Switch to v40?

[dlcpa]

My v20 is getting slow, I need to replace the screen and I probably need an extra battery. So let's see the screen and battery will cost me $70. I can get an Amazon refurbished v40 for $319. I wonder if you people know how good it is compared to the v20 especially the speaker which is magnificent on the v20. Assume everything else is better on the v40 accept the fact that you're stuck with the battery you have. Since this is a refurbished phone the battery may need to be replaced eventually and watching the video, that is no easy job, much hotter than the v20.

I wonder if I get it from Amazon Prime well LG stand by it and fix it even though it's from one of their resellers not Amazon specifically. Does LG have to know that?

I can't see buying a new phone for $1,100 plus get a bigger storage capacity, insurance and sales tax and before you know it with some of the accessories you're up to 16 17 or 1,800 dollars. That's sick.

 

[notacoach]

Here's my take having jumped from a V20 to V40 in August. I think the speaker is as good or better than the V20 and, even though it isn't an "exciting" phone, it has been very reliable in the 2 months I've had it.


* while I know objectively that the screen is not smaller, the phone doesn't have that big "phablet" feel of the earlier models, I guess because it's narrower. This could be a plus or minus, depending what you prefer. I missed that slablike feeling, and found I needed a different case (ironically, a thicker one) for it to feel comfortable for me.

* I miss the second screen, but the floating bar is an acceptable substitute.

* battery life has been excellent - much better than I anticipated. I top it up in the car for a few minutes of (wired, not superfast) charge here and there and have yet to have it finish the day at less than 30% even though I use it hard and have the always on display set to the big clock.

* everything runs fast and smooth...

*... Except the camera which occasional ly hangs when opening.

* reception is noticeably better. We always have terrible reception at our house, and I'm getting 3-4 bars instead of 1-2.

* all cameras outstanding in decent light; in mixed lighting or low light images get a bit crunchy, although they're not unusable.

* speaker and sound are even better than the v20 - really outstanding (and, other than price, the main reason I went with the v40 instead of waiting for the new Note)

* v40 has the update to pie if that's important to you - I updated it before I transferred my stuff and it is running fine.

The only way I can put it is that the v40 is a pleasant and very usable phone, even though nothing in it is likely to make you go "ooohhhh that's cool!". I don't love it the way I did my v20 (which was the best Android phone I've ever used). It's powerful and easy to use, but somewhat "bland" if that makes sense. Everything about it is good, although nothing about it is exciting. Kind of the Toyota Corolla of phones.

 

[dlcpa]

hi notacoach, thanks for that very thorough answer.

pros- speaker, battery time, everything fast an smooth, good reception, great camera with good light


cons- narrower, camera startup, camera not great in low light?


so so-second screen, boring but maybe that a good thing as the phone is a tool not the object of what your do and not being mad at it, is a very good thing.

Any problem with camera for remote depisits to the bank?

did you but your new or refurished?

dlcpa

 

[tube517]

I have the V40 and the V20 and notachoach pretty much nailed it.

The V40 is very fast and smooth. No lag and the reception is really good. (Band 71 compatible. My office at work has no windows)

Quad Dac is exceptional. Speaker is loud (to me). I had it playing some music on speake one time and my wife couldn't hear me talking.

We should be getting Android 10 but that will be next year knowing LG's slow updates.

They did update to the Sept patch.

 

[notacoach]

hi notacoach, thanks for that very thorough answer.

pros- speaker, battery time, everything fast an smooth, good reception, great camera with good light


cons- narrower, camera startup, camera not great in low light?


so so-second screen, boring but maybe that a good thing as the phone is a tool not the object of what your do and not being mad at it, is a very good thing.

Any problem with camera for remote depisits to the bank?

did you but your new or refurished?

dlcpa

New. Bottom line is I see it as a tool rather than a "toy", and as such its reliability has been welcome. I will say that it has grown on me since I got it; I vacillated for weeks between the V40, Note 9, and 7pro, and in the end I think I made the right choice based on the compromises between performance, price, features, and weight/size. It's very useable. As I say, it's a Corolla rather than a Tesla, but sometimes getting from point A to B is ultimately more important than turning heads

PS Camera is very good sometimes; I haven't yet quite figured out what it does/doesn't like, other than that the telephoto lens is a bit unpredictable. The main lens and WA are pretty good much of the time. I honestly can't complain about it as a phone-in-a-camera. No problems at all with banking apps.

 

[notacoach]

I have the V40 and the V20 and notachoach pretty much nailed it.

The V40 is very fast and smooth. No lag and the reception is really good. (Band 71 compatible. My office at work has no windows)

Quad Dac is exceptional. Speaker is loud (to me). I had it playing some music on speake one time and my wife couldn't hear me talking.

We should be getting Android 10 but that will be next year knowing LG's slow updates.

They did update to the Sept patch.

Band 71 is GREAT - noticeable improvement for sure.

 

[dlcpa]

Where did you get your v40s that are rock solid. I was not happy with eBay although it looked brand new. Something was wrong with the screen that I never even saw and there was a tempered glass protector on it when it came and I had no idea that it wasn't part of the phone. So I'd like to stay away from eBay and I thought maybe Amazon would be better because if something is wrong with an Amazon phone you have a better chance of returning it.

 

[notacoach]

Tmo. It was $600 in August; I'd have liked it to come down a bit more, but I needed a phone (v20 was getting glitchy) and I didn't want them to discontinue it before I could purchase.

 

[dlcpa]

oh, so yours was new?

 

[tube517]

Tmobile. Bought new. Traded in my S8+

 

[dlcpa]

I really appreciate all your help. I'm getting the v40 now going over to Best Buy where they have a special deal for something like $15.83 a month for 30 months and no trade in for an AT&T phone. Obviously, the v50 is on its way to AT&T but I don't need to spend an extra $25 a month for that. I hate being tied into AT&T but at least I'm getting $500 discount.