The LG G7 ThinQ can be seen as a midcycle upgrade to the previous LG G6, sporting slightly upgraded features. While it’s not going to bowl over those who want the latest and greatest tech. It’s definitely going to appeal to those who want some fancy features in a very affordable package.
Like most of the LG lineup, the G7 ThinQ is a good alternative to the more obvious brands. And although it’s not going to set the world on fire with groundbreaking features. It can fill the gap for those who want a solidly performing smartphone. Thus, let’s see with a little time after release how well it fares in the real world.
Design
Firstly, the LG G7 ThinQ comes in a bunch of fancy colors, which includes New Moroccan Blue, New Aurora Black, Raspberry Rose, and New Platinum Grey. An aluminium frame contains the super tough Gorilla Glass, with a nicely bevelled design, which feels very comfortable in the hand.
The usual power and volume buttons are located on the side of the phone and are accompanied by a Google Assistant button that launches the AI helper and can be used for instant commands. A feature that should be on all smartphones is a 3.5mm headphone jack, which accompanies the readily available audio features, which we will come onto shortly.
The rear of the phone displays the dual 16MP camera and fingerprint reader which is conveniently located for easy access. The front camera comes in with an eight-megapixel resolution.
As far as processing power goes, a Snapdragon 845 processor has been included, along with 64GB of storage and a reasonable 4GB of RAM. If these numbers are still too small for you, then a 6GB RAM and 128GB storage version is also available. In terms of overall speed, these specs equate nicely with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Sony Xperia XZ2.
The 6.1 inch, 3,120 x 1,440 resolution screen is bright enough to light up a darkened room. Brightness settings are easily changed via the phone’s brightness boost mode, which makes it easily viewable in full sunlight.
The screen quality is viewable from the extreme sides of the phone, and while it may not have the overall sumptuous quality of something like a Samsung S9, it’s still very impressive – especially for the current asking price.
Lastly, the battery is rated at 3,300 mAh, which in real-world terms is adequate for a good day of use, but sits behind other brands’ flagship models in terms of power reserves.
The LG G7 ThinQ in Use
Speed doesn’t seem to be an issue with the LG G7 ThinQ, with no noticeable lag when zipping around the interface in general. Installing a few generally considered processor-intensive games doesn’t show any signs of slowing down the device. The installation of apps is very quick and efficient.
The camera system on the phone can provide Super-Wide-Angle shots, while also offering 19 shooting modes and AI CAM technology. The Portrait Mode serves up bokeh with an on-screen slider to change the settings. This is obviously not going to be as good as a very wide aperture lens, but it’s still very respectable as a software solution.
A Super Bright Camera mode is for low-light shooting, which saves using the flash all the time. The results here provide better-than-expected low-light images but can be affected by too much motion blur. The AI feature is reasonably good at predicting the ideal settings for an environment, but as always, there’s nothing like your own experience for acquiring the right amount of exposure.
The audio side of things is where some of the standout features of the G7 lie. It has turned a previous deficit into a feature called the Boombox Speaker.
Essentially, the small internal gap within the phone enhances bass response. When placed on a solid surface, volume and bass response are definitely enhanced. This feature isn’t going to make up for a high-quality set of speakers or headphones, but there is a definite upgrade in quality over a standard smartphone.
To further round out the audio features, the G7 comes with DTS:X virtual 3D sound and Hi-Fi Quad DAC. This means if you’re looking for a smartphone with some excellent audio features, the G7 is a great option.
How Does It Compare?
As we are bouncing around current prices, the Samsung Galaxy S9 is a contemporary device that also has a lot of swanky features. The S9 also contains the Snapdragon 845 CPU, with the same amount of RAM and storage as the G7, but with slightly less in the camera department. With a 12 megapixel rear-facing camera, but the same eight-megapixel f/1.7 front-facing version.
Battery capacity is the same on both phones, with each having Android 8 as the standard. Both phones have bags of features for the money, but if you’re more of an audiophile, than the G7 may be the better option.
However, the S9, even with its slightly smaller screen, has so much going for it that it’s hard to ignore when it’s lined up against any of the competition. Other options from LG include the LG V35 and the LG V40.
| LG G7 ThinQ | Samsung Galaxy S9 | |
| Processor | Snapdragon 845 CPU | Snapdragon 845 CPU |
| Screen | 6.1 inch | 5.8 inch |
| Camera | 16MP Dual | 12MP Dual |
Conclusion
Although the G7 isn’t a huge upgrade with massive amounts of groundbreaking features, it still has a lot to shout about to keep it competitive against other contemporary models, like the previous LG V30. The audio side of things makes it a good option for the music lovers out there, with great audio reproduction and enhanced dynamic range where it counts. The boombox speaker is also very innovative and a great way to listen to music straight from the phone.
The camera functionality works well, with the AI tech performing a reasonable job of predicting lighting scenarios. The dedicated Google assist functionality is quick to respond and the dedicated button being a very helpful feature.
While the G7 may not have the same street cred as something like an iPhone, it does have all the necessary features to make it a great value flagship model. Considering that the phone can be picked up for just a few hundred dollars, the G7 is a great option to shortlist for those who want some solid functionality.
