Delayed launch makes it lose out in premium segment

It may have been up to date if it was not delayed, but considering that the smartphone landscape is changing rapidly, LG V40 ThinQ might appear a misfit among current-generation premium smartphones

After a huge gap of around four months, South Korean electronics major LG has launched a flagship smartphone, the V40 ThinQ, in India. The phone boasts a triple-camera module on the back and a dual-camera module on the front. It has a premium glass-metal-glass build, top-notch specifications and a vivid P-OLED screen of a QHD resolution. With all these, it would have been an aspirational product, but only if it was lauched in time. Considering that the smartphone landscape is changing rapidly, the LG V40 ThinQ might seem a misfit among current-generation premium smartphones of today.

Design

The LG V40 ThinQ is covered with glass on the front and back and has a metallic chassis sandwiched in between. The sand-blasted glass on the back has a matte finish, which makes it less prone to fingerprints. The triple rear cameras are stacked horizontally, covered under a single piece of glass for a uniform profile. The circular fingerprint sensor under the camera module is easy to reach with your index finger. 

On the front, the phone is dominated by a notch-based screen. Unlike other notch-screen smartphones which normally have almost no bezels on top and sides but a huge one at the bottom, the LG V40 ThinQ has proportionate bezels all around it. That gives it uniform look. The phone’s notch is also small, considering that it sports a dual-camera module, speaker and sensors all crammed in together.

Display

The LG V40 ThinQ has a 6.4-inch QHD resolution P-OLED screen that is bright, vivid and sharp. The screen is a delight to use, especially as it renders high-definition videos or HDR clips. It has a good sunlight legibility that makes it easy to use in bright outdoors. Though the screen is set to use all available pixels by default, there is an option to lower the screen resolution to fullHD+ or HD+ for lower battery consumption at the expense of sharpness. Besides an auto colour profile, the LG V40 ThinQ screen also supports cinema, sports, gaming, photos, web and expert.

For an OLED screen, the LG V40 ThinQ display is definitely an improvement over gthe predecessor, the LG V30+. However, it is still not on a par with the industry-best Samsung smartphones.

Camera

The phone's rear-camera module is a combination of a bright primary lens, telephoto lens and an ultra-wide angle lens. The camera interface is minimal with an option to see preview of frame from all three lenses. It is also able to take a shot from all three lenses, making it easier to get the right frame without selecting any particular lens first. The camera also supports artificial intelligence-based scene detection via a dedicated AI Cam mode, which adjusts the settings automatically based on scene requirements. The camera also supports cine video mode, which allows you to focus and zoom on any part of the frame while recording.

Features aside, the camera output is on a par with other smartphones in the same segment, OnePlus 6T and Honor View 20. What is missing is a dedicated night mode that improves the camera performance during low-light imaging. The phone’s camera relies on AI to improve low-light imaging, however, the result is abysmal when compared with night-mode shots of the Pixel 3 and OnePlus 6T. What wins the case for LG V40 ThinQ camera are the three different configuration lenses, which enable 2x photo zoom while also providing ultra-wide angle photo capture capabilities – something that most phones do not have.

On the front, the phone boasts a wide-angle lens and a regular lens. These lenses work in tandem to take portrait shots with natural bokeh effect and to capture more objects in the frame. However, the overall selfie camera output is satisfactory at best.

Performance

The LG V40 ThinQ is as good a performer as any other premium smartphone. The phone handles day to day tasks with ease and shows no lag or stutter. It also handles graphic-intensive game titles like Asphalt 9 and PUBG well. Such games run smoothly without losing frame rates, even when the graphic settings are set to the maximum. While the performance is top-notch, the phone’s thermals are something of a concern. The phone heats up significantly when used for power-intensive tasks like video recording, gaming, etc.

	LG V40 ThinQ	OnePlus 6T	Honor View 20
Display	6.4-inch QHD	6.4-inch fullHD	6.4-inch fullHD
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845	Kirin 980
RAM/ROM	6GB/128GB	6GB/128GB, 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB	6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB
Rear Camera	12MP+16MP+12MP	16MP+20MP	48MP+ToF
Front Camera	8MP+5MP	16MP	25MP
Battery	3,300 mAh	3,700 mAh	4,000 mAh
Price	Rs 49,900	Starts at Rs 37,999	Starts at Rs 37,999

A weak on-battery time is another downside. The phone barely manages to go for one full day. With extensive usage, it requires charging twice a day. Thankfully, the phone supports fast charging that replenishes the battery from zero to 100 per cent in near about two hours.

Verdict

Priced at Rs 49,990, the LG V40 ThinQ is primarily a multimedia-centric premium smartphone. Except for a weak on-battery time and thermal issues, there is nothing that the phone lacks. It has a vivid OLED screen with several colour profiles to choose from, a capable camera module on the front and back, premium audio output via wired headsets and a top-notch performance. If you are looking for a premium smartphone other than the OnePlus 6T or Honor View 20, then the LG V40 ThinQ could be an option worth considering.