LG G8X ThinQ: A foldable that won't break the bank

The age of foldable smartphones is here, and LG wants a piece of the action. The company has already released a dual-screen accessory for the V50 ThinQ, but the G8X ThinQ is the first smartphone that the South Korean company has sold with a second screen included in the box. The concept of having a second screen has impressed us too.

The G8X ThinQ looks like many of its contemporaries, with a small notch interrupting its 6.4-inch OLED display. The handset has a metal frame and a glass back too, akin to almost every other flagship. Its dual rear-facing cameras sit flush with the back glass though, rather than being protected by a raised camera housing. LG has equipped the G8X ThinQ with 6 GB of RAM, 128 GB of UFS 2.1 storage and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC too, hardware that we would expect from a premium Android smartphone.

Its dual-screen accessory is where the G8X ThinQ shines, though. The second screen can be used at any angle, with its hinge holding it firmly through to 360°. While it weighs just 137 g, it brings the total carry weight of the G8X ThinQ up to 329 g, making it much heavier than other modern smartphones. However, you can use the G8X ThinQ without its second screen being attached, which is handy.

We expected that our review unit would have better cameras than it does, considering that it is a US$699 handset. However, this is offset slightly by LG bundling the dual-screen accessory in the box, in our opinion. Overall, the G8X ThinQ is more practical than the Samsung Galaxy Fold, which we have also reviewed. Not only are both the screens in the G8X ThinQ glass, but there is also no chance of any foreign particles getting underneath the screens as has proven the downfall of the Galaxy Fold. The G8X ThinQ is also a fraction of the price of the Galaxy Fold while offering broadly the same functionality.

If you are considering the G8X ThinQ but are unsure of what benefits the second screen brings, then here are a few ideas to get you going. Please note that not all are serious suggestions:

• Use the second screen as an LED flash when taking selfies.
• Watch two videos simultaneously but over one speaker.
• Use the second screen as a gamepad. Developer support needed for this, though.
• Game with a walkthrough up on the second screen.
• Watch your bank balance drop in real-time on one screen as you shop online on the other.
• Watch a make-up tutorial on one screen and the front-facing camera running on the other.
• Have something else more interesting displayed on the second screen while on a video call.

Feel free to suggest other uses below.

In short, the G8X ThinQ is not the best flagship smartphone. However, its innovative approach to the emerging market of folding devices distinguishes it from many of its contemporaries. Please see our LG G8X ThinQ review for our full thoughts on the device.