Design
The LG V20 has a strong and masculine design but lacking elegance and sophistication. Therefore, the appearance of this smartphone is not attractive to the other competitors such as Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Apple iPhone 7. In return, the product has higher durability, anti-fingerprint and reduce dust.
The LG V20 is covered by a 6013 aluminum alloy shell – a low-reflective, but highly durable material that is used in boatbuilding and aircraft assembly. In addition, the top and bottom edges of the machine are protected with polycarbonate. Like the previous LG V10, this phone has the same MIL-STD-810G impact resistance.
Another plus on the LG V20 is the large size, as opposed to the Apple iPhone 7 Plus, Nexus 6P and even the LG V10, but not too heavy weight. The fingerprint scanner is integrated on the power button, behind the machine.
Display
Main Display Specs
The LG V20 comes with a 5.7-inch IPS LCD display , and it runs at 1440 x 2560 pixels. That gives it roughly 513 pixels per inch, so everything looks sharp, like text and images stay fairly crisp. With Quad HD resolution the LG V20 is pretty nice for media watching , web browsing , and even gaming too
Color Match, brightness
On this phone the screen is well regarded for faithful color reproduction and wide viewing angles , mostly because it uses IPS tech. The colors feel lively but not too loud, and the whites look clean sort of natural. Brightness is solid too, it can hit around 500 nits, so you can still see the content even when the sun is intense out side.
Display options and always-on
LG has added a few display modes so people can tweak the color balance. There’s also a “Comfort View” mode, which cuts down blue light for easier reading at night. Plus it also includes always on display, so you can peek the time, date, and those notifications without truly turning the screen on, or having to wake it every single time.
Secondary Display Functionality
The secondary display on the LG V20 is kinda a rare little feature, adding another layer to how the phone works. Basically it lets you reach quick settings, manage music playback, and check notifications without getting in the way of whatever is happening on the main screen. This is especially handy when you are multitasking , or if you just want to reduce distractions while you’re watching a video, or playing a game.
Also the secondary display is customizable , so you can pin shortcuts for your preferred apps and even a contact or two, for faster access. On top of that, it supports personalized text , meaning you can put in a custom line message or even a short note, that shows up when the phone is idle . Overall it feels like a useful addition to the LG V20, giving extra usability ,more options , and quicker reach to the stuff you tend to use, mainly for power users who like a bit more control and those quick taps without delays.
Home screen
The big advantage of the main screen is the large size and high resolution that cater to the requirements such as gaming, video viewing or web browsing. Through experimentation, the screen of the machine has the ability to display colors quite accurately. In addition, users can turn on the Comfort View (blue light filter) mode in the evening to protect the eyes, helping to sleep better and deeper.
Secondary monitor
The secondary monitor is located at the top of the main screen. Although small in size but the fonts used are larger, the application icons are also clearly displayed. Users can use this second screen as the function of a widget. When the phone is in the standby mode, it plays the notification role, allowing you to fine tune the music and perform various quick settings.
However, this screen also has many disadvantages: the message is displayed for a few seconds (users can not read); Not easy to interact with one-handed use; Consumes a pin (1% pin / 2 hours). Therefore, you can set a sub-screen off mode when you turn on the home screen or turn off the extra screen when in sleep mode.
Processor and performance
LG V20 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC processor and 4GB of RAM. Through testing, the phone has the ability to respond interactively fast, the interface runs very well. In addition, the transition between applications is also quite “smooth”.
About gaming capabilities, the device can run “well” games such as Mortal Kombat X, Pixel Gun 3D, Minecraft PE and Angry Birds 2, … To save battery and not affect performance, you can set up the battery in lower resolution mode.
Camera
The LG V20 has dual cameras: a 16MP sensor; An 8MP sensor with wide-angle lens. This type of lens is extremely convenient when using in group mode. However, the maximum viewing angle on the 8MP camera is only around 135 degrees, and the aperture is more narrow like F2.4, so there is a lack of optical steadiness. At the same time, the main camera includes the same thing too, but with the bigger aperture – F1.8, which ends up giving high image quality even when it’s low light outside or inside, and overall it just holds up better.
Camera interface
The camera apps on the LG V20 dont feel too far from what came before. Besides the automatic shooting mode, users can kind of choose the capture mode from the settings menu, like focus, exposure length, ISO sensitivity and also white balance. It almost seems, like its the same idea, just slightly rearranged.
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Multimedia
Through reviews, this handset stands out with two great advantages: audio reproduction and recording. The mono-speaker system on the bottom of the LG V20 gives great sound quality and clarity. In addition, the sound from the Quad DAC speakers and ESS Saber ES9218 chip also brings more “quality” sound. Therefore, when the sound is transferred through the 3.5mm headphone jack, the sound reproduces extremely low noise and distortion.
Regarding recording, this phone is packaged with a trio of microphones, capable of recording up to 132dB. In general, the recording sounds pretty clear, realistic. Users can use a pre-installed professional recording application to control microphones and filters. Thanks to that, the sound can be recorded with lossless quality.
Battery life
With a 3200mAh battery inside the LG V20 , you can probably squeeze out something like 6 hours 23 minutes of real day to day use, and then a bit more than 8 hours for call time too. The runtime is a bit under what you get on the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, and it also sits just below the Apple iPhone 7… but it still holds up better than the more aged OnePlus 3, and also the LG V10.
With QuickCharge 3.0 and a proper fast charger, the phone only needs around 86 minutes to reach a full charge. And it does roughly 30 minutes for that 15-65% stretch, so not too shabby. Since the battery is removable, people can swap the cell out for about $ 40.
Key Specifications of LG V20:
Display: 5.7″ LCD, Resolution 1440 x 2560 pixels
Main camera: 16MP
Processor: Snapdragon 820 quad core , 2.1 GHz 64 bit speed
RAM: 4GB
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac, dual-band , Bluetooth 4.2
Battery: 3200 mAh
Software and User Interface
Android Version and UI
The LG V20 showed up already running Android 7.0 Nougat straight out the box so, yeah it was one of the earlier phones to ship with that Android version. On top of Nougat LG puts its own kind of interface layer, like LG UX 5.0+ , it brings in a pile of added tools plus extra personalization options or touches depending how you look at it.
In day to day use, the user interface feels clean and pretty easy to manage. Everything is laid out in a direct way, so moving around isn’t confusing. You can turn the app drawer on or off depending on how you like things, and the settings panel is organized well, which makes finding specific options less of a hassle, more or less.
Customization and Features
With LG UX 5.0+ , the customization is fairly deep, meaning you can tune the phone’s vibe to match what you want. For example users can swap themes, modify the icon grid size, and even rework the on-screen navigation buttons. Also the secondary screen, that extra display, can be adjusted with different shortcuts, quick controls, and personalized text.
The software bundle has a few handy features too. KnockON is one of them, you can double tap the display to wake the device, it works quite smoothly. Then there’s Smart Bulletin, it gives quick access to widgets and key details right on the home screen. And LG’s QSlide apps are a strong point, because they let you use certain apps in floating windows, so multitasking feels more efficient overall.
Updates and Longevity
So, the LG V20 did get quite a few software updates after it came out, like the bump to Android 8.0 Oreo and that kind of thing. But honestly, it never really moved on to the newer Android versions after that. This sort of delay, or even full stop, is kinda usual with older phones because companies often focus their attention on fresh models. Still, the V20’s hardware is pretty capable, it can handle a lot of modern apps, and it can do plenty of today’s features without feeling completely stuck, so it’s still a decent pick for people who aren’t chasing the newest software.
Also, if you’re the type who is comfortable with custom ROMs, then yeah the LG V20 has an active developer scene. There are multiple custom ROM options out there that can bring newer Android versions, plus extra tweaks and extra features that the stock setup doesn’t really give you.
Connectivity
Network and SIM Support
The LG V20 covers a pretty wide range of network bands, so it should play nice with most carriers in different countries. You can buy it either as a single SIM, or the dual SIM version , and that can be helpful if you’re trying to keep two phone numbers sorted, or if you travel often and you’re swapping service plans around.
For mobile data, it supports 4G LTE, so you can expect quick speeds for browsing, streaming, and downloading. As for calls, call quality is strong, the audio tends to come through clearly, and the signal is reliable too, mostly because of the phone’s well tuned microphones and the advanced noise reduction tech.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
The LG V20 gives you dual-band Wi-Fi , 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, so you get quick and dependable wireless connectivity. It’s also equipped with Bluetooth 4.2, and that helps with all kinds of draadloze gear—think headphones, speakers , and even wearables or smart rings.
Bluetooth performance is pretty solid overall, with stable connections and a decent reach. On top of that, the V20 also supports aptX , plus aptX HD, which means high-quality music streaming through Bluetooth. So if you want wireless audio but you don’t want the sound quality to get stepped on, this phone is a good pick.
Other connectivity Options
Besides the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the LG V20 also has NFC (Near Field Communication) , which is good for tap-to-pay style payments, swapping files, and fast pairing with compatible gadgets. Then there’s the infrared (IR) blaster kind of thing, basically turning the phone into a universal remote , so you can control TVs, set-top boxes, and all sorts of other home entertainment equipment , without much fuss.
Having the IR blaster is a nice addition, mostly for people who prefer to steer multiple devices from one place. LG’s Quick Remote app makes setup and management easier, so you can configure different remotes without too much fuss , which adds to the V20’s overall flexibility.
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Tech Reviewer & Product Analyst
Định Bia has spent over 10 years testing consumer electronics with a focus on smart technology. He work as a product advisor at Biareview where he helped customers find the right devices for their needs. He personally tests every product featured on this site using a consistent evaluation framework covering quality, durability, and value. All reviews are based on experience, not influenced by the manufacturer.