LG Velvet review
LG Velvet represents an obvious change of pace. A small revolution that could help LG regain user trust and steal some market share from the competition. All this without betraying what we have seen so far: Velvet is still a well-balanced smartphone, with excellent performance and equipped with a very versatile photographic sector.
However, I do not want to anticipate anything. Let's dive right into this new review.
Modernity at last!
In recent years, LG has accustomed us to smartphones that are very reliable but not very charming and often far from contemporary taste. Velvet, however, is different. First of all because it proposes four colors that can satisfy both users with classic tastes and those who like to stand out: we have Aurora Grey, Aurora White, Aurora Green e Illusion Sunset. The last shade, capable of going from golden to pink in a few moments, is perfect for those who do not want to go unnoticed.
The other obvious change concerns the screen. The flat display seen on LG V60 and on the other premium devices of the Korean giant leaves room for a curved solution that significantly improves ergonomics smartphone despite the generous screen size.
Il display, a P-OLED gives 6,8 pollici, does not give us other surprises. Nothing 90 or 120 Hz in short, but you will have in your hands a product with a panel that will be able to accompany you in every situation. The color rendering is really good, the brightness sufficiently high and the blacks are pleasantly deep.
At your disposal you also have the always-on display, the dark theme (programmable from the appropriate menu), the possibility to choose the color mode between Natural, Bright, Cinema and Custom and, finally, the Video Amplifier, which offers more colors. accesses while playing multimedia content.
Finally, we point out the small central notch that houses the front camera and whose presence you will hardly notice.
Missed the LG V60 ThinQ review? Find it here!
On the back of the smartphone we find the primary photographic compartment consisting of 3 sensors and an LED. LG has adopted the new for Velvet Raindrop Design, a solution that offers the most important sensor at the top and just below the other two, of reduced dimensions. All this to simulate the fall of a drop of water. Personally, I really appreciated this aesthetic choice, especially since two out of three cameras are flush, thus reducing the risk of scratches.
Along the edges instead we have the on and off button, positioned on the right, while the volume rocker and the button for Google Assistant are on the left. The upper side houses the SIM and microSD slot, the lower one is dedicated to the 3,5 mm jack - a very welcome surprise -, the USB-C connector for charging and the speaker.
LG also earns a note of merit with the materials: LG Velvet is made of glass and metal, which makes the device truly premium. Too bad only for the poor oleophobic treatment: the back cover retains any fingerprint.
Before moving on to performance, we remind you that LG Velvet boasts IP68 certification, for resistance to water and dust, and MIL-STD-810G military certification for falls and bumps.
LG Velvet review: autonomy at the top
Dejà-vù for the hardware of this smartphone. Like many mid-range mounts Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor, Adreno 620 GPU, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory, expandable via microSD.
But looking like the competition is not a bad thing. In reality, this mix has proved successful on many devices and LG Velvet is no exception. We therefore have in our hands a device that can really do anything, from gaming to online browsing, without forgetting those who work with smartphones. You will hardly be disappointed.
The fingerprint reader, located under the display, and connectivity are also promoted. In fact, on board we have 5G, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.1 and the always popular NFC.
The real plus, however, is represented by the 4300 mAh battery. With LG Velvet we have you covered over 36 hours without major difficulties. On the most intense days, however, we arrived in the evening with a good 20% residual, even after hours of tethering.
Finally, a few words must be spent on software. LG's latest smartphone mounts Android 10 with the well-known LG UX that offers everything you need: there is the aforementioned always-on, there are navigation gestures, you can split some apps and even convert apps into pop-ups to always have them in overlay.
But what he still lacks is a more modern look. In short, it's time for a nice restyling.
LG Velvet 5G smartphone with curved glass, OLED display ...
- A design that does not go unnoticed: it has an essential symmetrical shape, with curved glass both on the front and ...
- In just 7.9mm thick and just 180g in weight, it concentrates the best of the latest generation technology, to make you ...
- Express your personality by choosing one of the four colors available, each of which will give you reflections ...
How does the camera behave?
As anticipated above, the photographic sector of LG Velvet provides 3 rear cameras and one front.
On the back we find:
- the main 48 megapixel lens with F1.8 aperture (which uses pixel binning to obtain 12 megapixel files);
- an 8-megapixel F2.2 wide-angle lens
- the 5 megapixel F2.4 sensor
Finally, the front camera is 16 megapixel, with F1.9 aperture.
But how do all these goals perform? Luca Forti, our photography expert, tells us about it.
In ideal light conditions, LG Velvet's main camera has nothing to envy to its most direct competitors. Photographs taken with the 48MP sensor offer un natural color rendering and at the same time a discreet engraving of the details. Some problems turn up in low light conditions, con the processor that tends to exceed in contrast, to increase the definition, however penalizing the color rendering which is a little flat. However, the ability to expose even the richest contrast scenes in a balanced way is good.
If we consider that LG was the first manufacturer to insert a wide-angle lens in a smartphone, it is precisely from the 8MP Ultra-Wide sensor that we would have expected better results. Also in this case it must be admitted that in optimal lighting conditions of the scene the results are quite good, but it doesn't take much to lose definition and a little precision in color reproduction.
Difficulties in low light catch the eye in night shots: in some cases the images even seem blurry. But, by activating the dedicated mode, the results improve a lot, even if I don't think they can be compared to other top-of-the-range smartphones on the market today.
An optical zoom is missing, but LG still wanted to give the possibility to approach subjects digitally. It goes up to 10x, but my advice is to do not go beyond 2x if we want to achieve acceptable results. In fact, at 10x it lacks definition, contrast, the colors are mixed together and therefore I suggest you use your feet as a zoom and when possible physically get closer to your subject.
From LG, always attentive to the development of its photographic modules, I would have expected something more, but I underline the excellent ability to correctly expose images in almost all situations and the good yield in ideal lighting conditions. What to improve on is the reading of the shadow areas and in the night images. Also to review the effectiveness of the 5MP sensor to enhance the bokeh effect, it is not very precise in detaching the subject from the background.
LG Velvet technical data sheet
Before drawing the necessary conclusions, let's take a quick look at the technical characteristics of LG Velvet.
Dimensions: 167,1 x 74,1 x 6,8 mm
Weight: 180 g
Display: 6,8″ P-OLED – 1080 x 2460 pixel
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
GPU: Adreno 620
RAM: 6 GB
Memory: 128 GB
Network: 5G – Single SIM
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C, GPS, NFC
Battery: 4300 mAh
Rear camera:48 MP + 8 MP + 5 MP
Front Camera: 16 MP
Videos: 4K @ 30fps
Operating system: Android 10 with LG UX
LG Velvet review: buy it or not?
LG Velvet plots the right course and we hope it is only the first of a series of devices that will finally help the Korean company to get back on the clay with its smartphones. This one, which we loved right away for its flamboyant color, is available at 649 and offers users an attractive design, excellent performance, a decent camera and above average autonomy.
Until July 31st LG Velvet gives you the LG Tone Free true wireless headphones with sanitizing technologies and a protective cover. A really good offer.
Finally, we point out that, if you need it, the device is compatible with the Dual Screen, so you can double the screens at your disposal.
LG Velvet
Pro 
- Top colors
- New design
- Excellent performance
- Autonomy above average
Cons 
- Poor oleophobic treatment
- LG UX to be reviewed
