Editor
LG has been dominating the tech industry lately with its impressive innovation ranging from home appliances to computer products and now, smartphones. It has been a decade since LG smartphones last appeared in the market and finally made a grand comeback.
Obviously, their smartphones might not be that popular in our country, but the brand certainly knows how to make its devices more interesting with all sorts of cool features.
Earlier, we had a glimpse at the LG Velvet with its ‘rain-drop’-designed cameras, and the device looks good. The great news is that the company has finally launched the LG Velvet in Korea, and gave us a full look at the exciting mid-range device. Here is what we know so far after LG took the wraps off the LG Velvet.
Specifications of the LG Velvet
|
Operating System |
Android 10, LG UX 9 |
|
CPU |
Octa-core |
|
Chipset |
Qualcomm SDM765 Snapdragon 765G |
|
Resolution |
1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
|
Storage |
128GB |
| RAM |
6GB, 8GB |
|
Rear camera |
48MP + 8MP + 5 MP |
|
Front camera |
16MP |
|
Battery |
Non-removable Li-Po 4300 mAh battery |
|
Weight |
180 g |
|
Colour |
Aurora White, Aurora Green, Aurora Gray, Illusion Sunset |
Display and design: Its curved edges make it easier to grip
Image credits: TrustedReviews
The Velvet has a larger display at 6.8 inches compared to Samsung S20 and S20 Plus. LG has also touted the 3D Arc design marked by the curved display edges for the new phone, making it easier to grip.
Thanks to the 20.5:9 aspect ratio, the phone offers plenty of screen real estate. Sadly, this is interrupted by a teardrop notch for the front camera located at the top center of the display. There are very thin bezels around the screen - the FullVision display, which features a 2460 x 1080 resolution.
LG has added a fresh new twist to the Velvet's design - the focus is now on visibility. Instead of grouping its three rear cameras in a chunky array similar to what many flagship phones have done lately, LG has arranged their cameras in a cascading order based on camera size. LG calls this the 'raindrop effect,' and it's pretty eye-catching. This winner could very well differentiate the Velvet models from the designs of other brands.
The Velvet comes in four colors: Aurora Green, Aurora Gray, Aurora White, and a particular sparkly color, which LG labels it as Illusion Sunset.
48MP camera: We’re sold!
Image credits: AndroidAuthority
Speaking of cameras, you'll get a 48-megapixel primary sensor, aided by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 5MP depth sensor that should help deliver more stylish portrait effects.
On the other hand, the telephoto lens is missing from the camera array. This places the LG Velvet at a disadvantage when stacked against the other flagship smartphones, such as Galaxy S20 Ultra or iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max. Meanwhile, at the front, the phone houses a 16MP selfie camera.
LG is also tailoring the Velvet for a younger audience who spends more time creating and sharing videos. In addition to image stabilization for video, LG is touting features like ASMR recording to offer better slight-sound capturing. Besides that, LG is also cross-promoting a Bokeh voice feature that can hone in on a particular voice despite heavy background noises.
The 4,300mAh battery power is great for gaming
As expected, the Velvet uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon's 765G processor chip, a gaming-focused variant of the chipset that renders faster graphics. The downside is that the Snapdragon 765 is not the most powerful processor in Qualcomm's Snapdragon lineup. But, it should deliver solid performance. For better results, LG is augmenting that with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
A note of caution, though. The LG Velvet faces a problem with the iPhone SE, which features a powerful A13 Bionic processor, and this processor can outpace any Android phone. To add more woes, this new phone from Apple costs hundreds lesser than what the LG Velvet is likely to sell for.
As for power, the Velvet packs a 4,300mAh battery designed to keep the phone running throughout the day. And of course, the phone will implement 5G connectivity as well.
Pricing and availability
The LG Velvet is available for pre-order in Korea with a price tag of 899,800 Won (approximately RM 3,178). If you are wondering when it will hit the Malaysian market, there is no official confirmation yet, but so stay tuned for more updates.
Conclusion
Nowadays, it has become tougher to distinguish between the leading flagship phones. More or less, the LG Velvet has brought us a distinctive new look to the mixes. Kudos to you, LG Velvet!