LG V50 ThinQ review - Phone more widely available as 5G coverage grows - Android - Canadian apps and news

LG V50 ThinQ review - Phone more widely available as 5G coverage grows - Android

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The LG V50 ThinQ is the first 5G smartphone sold by Sprint. Here is Android Authority's review.

As we resolutely cross the threshold into the 5G era, there are a wave of “firsts” popping up in the market. The LG V50 ThinQ, for example, is the first Sprint 5G smartphone. The V50 is a warmed-over upgrade to last year’s V40, with 5G serving as the primary feature. Sprint’s 5G network provides more access than competitors AT&T and Verizon do at the moment, but that may change over time.

Is the LG V50 ThinQ worth the 5G premium? What if you don’t live in a Sprint 5G market? We answer these and other questions in Android Authority‘s LG V50 ThinQ review.

About our review: We tested the LG V50 ThinQ over a period of two weeks. We were able to spend some time with the phone under the umbrella of Sprint’s 5G network, though most of the review was conducted in 4G-only areas. The review unit, provided to Android Authority by Sprint, was running Android 9 Pie with the May 1, 2019 security patch.

LG V50 ThinQ review: The big picture

If you want to own one of the first 5G phones, your selection is really limited. You’ve got the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G on Verizon, AT&T (business customers only), Sprint, and T-Mobile, and the LG V50 ThinQ on Sprint. These are the only phones with 5G built-in, and you’d better believe they’re premium devices that command top dollar. If you’re a Verizon customer on a budget, you can slap the 5G Mod onto either the Moto Z3 or Moto Z4, neither of which has native 5G. It’s widely believed the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 will come in a 5G variant when it launches in August.

The V50 ThinQ is LG’s flagship phone and it goes head-to-head with Samsung. It’s a hearty offering, packed with technology. In addition to 5G, remember that the V-branded devices are LG’s media-focused series, with extra camera, video, and audio features in tow for capturing the highest-quality content.

Cramming so much into a single chassis is a tall order. Let’s dive into our LG V50 ThinQ review to see if LG made it all work.

Where is Sprint 5G available?

Sprint 5G service is currently available in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Kansas City. It has also launched in Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C..

What’s in the box

Quick Charge 3.0 charger
USB-A to USB-C cable
3.5mm earbuds
Microfiber cloth

LG kept the box contents simple and straightforward. In addition to the V50 ThinQ, you’ll find a high-speed wall plug, cable, earbuds, and a polishing cloth. I am happy to see the 3.5mm-equipped headphones, even if they don’t carry a brand anyone would recognize. There are no adapters in the box, nor is there even a simple case.

Design

159 x 77 x 8.4mm, 183g
Gorilla Glass 5
3.5mm headphone jack
MicroSD expandable storage

LG has not made a truly distinctive smartphone in what feels like years. Sure, the V50 ThinQ is a sultry black glass slab, with aluminum providing the frame, but the simple lines and generic curves lack bravado. The phone is almost indistinguishable from last year’s V40.

The major differences are these: The rear panel glass is curved on all four sides where it meets the frame. I like this. And the camera module is now entirely flush with glass (similar to the LG G8 ThinQ), creating a seamless surface. I like this, too. Everything else about the phone is more or less identical to its predecessor.

LG covers the flagship basics. Gorilla Glass 5 is front and back. The phone meets MIL-STD 810G for durability, but I’m not going to be the one to throw it down a set of stairs to test that rating. The V50 scores IP68 for protection against water. Indeed, I put the phone in a bucket of water and it came out none the worse for being wet. This means you can sweat on it, spill on it, and accidentally drop it in the pool, but don’t leave it at the bottom for too long.

LG has not made a truly distinctive smartphone in what feels like years.

The glass panels are perfectly polished. In fact, this phone is overly smooth. It is among the most slippery handsets I’ve handled. It doesn’t like to sit still and will silently glide off any surface that isn’t level. Be careful where you put the phone.

It’s a big piece of hardware. You’ll find it’s about the same size as a Huawei Mate 20 Pro, or Google Pixel 3 XL. It’s smaller than the Galaxy Note 9. I don’t think it is too big, but the slippery glass makes it hard to use one handed. I often had to grip the V50 tightly in one hand and use the other to poke at the screen.

A dark gray finish gives the aluminum frame a smokey look. The frame wraps around the entire outer edge, which holds the majority of the controls and ports. The screen lock / power button is on the right side and is joined by the dual-purpose SIM card / MicroSD card tray. Separate volume buttons and a dedicated Google Assistant hotkey are on the left side. All the buttons are easy to find and offer perfect feedback.

The V50 ThinQ could easily be mistaken for nearly any other black phone.

The bottom edge features the USB-C port, speaker, and 3.5mm headphone jack. LG has been serious about supporting the headphone jack, particularly on the V series.

Glass stretches across the entire back surface. There is no camera bump and I’m happy about that. One neat touch. There’s a glowing 5G logo above the camera lenses. It pulses yellow when the display is on.

The fingerprint reader is located on the back, right where your index finger expects to find it. The reader was easy to train and worked reliably and quickly. Face unlock is available, but it’s a less-secure option that could be fooled by a photo. I’m surprised LG didn’t carry over the high-tech 3D face unlock from the G8.