LG V20: Plans | Pricing | Specs

With two screens, three microphones and a fully removable battery, the LG V20 is not your ordinary premium smartphone.

There's a lot more choice in the premium smartphone space these days than there used to be. No longer are you limited to siding with Apple or Samsung in order to enjoy the latest and greatest mobile technology; now you have companies like Sony, Huawei and LG producing handsets every bit as capable as the latest iPhone. On the one hand, this has led to more competitive pricing and a greater variety of new features, but it has also made narrowing down your purchasing decision significantly trickier. With so many options available, how can you tell whether a particular handset is right for you?

To help with this, we've put together a guide on one of LG's more recent additions to the premium smartphone market: the LG V20. As one of the first phones powered by Android 7.0 to hit Aussie shores, the V20 is not exactly top-of-the-line compared to the latest mobile handsets, but it's still a powerful device with plenty to offer those wanting a phone fit to handle anything they throw at it.

Design

• A large screen, slim body and metal frame make the LG V20 one attractive smartphone
• Hi-Fi audio capabilities are sure to appeal to music lovers

• Read more on the LG V20's design

  

  In keeping with the "bigger is better" philosophy driving modern smartphone design, the LG V20 features a large 5.7-inch screen with minimal extraneous real estate given over to bezels. That minimalist approach extends to the phone's profile which measures in at just 7.7mm at its thickest.

  To make the most of its size, the LG V20's screen sports a resolution of 2560 x 1440, or roughly halfway between full HD and 4K. It's not the only screen on the LG V20 either; at the very top of the phone next to the camera lens sits a secondary screen you can use to display quick-access information such as notifications, shortcuts to your favourite apps and your top contacts. You can also set this screen to remain on even when the rest of the phone goes to sleep so you can monitor incoming notifications while reducing battery drain.

  A second screen isn't the only feature that distinguishes the LG V20 from its competitors. Its audio capabilities are similarly impressive, with a three-microphone array coupled with a quad DAC (digital-to-analogue converter) configuration allowing for high-definition audio capture that should minimise the amount of background noise bleeding into your recordings. Those four DACs help with audio playback, too, as they support lossless audio formats like FLAC and ALAC.

  Outside of its unique characteristics, the LG V20 delivers on all the standard features you'd expect from a premium smartphone – and some you might not. For the security-conscious, there's a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone beneath the main camera lens, and this also doubles as the power button since LG has nixed the physical one that normally sits on the phone's side.

  You'll also find a 3.5mm audio jack nestled at the bottom of the phone which is sure to delight anyone disenfranchised with Apple, Google and the many other smartphone manufacturers phasing out the traditional port. Alternatively, you can hook up a pair of wireless headphones thanks to the V20's Bluetooth 4.2 support.

  The storage situation is typical of most Android-powered premium smartphones, too. The V20 packs 64GB out of the box, but you can easily upgraded this thanks to the microSD card slot.

  Speaking of Android, the LG V20 was one of the first Australian smartphones to feature Android 7.0, codenamed "Nougat". Android 7.0 introduced quite a few key features to the popular operating system, including the ability to act upon notifications without having to load up the corresponding app as well as support for running two apps next to each other on the same screen. LG also began rolling out an Android 8.0 update for the V20 in August 2018, though it has yet to hit Australian shores.

Camera

• Dual-sensor rear camera with wide-angle lens is primed for outdoor photography
• Manual camera mode provides extra options for professional photographers

• Read more on the LG V20's camera

  

  Alongside its Hi-Fi audio chops, the LG V20 banks heavily on the capabilities of its camera set-up. Like most high-end smartphones, its primary camera boasts not one but two separate lenses: a standard 16MP lens with an aperture of f/1.8, and an 8MP wide-angle lens with an aperture of f/2.4 and a 135-degree field of view. That's a solid combination, especially for adventurous folks who like to fill photo albums with shots of the great outdoors.

  For those who prefer a more intimate style of photography, the LG V20's front-facing camera includes a 5MP sensor with an aperture of f/1.9. Like the rear camera, it supports wide-angle capture, but only up to 120 degrees.

  LG hasn't neglected the importance of capable camera software, either. The V20 offers a wide range of features including auto-focus, an anti-shake steady-shot mode, a panorama mode, slow-motion and time-lapse photography and quite a few more. For all the up-and-coming photographers out there, the V20 also offers a manual camera mode that exposes granular settings like shutter speed, exposure levels and colour balance as well as enabling the export of photos in RAW format.

Performance

• Similar specs to the impressive LG G5
• Should be sufficient for general use as well as heavier tasks like mobile gaming

• Read more on the LG V20's performance

  The LG V20 continues to deliver on its premium promises in the power department. Like its older sibling, the LG G5, it runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor paired with 4GB of RAM, a potent combination that saw the G5 rank among the most powerful handsets on the market when we tested it for our review. Given the near-identical specs, it's safe to expect the V20 to perform just as well.

  In practice, that means you'd have to try pretty hard to push the V20 beyond its capabilities, even when running multiple apps at the same time or playing complex 3D games. For typical day-to-day use, the V20 should be more than adequate.

Battery

• Average battery capacity for a phone this size, but still sufficient for all-day usage
• LG remains one of the only big brands including removable batteries in its flagship handsets

• Read more on the LG V20's battery

  Battery life has been one of LG's strong suits in recent years, and this trend continues with the V20. With a capacity of 3,200mAh, its battery is comparable to competing handsets like the Google Pixel XL or Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. The V20's large screen and powerful processor will drain that faster than a smaller, less-powerful handset, but 3,200mAh should still get you through a full day of moderate use on a single charge.

  Worse comes to worst, LG has two backup strategies that give the V20 extra versatility in the battery department. First and foremost, the V20's battery is removable, a feature absent in most premium smartphones these days. This is a real boon for long-distance travellers since it allows you to carry around spare batteries and swap them in whenever the V20's juice runs low.

  If you're not looking to stock up on spare batteries, the LG V20's support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 means you won't have to chain yourself to a power outlet in the event it runs dry. Charging from dead to full can take as little as an hour, getting you back in the action pleasantly fast.

Pricing and availability

LG V20

Two screens means twice the fun

From its handy secondary screen to its capable dual-lens camera, the LG V20 is packed to the bezels with premium style and functionality.

Buy Now

• The LG V20 is currently available from retailers like Catch and MobileCiti for around $650.