Gadgetory

this might be the most covered phone we've ever produced videos for before getting to a full review our initial hands on detailed all the new features our real audio review digs deep on the headphone and speaker playback our real camera review has a great reveal on just how good the dual camera system is and if you missed our v20 vs v10 comparison then you missed one of the best reveals we've ever shot on the microphone quality it's about four minutes into the comparison and we have them all linked in the description below this video as such what you're watching right now might feel more like a long-term recap than our usual phone review for all we can praise about this phone that has to be tempered against the fact that this was one of the poorer phone lunches of recent memory LG just couldn't get the timing right on this beast announcing the phone a day before the iPhone claiming to be the first phone with nougat but in many markets falling behind the pixel sending out pre-release units weeks before final carrier versions were produced this all contributed to a somewhat muted response for the v20 tech outlets and blogs can't make up the difference what a proper advertising campaign should achieve even with some fun spots from hit record it just doesn't seem that LG is really communicated what makes this phone unique to potential customers and it's a shame what with the huge phablet void left by the note 7 this would be a prime opportunity for any large screen device to try and fill that spot getting on with the v20 this phone is a monster our first impressions confirmed this is not a soft friendly all-rounder smartphone it's a multimedia powerhouse our concerns over the change in build and design were calmed after this phone survived a handful of drops during our real camera review it's a tough bugger though we're likely going to use a case in the future the rear has this beautiful satin finish but it's not quite as easy to hold on to as the v10 was with its grippy back the major build concerns here were not quite as confident in this camera housing there's a plastic guard circling the lenses and we'd highly recommend you leave this in place underneath is one continuous piece of glass and as this is raised from the back of the phone it becomes a prime target for potential abuse I'm still not the biggest fan of phablets but the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and software screen shrink helped quite a bit for one-handed use and in daily operation this phone is proven to be a capable performer but we're still apt to stumble into the odd hitch when driving the phone heart or multitasking LG's skin is a lot lighter than on previous devices and more of stock Android is showing through richer notifications improved multitasking and proper Google support for split screening apps that last bit is handy on the larger screen this might be my favorite setup now for writing while traveling it's just so compact gaming performance is par for the course the Snapdragon 820 is a capable chipset with only minor stutters or frame drops in marvel future fight better optimized games will play like buttah Network performance has been excellent on Verizon as is Wi-Fi reception for a metal backed phone neck and neck with the huawei mate night as mentioned earlier we have a trio of videos to dig in deep on audio and camera performance but as a quick recap here this is a content creators dream phone for all the comments we get from folks telling us we shouldn't judge phone cameras and microphones against professional gear or regular people just don't shoot this way the v20 stands as a formidable counter argument more than any other device we've reviewed audio and video from the v20 has worked its way into our content nearly seamlessly did we mention the v20 versus v10 comparison you should watch around the four-minute mark there no spoilers here the V 20 is overkill for folks looking at covering the basics or shooting full auto on over-processing HDR modes to get those good colors that should be understood in the V 20s price tag but we live in an era where slapping the word pro on a device just means better like game consoles can be pro Hardware not so much LG's V Series phones should be understood as pro devices the auto modes are capable but this device lights up once you start participating in creating your content for those who want it the V 20 gives user plenty of room to grow the audio game is on point you get a good speaker as good as a mono bottom firing speaker really can be but the headphone jack leaps to the top of our list this is the best no better I could go on but why this rocks lastly battery life is still one area where the V Series might give some people concerns it's well improved over the v10 but powerhouse performance comes with bigger power draw our media tests streaming 30 minutes of HD video over Wi-Fi at 190 Lux the V 20 drained 7% of its battery really using the cameras or the - AK can cut into your runtime - the recharge game is better than average though 30 minutes on the included charger resulted in a 40% top off and of course investing in a spare battery can help you out during an extended run in the field this being one of the last premium devices to still offer a user removable battery so let's wrap this up where's that leave us with the LG v 20 well it should be pretty clear by now that this is personally my favorite phone of the year LG's lame launch notwithstanding no other phone has come anywhere near aiding me and getting my work done and delivering on my favorite fun features for folks who aren't PocketNow editors the recommendation hinges on a couple key questions would you pay a premium for expanded camera controls high quality microphones and the absolute best headphone jack on any phone likely ever produced can you handle mid-pack battery life and can you trade enhanced water resistance to gain enhanced drop protection and that removable battery if you're not inked more than shaking your head no then the V 20 is likely a good fit for you too with the focus on professional features the V 20 might stand as a niche device but it's the undisputed king of its niche just a shame that many people won't even know it exists as always thanks so much for watching be sure to subscribe to this channel for more reviews like these and check out the incredible number of videos we've already produced on this phone to get the full scoop on camera and audio performance for pocket now on juan-carlos bag now some gadget guy on Twitter and Instagram I will catch you all on the next review