LG V10 Smartphone Review

The GPS and GLONASS satellite networks are used to determine positioning, which is relatively fast and accurate even indoors. The deviations in tracking accuracy are lower outdoors, and our position was found faster.

LG's V10 has to compete with the Garmin Edge 500 bicycle navigation system to determine its position accuracy. Both devices record the route on a bike trip. The smartphone is not quite as accurate as the navigation system and tends to take shortcuts. However, just 100 meters (~328 ft) over the entire route is acceptable.

A dual-lens camera is situated on the front of LG's V10. It has a resolution of up to 5 MP (2560x1440 pixels). Unlike many other dual-lenses, the images of both sensors are not combined. Instead, the user can choose between two different camera angles. While one offers an 80 degree angle, the other offers 120 degrees. The latter is particularly handy when taking panoramic selfies. The image quality is acceptable. Although the camera has a fixed focus, it supports HDR that also makes backlit photos possible.

The rear-facing primary camera is identical to the one in LG's G4 on the specification sheet, and its quality is also equal to that. The photos are quite good in automatic mode, and primarily the HDR feature is used sensibly. Unfortunately, a light grayish haze is produced in dark areas, and details look slightly blurred. The photos are razor-sharp in manual mode, and they appeal to us even more. LG could work on the software a bit here. LG's V10 still produces good results in low-light, which is primarily due to the large aperture (f/1.8), but the lens cannot compete with the low-light performance of the Lumia 950 XL.

Videos can be recorded in 2160p (max. 30 FPS), 1080p (max. 60 FPS) or 720p (max. 120 FPS). The biggest modifications compared with LG's G4 are found here. The manual video mode has been primped significantly. The audio qualities in particular have been greatly improved. The V10 now has three microphones with three sensitivity levels, as well as wind noise suppression. The image quality in Full HD is really good, but UHD never looks quite smooth. The auto focus could also be faster in the highest resolution.

We made an as full-frame as possible screenshot of ColorChecker Passport under controlled light conditions to better assess the color accuracy of LG's V10. Only the smartphone's automatic mode is used, and the pictures are not edited afterwards. Brown and skin tones are quite natural, but unfortunately, richer colors look rather pale and the grayscale levels could also be more saturated.

We evaluated the sharpness with a test chart that is also photographed as full-frame as possible in artificial light. It is very obvious that the sharpness decreases toward the picture's edges, and the image also fades slightly. The image is agreeably sharp in the center. Minor artifacts are seen in the text on colored surfaces, which is only visible on a full-sized photo.

A special feature of LG's V10 is its two screens. The primary panel has a size of 5.7 inches and a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. The resulting pixel density of 513 PPI ensures a sharp reproduction of the contents. The second screen is on the front-facing cameras' right, directly above the large screen. Both screens are so close to each other that only on close inspection it becomes evident that they are two separate components. The small panel has a size of 2.1 inches (160x1040 pixels) and the same resolution as the larger screen. Its illumination is not quite as homogeneous as that of the primary screen, and slight clouding is visible at the edges in the dark. Subjectively, no difference is noticed in the daylight. The so-called Second Screen Display serves as a notification center, enabling quick access to favorite contacts and apps, controlling the music player and managing calendar entries. Unfortunately, it takes just as much effort as when using the primary screen, and thus we do not really see an added value here. We would wish for more customization options and, above all, an easier way to act directly from a locked screen. Whether LG will add this via an update is not known.

The Korean manufacturer has done a very good job in terms of the primary screen. It is pleasantly bright with up to 450 cd/m². In conjunction with a low black level of just 0.22 cd/m², it achieves a tremendous contrast ratio that currently only OLED panels surpass. We also checked whether the rates stand up to more realistic conditions when dark and light areas are evenly distributed. However, the rates are identical, even at APL50.

The speaker is situated on the lower edge of LG's V10 smartphone. It allows placing the handset on a table without having to worry about restricting the sound. The component cannot be covered when holding the handset in a hand, either.

The phablet can get really loud with up to 90 dB(A). Then again, the sound impression is not very balanced and the upper mids could distort slightly here. The bass range and lower mids are virtually non-existent.

Users who like to listen to music on the go could be very happy with LG's V10. Although the included headphones are only average quality, the smartphone features a 32 bit Hi-Fi D-A converter that enhances poor quality audio files and provides a clear sound impression at the audio jack. It is in fact very good and cannot be criticized. However, the promise of supporting especially high-quality headphones (50 - 600 ohms) should be taken with a pinch of salt because they only manage a low volume in conjunction with the smartphone. The audio jack does not have enough voltage to compensate high resistances.

With the LG V10, the Korean manufacturer provides another superb smartphone that is very similar to LG's G4 on the specification sheet, but does not have much in common with its sister model in terms of looks. Selfie fans will certainly like the front-facing dual-lens. The second screen is nice to have, but its potential is not fully utilized, and most actions are performed just as fast via the primary screen.

The V10 also features a good fingerprint scanner that has been integrated inconspicuously in the power button on the back. Otherwise, LG also does a good job and has improved the screen that is familiar from the G4, which now has a tremendously high contrast, among other things. The features of the very good camera have been developed even further, but unfortunately, the manufacturer has failed to improve the automatic mode.

LG presents yet another strong smartphone with its V10. Its biggest shortcoming is the high market price.

The choice is ultimately a question of taste and budget when having to opt for one LG's flagship models. The V10 costs approximately 200 Euros (~$224) more than the G4, whose price has in the meantime dropped significantly.