LG V60 ThinQ 5G: A smartphone fan's dream, but one held back by compromises and an uninspired design.

LG has released the V60, or the V60 ThinQ 5G to give it its full title. LG has brought plenty of innovations to the smartphone market with the V-series over the years, whether that be the V50 ThinQ and its Dual Screen accessory or the Quad DAC and second screen in the V20. We cannot say the same for the V60, though.

On the one hand, LG has packed the V60 with hardware that will appeal to many smartphone fans. Firstly, the 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC returns, meaning that the 3.5 mm jack does too. Likewise, the device has a Snapdragon 865 onboard, along with 5G connectivity, expandable storage and a 5,000 mAh battery. The V60 supports Bluetooth 5.1, Quick Charge 4+ and Wi-Fi 6, too. All this should combine to create an excellent flagship smartphone.

Likewise, the Dual Screen returns. According to GSMArena, LG has improved the Dual Screen from the one that it developed for the G8X ThinQ, which was an improvement over the one for the V50 ThinQ in itself. While the Dual Screen still lacks a dedicated battery, GSMArena also reports that its magnetic charging connector is now "stronger and easier to use". LG has added a ribbed texture to the back of the Dual Screen too, which should make it feel grippier than the one it sells for the G8X ThinQ. Better yet, the Dual Screen will be included the box as standard with the V60, which LG has not done previously.

The rest of the V60 feels uninspired though, in our opinion. LG has included a 1080p display for example, which is a first for the V-series. Additionally, while the V60 has more RAM than its predecessor, it maxes out at 8 GB. OnePlus, Samsung and Xiaomi, by contrast, offer 12 GB versions of their recent flagships. Apple, Huawei and Google do not though, in fairness to LG.

There are only two usable rear-facing cameras, too. There is no word yet on what 64 MP sensor the V60 has, but its datasheet reads suspiciously like a Samsung ISOCELL GW1. LG has added OIS, but the ISOCELL GW1 is not a flagship camera sensor. We could be wrong on this one, though.

Finally, we come to the design. In short, its notch and comparatively thick bezels make the V60 look like a mid-range handset, or a flagship that came out a few years ago. Likewise, the back of the device is a rip off of the Galaxy S10 series, complete with a camera bump.

Overall, the V60 ThinQ 5G is another mixed bag from LG, in our opinion. While it includes a lot of good hardware, its execution falls short of its competitors. LG is yet to announce pricing for the V60 ThinQ 5G at the time of writing.