LG V50 ThinQ officially announced as the company’s first 5G smartphone

Besides announcing the LG G8 ThinQ during the Mobile World Congress, LG also has a new flagship in its V Series, the LG V50 ThinQ 5G. While it isn't clear why LG decided to release two flagships so close to each other, let's dive into what makes the LG V50 unique.

Design

In terms of design, the new LG V50 isn't very different from last year's LG V40 ThinQ. You get a familiar 6.4-inch OLED display with a 1440 x 3120 pixel (QHD+) resolution. The handset even retains the large notch from last year's model but has included two front-facing cameras (a regular 8MP sensor and a 5MP wide-angle one) this time. The bottom bezel also seems to be about the same thickness.

The body of the LG V50 is IP68 certified for water resistance, and compatible with the US military MIL-STD 810G standards for increased durability.

On the back of the device, the LG V50 has a triple-camera setup, and much like the LG G8, the company has managed to eliminate the camera hump totally once again. The cameras consist of a 12MP Standard F1.5 camera, 12MP Telephoto one with F2.4 and a 16MP wide-angle one with F1.9 aperture. LG is introducing the ability to capture portrait-mode videos with both the front and rear cameras.

Hardware

As expected the LG V50 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset but additionally includes the Snapdragon X50 5G modem. This feature sets it apart from its sibling the LG G8. You also get 128GB of storage, 6GB of RAM and a generous 4000mAh battery which will handle the power-hungry processors.

5G promises speeds of multiple gigabits per second, but the catch is that for now, the coverage of the 5G network is very limited. But if you plan to hold onto this device for a few years, we expect carriers will be expanding their networks at a rapid pace. In order to combat the 5G modem’s increased heat output, LG has added a new Vapor Chamber heat-dissipation system, similar to the ones we’ve seen on other brands.

Additionally, the LG V50 features Boombox Speaker, AI camera; Bluetooth 5.0; Quick Charge 3.0; Google Lens; 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Software

On the software end, you get Android 9.0 Pie out of the box, which has been customized with LG's own user interface.

Display Case for Dual Screen Experience

LG is releasing a special display case for the V50 ThinQ, which has its own display that works in tandem with the one on the phone. The secondary display can be used to perform separate tasks or provide additional screen real-estate for gaming or productivity.

Release and Availability

At this time LG hasn't revealed the pricing or release date for the LG V50 ThinQ or its display accessory.

With a competitive market, do you think LG's offering has what it takes to stand out as a serious contender for your money?