▷LG G8s ThinQ review: a real top of the range at a reasonable price 🥇

In the last few years LG has brought to the market absolutely interesting top of the range, with excellent performances, a really satisfying graphics sector and a much more affordable price than the competition. Yet, despite the clear efforts and excellent results achieved by the Korean company, the G series is often overtaken by the competition. The reason? The WOW effect is missing, that extra something that distinguishes the device from all the others.

To break this vicious circle, LG has decided to equip its LG G8s ThinQ of technology Air Motion, that is, the ability to remotely control the smartphone using hand movements. In short, the idea is to become a young Harry Potter by giving a touch of magic to daily operations.

On paper, the Air Motion gestures seemed really intriguing to us, but in everyday use they were not so effective. We talk about it in this review.

LG G8s ThinQ: the technical sheet

As per tradition, before going into the analysis of LG G8s ThinQ let's see its main technical characteristics.

Dimensions: 155,3 x 76,6 x 8,0 mm
Weight: 180 g
Display: 6,2 ″ OLED - 1080 x 2248 pixels
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
GPU: Adreno 640
RAM: 6 GB
Memory: 128 GB - expandable via microSD
Network: 4G LTE – Dual SIM
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C, GPS
Battery: 3550 mAh
Rear camera: 12 + 13 + 12 MP
Front Camera: 8 MP
Videos: 4K @ 60 fps
Operating system: Android 9.0 Pie

A bulky notch

LG G8s guy excellent build quality, a solid metal profile and a glass back cover that, on occasion, will even act as a mirror. Once gripped you can perceive its real size, certainly more generous than the previous model. So it won't be easy to handle it with one hand, but in the end, you'll get used to it.

On the right profile you will find the on and off button, on the left instead the volume rocker - with two separate buttons - and the button dedicated to Google Assistant. The lower side houses the 3,5 mm jack, the USB Type-C connector, the stereo speaker and a microphone that you will often cover while recording the infamous IG Stories, at least if you are right-handed like myself.

The aforementioned rear instead includes the rear triple camera module, slightly protruding, and a rather precise fingerprint reader, positioned perhaps too high compared to the length of my fingers. Not bad: the unlock with the face works great.

The LG G8s display is a 6,21-inch OLED, with Full HD + resolution and HDR10 support. There are many options available, including the True View mode which adapts the color of the screen to the ambient light but which will often cause you to see changes that are a little too sudden.

You also have a number of color profiles, i.e. Cinema, Sports, Game, Photo, Web and Expert, HDR enable and Comfort View mode to reduce blue light output.

The New Second Screen which allows you to hide a notch frankly too bulky. Yes, it's true, it serves to contain the Z Camera, but in a period in which everyone is trying to maximize the space dedicated to the display, LG's choice is a bit anachronistic and not very justifiable.

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Magical but frustrating

The LG G8s hardware is obviously that of a real top of the range: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, Adreno 640 GPU, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory, expandable with the classic microSD. Attention: to expand the available space you will have to give up the second SIM.

Good stereo speaker, excellent connectivity and satisfactory the battery, which with its 3550 mAh brings us to the end of the day without major difficulties.

What about the software? The device mounts Android 9.0 Pie with the classic and very rich LG UI. There are a lot of additional functions but the one on which the Korean company has focused right away is Air Motion, that is, the possibility of using "aerial" gestures - that is, keeping the hand away from the display - to perform certain operations. All this will allow you to turn the volume up and down, open an application quickly and even answer the phone. Use them though it requires some practice and a good deal of patience. The problem is that, after the WOW effect is finished, you will start using them much less. There are two reasons: 1) you will hardly feel the need and 2) the operation often becomes frustrating and it takes more time than it takes, for example, to clean your hands and answer the phone normally.

Obviously it's not all to throw away: in fact, the idea is interesting but the technology needs to be refined a bit. What is certain is that LG still has some cards to play and intends to fight to earn a few percentage points both on our market and in the rest of the world.

Versatile and fun

LG G8s proposesand a triple camera composed of a 12 megapixel main sensor, with f / 1.8 aperture and optical stabilization, a 13 megapixel wide angle and a 12 megapixel - stabilized - zoom. This composition allows you to cope with practically any situation, thus relying on a versatile photographic sector capable of offering very enjoyable results. The focus is really lightning-fast, the colors are well balanced and the shots are quite bright, especially with the main sensor. With zoom and wide angle we lose a little bit but nothing to worry about.

The front camera on the other hand, with its 8 megapixels, is not particularly surprising but thanks to a series of filters, 3D effects and plays of light, it manages to make the user experience rather fun.

Finally, well the videos, which reach 4K and 60 fps, however, losing optical stabilization. For the more action-packed scenes you also have the Steady cam mode.

LG G8s ThinQ: buy it or not?

A 769 € is definitely a tantalizing top of the range, also because it really lacks nothing. Excellent performance, good battery, excellent build quality and always taken care of the photographic sector: what else to ask him for more? Of course, the search for the WOW effect has partially failed, but it still shows the will to innovate by focusing on something more original than the usual photographic sector.