Considering the G8. Convince me.

[Casualballer]

Looking to get a new phone.

 

[LilSweetLin]

Looking to get a new phone. Switching from moto g5 plus. I've been using stock android since I switched from my S5 years ago.
1) how much of a change (for better or for worse) is the LG skin?
2) What's the camera quality like compared to say a S7?
3) From looking at the phone and LG phones in general they seem quite solid. What gives them the weak reputation that they seem to have on the web?
4) Just in general what about this phone makes it worth getting? Convince me.

Once you listen to music on LG phones with a pair of quality, high impedance headphones with the HiFi quad DAC and DTSX surround toggled on, it'll spoil you. There's nothing like it on another smartphone. The problem with them is their weak reception. That's why I had to sell my V30 after a couple weeks. Otherwise, the skin, while not light, is still less intrusive than something like TouchWiz of the past.

 

[LilSweetLin]

Do the reception issues persist with the newer devices? The G8 supports t-mobile band 71 so I was expecting better service then I get now.

I asked the same question on Reddit when I was considering the V40 and it was confirmed. I'm not sure what LG is doing this time around.

 

[Mike Dee]

Once you listen to music on LG phones with a pair of quality, high impedance headphones with the HiFi quad DAC and DTSX surround toggled on, it'll spoil you. There's nothing like it on another smartphone. The problem with them is their weak reception. That's why I had to sell my V30 after a couple weeks. Otherwise, the skin, while not light, is still less intrusive than something like TouchWiz of the past.

Minor point but you don't normally need hi impedance headphones to enjoy quality sound with a quality DAC. LG decided to gimp the amp so that you only get full output with hi impedance headphones unless you find a workaround like adding resistance to the circuit.

 

[LilSweetLin]

Minor point but you don't normally need hi impedance headphones to enjoy quality sound with a quality DAC. LG decided to gimp the amp so that you only get full output with hi impedance headphones unless you find a workaround like adding resistance to the circuit.

Really? Hmm, I wasn't aware of that. No wonder they don't market it as their best feature. Smh, LG just makes no sense.

 

[Mike Dee]

Really? Hmm, I wasn't aware of that. No wonder they don't market it as their best feature. Smh, LG just makes no sense.

As an example I have a set of Audio Technica headphones that are studio quality but low impedance. When I activate the noise cancelling it adds resistance to the circuit and activates the high impedance mode. The headphones handle the extra output without a problem. I don't know what LG was thinking designing the DAC to go into high output mode only with high impedance headphones. There are plenty of low impedance that can handle it. Output should really be based on sensitivity not impedance but that's not easy to measure. They just allow full output regardless as most equipment can handle it.

 

[LilSweetLin]

As an example I have a set of Audio Technica headphones that are studio quality but low impedance. When I activate the noise cancelling it adds resistance to the circuit and activates the high impedance mode. The headphones handle the extra output without a problem. I don't know what LG was thinking designing the DAC to go into high output mode only with high impedance headphones. There are plenty of low impedance that can handle it. Output should really be based on sensitivity not impedance but that's not easy to measure. They just allow full output regardless as most equipment can handle it.

Yeah, similar to my Sony MDR NC7s. They're rated at 100 ohms when the Noise Cancelling is activated. It makes such a marked difference; it's as if you're being sucked into the music. You can hear minute details that you wouldn't otherwise hear unless you were actually in a studio with instruments. But I don't know what LG is doing. They have no marketing strategy; their update cycle is apparently trash; their "theme store" is incomplete and adolescent, and their UI is tired. The terrible radios are unforgivable, though. It's safe to say they're not in competition with Samsung at all.

 

[Mike Dee]

So as a guy who's not familiar with audio terminology what does that mean for me? If I take a decent 20$ pair of earbuds will they sound different with an LG phone then any other?

LG phones that have dedicated DACs have good audio regardless of what's plugged in. It's even better though with decent headphones.

 

[LilSweetLin]

So as a guy who's not familiar with audio terminology what does that mean for me? If I take a decent 20$ pair of earbuds will they sound different with an LG phone then any other?

As was explained here, to take full advantage of LG's audio capabilities, you need headphones with an impedance rating of 50 ohms or greater. Once you plug them in and toggle the DAC and surround sound on, it makes a big difference. You'll notice some improvement with $20 buds that are 32 ohms, but the jump in quality is huge with headphones that trigger the DAC.

 

[Mike Dee]

So basically when looking for new buds, I should look for "50 ohms" on the spec sheet to really get the full LG music experiance. Thanks. I'm a heavy music listener of many diverse genres country, opera, edm for exercise etc. so the LG emphasis on audio is attractive and I want to get the most of it.
Any audiophiles have earbuds recommendations? (Preferably on the cheaper side.)

High impedance ear buds are almost impossible to find, especially at the lower end. You have a lot more options with on ear or over ear headphones and the sound is much better.

 

[LilSweetLin]

So basically when looking for new buds, I should look for "50 ohms" on the spec sheet to really get the full LG music experiance. Thanks. I'm a heavy music listener of many diverse genres country, opera, edm for exercise etc. so the LG emphasis on audio is attractive and I want to get the most of it.
Any audiophiles have earbuds recommendations? (Preferably on the cheaper side.)

The Soundmagic E80C buds are rated at 64 ohms and it triggers the DAC, but it's priced at around $80 on Amazon. Other than that, I've seen people say good things about the VE Monk Plus buds; they're priced at around $12 on Amazon. But yeah, if you want quality sound, over the ear headphones are the way to go, as Mike Dee said.

 

[dby2011]

People are probably not going to like what I have to say but someone has to say it. I bought into the DAC argument for LG phones with the V30S and G7. Never again. You can buy a nice DAC for any phone (check out Fii0 BTR1K) to use with your headphones. You CANNOT buy routine software security updates and routine OS support/updates. You CANNOT buy better camera functioning (some recent in depth camera comparisons still put the G8 behind the S10, Pixel 3 and even the OnePlus 6t in some tests). You CANNOT buy a better skin (yes you can change the launcher but that still doesn't make the rest of the LG settings skins any better). A DAC is not good enough to recommend any LG phone right now over a lot of others. A DAC is one of the few things you can change for any phone. The LG phones have too many issues you cannot change.

 

[Mike Dee]

People are probably not going to like what I have to say but someone has to say it. I bought into the DAC argument for LG phones with the V30S and G7. Never again. You can buy a nice DAC for any phone (check out Fii0 BTR1K) to use with your headphones. You CANNOT buy routine software security updates and routine OS support/updates. You CANNOT buy better camera functioning (some recent in depth camera comparisons still put the G8 behind the S10, Pixel 3 and even the OnePlus 6t in some tests). You CANNOT buy a better skin (yes you can change the launcher but that still doesn't make the rest of the LG settings skins any better). A DAC is not good enough to recommend any LG phone right now over a lot of others. A DAC is one of the few things you can change for any phone. The LG phones have too many issues you cannot change.

In addition to what you're saying a lot of the phones that are using USB C for audio out with an adapter have great sound because the DACs that are built into the dongle are pretty good.

 

[dby2011]

I'd seriously look at a s10e or a S9. There are some trade deals that put the price of a 10e lower than $600. If you are willing to accept the limitations of LG phones then $619 for the G8 at T-Mobile is actually a great deal for the money. Just don't drink the DAC kool-aid. The DAC is something you can change on any newer phone right now. The historically poor software support of LG is something you can't.

 

[OhAlfie]

I used the 6T trade in offer to do my upgrade over the weekend.

I'm not an audio snob by any stretch of the imagination, but I must admit the sound via headphones on the G8 is head over heels better than the 6T. I have no desire to "add" an extra gadget to get better sound as mentioned in other posts.

 

[Mike Dee]

I used the 6T trade in offer to do my upgrade over the weekend.

I'm not an audi snob by any stretch of the imagination, but I must admit the sound via headphones on the G8 is head over heels better than the 6T. I have no desire to "add" an extra gadget to get better sound as mentioned in other posts.

It makes little sense to buy it for the audio though with all the remaining deficiencies.

 

[OhAlfie]

For you perhaps, maybe it works fine for others.

 

[uw]

Since there are plenty of discounts available for a G8, I think it's a good choice. Camera quality is good, probably better than the S7. You'll love the wide angle. If you don't like the gimmicky features LG added to the G8, just turn it off. Even with the skin, the phone is very fast. I actually don't mind the LG skin. If you do care about updates, that might disappoint you, but it never bothered me. It's IP68, has expandable storage, headphone jack, large battery, great display and great in hand feel.

This article from The Verge last year was regarding the G7, but I think it can also apply to the G8.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/20/17591130/editors-choice-lg-g7-thinq-phone-review

 

[Morty2264]

Looking to get a new phone. Switching from moto g5 plus. I've been using stock android since I switched from my S5 years ago.
1) how much of a change (for better or for worse) is the LG skin?
2) What's the camera quality like compared to say a S7?
3) From looking at the phone and LG phones in general they seem quite solid. What gives them the weak reputation that they seem to have on the web?
4) Just in general what about this phone makes it worth getting? Convince me.

I've had an LG phone in the past, so I'll do my best to answer your questions:

1) The LG Skin is a mixed bag - you either love it or you hate it! Since you've used Samsung phones, you know their OS's can be a little heavy. But, simple solution: if you don't like the skin, you can download a launcher to replace it!

2) Compared to an S7, the G8 will have a far superior camera. Phones like the Pixel 3 and the Huawei P30 will have better ones, but the G8 will still take great pictures and get the job done well. My husband has the G7 ThinQ and its camera is awesome - so the G8's must be even better!

3) This can be due to a variety of variables.

Brand recognition. People go for what's "in" - so that would be Samsung and Apple - and so other brands, like LG, sometimes go by the wayside.

Online presence - people are more likely to post about questions or issues with products - rather than praise reports - which may give potential customers a skewed sample when doing online research about which phones to buy.

You may also be hearing about LG's bootloop on past devices (the G4 was primarily affected by this) - that may have tainted the brand a little bit. But Samsung had the Note 7 fiasco; and Apple had the purposeful slowdown of devices... So every manufacturer has their own set of issues. No one is immune! But I have yet to hear of any current LG iteration having a widespread bootloop problem.

In the end, it all boils down to what you think you'd be happy with. Personally, I'm considering the G8 as one of the contenders for my next phone. But if you are unsure, try out the phone in the store and see what you think! Watch Android Central and Android Authority reviews! And let us know what you decide!

 

[Willy_P]

I suffer from a condition I call CAPS (Compulsive Android Purchase Syndrome). I always want to have the “latest and greatest.” I’m almost 80 and my eyes aren’t what they used to be, so I need a display that’s fairly large and bright, I have a significant hearing loss so I need a phone that will reliably stream Bluetooth to my hearing aids, and I like a fingerprint sensor that’s located on the back of the phone. I had a Google Pixel 3 but the 5.5” display wasn’t large enough for me. Samsung offered me a good trade allowance on an S10 Plus, but that phone didn’t work out for me. There must have been something wrong with the Bluetooth because I could hear callers, but often callers couldn’t hear me. I could have exchanged the phone but I hated the in-screen fingerprint sensor that didn’t work reliably. I said goodbye to the S10 Plus and started using a used LG G7 that I had purchased on Swappa as a backup phone. The G7 worked great for me. The Bluetooth streaming to my hearing aids was reliable, the fingerprint sensor was located in the right place for me and, although I generally prefer an AMOLED display, the LCD display on the G7 was very good. I would have kept the G7 but my carrier, T-Mobile, made me an offer to upgrade to a G8 that I couldn’t refuse. They gave me $310 for my G7 and sold me a G8 for $620. I love the G8. I’m sure the “experts” would argue with me, but I think the display and cameras are every bit as good as those on the S10 Plus. The phone is just as fast and smooth as the S10 Plus and the fingerprint sensor is perfectly located for me. I don’t use the gimmicky hand gestures and I don’t care about the UI because I use the Nova Prime launcher on all my Android devices. I stream everything to my hearing aids so I can’t comment on the headphone DAC. I’ve read complaints about the radios in LG phones but, in my area, I get good reception on T-Mobile. The G8 is running Android 9 and I don’t expect a quick update when Android 10 is released, but that’s not a big deal for me. I don’t know if I’ve convinced you, @Casualballer, but the G8 is a great phone for me.