Phonelopnik - LG V50. Good? Bad?

"gettingoldercarguy" (gettingoldercarguy)
07/29/2019 at 16:03 • Filed to: None

My current phone is really starting to flake out, so my upgrade will be a few months earlier than expected. I’m currently leaning towards the LG V50 thinq for a few reasons.

Large battery - even though I won’t use 5g from my location, the larger battery they give it will bode well for 4g/wireless power using.

Two year warranty - Just as many were bemoaning VW discontinuing their extended warranty, an extended bumper to bumper on a smartphone is great. At least one sensor starts to fail over two years and this will be an excellent way to get a battery refresh if nothing else.

Quad DAC - Nothing else comes close. For me, music is critical when I’m working/studying and having had a proper dac on my old v10 and then going to a lesser audio enabled phone was a buzz kill. This means more to me than a camera as I take a point and shoot one if I’m ever worried about photo quality.

Thoughts? Anything I’m missing?

DISCUSSION (19)

Sovande > gettingoldercarguy
07/29/2019 at 16:25

I have had a ton of LG phones and currently have a G7 that was just upgraded to Android Pie. LG is awful with updates. If that matters, I'd look elsewhere, if not, I wouldn't hesitate.

Textured Soy Protein > gettingoldercarguy
07/29/2019 at 16:30

The only good thing about LG phones is the DAC. Their specs and build quality are fine, their cameras are not as good as other flagships, the software is buggy and shitty and woefully out of date and they’re horrible at pushing out OS updates.

Sounds like you’re on Verizon with the Verizon logo on that pic. Screw buying a phone from them, “upgrade” be damned, unless they throw a crazy deal at you. You’ll probably just be paying full price in installments for the next couple years.

I’d have a real hard time buying an LG phone even if I was hung up on the DAC. I would go for an unlocked OnePlus or a Pixel and a USB-C DAC like this . If you’re on Verizon and need wifi calling then go Pixel as they’re the only unlocked Android phones that Verizon whitelists for wifi calling.

gettingoldercarguy > Textured Soy Protein
07/29/2019 at 16:35

I get that, but those aren't my requirements. My wife has the pixel 3xl and it's nice. The two year warranty and dac are amazing. That external dac you linked leaves a lot to be desired, you really need the es100 which is buky in the same way an external camera is, but I value music more. Again, two year warranty.

gettingoldercarguy > Sovande
07/29/2019 at 16:36

Updates are fine, and they said they'd get better with them, but it isn't a deal breaker for me.

Textured Soy Protein > gettingoldercarguy
07/29/2019 at 16:38

If you want DAC above all else and don’t care if the phone attached to it is kinda shite then the V50 is perfect for you! But there’s not really any reason to get the V50 over some other cheaper, equally shitty LG phone that also has a DAC, like the G8.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > gettingoldercarguy
07/29/2019 at 16:42

Ever since the G4 LGs phones have been resoundingly disappointing. Horrible skin, no updates, meh specs, meh build quality, etc. Only word to describe them is meh.

gettingoldercarguy > Textured Soy Protein
07/29/2019 at 16:44

Good call on the g8, I’ll check out both.

Sovande > gettingoldercarguy
07/29/2019 at 16:44

They didn't get better with them.

Sovande > Textured Soy Protein
07/29/2019 at 16:47

I haven’t had any buggy software issues, or any issues in any LG phone I have ever owned and I think I have had 7 or so. They do suck at updates, however.

I am contemplating a switch to the Pixel 4 when it comes out, but I don’t want to give up corded headphones, an SD card or the waterproofing.

gettingoldercarguy > Sovande
07/29/2019 at 17:13

Yeah,I meant to say I'm not overly concerned about updates.

Nick Has an Exocet > gettingoldercarguy
07/29/2019 at 17:53

If you don’t need 5G, I wouldn’t bother. Get a G8.

Have you thought about getting a Fiio player for work/studying ? That should be even better and you can leave the distraction of phone notifications somewhere else.

Phyrxes once again has a wagon! > gettingoldercarguy
07/29/2019 at 18:00

LG G6 user here on Big Red, I just got the February android security update last week. That said it has survived a bit over two years but it is going away at the end of the summer in favor of some kind of Pixel.

gettingoldercarguy > Nick Has an Exocet
07/29/2019 at 18:47

I have a separate schiit tube amp and dac for home listening (modi/Valhalla). The amp/dac in the lg is very very good. What I see about the g8 vs v50 is the battery size, screen size and a few other technical features. Along with 5g that I will most likely not use.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > gettingoldercarguy
07/29/2019 at 19:07

I bought the LG G7 One back in December and love it. It’s pretty cheap (probably moreso now with the G8 available or coming out soon), has the DAC, and runs stock Android so you get updates monthly. Android Pie was installed immediately after I got the phone in December and updates are regular.

I get what you’re saying about the audio features and I love my G7 One. Only gripe is that the battery is smaller at 3000mah but a charge lasts me all day with regular use (and I do stuff like browse reddit and watch Netflix/Youtube during my lunch).

It doesn’t use an OLED screen, but honestly it looks fine to me. Speed is decent and it runs everything I need. The 32GB built-in storage is way too low but it’s more than enough for my apps and everything else gets put onto a 128GB microSD.

Not sure if LG plans to make another “One” series phone with the stock Android but if they are, that’s something definitely worth considering.

gettingoldercarguy > gin-san - shitpost specialist
07/29/2019 at 19:14

I do remember my v10 chomping through battery so I added a zero lemon case with a massive battery. I didn’t mind the size it gained as my hands are oversized already (small phones hurt more than big ones)

Monkey B > gettingoldercarguy
07/29/2019 at 19:43

I have a V35 and while the hardware was excellent, I just don’t like anything other than stock Android so I went with a Nokia. I used it for 3 months and it’s worth $200 a y ear after costing $900. The 2 year transferable warranty is nice I guess...just haven’t tried selling it out of laziness.

gettingoldercarguy > Nick Has an Exocet
07/29/2019 at 22:55

Ordered the G8. I thought they both had the crystal speaker, but nope. It is great at throwing sound.

https://www.pcmag.com/feature/366747/hands-on-with-the-lg-g8-thinq-and-v50-5g-phone/12

gettingoldercarguy > Textured Soy Protein
07/29/2019 at 23:00

Ordered the G8. I thought they both had the crystal speaker, but nope. It is great at throwing sound.

https://www.pcmag.com/feature/366747/hands-on-with-the-lg-g8-thinq-and-v50-5g-phone/12

pip bip - choose Corrour > gettingoldercarguy
07/30/2019 at 03:54

no idea