Can a Five Year Old Phone Compete Today? How Far has Android Come Since the LG V50?

TEAM SGG PATREON / somegadgetguy It's the time of year we can look back and reflect. We're starting to get a look at 2024 devices. How far has Android come over the last five years? Revisiting the LG V50, let's see how well it can hang against modern powerhouse phones. Will it be completely outclassed? Over course it will!
Enthusiasts want more performance, but will an old premium phone lose SO bad that consumers would want to upgrade their phone? This conversation is more complicated than a GeekBench score...
Juan's Phone Photography Book amzn.to/2HqvUCk
SomeGadgetGuy's Gear List
Panasonic G85 amzn.to/2oKNwAm
Panasonic G9 amzn.to/2XU3mLQ
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 amzn.to/39uXahF
Olympus 17mm f/1.8 amzn.to/2StRDxF
Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 amzn.to/2LAASjA
RODE Wireless GO II amzn.to/3m2x5Mj
Audio-Technica Lavalier amzn.to/2WywofM
Focusrite 6i6 Audio Interface amzn.to/2p5l7py
Shure SM57 Microphone amzn.to/2oypnLm
Cloudlifter CL1 amzn.to/2oKN9G5
LED Light Panels amzn.to/2oy60ls
AJA U-TAP HDMI amzn.to/2wfprBF
Elgato HD60 S amzn.to/2p95Unu
--------------------------------------
SGGQA Podcast RSS: feeds.feedburner.com/SGGQA
SGGQA Podcast on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1CoyEVl...
SGGQA Podcast Google Play: play.google.com/music/listen?...
SGGQA Podcast iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
SGGQA Podcast on Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/juan...
SGGQA Podcast on PlayerFM: player.fm/series/sggqa-podcas...
SGGQA Podcast on Archive.org: archive.org/search.php?query=...
Official site: somegadgetguy.com/2012/07/15/s...
Juan on Mastodon - techhub.social/@SomeGadgetGuy
Juan on Twitter - / somegadgetguy
Juan on Instagram - / somegadgetguy
Juan on Patreon - / somegadgetguy
Links on this page may be affiliate links which help support production on this website.
#android #benchmark #lgv50thinq

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Patrons got early access to this video and can watch in 4K here! www.patreon.com/posts/can-five-year-93857089 HUGE thank you to all the folks helping and supporting production on this channel! These videos would literally not be possible with out the support! YOU ROCK!

[@thatzaliasguy]

I'm _still_ rocking my trusty LG V60 5G. Long live LG Mobile.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Heck yeah! That baby is a WORK TRUCK of a phone!

[@simplyalan7260]

My G4 is at the end of its life..... I'm tired of sideloading steadfasterX's ROMs.... Still a decent pho e though ..

[@MuhammadKharismawan]

​@@SomeGadgetGuyI use the dual screen case as well, and have dropped it tens of times, only when I drop it when it is open did it suffers some damage, the hinge Is in trouble but connection still solid.

[@snowbunny1343836]

Im on my v60 still.

[@chubbyjohnson5480]

I went through two of them. I had hardware issues on both. I gave up and moved on.

[@bmuhamad]

My phone is still running well, 5 years after the fact....The domestic LG-V50.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

I think a LOT of older androids from the LTE era are probably doing well today...

[@aliaselchore]

GS10e is rocking my daily work life. GPS, Email, calls, messages all day. Battery it's meh 😑 but the phone keeps up.

[@kukimaci]

Another V50 user here, still running strong. Battery, performance still good. Haven't felt the need for an upgrade yet. I also have a working V30 as a company phone. RIP LG phones.

[@sidersproductions941]

Salute bro!

[@lukecwolf]

Same! If it weren't for a terrible camera issue, I would use the lg50 to this day

[@baldman5739]

Always loved your reviews, Juan! One of the best reviewers I enjoy to watch ❤

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Appreciate that 😊

[@pumpedupbro4200]

I'm happy with my LG v60 and it's going strong. My use cases are very simple that includes listening to FLAC files, revanced youtube, ssh, ftp, remote viewing, casting, camera and occasionally zipping of files. I also use bamboo stylus with my dual screen. I love this phone so much that I have purchased another v60 as a backup

[@Zombieflourish]

I have my LG G8 ever since it was released, and it still holding up neatly, the fact that I also used to have a Sony Xperia 1m2 and decided to sold it and kept LG G8 said a lots of things about LG phones.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's so hard leaving that quad DAC...

[@mackdon6920]

No lies decected regarding quad dac on LG G8.@@SomeGadgetGuy

[@bishopinskipp2113]

My V35 is still in service. Emails, texts, browsing and shopping all still good enough for me. I still get comments about how good the pictures taken on it look. The screen looks as awesome as it did when I bought it in 2019. Notchless with a headphone jack and sd card support. I would love to have the V50 as an upgrade but I'm in no hurry.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

That V30 era was solid.

[@mackdon6920]

@@SomeGadgetGuy How are people still using the V30 and V35 in 2023? I'm thinking about buying one if the price is low.

[@valterditman946]

​@@mackdon69204GB of RAM is not good, so better look for a V35 with 6GB, but there may be some problems using GCam for photos (without that app V30 & V35 photos are trash cos not working HDR)

[@JuicyJLee]

If you thinking of getting the v50 rather the v60

[@fearsmasher1299]

Don't you worry about no updates? I still have one but haven't been using it for this reason.

[@LibericaBorneo]

Watching this on my LG G8x on stock LG Android 10. Still running fine. My daily driver is a battered LG G8 which I am eventually going to replace with an LG V60, which I have two with dual screens ✌️ Very happy with all of them, thanks for bringing up the LG.

[@MandoMTL]

Went the same route as you. No regrets. The V60 is a beast.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

The last classic year of LTE phones. I feel it was maybe the best overall year for mobile.

[@huychantara]

I still have my V50 got it in 2020. Can't believe i have this phone for almost three years. after i check the battery cycle it's nearly 1500 cycle and yet screen on time is still almost 5h. this phone is still hold up very well in my opinion

[@EggheadAssasin]

How did you check the cycles?

[@lumberjack674]

I'm still using my V50 for listening to music and for taking manual videos. Gcam support is also great. Got it used market in Aug 2019 still works great after all this years. Will used it until it gives up on me.

[@Magnetorheological]

Bought a refurbished LG V60 3 years ago, and while it's not my main phone anymore, I still use it everyday for the headphone jack/DAC for my nicer headphones :)

[@FAT8893]

LG's Quad DAC really hard to beat.

[@jaferkhan4108]

You're making me want a V50 now Juan, lovely seeing you again with an LG device

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

LOL I do tend to have the effect on folks, but I would also say this show down would perform similarly well for almost ALL the premium phones from 2019.

[@captainmorgan5449]

I picked up a new LG V50 a couple of months. I still have my V40. The V50 has a larger battery and the phone last a full day. My V40 would be running on fumes by 3pm. Also, Quad H.D. display, Quad dac, IP68 protection, headphone jack, resonance chamber built into phone, 5 cameras, Mill standard build quality. I also added full malware protection with a VPN. Umm...you will not find that on any midrange phone today. I could have brought a current flagship for 1k...but why? My needs are met for much less. Scoop one up...best bang for the buck.

[@walid6329]

I can't handle the idea of switching my LG V60 this phone is a beast and still fast and has a lasting battery even tho it's almost been 4 years

[@FAT8893]

Snapdragon 865/865+/870 is still a plenty powerful SoC in 2023.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's a bummer. There's literally no direct replacement for a V60. Every other phone has serious compromises.

[@walid6329]

@@SomeGadgetGuy Xperia is kinda there but the software support is terrible to say the least, the only logical plan forward for me is to get and S24 Ultra if it's good and get myself a nice music player

[@ShaiyanHossain]

the xperia is also too expensive and too limited in its scope @@walid6329

[@zerstorerromero4629]

LG phones really helps me a lot for my audio reviewing. I have LG V20, LG G7, LG X4+ and LG V50. I owe these devices for my success on reviewing IEMs . You are one of few phone reviewers that really specialises on audio.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

HECK YEAH! LG is a still a monster option for mobile audio. LGs have a brilliant second life as media players. 👍

[@zerstorerromero4629]

@@SomeGadgetGuy agree. Even I already have DAPs and USB dongles as part of my tools, The LG phones will always be part of my arsenal to test some of the latest IEMs in the market. Hiby Crystal 6 II and LG phones are one of the best pairing that I've got so far.

[@morelive]

Watching this on my LG V50 ThinQ 5G

[@JadedByReality]

I am still using my V50 and see no reason to upgrade after nearly 5 years. I bought it after watching your videos back then.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Heck yeah! Check around and see if any shops near you can do a battery replacement. Keep that puppy running for EVER 😁

[@agunemon]

Glad you still make these reviews, like you even did years back with a 4 year old huawei compared to modern phone stuff/use and it passed with flying colors. Still havent felt the need to change my V50... I got a pocket wifi to avoid using data and it did wonders to the battery life plus since I always carry a bag I dont have to worry about storage space. After a rough beating for 5 years it finally got a small crack at the corner but no damage other than that. As a preceptor I use it to record videos of my trainees to send to the main institute to be graded by the other instructors... and they've occasionally asked if I used a dedicated camera for the videos because mine always came clearer less shaky than every other assessment videos they received... and thats just a simple 1080p vid spliced together with capcut XD Im still not sure what to replace it with if in case it fails... if it does fail this or next year XD. I game mainly on Bloons, Masterduel and ppsspp. My dad is still rocking and is happy with his S20FE, and my brother is rocking an even older pocoF1. Buying a flagship even a 2nd hand flagship is definitely the best bang for buck.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Oh yeah! That Nova is still a little champ. I wish more folks would just look up if they could get their battery replaced. It's like getting a brand new phone again.

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

Yeah agree. I scour resale market for bargains. Pixel 7 pro is 350 from Amazon renewad. Thinkphone 399 nee, 350 renew. Pixel 6 pro is 235. They all still get 3 more years of security patches at least b

[@gabriels.carrionvivar5060]

please take the nova on a video this year

[@Royal_R3GALIA]

Just bought a korean version v50. Planning to activate the 5g system later this week.

[@salilp84]

I bought a v50 after watching your review in Nov 2020. Still enjoy using the phone and plan to keep it for another year at least.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

I love that. It's such a little work truck of a phone.

[@sephatu6521]

Watching this on my LG G7. The original LCD is still great without ever putting a screen protector. I am not ready to sacrifice the headphone jack and sd card for these newer phones 😢

[@onelyone6976]

I had a beaten up LG G6 that was showing clear signs of aging, but I could not bring myself up to supporting the removal of essential features. So I ended up at the the only option I could buy new within my budget, the Sony Xperia 5 III

[@aquaponieee]

i personally use budget devices which fulfill my use cases and still have headphone jacks and MicroSD cards, so I'm ok (still wish the phone was significantly smaller and had removable batteries and no notches/cutouts though.. whatever)

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Yeah. ANY other phone will be a bit of a downgrade for audio. Sony's DAC is "good", and Sony does an excellent job on minimizing distortion in their audio, but their amp is SUPER weak compared to the G7. There just isn't a proper replacement without spending at LEAST $100 more on a dongle DAC.

[@EricDrummondBPCP]

Great job as always. I think that last part explains why I dropped benchmarks from my reviews in their entirety. What a few years ago now cuz the benchmarks don't really mean anything. What really matters is does the phone work for you? Does it do everything you needed to do? Does it make your life more convenient and are you happy with it? Cool, if not, how much are you willing to spend? And here's my recommendation and here's how this particular phone performed when I put it through his paces. That's pretty much how my review style goes these days. Keep up the great work bro. Have a good one and I'll catch you on the next one. I really got to figure out what issue patreon was having because I really do miss those camera deep dives some of my favorite full camera coverage on the internet.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Hit me up if there's anything I can do to help sort out issues!

[@EricDrummondBPCP]

@@SomeGadgetGuy I fixed it. I had to clear out everything and then do everything over and then it reapproved my membership. It's good to be back lol

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Glad to have you back! 😁👍

[@BlueAtticus]

You're easy one of my best tech reviewers I ever came across. Thank you for what you do.

[@savots3812]

This is honestly the first review I see that actually says how the phone performs during long usage, apart from some comparison of gaming phones or when I deliberately search for thermal test. For newer phones GSMArena does thermal tests but they're not in the main spec page. Notebookcheck also does them so these are the only 2 sources I use for reviews. I think the little power part is a problem only for the cheaper midrangers (and probably samsung's A50 series in Europe) because of all the "let's put AI on everything" and the tracking features of every app now. But this is a problem online as well where most webpages load their content for fraction of a second but take a few seconds to load all the tracking parts. So now we need much more power to load the same content (like actual content that you read/see) for the same time, just because of all the extra stuff...

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

We're seeing that HARD with AI. I promise you that 24GB of RAM on a phone has NO benefit to even the heaviest of apps and games. But it WILL be necessary when you're unpacking BILLIONS of parameters for a LLM...

[@bagelishalkias4772]

I agree with you! Especially lg v gen is one of a kind. I have a v30 and it still runs pretty well,. I love lg phones and l think they're much better from other phones. Keep making videos like this. Good job 👏 👏👏👏👍👍👍👍👍

[@TheTechPreacher]

Great video. LG fans stand up

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

My man!

[@ghayes220]

Excellent comparisons, Juan. Great test(s)

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Thanks bud! Trying to show what these phones can really do 👍

[@orangeyellow-me1pz]

Ah... The v series. The only phone series that allowed me to feel comfortable with leaving my DAP at home. Why are we going backwards in tech in some aspects?

[@marasion0862]

Manufacturers want you to buy their Bluetooth earbuds, so they removed the headphone jack. And the average consumer doesn't really care or know about high quality audio, so most prople aren't bothered and buy the devices anyway.

[@orangeyellow-me1pz]

@@marasion0862 preaching to the choir. People actually think that Bluetooth is better until I explain how low quality it still is. There's a reason the best and most expensive headphones in the world are wired.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Look at all the incredible engineering and the insane costs and investments to consumer tech JUST so we could KIND OF drag wireless earbuds back up to "near CD quality". Replacing a cable is often a silly endeavor...

[@orangeyellow-me1pz]

@@SomeGadgetGuy I agree. Bluetooth is convenient but I just liked it better when we all had options. I like to be able to choose when I want convenience and when I want wires. Phones used to have both. it's not quite the same as transitional technology because normally, the new tech replacing the old tech was normally better. Now we just stepped back. I've had my Audiotechnica MSR7 for I think 8 or 9 years now. I got them before they were released in the states. I can't say the same about any of my Bluetooth earbuds.

[@thewillsfamilyaccount6486]

Nicely done! 😊

[@MrRaiderg77]

You are the GOAT of reviewers Juan

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Hey thanks for that. I appreciate it 😊

[@damolin77]

When I look at a phone the main thing I look for are updates I don't play many games but do like editing pictures and videos. A 4500mah batter can last me 2 days.

[@mrangles3402]

This why I always Love MrCarter reviews. He uses it like a normal person would use a phone.

[@2dozen22s]

Love my V50, still using it as my main driver even with the 3G services cut off. I'll either get the korean model or a v60 when it finally kicks the dust

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's such a gem. I wish we had gotten the proper V500 here in the USA. This dual display is STILL a killer competitor to folding phones.

[@bmuhamad]

@@SomeGadgetGuy Looking forward, should I have problems with the V50, I'll just roll over to the V60, & poke around for the 2nd screen. Thanks.

[@leeszeyong]

Watching this on a v50. Using it with my secondary sim, great for media content and spotify music during my daily commute with er2se

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

LG and music will ALWAYS go together like peanut butter and jelly...

[@Gabilleta]

3 things my family cares about in a phone. 1- Battery life, 2- Storage, 3- Readability. Performance RARELY comes up whenever they need a new phone. Charging speeds is distant 4th.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

I feel that's a MUCH more common list that most tech reviewers usually acknowledge.

[@sudaisumar2471]

Finally 😊gotten the video I was searching for

[@JamesJonesTech]

Idk how I got unsubscribed from your channel man. 2nd one today I’ve caught. Thankfully the algorithm brought me back. As a person with a couple old LGs that still work on the shelf, this was a great video.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Oh we all know KZbin is rough these days LOL.

[@jbrophybaseball]

I use a V60 nearly day-to-day, and it comes in clutch as I report on Minor League Baseball games in the Florida heat during summer. I have an S22 Ultra that I occasionally use instead because of the periscope zoom, but I've had too many heat issues recording video with it, while the V60 has never given me any issues. I use InShot to edit videos (I just need to trim videos and place a watermark for social media) and Lightroom to edit a few photos at a time from my Sony mirrorless but recording a full inning of baseball in the blazing sun (which sometimes exceeds a half hour) takes a HUGE toll on cooling performance. Thank you for always testing phones the way that people actually use them.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Right on! And I'm glad to hear that. It helps confirm some of my "in the lab" measurements. Like, it's neat that a new phone can burst perform with a laptop, but I can't count on that for longer use outside.

[@accesser]

My LG v40 thinQ still goes great for flying drones and casual Internet browsing

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

I think it's another bummer with focusing on the trade in market, I think a LOT of folks would do better with a new phone, and KEEPING their old phone as a back up. Like, an old LG is often better than a premium standalone media player.

[@penalvesdelimajosemambuque3291]

Excellent video, man! Some of us really need to know if we can still buy SD855 Phones, and you delivered that.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's like they're still perfectly respectable pocket computers! CRAZY!

[@2011Kestrel]

I’m still rocking the Samsung S10 I bought in May 2019. It does everything I need it to do, although the battery is beginning to wear down. Still, I’m in no rush to drop $1000+ on a new phone when my S10 is still working fine.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's ALWAYS worth seeing if there's a shop near you that can replace the battery.

[@2011Kestrel]

@@SomeGadgetGuy My battery isn’t bad enough to try a replacement yet - although I’ll be looking into doing so when the time comes. My S10 used to last (with my usage) from 8 AM to 11 PM. Now, with similar usage, it dies at around 7 PM. No biggie - I have wireless chargers at work, in my car and at home, plus a power bank in my bag if I need to top up. And after four-and-a-half years of constant use, I’m still quite happy with my phone. The only thing I would like is a better camera - my cats are a little too quick for my S10. 🐈🐈‍⬛😁

[@mikekelly702]

Great Video Juan...I have the LG V50...Ive had this phone since its release...., Ive used iPhones, had a Samsung temporarily, but the LG V50 is the best phone Ive ever owned. I looks great, round/curved edges, no camera bump, and the cam takes great pix. I'll prolly use it till i doesn't come on any longer!!!

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

DRIVE IT TIL THE WHEELS FALL OFF! 😊

[@nexustanks81]

LG V50 is literally the first "folding phone" concept when it first came out. So sad that the LG mobile have to closed down.....

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

We lost SO much when LG left...

[@lordlopes2424]

This just show that old flagships are better,good thing I got a LG V60 last year.

[@kevinv.5961]

I'm still daily driving an LG v40 XD

[@ccyc4217]

I still using my LG Wing and LG Velvet after 2years+, except gaming these phones are running really well, both are running on android 13 september patch but i guess the software update period is over for now

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Yeah I think we're properly done with support. We did WAY better on updates than I was expecting though.

[@compmanio36]

Still rocking my S10+ and pretty happy with it. It still does everything I need a phone to do. Still plays any games I want to play. Camera is still alright. Sound is still pretty good with the dual speakers. Why upgrade? Because it doesn't get the highest scores in artificial benchmarks? And it has features, like the headphone jack, that Samsung and pretty much everybody else has done away with. We're long past the days when you had to upgrade yearly to play the latest games or actually got a really massive upgrade in features worth spending the money on. I think if you buy a quality hardware device, you can rock it for 5+ years with careful use. Even my battery is still at around 78% capacity after all these years. But as you showed, if you're the kind of power user doing actual desktop work on your phone, yeah, you'll definitely get a boost from newer SOCs and the efficiency they bring to the table. Those are the people who were probably upgrading every year already.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Even for the extra compute power, the last year of LTE phones were more practical computers. Headphone jacks, with expandable storage, and features like Dex. The S10 is a better overall practical computer than an S23.

[@DatzEchoDA1]

Flossy Carter. Great tech reviewer for average joes like me. Fun to watch. Great video buddy,,,!

[@animedrips]

Watching this on my LG G8s (European version)!!!This phone holds up quite well in 2023

[@rc1707]

As a person who's not an average consumer, having the latest cpu with upgraded gpu definitely helps with emulators such as citra, dolphin, and especially yuzu when you can download and install updated gpu drivers especially when some games even with my 8gen2 devices cant get to 30 frames per second. I do find it annoying when a soc's architecture changed too much and the apks i used in a older gen cpu no longer works until the developers make code changes so the apps no longer crash

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

I don't mess MUCH with emulation, but I'm dabbling a bit more with yuzu and winlater. We're SO close to just legit emulating full windows environments from phones. 👀

[@rc1707]

I agree, it seems like we are so close when the 8 gen 3 is many times more powerful than the mediatek p60 that is in my lenovo duet chrome book, but no android company is BRAVE enough to allow duel booting. Even samsung stopped at samsung dex even though they had a beta version Linux at one point for their phones.

[@aquaponieee]

you could've spent several times less for a Nintendo Switch and a far better experience?

[@rc1707]

I do have a switch, but when you have a kid and a switch is something extra to think of to bring on a vacation. Having a phone that can do everything helps a lot.

[@samcurmudgeon]

My LG Wing is still my trusty backup phone (reduces the anxiety of having a Galaxy Fold) and with a Backbone gaming controller it is a great mobile gaming console.

[@decske]

My wife is the 3rd user of my Huawei Mate 10 Pro from 2017. Only the battery was changed some years ago, but it is still going strong. Because she is not using it as a banking solution, the older software (Android 10 with old security patch) is not that of a concern. However, in the long run, I want to replace it with something like a pixel a series phone if it will get the same support as the main pixel phones. Not because she needs it, but because of the software situation. It is also interesting, that if you find a phone, that can deliver every feature you want, how little you want to replace it, even if you changed phones like clothes before.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Mate 10 was a MONSTER too. Such a good phone.

[@jcxfuego]

Loved the review, I wish you had the v50s too to review it!

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's one of the few LGs I couldn't quite get my hands on. We got something CLOSE with the G8S, but not quite the same.

[@abdurahmanasiri]

Reporting here on an LG V30+ ThinQ!! It's been a long journey indeed. Soon to change this beauty though.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

ALWAYS hold on to an old LG as a back up media player!

[@RexGanymede]

juan. **you** do a good job of _keeping it real_ for us. 😊

[@KayKeneetit]

I miss your LG reviews! I fell and smashed my Pixel Pro 7 this week. I just pulled out my LG V60 and it’s doing just fine! What to buy next…?

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

I miss DOING LG reviews LOL! It makes me so sad they left, but at least they went out on a high note. The v60 is a proper work truck.

[@shinyorangenarwhal]

I've been so tempted to go back to use my LGG8 to see how it stands up to my Xperia 5 M2

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

The G8 is such a little champ. I can still do the air gestures almost flawlessly 😅

[@pandevera2244]

your reviews are some of the reasons i considered getting another lg after g4 (v50s + dual screen), then another (g8 with that cool hand id and face id that lets me go straight to homescreen without swiping up), then another (wing)... 3/4 still working good...

[@Rezzzn0r]

Great video ;) I miss my old V20 features...

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Yeah. What I wouldn't give for a modern V20... Sigh...

[@colboi007]

awesome review formula and it really makes sense if you review tech tihis way. more power and more videos ahead!

[@inpursuitofhappiness366]

Too bad LG didn't create more phones and it's almost a monopoly now with Samsung and their stubborn one ui and over sharpening algorithms I got the lgv20 based on your recommendation back in the day and owned it for 3 years. Swapped the battery once. It was awesome. Still have it as backup My only problem was with the UI, which has slowed down heavily, which is the only problem Still takes great photos, videos have manual mode as well and the quad dac is such an important feature for me that I don't find in recent phones. I use a usb dongle now on my Motorola Edge 30 Ultra.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's a bummer. What I wouldn't give for a new V20 with the same general build but modern internals...

[@colebendoggettyounger2610]

Samsung doesn't have a monopoly. There is Motorola, Nokia, Sony, TCL, and others out there. You just have to look.

[@inpursuitofhappiness366]

@@colebendoggettyounger2610 no Mostly when you say Android, you say Samsung. You get something else and people are like why what happened. And you are stuck with what they offer. I got a s22 plus because of this pressure, absolutely hated it. Now have myself the edge 30 ultra and getting by without relying on the phone's photo processing

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Samsung isn't QUITE as dominant as they used to be, but with so many people "leasing" phones they can't really afford, the majority of Android owners in the USA likely get a Galaxy from their carrier. It's a MUCH smaller market for folks who know they can shop phones outside their carrier stores.

[@colebendoggettyounger2610]

​@@SomeGadgetGuymost people don't use their phones for high level gaming, professional type stuff, or video editing or conferencing etc. most people email, tik tok, FB, and take a few pics and play simple games. You don't need to spend 1000 for a phone for that. A 200 dollar or 300 dollar phone before taxes and a warranty can do that. People have to look in different places.

[@DragoonMS]

Right now, you're the best in the bitness as far as thorough testing and examples go; one of the only others that I'm aware of has pretty much left the tech game in favor of doing other stuff (Travis McP). My Galaxy S10+ wasn't struggling on the battery too much, but it was absosmurfinlutely CHOKING on storage, even with having a 512 GB Micro SD card in there. So in September 2022, I upgraded my S10+ to the S22 Ultra, and my wife's S10+ to the plain S22 - in the same Phantom Black as my Ultra, because T-Mobile had shockingly *ALREADY* run out of the pink S22 & S22+. Barring any similar choking on storage, I don't see the need to upgrade again until at least 2025-26.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

You should be doing fine for a WHILE. Still kills me though that we can't add cards to any phones now except Sony... Sigh...

[@DragoonMS]

Exactly why I said "Barring any similar choking on storage"... because that's a lot more likely since these manufacturers thought it was a good idea to remove Micro SD card support again. And unlike last time, when Samsung did that with the Galaxy S6 family (including the Note5)...this time around, it seemed like more folks just didn't care anymore than those who didn't like that move. Same for the removal of the headphone jack.

[@eddiestilll]

i'm writing this on my huawei p20 pro which i still use every day and had no urge to upgrade. a 2018 phone model that's well over 5 years at this point. it does everything perfectly still for my average needs which includes calling, texting, social media, web browsing, and supports all the apps that i use.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Huawei did NOT get enough credit for how well EMUI kept the phone running smooth. I haven't pulled a Huawei out of retirement in a while. I might need to play...

[@mollerbt]

Personally, I would have taken this LG phone design over anything comparable being pumped out today, just putting that out there. 😊

[@megabojan1993]

My current iphone is 4 years old and it works like a charm. I plan on using it for a 2-3 years more.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

That's the way! Run it until the wheels fall off 👍

[@f0XxXxXxX]

Been using Samsung for a few years now. Oneui has been refined so much that it's actually a pretty good piece of software. Got an "old" note 20 ultra and it feels proper quick don't really need anything more recent for my needs but my all time favourite was my LG V20, that was a phone ahead of it's time.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

What I wouldnt give for a V20 with modern internals... Sigh...

[@BrianGlaze]

The best part was seeing that wireless mouse connected to the phone 👀👀.nindojt know why it never crossed my mind to do that lol

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

LOL It's silly, but it worked.

[@michaeljackson6106]

Hello Juan, it's always a pleasure to watch your videos, I am so grateful you do them. I have a question... I plan on opening my KZbin channel and I use Lg v60 as my daily but have the V50 as secondary, though I would use it as camera for shooting the vids, I would you to read you on this. Long live LG and your channel.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

The V50 will certainly sound better than the V60 if you're using the built in mics. Both should look pretty good for video to get you started.

[@michaeljackson6106]

@@SomeGadgetGuy Sorry for last sentence, I missed to write "like". Your response is greatly apreciated. Thanks Juan. 🙏

[@IbraheemALBalushi]

أتفق معك الأجهزة المتقدمة في حينها لاتزال جيدة جدا في الأداء ، و السؤال الذي يبدر للعميل هل معايير الأداء الأعلى مجدية مقابل السعر الباهض. شخصيا أعتقد أن الأجهزة المتقدمة لها القدرة على العمل بشكل جيد جدا حتى بعد ٤ سنوات، وممكن أعطي جهازي الذي مضى عليه ٥ سنوات على الأقل للأبناء، أو الاحتفاظ كجهاز احتياط

[@PhillipMaquiso]

Still using it with its dual screen . No complains whatsoever.

[@olivermorning4945]

After the LG Dac, I am very happy to be using the ROG 5s 16/512. Yes the performance is great but that headphones jack made me even more happy that Asus can somewhat replace my LG ear candy need

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's the last game in town. Replacing the Quad DAC is roughly a $100- $200 purchase grabbing a dongle DAC.

[@ezradanger]

My wife is still using a S10e along side a S23 and she says the only real difference she notices between them is in pictures. She usually uses the S23 for pictures, unless shes taking a food picture for her blog, then she actually prefers the S10e because its able to focus on the whole plate better. But for daily use, she doesnt have a preference between them.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's tough right? We have to get REALLY specific about REALLY high level computing tasks to properly demonstrate differences between phones made FIVE years apart. 🤯

[@ezradanger]

@@SomeGadgetGuy yeah, I'm planning on upgrading my OP9 to the 12 when it comes out in a few months, because I will actually notice and appreciate the difference, but for her, she genuinely doesn't. It's a testament both to how much progress has been made at the bleeding edge, and also to how good phones already were 5 years ago.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Dude. I'm excited for you. I LOVED the OP9 year, but switching from an 888 to an 8G3 will be a FUN upgrade. Drive that puppy HARD. 😁

[@glsracer]

This review is quite fitting. I bought a Pixel 8 Pro about a month ago and other than the camera and battery life, I don't really notice much of a performance difference between it an my old OP9 with its Snapdragon 888. In fact the UI on the OP9 is often far more smooth. I probably would have returned the Pixel if not for the newer cameras.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's like only a handful of features really get that attention now. There were tests where the V50 was hanging with and outperforming the Pixel Fold 👀

[@glsracer]

@@SomeGadgetGuy it really shows how important driver optimizations are. Qualcomm had done this really well for at least 10 years. The Pixel 8 Pro has some really great co-processing for photography but I get the sense that Google hasn't fully optimized the tensor cores for much else. It makes me think they're leaving a lot of performance on the table.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Oh I totally agree. I feel they're going REALLY conservative now to pace out the updates and new features for their seven year commitment.

[@glsracer]

@@SomeGadgetGuy that's a good point, I hadn't really thought about it like that. It's definitely possible that they might slow roll improvements and optimizations over the first 2 to 3 years at least.

[@mr.crumbles2557]

Watching from my v60 ❤

[@youtubeyolk]

Still using the V30 for my audio needs, still have no issues/complaints software side!

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's SO HARD leaving a quad DAC. LG's are AMAZING media players.

[@dman535]

I retired my v50 this year for a One Plus 11 and i feel like the difference in day to day usage us substantial. The extra ram, newer radios and more cpu aid in the day to day jumping between apps without lag. The 256gb has proven to be enouch, got a usb dongle dac for audio and do miss the fm radio . My V50 was on Verizon andoid and maybe its lack of optimization was the culprit in slowing down the V50. So far i have been happy with the OP11 and an glad i made the switch.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Battery health is also one of the culprits. But it is nice jumping into something fresh, but you avoided ALL the drama with the 888 and 8G1. 👍

[@FAT8893]

You do have a fair point about optimization. LG Gallery app on Android 12 seems somewhat slow to load, including on my Wing. But when I updated my Wing to Android 13, it's so much better now.

[@Nayr7928]

Loved the V series, specially the V20, was my dream phone

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

What i wouldn't give for another V20 with more modern internals.

[@mauriciotrujillo3116]

I still use it as a media player, remote , random browsing. Incredible phone with that useful secondary screen.

[@flame0814]

still using lg v20, it outlived my last 2 NEW phones for some reason. never even thought i would get here when i bought it in 2016

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Replaceable batteries and good build quality. The V20 was a TANK.

[@bmuhamad]

Juan, what's the best company to buy the phone from? My V50, is a Sprint phone. I see a used V60 from Verizon. Are these any good? Perhaps I could find a decent carrier, if I keep poking around...

[@Knightstorm12]

Myself I use a V60 Dual Screen for my productivity device and it does very well today

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

V60 is a CHAMP. I purposely tracked back to the "transition" era moving from LTE to 5G. It's so disappointing to think that 5G has pretty much been a bust.

[@Kirmo13]

As an owner of a 6+ year old phone, the only reason worth upgrading is security updates edit: which btw, it's completely crazy that manufacturers can lock the bootloader and restrict root access for the sake of "security", but then not give any security updates to their phones. It's either-or!

[@flat-out]

Ah yeah...I'm still using my LG G8 everyday and love it. But 2024 I will have to replace it eventually.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

I LOVE that little G8. I wish we still had more phones like that today...

[@captainmorgan5449]

Purchased a new LG V50 2 months ago. I still have my V40. Miss my V20. Thanks Juan...😃

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

LG's are such classic workhorse phones... Sigh...

[@captainmorgan5449]

@@SomeGadgetGuy Agreed...i will eventually pick up a Sony Xperia. But for now...the V50 is perfoming well.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Drive it til the wheels fall off 😊

[@cheezy2455]

Im still using a LG velvet as a daily driver. KZbin , whats app zoom calls . 0 problems last update was in October of this year. My work phone is a pixel 7 . but i use the velvet a lot more better speakers bigger screen faster chaging. Still going strong

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Velvet still makes me CRAZY sad. A mid-ranger with headphone jack, MicroSD, Stylus support, Dual display support, 5G, and a functional desktop mode. We'll never get a phone like that ever again... Sigh...

[@user-jq7fh2vb1v]

tnx bro)

[@FAKEAXIS]

not sure if luma uses gpu encoders but the free version of resolve doesn't allow you to use your GPU encoder for rendering out, its CPU only.

[@FAT8893]

Latest version of Resolve can use GPU in Free version, albeit just one GPU. The Resolve Studio allows four GPU.

[@DaniloDino]

Watching on my Galaxy Note 9, I always buy it with the intention of using it more than my PC. has worked as planned. Thinking about buying a Z fold 5 because of the Samsung ecosystem and Dex. And really, the battery is no longer enough. Congrats on the channel.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Catching those deals on older phones is the way to go.

[@PureWickedAU]

I've got Xreal Air 2 Pro's coming and just need to know what phone you'd recommend for them?

[@gethnicdao6314]

Still using my LG V50 as daily phone.. Enough performance and battery life for the whole day... Sadly one day it slipped and got crack on back glass so i bought replacement glass to fix but I WON'T be replacing this whole phone until to the last minute living. I live long for LG Phone and still have my V20 working well except the battery life is shorter.. BTW Juan @SomeGadgetGuy, do you still recommend to buy LG V60 this 2024, planning to get one my friend who loves mobile gaming with tight budget..

[@MihaiTrica]

I happen to have a OnePlus 7T Pro and I am going to change it next year. As you have printed out, battery life is very unreliable now and software experience is degrading in time. It can still take good photos, but I generally change my phones about 5 years. I am gaming on my phone and if I do that, battery life is quite bad now. I wish I was able to change the battery myself as I did on my LG G4. I could install a custom ROM to alleviate the software issues, but there is little I can do about battery life. I also realized that having Warp Charge instead of Quick Charge means I can never charge my phone quickly

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

You had a GREAT run with that OP. If you can't get a good trade in for it, might be worth looking up the cost of a battery replacement, and keeping it as a back up.

[@MihaiTrica]

@@SomeGadgetGuy Whenever I change phones, I usually sell my last used phone. I still have 2 Nexus 5 devices (my former EU one and an US one) and my HTC Evo 3D (this one mostly because the outer bezel around the screen fell off once and I cannot put it back again - screen was replaced by an official HTC repairman). I am not sure I will sell my OP 7T Pro. I can easily turn it into a portable retro console, I have a telescopic controller already.

[@maskudo]

I used to have a V50 as my daily driver for quite a while but I accidentally dropped it and damaged the screen. Seeing that replacement screen is almost the same price as a used V50, I ordered a second used V50 instead.

[@pjsukhwal27]

hey juane, from lg v20 to v60, which one has best audio quality specially bass.

[@bonedatt]

13:42 For a split second I forgot that I was watching the answer to your question 😂😂. Anyway, my phone isn't five years old yet, but I'm still using my Galaxy Note20 Ultra, and would love to continue using it for another three to four years. Unfortunately, the end of security patches (not poor battery health) is what triggers a new phone purchase for me. So come time for a new purchase, it's going to be the Pixel 10 Pro in 2025 (unless ofcourse Sony, OnePlus or Samsung offers something similar or close in terms of long-term software support). Fun fact: I turned on my LG G8 last week, and I could have sworn I felt a tear drop 😢. I miss LG 😔

[@FAT8893]

Me too, I also miss LG in the smartphone market. I really love their bravery to be different from the norm.

[@FAT8893]

As someone who daily drives an LG V50 with Dual Screen case, all I would ever ask is 8/12 GB RAM as several modern AAA mobile games does have optimization problem. I do play Honkai Star Rail, and I can say 6GB RAM is not enough for it. Having said that, Snapdragon 855 is still a plenty powerful SoC, even when using dual apps and Screen+ Desktop Mode. As for the built-in Quad DAC, that's still a huge champ.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

It's just so good. LGs are still brilliant standalone media players...

[@unclestretch99]

My mum is still rocking a Galaxy A70! Approaching 5 years old and she doesn't come close to maxing it out. When the time comes for her to upgrade, its going to be a mich more difficult choice as mid rangers are missing a lot of features compared to 5 years ago.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

That's the thing that sucks. We preach "vote with your wallet", but NOT buying something for five years means she wasn't influencing the manufacturers to keep including the features she used.

[@BarryJohnson]

Battery life all day and twice on Sunday. Pardon me Sir but I while i appear to be simply checking out my groceries. I am also conducting a two phone benchmark. What did you expect? I'm an average consumer.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

HA! We gotta take this survey wider...

[@BarryJohnson]

@@SomeGadgetGuy Lol, yes!

[@listwanites]

I bought the V50 for around $250 last 2021 as a replacement for my V20. Played games on it and watched videos occasionally. Nowadays, battery would last a day in battery mode, but I'd need to charge it 2-3 times on normal mode. Performance and screen are still okay. No screen burn-ins.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Anywhere you can get it a battery replacement near you?

[@listwanites]

@@SomeGadgetGuy Haven't checked it out yet man. But I'll let you know if there is.

[@liiich6175]

I gave my mum my old v30+...it holds up just fine and is plenty fast even comparing it with my s23U. I think the idea of the slow down is a little with manufacturers doing dirty and slowing down old phones on updates and a little with older memory actually causing issues over time even with factory resets. Every old phone I got from my older sister where slow and a pain (2008-2013 era, galaxy 1 and a nexus 6). And regardless on performance and even if its overkill its nice to have....phones are pushing $1500-$2500aud on flagships, but 10 years ago maybe like $700 only

[@NCXitlali]

Just install s custom OS like legacy os

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

I'm VERY skeptical that Google and Samsung will deliver those year 4,5,6 OS updates that actually improve performance. I worry that year 5 rolls around, and the OS update will be served to "encourage" people to upgrade their old phones.

[@zakitransitguytv]

I have the lg g8 right now i still love it i ain't giving it up because it has everything i need in plus i'm thinking about adding the lg v50 to ny collection

[@dovafinn3594]

same here, daily driving a 3 year old phone which is samsung galaxy s20 FE 5G which pretty much obliterates most of the dimesity midrange phones of today and seeing online we have a large community of LG users here in the Philippines that still uses even down to v20 and G5 for the camera and audio quality last time i checked they even have some resellers of velvet 2 selling them in batches which i wanted to get my hands on !

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Ugh I wanted that velvet 2 pro ...

[@drifterz2578]

My V50 still running good after 2.5 years of use . My only complain is lack of software update