LG V30 – Battery life

For the first time in the series, the 3300mAh cell inside the LG V30 isn’t user-replaceable. This will disappoint some – but, realistically, it would be impossible to create such a good-looking device that still let you rip off the back.

Battery life is okay, but like many phones on the market right now, isn’t great. Throughout my time with the LG V30, it managed to get through a full day. However, on high-use days I did find myself having to use the battery saver mode to get home without it hitting the red.

In terms of screen-on time, I got between 4-5 hours. That’s less than the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and Pixel XL 2, but on a par with the Samsung Galaxy S8. An hour of regular Netflix streaming (Wi-Fi, brightness at 60%) ate through 11%, while an hour on Spotify with the screen turned off took me down between 6-7%.

Continuing this phone’s theme of jamming in as many features as possible, there’s Qi wireless fast charging and regular wired USB-C charging too.

Why buy the LG V30?

LG has shot itself in the foot for the second time this year by not getting the V30 in shops sooner. It was announced before the iPhone 8, iPhone X and Pixel 2 XL, but will hit stores after those devices. This is likely to mean that it just won’t be in the forefront of people’s minds.

And that’s a shame, because this is a very good phone. It feels great to use, doesn’t really make any significant sacrifices, and it offers stunning audio.

It can’t quite beat the best of the late-2017 flagships for camera smarts, however. I’d put the cameras here on a par with the Samsung Galaxy S8 and HTC U11, but comfortably behind those on the iPhone 8 and Pixel 2 XL. It also suffers from a slightly poor screen and features LG’s odd version of Android.

Still, this is one of the most complete Android handsets around.

Verdict

An excellent Android phone – but it misses the mark in a few areas.

Trusted Score