LG V30+ First Impressions: Bigger, Better and Definitely Bolder

LG V30+ first impressions. The V30+ is a promising phone with the right balance of premium and utility.

A couple of months ago, LG was trying to make the ultimate breakthrough in smartphone technology with the modular design of the LG G5.

At first they did appeal to the masses. I mean, who wouldn’t love a phone with an attachable battery and camera module. Right?

Somehow that technology didn’t fly, and LG got back to the drawing board getting the basics rights.

It tried the ‘let’s be simple’ approach with the LG G6 and the V20, which have the bezel-less display but somehow the move backfired and both these phones weren’t able to capture the attention of the customers.

Specifications

• Display: 6-inch QUAD HD, 18:9
• Processor: Snapdragon 835 octa-core
• RAM: 4GB
• Storage: 128GB (expandable)
• Android 7.1.2 Nougat
• IP68 water resistant

• Rear camera: Dual 16 (f/1.6)+13 (f/1.9)-megapixel
• Front camera: 8-megapixel
• Battery: 3300mAh non-removable
• Price: Rs 44,990

Now, after a long time, LG is back with the V30+ and this looks to be a promising offering by the South Korean electronics giant.

I spend a couple of hours with the V30+ and this is what I think.

Design & Display

I’d like to compliment LG on the design of the V30+.

This variant of the V series has lesser bulk and a more premium look and feel to it. Feels great to hold in the hand, although the glass design does make it a bit slippery in the hand.

The display is a fantastic 6-inch QUAD HD OLED panel that is not only vibrant but tackles outdoor light with ease.

The 18:9 ratio screen makes binge watches more exciting. Colours come out well and the overall layout of capacitive keys ergonomically fits the bill.

Performance & Storage

The V30+ is packing a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor coupled with 4GB of RAM.

It’s early days to be able tell of the true capability of the phone, but I’ll surely lay it down in my full review.

The combination of a top tier processor and 4GB RAM does look impressive. Though the UI is clutter free with very little bloatware, it still takes time to get used to moving around the interface (especially for a new LG user).

The phone comes with 128GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 2TB. Enough space here.

Also, audio quality will never be a problem thanks to an advanced Hi-Fi Quad DAC (digital-to-analog converter).

Oh, yes! It’s a pain to lock and unlock the device since there is no power button on the sides (it’s embedded in the fingerprint sensor on the back).

I still haven’t found my way around the facial recognition tech in the V30+ but hopefully a couple of more days with the device will help me understand it better.

Camera & Battery

A lot was being said about the camera of the phone as this is one of the first devices in the market to come with a f/1.6 aperture in the rear camera.

To put it to the test, I clicked some pictures and I must say the results were more than satisfying.

Though the camera doesn’t yet live up to the hype of being the best out there, I think a shootout is in place to see whether it really can stand up against the Note 8s and the iPhones.

The V30+ houses a 3300mAh non-removable battery pack and that seems to be sufficient to get you through the day. Fast charging is a healthy addition to this package.

Initial Verdict

I was a bit apprehensive at first considering the pricing strategies for the V20 and the G6 were not up to the mark, but by pricing the V30+ at Rs 44,990, LG has really hit the ball out of the park with this one.

I feel the phone is a great offering in this price segment considering it comes bundled with the essentials, with a premium touch.

Considering how the market has been for LG, this could be the make-or-break device for them. The only thing to wait and see is what breaks first — the competitor’s hearts or LG’s V series.

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