My 1 month daily driver review LG V40

[DamianP]

As an admitted smartphone junkie, I thought I would share my last month of use of the LG V40, since there isn't a lot of activity on here and also not as much in the way of use feedback. Is it worth $900? Nope, I dontt think so, but is it worth $600 on swappa for a mint or unused one? Absolutely.

I had used both the Note 9 and Mate 20(non Pro) for the last 6 months, so I will make comparisons to those and also to my Pixel 2XL.

Positives:
Speed- very snappy, no lag. I found it slightly less laggy overall compared to the Note 9 and about equal to the Mate 20.
Screen - Fantastic - I love cooler toned screens, and this display is definitely cooler compared to the Note 9(believe me I tried to change it on the Note to make it cooler). I actually prefer the LV v40 screen to the Note 9, but I'm probably in the minority here. It gets super bright as well, especially in auto mode.
Camera - I love the flexibility and overall contrasty shots the LG has. Yes, it over sharpens a bit. Yes, the camera app is a little laggy, but I would say on par to the Note 9 here. The Mate 20 camera app is definitely much quicker. Personally, I prefer the LG camera over the Note 9 in almost every aspect. For me its a toss up between the Mate 20 and LG, except for the selfie camera, where the LG is way better. Night mode on the LG is pretty good to, perhaps not as good as the Mate or Pixel, but good enough for my use.

Negatives
Battery - I got completely spoiled by the Mate 20, which was by far, the best battery life I've ever seen. I consistently got 8-9 hours of SoT for my typical use. One the Note 9, I would average 4.5-5.5 SoT with the same apps.. Coming to the LG V40 I am averaging about 4.5 to 5 hours so slight less than the Note 9. Standby time with AoD isn't great, and I wish there was a way to dim it further as I feel the default brightness is too bright for AoD.
Camera - yes I do love the camera, but it does have some issues besides over sharpening. There is some lag opening the camera app. In dark settings shutter lag can be an issue as well.

Overall I'm super pleased with the V40 except I wish they included a larger battery.

 

[Chromium 4]

I too have a Note 9 as well as a still alive and kicking V20. In my case I find the Note 9 stock cameras perform better than the LG 40's and the ported Google Pixel Camera Software has them all beat in most situations especially those with challenging dynamic range. In auto mode the LG 40 cameras outperform the auto mode of the V20 and they offer better shots in all conditions. The zoom lens should have been equipped with OIS so good shots are challenging in low light scenarios. I love the fun and creativity the various cameras of the V40 offer. I didn't look LG's way when the various V30s and G7 were released but took note when the V40 came on the scene. The original 900 plus asking price made it a nonstarter but when I was presented with a Godfather offer of a new-in-the-box unit for 400 Ben Franklins, I could not resist and it was money well spent. Hopefully I will not be in the market for a new device for some time to come.

 

[tube517]

Good reviews. I agree w/the price. Too high but if you can find one slightly used and w/a nice discount, it's a nice phone. I guess that goes for any phone.

 

[DamianP]

I'm not gonna lie, I really love this phone! (yes my Note 9 is sitting in the drawer). It's not perfect but for my needs it's great.