StrongVPN review

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StrongVPN has been around for a while, but the VPN service has unfortunately not managed to find its place among the premium VPNs available. However, a much-needed overhaul of the apps, continuous addition of servers and locations, and improved speed and performance in 2018 have put it into the spotlight.

Does it deliver? That’s what we aim to answer with this StrongVPN review!

Getting started

Creating an account

To create an account, you first select the plan, enter your email address, and add your payment information. The email address is required to log in to the apps, and you can set up a password after your account is created. StrongVPN guarantees that the email address is needed only for the apps and customer service. If you’re still worried though, you can set up a dummy email account.

Payment and pricing

StrongVPN accepts major credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, as well as payments via Paypal, Bitcoin, and AliPay. These should cover your payment needs, but those looking for alternate cryptocurrencies or other payment choices may have to opt for other VPN services.

StrongVPN offers just two subscription options. The monthly plan is priced at $10 per month, while the annual plan is priced at $69.99 ($5.83 per month), which is one of the cheaper annual plans out there. However, the lack of plan duration options is a little disappointing.

A lot of VPNs, like NordVPN, offer long-term (more than two years) plans that come with huge discounts. Many users may also appreciate the availability of short-term three-month or six-month plans that offer some savings.

While a free trial isn’t available, the good news here is that StrongVPN provides a 30-day no questions asked money back guarantee in case you aren’t happy with the service.

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Installation

Easy to install apps are available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. StrongVPN also has useful installation guides available for manually setting up the VPN directly on WiFi routers, Chrome OS, Linux systems, the Kindle, Kodi machines, and more. Something that is missing (and that’s found with other VPNs) is a browser extension.

You can find the full device list here, and the apps for Android and iOS can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and iOS App Store respectively. For this review, we took a closer look at the Windows and Android apps.

Setup and settings

Windows

The design of the apps has received a much-needed overhaul from the convoluted and outdated design from before. Once you log in to the Windows app, you are greeted with a static world map and a large connect button, similar to what is seen with SaferVPN.

If you’re looking for something specific, you can launch a server list by pressing the “Best Available Location”  button. Of course, you can always leave it at the default best option and let the app make the choice for you. Clicking on the button opens the server list. StrongVPN has over 650 servers in 20 countries, so you should be covered for the most part. However, I was disappointed to see the poor Asian and African coverage, with no servers in India or any of Africa.

The best server to connect to will obviously be the one closest to you. StrongVPN supports torrenting on all their servers so you don’t have to worry about needing to pick the right one. StrongVPN also allows for access to the Netflix U.S. catalog, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and other streaming services. It may take some trial and error to find the one that works though, or you can get in touch with customer service to find out, which is what I did.

The Preferences menu can be accessed by clicking on the gear icon at the top bar. The various settings include:

• Options – This section includes aspects of app behavior like auto reconnect, connect on launch, start when Windows starts, and show notifications in the taskbar. You can also enable “Kill Switch,” which cuts the internet connection if the VPN connection fails for any reason. This helps avoid any leaks, so we definitely recommend activating it.
• Protocols – StrongVPN supports all the best VPN protocols like IKEv2, OpenVPN, SSTP, and L2TP. You get short descriptions stating what each protocol is for. If you don’t want to worry about it, you can let the app choose the best one for you. However, we recommend using OpenVPN because of its stronger security. OpenVPN also comes with the option to “Scramble,” which basically enables obfuscation to avoid network traffic sensors that detect VPN usage and block it.
• Information – You will find your login and system information here. The “Get Help” button can be used to contact customer service if you run into any issues. While StrongVPN previously handled customer service complaints via email only, it now has a Live Chat for support on its website.
• Diagnostics – The Diagnostics page provides a timeline of app activity like when the server list is refreshed or when you connect or disconnect from a server.
• Updates – You can set up how often the app searches for an app update here.

Further reading: Check out our guide on how to use a VPN.

Android

Like the Windows client, the Android app has received the same design overhaul. Both look identical, so there’s no learning curve involved with using the different apps. You get the same map, “Best Available Location” or server list button, and large connect button to get started.

The Settings menu can be opened by tapping on the three vertical dots at the top right corner. This menu is a lot simpler than what is available with the Windows app. Available options include Protocol, Auto Reconnect, Scramble, and Contact (for customer service). The only protocol supported is OpenVPN, but that’s okay since it is the most secure one to use anyway.

Ease of use

The StrongVPN apps are extremely easy to use now. The Windows client has a few more settings available than the Android app, but both are otherwise almost identical. It’s simple to get online and connect a server and you can let the apps make that choice for you unless you are looking for something specific.

SaferVPN, which is quite similar in its setup, goes one step further with special mentions for servers that allow U.S. streaming and U.K. streaming though. That requires some trial and error with StrongVPN.

How does StrongVPN compare with other top Android VPN apps? Check out our best VPN apps guide to learn more. 

Security and privacy

StrongVPN is based in the U.S., which may be of concern since many privacy buffs are wary of using VPN services based in a Five Eyes country. However, StrongVPN’s complete zero logging policy may help alleviate that concern. StrongVPN keeps no traffic or connection logs, and the only information it keeps is your email address and any payment information if you opt for re-billing.

Features like a Kill Switch and Scramble (obfuscation) are big security positives. Every encryption protocol is available, including OpenVPN that uses 256-bit AES encryption, with SHA-256 for authentication, and RSA 2048 for handshaking purposes. It is the most secure encryption protocol right now. I tested for IP leaks, WebRTC detection, and DNS leaks using ipleak.net and found no issues.

Speed

Original speed – Bangalore, India

To test the speed, I used the Ookla Speed Test after connecting to server locations in Malaysia (best available server), the U.S., the U.K., the Netherlands, Singapore, and Australia. StrongVPN is one of the fastest when it comes to connecting to a server, requiring only around five seconds to do so.

As you can see, the speeds aren’t the fastest when compared to some of the other VPNs I’ve reviewed so far, but it certainly isn’t the slowest either. The drop in speed was expected when connected to locations far away from me like the U.S. and Australia.

Those speeds were actually still quite impressive, allowing me to comfortably stream video with no issues. I expected a much better connection from Singapore though, as it’s the location closest to me, considering StrongVPN’s lack of servers in India.

However, the biggest disappointment was the fact that the “Best Available Location” doesn’t work at all. StrongVPN may be making that decision based on server load and ping, but speed certainly isn’t the chosen criteria.

The app would switch the location every time I connected to the “Best Available,” shifting between Malaysia and Hong Kong (even Dallas showed up as an option once!), when Singapore offered a much faster speed and similar ping. This is a big negative as far as ease of use is concerned since you’ll have to find the best locations yourself without relying on the app.

Key features

• Allows up to five concurrent connections.
• No free trial available, but you can take advantage of a no-questions-asked 30-day money back guarantee.
• Zero activity or connection logging.
• Over 650 servers in 20 countries.
• Torrenting works fine, and StrongVPN supports P2P on all servers. Remember to respect your country’s copyright laws. We do not condone or encourage any illegal activities.
• Allows for access to video streaming apps like Netflix. Only select servers work though, so that can take some trial and error. Or you could contact customer service.
• Speaking of customer service, they were incredibly helpful. StrongVPN has now introduced a Live Chat on the website. The response was quick and my question was answered without any hassle. The Live Chat is also available 24/7.
• Security features like Kill Switch and Scramble are very useful.

StrongVPN – Final thoughts

StrongVPN has improved by leaps and bounds compared to where it was just a year or so ago. The new, simpler, and more modern design is a big plus, the settings menus have been simplified, and the speeds have increased a lot. There is still room for improvement though, particularly with the “Best Available Location” feature that doesn’t work at all.

StrongVPN isn’t the easiest VPN service to recommend, with it falling just short in most regards. The apps are simple enough to use, but SaferVPN and PureVPN do it better. The speeds are definitely fast enough to do what you need, but something like ExpressVPN is faster. Security features like Kill Switch and obfuscation are great inclusions, but NordVPN offers more. The annual plan is quite affordable, but there are also cheaper options out there.

Having said that, VPN experiences often differ greatly from user to user. StrongVPN is certainly simple enough and offers good security features. The zero logging policy is a huge positive despite it being based in the U.S. And as far as speed is concerned, that depends on a lot of factors and may be much better for you. The good news is that you can give StrongVPN a shot to see if it’s the right fit or take advantage of the unconditional 30-day money back guarantee.

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So that’s a look at StrongVPN. We’ll also be bringing you even more quick review looks at some of the best VPN services in the weeks and months to come. If there is a particular VPN you would like us to review, do let us know in the comments section below!

Next – check out our IPVanish review

HP updates Omen 15 laptop with a slimmer design, next-gen CPU

HP introduced its refreshed Omen 15 gaming laptop along with seven peripherals and accessories during the HP Gaming Festival in Beijing. The laptop serves as HP’s midlevel “performance” product, falling between its low-tier Pavilion Gaming brand for mainstream gamers and its high-level Omen X brand for enthusiasts. 

At launch, HP lists three starting points spanning from the 15-dc0010nr to the 15-dc0030nr. By default, all three sport a 15.6-inch IPS screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. Specifications provided before launch indicate they likely pack a 144Hz refresh rate although you can upgrade to a 3840 x 2160 resolution at 60Hz, or a 1920 x 1080 resolution at 60Hz with G-Sync support. 

Backing the screen is one of two eighth-generation Intel processors. More specifically, the 15-dc0010nr model is the only laptop of the trio to rely on a Core i5-8300H four-core processor while the other two units pack the Core i7-8750H six-core chip. 

For graphics, all three include discrete Nvidia chips: The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with 4GB of dedicated memory on the dc0010nr and dc0020nr models, and the GeForce GTX 1060 with 6GB of dedicated memory on the dc0030nr model. HP says you can configure these laptops with up to a GeForce GTX 1070 chip with a Max-Q design. 

Meanwhile, you’ll find a slight difference in the system memory too: 12GB at 2,666MHz on the GTX 1050 Ti models (1x 4GB, 1x 8GB), and 16GB at 2,666MHz on the GTX 1060 model (1x 16GB, 1x empty slot). The laptop supports up to 32GB total along with optional Intel Optane “cache” to speed up hard drive access. 

“Thoughtfully engineered for the heat gaming generates, with larger fans, a three-phase motor, and fluid dynamic bearings to create less friction and more consistent fan speed control in all configurations,” the company says.

For storage, all three start with 128GB on a PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD and 1TB on a 7,200RPM hard drive. This dual-storage setup is complemented by an SD card reader and three USB-A (5Gbps) ports. Additionally, the GTX 1050 Ti models include a USB-C port (5Gbps) while the GTX 1060 model upgrades that connection to Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps). 

As for other connectivity options, you’ll find one Mini DisplayPort connection, one HDMI 2.0 port, one gigabit Ethernet port, an audio combo jack, and a second microphone jack. Wireless consists of Bluetooth 4.2 and Wireless AC supporting speeds of up to 867Mbps. All three sport HP’s Wide Vision HD webcam too. 

Finally, the two GTX 1050 Ti models pack a full-size backlit keyboard supporting two lighting zones powered by a 52.5WHr battery and a 150-watt adapter. The GTX 1060 model packs a keyboard supporting four zones, a 70WHr battery, and a 200-watt power adapter. Given the GTX 1060 inside, the dc0030nr is bit thicker and heavier at 1.02 inches thick and 5.56 pounds. 

The updated Omen 15 laptop arrives on July 29 starting at $980. Here are all the other Omen-branded devices revealed this week: 

• Omen Mindframe Headset — 2H 2018 — price unknown 
• Omen Sequencer Keyboard — July — $180 
• Omen Reactor Mouse — July — $80 
• Omen X Transceptor Backpack — July — $250 
• Omen Mouse 400 — July — $40
• Omen Soft Mouse Pad 200 — July — $20 
• Omen Hard Mouse Pad 200 — July — $30 

Editors’ Recommendations

• Leak shows Inno3D cryptocurrency mining card based on the GTX 1080 Ti
• HP targets gamers on a budget with new Pavilion notebooks, desktops, and more
• Dell rebrands Inspiron gaming laptops to G Series, serves up four new models
• You can stuff a hefty Core i9 six-core CPU in Dell’s new refreshed XPS 15 laptop
• Asus just rolled out the world’s slimmest gaming laptop with GTX 1070 graphics

Noon Home smart lighting’s app boosts its customization options

Noon Home launched an updated app that boosts the system’s smart home lighting customization capabilities. Noon added compatibility with smart home standard Lifx light bulbs and also tripled its capacity for customized lighting combinations or scenes.

Noon’s support for Lifx Wi-Fi-enabled smart LED light bulbs increases the system’s potential for room light control and custom lighting scene creation. Lifx white, infinite color, and infrared bulbs are available in various sizes. Because they do not require a smart home lighting hub, Noon’s Room Director module can identify, configure, and control Lifx bulbs directly.

Simultaneous to the addition of Lifx compatibility, Noon increased the number of stored lighting combination settings and scenes from 16 to 48. When you have configured the light combinations and individual light settings for a custom scene you’d like to save for later use, you can use the Noon smartphone app to choose from a library of 48 icons to represent the scene. After you have selected the icon, it appears on the Room Director’s menu grid for easy selection.

The menu grid is another new feature. Previously you selected a scene by swiping through icons for each of the maximum 16 configurations until you found the one you wanted. Now you can press and hold the Room Director’s scene icon to switch to the new grid view of four icons. If you customize lots of scenes and change often, you still have to swipe through as many as 12 grids. You also can organize your scenes to configure the four you use most to show in one grid.

Noon, which launched in October, starts with a Room Director module, one of which is required for each room. The Room Director uses Bluetooth to control up to 10 additional extension switches in the same room. Noon extension switches work with any style light bulb as long as they not installed in lamps on switch-controlled power outlets. Because Noon products aren’t weatherproof, they cannot be used with outdoor light fixtures or lamps.

The Noon Room Director detects the type of bulbs connected to extension switches in the same room by reading the electrical current each light uses. You don’t have to set up elaborate lighting scenes, although that is where the creativity and power of the system shine. Without any customization by the owner, Noon configures the room lights for three scenes: Relax, everyday, and bright.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Philips Hue smart home lighting app boosts features, simplifies customization
• Get enlightened: Here are the best smart light bulbs of 2018
• What is a smart switch? Turn yourself on to a new way to light your home
• Lutron Caseta Smart Lighting Dimmer Switch review
• LightCam is a smart light bulb that is also a security camera

You can now add Polls to your Stories on Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is adding a new feature to its Messenger app that might help during those times you’re feeling particularly indecisive. With Polls, users can now post questions to their Stories for their friends to vote on.

While Polls are likely associated as a feature on Instagram, it isn’t completely new to the Messenger platform. For a while now, users have been able to create in-chat polls between group chats among friends. But since your Story on Messenger is also shared on Facebook, you’re able to open up your questions to even more of your Facebook friends — you know, in case you need more feedback than what an intimate group can provide.

To post a Poll to your Messenger Story, all you need to do is take a photo or video and select the “polls” sticker from the stickers icon. Once you have placed it over your content, you can then type your question and customize the answers for your viewers to choose between. After posting it, your followers on Messenger can then start voting and are also able to see the results in real time.

If you want to see the results yourself, you can access them through your Story by swiping up to see the viewers list to see how many votes each answer received. The voting process isn’t anonymous either — the viewers list will show you who specifically voted for each answer. Those who view your Story can also reply to it by typing their response at the bottom which will then open the conversation in Messenger.

Within recent months, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed that Stories would be a focus for the company. Starting a few weeks ago, Facebook began rolling out a variety of updates to Stories in order to give its users more ways to enhance them.

For starters, users will be able to add audio to their Stories — which can be useful for sharing content that isn’t as visual. Another feature (that is also already available on Instagram) is the ability to archive their Stories. Since Stories are only visible for 24 hours, the archive feature allows you to refer back to it later. Lastly, the update will also give users the ability to save storage on their smartphones by saving images from the Facebook Camera to a private Facebook cloud storage.

As for the Facebook Messenger feature, it’s currently rolling out to both iOS and Android. You also have to make sure you’re using the latest version of the app.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Facebook F8 2018 Keynote recap: Everything Zuckerberg and co. announced
• How to use Instagram
• Instagram finally (sort of) gets that share button in the form of stickers
• All the new features coming to the Facebook app and Messenger
• Hang out via video chat, then tag friends in Stories with Snapchat’s new tools

LG V35 ThinkQ hands-on review

Research Center:

LG V35 ThinQ

Love last year’s LG V30? Apparently, LG does, because it’s re-releasing the phone with updated specifications. The LG V35 ThinQ looks exactly the same as LG’s 2017 V-series flagship, but its internals are akin to the recently-announced LG G7 ThinQ. If you’re not a fan of the notch design on the G7, the V35 may be up your alley. It may be a little tough to purchase at the moment, however, because the phone is only available on AT&T and Google’s Project Fi network.

You may not recall, but LG also released the V30S ThinQ earlier this year at Mobile World Congress. Releasing so many phones within months is confusing, and there aren’t many differences between them. Still, just because the V35 is like its predecessors doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy it.

Sleek design, sharp display

Like the V30, the LG V35 looks great. The back is a tad more cluttered now with the “V35 ThinQ” branding, but it still looks clean and minimal. The dual-camera setup sits horizontally at the top, and there’s an easy-to-access fingerprint sensor below. The fingerprint sensor still doubles as the power button, unlike the LG G7, which has a separate button on the right edge of the phone.

Julian Chokkattu

Oddly enough, LG has downgraded the strength of the glass on the back and the front, opting for Gorilla Glass 4 instead of using Gorilla Glass 5, like it did with the V30. You can still wirelessly charge the phone with a compatible Qi charger.

Around front, you’ll notice there’s no notch or cutout at the top of the phone, unlike the G7. The notch, which houses a front-facing camera and earpiece, is a point of contention on many other phones, with some calling it a design flaw. We’ve become used to phones with notches, so they’re not a big problem for us, but we’re happy to see there isn’t one on the V35. Instead, it has ultra-slim edges surrounding the display, which helps the phone maintain a contemporary and sleek look.

The screen looked vibrant and sharp, with deep blacks that made colors pop.

The V35 has a 6-inch screen with 2880 x 1440 pixel resolution (538 pixels per inch) and an 18:9 aspect ratio. It’s OLED, like the V30, and supports HDR10 content. In our brief time with the phone, the screen looked vibrant and sharp, with deep blacks that made colors pop. It was tough to see outdoors, however, making us miss the Super Bright Screen mode featured on the LG G7.

A volume rocker sits on the left side of the aluminum frame, and there’s a USB Type-C charging port on the bottom, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack (with a Quad DAC) at the top. The whole body is IP68 water-resistant, which means the V35 can survive a dunk in the pool.

The V35 feels incredibly light, and the curved edges make it more comfortable in-hand. It can be tough to reach the top of the screen due to the phone’s 6-inch size, even for someone with large hands, and the all-glass design makes it a little slippery. You’ll want to make sure to buy a case. While it looks attractive, the phone doesn’t feel as premium as an iPhone or a Samsung phone because of its lightweight nature.

LG V35 ThinQ Compared To

Alcatel 3V

Motorola Moto G6

HTC U12 Plus

Moto G6 Plus

Honor 10

LG G7 ThinQ

Moto E5 Plus

Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra

Huawei P20 Pro

Nuu G3

Nokia 7 Plus

Samsung Galaxy S9

Cat S61

Honor View 10

Huawei Ascend Mate 2

Various colors of V35 will be available, but the black model (pictured here) is the only one we’ve confirmed with LG so far. We were more than happy with the design of the V30, and we’re just as happy with the V35. It’s not fresh, since we’ve already seen it before, but it remains a classy device.

Speedy performance, same battery and software

What makes the V35 stand out from the V30S ThinQ and the V30 is its internal specifications. The latter two are by no means slow, but the V35 is powered by the new Snapdragon 845 processor, which gives it an edge in speed. It also has 6GB of RAM, 2GB more than the V30. That should help future-proof the phone even further, and it should offer smoother multitasking.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Swiping through the Android 8.0 Oreo operating system was fluid, and apps launched swiftly. The phone, just like its current competition, will have no problem running almost anything you throw at it.

There’s only a 64GB version right now, but the V35 has a MicroSD card slot that lets you add up to 2TB more storage if needed. It also has a 3,300mAh battery — just like the V30 — which means you should expect around a day and a half of battery life.

The phone, just like its current competition, will have no problem running almost anything you throw at it.

We didn’t find many software differences between the LG V30, the G7, and the V35 — they now all run Android 8.0 Oreo, or LG UX 7.0. There are plenty of options to tweak the user interface, though LG UX still doesn’t look as good as skins on other Android phones.

One software feature that’s unique to the recent V-series phones is the Floating Bar, which lets you hide the traditional Android navigation bar. Its presence on the screen is mostly hidden, and it’s a handy way of navigating the OS while saving some space.

There’s face unlock, support for Google Daydream VR, and special Google Assistant commands specifically built for the V35, but not much that makes the phone stand out.

Same cameras as the LG G7

The LG V35 has the exact same camera setup as the LG G7, which is slightly different from what was on the LG V30. There are two 16-megapixel cameras on the rear, one with an f/1.6 aperture and optical image stabilization, and the wide-angle lens with a f/1.9 aperture.

The camera is quick to react when pressing the shutter button, and the photos we took with the V35 looked good. The wide-angle mode adds some versatility to the camera, though detail quickly starts to drop off with this lens when you look closely. We found low-light photos a weakness of the G7, and we expect nothing different from the V35.

The main addition, and the reason for the ThinQ branding, is the A.I. Cam.

The Super Bright Camera mode should help with low-light — it’s the same feature that’s in the V30S and the G7 — though it promises better low-light pictures at the cost of resolution. There’s also a Portrait Mode, when you want to add a bokeh effect — or blur — behind a subject. The Portrait Mode, as we said with the G7, is surprisingly capable, though we’ll need to do a little more testing to confirm.

The main addition, and the reason for the ThinQ branding, is the A.I. Cam. This separate camera mode can identify 19 different scenes (such as sunset, pet, or flower), and the software alters the photo to make it look better. That includes tweaking the saturation and changing the exposure. It can even recommend using the wider-angle camera for better framing. In our experience with the G7, we didn’t find this mode to be that useful. It often made photos look oversaturated.

Julian Chokkattu

The V35 retains a focus on video quality, and you’ll find the Point Zoom feature in Cine Video mode, which lets you slowly zoom into a subject you tap for a cinematic look. There’s also the same 16 color-grading presets that were available on the V30 to tweak the mood of your videos. The front-facing camera is now 8-megapixels, as opposed to the 5-megapixel camera on the V30.

You’ll also find Google Lens built into the camera app, which comes after Google announced the feature would be built into third-party cameras on several Android phones.

We don’t expect the V35’s camera to blow anyone away. It’s a capable camera that can produce some fantastic photos, but it falls short of the competition in low-light conditions.

Price and availability

The LG V35 ThinQ will be offered exclusively on  AT&T and Project Fi.  AT&T is selling the phone for $900, or you can opt for the device payment plan at $30 per month over 30 months. Project Fi has yet to release pricing information.

Keep in mind, we’ve already heard rumblings of the LG V40 to come out later this year. We’re not sure what to expect from the fall flagship smartphone yet, but it should at least have a different design from the V35 and introduce some new features. It’s tough to say the V35 is worth buying at first blush, then – but perhaps it’ll grow on us.

LG V35 ThinQ vs. LG V30: Out with the old, in with the ThinQ

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

With an impressive dual camera setup, plenty of video recording options, and AI smarts built into its core, the LG V35 ThinQ is an impressive new smartphone from LG. But it has been less than a year since the LG V30 rolled out. What has the South Korean manufacturer added? Is the V35 ThinQ a major improvement over its predecessor? We decided to put the two phones head-to-head to find out.

Specs

LG V35 ThinQ
LG V30

Size
151.6 x 75.4 x 7.3mm (5.97 x 2.97 x 0.29 inches)
151.6 x 75.4 x 7.3 mm (5.97 x 2.97 x 0.29 inches)

Weight
158 grams (5.57 ounces)
158 grams (5.57 ounces)

Screen size
6-inch OLED
6-inch P-OLED display

Screen resolution
2,880 x 1,440 pixels (538 pixels-per-inch)
2,880 x 1,440 pixels (538 pixels-per-inch)

Operating system
Android 8.0 Oreo
Android 7.1.2 Nougat (upgradeable to 8.0 Oreo)

Storage space
64GB
64GB, 128GB (on the V30 Plus)

MicroSD card slot
 Yes, up to 2TB
Yes, up to 256 GB

Tap-to-pay services
Android Pay
Android Pay

Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835

RAM
6GB
4GB

Camera
Dual 16MP (with OIS) and 16MP wide angle rear, 8MP front
Dual 16MP and 13MP wide angle rear, 5MP wide angle front

Video
 Up to 4K at 30 fps, 1080p at 30 fps, 720p at 240 fps, HDR10
Up to 4K at 30 fps, 1080p at 30 fps, 720p at 120 fps

Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0

Ports
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-Type C
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-Type C

Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes

Water resistance
IP68
IP68

Battery
3,300mAh

Fast charging (Quick Charge 3.0)

Qi wireless charging

3,300mAh

Fast charging(Quick Charge 3.0)

Qi wireless charging

App marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store

Network support
AT&T, Project Fi
All major carriers

Colors
Aurora Black, Platinum Gray
Cloud Silver, Moroccan Blue, Aurora Black, Lavender Violet, Raspberry Rose

Price
$900
$800

Buy from
 AT&T, Project Fi

Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile

Review score
 Hands-on review

4 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Phones get faster every year with many of the top flagships adopting Qualcomm’s latest processor. The LG V35 ThinQ is no exception, packing a Snapdragon 845 which is faster and more power efficient than the Snapdragon 835 that you’ll find in the LG V30. While it definitely offers improvements, we never encountered any issues with performance in the LG V30. The difference between the two in every day use is likely to be quite subtle.

The V35 ThinQ has also been beefed up in the RAM department with 6GB instead of the 4GB that the V30 made do with. How much RAM a phone needs is the subject of some debate, but if you’re not a major multitasker, dipping in and out of countless apps and games, we don’t think you’ll feel much difference here either.

When it comes to battery size and charging capabilities these phones are identical. They both have 3,300mAh batteries that support Quick Charge 3.0 via the USB-C port, which is capable of delivering around 50 percent in just over half an hour. They also both support Qi wireless charging.

While it may not feel much different now, the extra performance and RAM will be more telling over time and the V35 ThinQ certainly offers more raw power.

Winner: LG V35 ThinQ

Design and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

You may have trouble telling these phones apart at first glance. In fact, you may struggle to tell them apart at second glance, too. The LG V35 ThinQ and the LG V30 are identical in terms of outward appearance. They both have a 6-inch display with curved corners, small bezels, and no notch. They both have glass backs with a dual camera module and a fingerprint sensor beneath. They both have a USB-C port on the bottom and a headphone port on the top. They both…well, you get the picture.

While you’ll want a case to guard against drop damage, both these phones also boast IP68 certification, which means they can handle short dunks into water without damage. Interestingly, the V35 ThinQ employs Corning’s Gorilla Glass 4 instead of the Gorilla Glass 5 found in the V30. We don’t have unbreakable smartphone glass yet, but we do know that Gorilla Glass 5 can withstand falls from greater heights without damage. However, the trade-off is usually that tougher protection against impacts means lesser protection against scratching, and glancing at our well-used LG V30 it does have a few scratches on the body, so perhaps that’s why LG switched here.

The only other difference you’ll find is the color options. The V35 ThinQ only comes in black or gray so far. The V30 can be found in black, silver, blue, violet, and rose.

There’s not enough here to separate these contenders, so this round has to be a tie.

Winner: Tie

Display

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

These phones both boast a 6-inch OLED screen with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2,880 x 1,440 pixels, which translates to 538 pixels-per-inch. They’re sharp and vibrant with inky blacks and support for HDR. In short, these displays are top notch. They’re also identical, so there’s no dividing the phones here.

Winner: Tie

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The V35 ThinQ offers some subtle hardware improvements in the camera department, pairing a 16-megapixel lens with an f/1.6 aperture and a 16-megapixel wide angle lens with an f/1.9 aperture. In the LG V30 the wide angle lens is rated at 13 megapixels. The front-facing camera in the V35 ThinQ is also better — it’s an 8-megapixel camera with an f/1.9 aperture. Compared to the 5-megapixel, f/2.2 aperture shooter in the V30, it should capture more detail and perform better in low light.

The V stands for video, so both these phones can record 4K at 30 frames per second. The V35 ThinQ has support for slow motion video at 240 frames per second in 720p, while the V30 can only manage 120 frames per second. You’ll also find Cine Mode options to help you shoot video in different styles.

The main software difference is the addition of AI Cam in the V35 ThinQ, which automatically identifies what’s in the shot and theoretically helps you to find the optimal settings to make your photo look good. The V35 also has support for Google Lens built into the camera app, enabling you to identify landmarks, scan text, and more. However, most of these software improvements have already started to roll out to the V30 as an update.

Winner: LG V35 ThinQ

Software and updates

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The LG V30 launched with Android 7.1.2 (Nougat), but it has since been updated to Android 8.0 Oreo. The V35 ThinQ is launching with Android 8.0 Oreo and we expect it to be updated to Android P in the near future. Both have LG’s user interface over the top and a smattering of LG apps and gesture shortcuts. As the newer phone, we can expect the V35 ThinQ to be a higher priority for updates and to receive them for longer.

Winner: LG V35 ThinQ

Special features

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

There are a lot more similarities than differences when it comes to special features. The LG V30 and the V35 offer support for Google Daydream and those large, sharp displays make them ideal for virtual reality. We already discussed some of the special video options, and the Google Lens integration, but they can also be found on both devices.

LG has added something called “Super Far-Field Voice Recognition” into the V35, which apparently allows the phone to recognize your voice from up to 17 feet away. That should make it easier to ask Google Assistant for help. Thanks to a special level of integration, you can also task Google Assistant with things like snapping a wide-angle selfie on your V35.

Winner: LG V35 ThinQ

Price

You can pre-order the LG V35 ThinQ for $900 from June 1, and it will ship June 8. It will be sold exclusively on AT&T and Google’s Project Fi network. The LG V30 costs $800 and you can find it on all the major carriers including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint.

That means you’re looking at paying an extra $100 for a slightly better camera, newer processor, and more RAM. We imagine you might start to see some discounts on the V30 now as well, which could increase the price gap further.

Overall winner: LG V35 ThinQ

The LG V35 ThinQ is the better phone overall, but the improvements are minor. If you’re a big selfie fan or you love to play the latest graphically intensive games, then it might justify the extra outlay, but if you already own an LG V30 we don’t think it’s worth upgrading.

Editors’ Recommendations

• LG G7 ThinQ vs. LG G6: Out with the old, in with the new
• LG G7 ThinQ vs. LG V30: Which LG flagship phone is best for you?
• OnePlus 6 vs. LG G7 ThinQ: Can the flagship killer sink LG’s latest?
• LG V35 ThinQ: Here’s everything you need to know about LG’s newest flagship
• LG G7 ThinQ vs. iPhone X: Which phone comes out on top?

The best MP3 music player you can buy (and 3 alternatives)

In 2001, the iPod changed everything. Portable media players began to spring up like weeds in the crack of a fertile driveway, flourishing for a while — until the smartphone arrived. With their limited storage capacities, phones eventually lead to the rise of streaming services like Spotify that quickly rendered the MP3 model antiquated, and favored the limitless collections of music hosted from the cloud.

But MP3 players didn’t simply roll over and die when the smartphones showed up. Instead, they pivoted. Those with sizable music collections will often find their smartphone‘s storage inadequate, especially since apps and music will end up competing for space. Many dedicated MP3 players offer big hard drives, meaning you’ll be able to fit your favorite band’s entire discography on a single device.

The exercise world is another niche that MP3 players have slid comfortably into. While smartphone screens grow larger, smaller media players offer the user a lightweight alternative that won’t make your pocket bounce to and fro during a workout.

Audiophiles, too, can find devices built to handle high-quality audio in one of several file formats. Although some of these players find themselves floating up toward (and in excess of) $1,000, there’s one that rises above the tide for a reasonable sum.

To help everyone find the right dedicated music player for them, we’ve picked out our favorite MP3 players below.

Our Pick

Astell & Kern AK Jr

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Why you should buy this: It’s powerful, versatile, reasonably priced, and produces extremely high resolution audio.

Our Score

The Best

Astell & Kern AK Jr

The AK Jr. is expensive, but it is worth its high price if you value audio quality.

$339.37 from Amazon.com

Who it’s for: Music lovers and casual listeners who don’t want to break the bank.

How much will it cost: $300+

Why we chose the Astell & Kern AK Jr:

Most companies don’t generally charge over $300 for their entry-level MP3 player. Then again, most companies are not Astell & Kern. The AK Jr. — which retails for about one-seventh of the cost of the flagship model, the AK380 — produces some of the highest quality sound out there. The beautifully angular Jr., measuring 4.5 x 2 inches and weighing just 3.28 ounces, features Astell & Kern’s signature volume wheel, which offers finer control than the traditional 1-through-10 volume setting on a phone or player.

The player’s touchscreen is framed in an attractive matte aluminum shell and its battery lasts for 6 – 8 hours. The Jr. features Bluetooth connectivity, but no Wi-Fi.

All the bells and whistles are here to service the sound. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a device that produces the kind of depth, clarity, and balance that the AK Jr. churns out on a song-by-song basis. Its Wolfson WM8740 Digital Audio Converter (DAC) is comfortable processing several different audio formats, from WAV to FLAC to single-rate DSD codecs, and the player features 64GB of native flash storage, with an SD slot so you can add another 64GB if need be.

Never before has there been a device this affordable that produces true hi-res audio. Put simply, the AK Jr is a top-flight portable music player whose reasonable price belies the power within.

Our full review

Best fitness MP3 player

SanDisk Clip Sport

Why you should buy this: It’s lightweight, durable, and built for exercise, with reasonable storage capacity and an excellent battery lifespan.

Best Fitness MP3 Player

SanDisk Clip Sport

The Sandisk Clip Sport is no looker, but it’s handy clip, low price, and 25 hour battery life make it ideal for fitness hounds.

$39.40 from Amazon

Who it’s for: Anyone looking to listen to music while they work out.

How much will it cost: $44 to $54

Why we chose the Sandisk Clip Sport:

Using your smartphone to listen to music while exercising is nearly always a hassle. If you’re running, the phone is probably bouncing uncomfortably in your pocket, or you’re forced to hold it with a vice grip because you wore shorts without pockets (stop forgetting the shorts with pockets!).

Thankfully, MP3 players with clips — like the SanDisk Clip Sport — were built specifically to resolve that issue. What the Clip Sport lacks in audio quality, it more than makes up for with several useful features and a rock-solid 25-hour battery life.

Apart from the eponymous clip, SanDisk equipped their workout buddy with an FM radio tuner, so you can listen to your favorite morning talk show as you take your brisk pre-breakfast stroll. The player features an LCD screen so you don’t need to rely on the ‘shuffle’ function; the Clip Sport includes 8GB of onboard flash storage, as well as an SD card slot that allows for more storage space to be added in later. Capable of handling most audio file types (including .FLAC files), this little guy is perfectly equipped to handle a marathon or a Tough Mudder. Plus, its low-risk price tag means you won’t need to panic if it somehow falls into a puddle.

The best Apple iPod

iPod Touch

Why you should buy this: You’re an Apple devotee and you prefer the iPod family.

Who it’s for: Casual listeners, intentional users of non-smart phones.

How much will it cost: $150 to $280

Why we chose the iPod Touch:

Despite the iPod’s iconic nature, the rise of the iPhone has taken most of the shine off the gadget that reinvented the way we listen to music. Apple no longer rolls out new editions of each iPod every year, and some unfortunate limitations keep the player from reaching its true potential. Still, the ever-friendly user interface and the sleek beauty of the experience (and of the iPod itself) earn the sixth-generation iPod Touch a spot on our list.

With the ability to store up to 128 gigabytes of your favorite tunes, plus smartphone-like functionality like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and app integrations (including the ability to use Apple Music for streaming), there is no better iPod for casual listeners and those who don’t want to carry a smartphone.

The iPod Touch is small and light, and comes wrapped in cool metal finishes, with a gorgeous retina display that makes browsing between albums easy. It even has both forward and rear-facing cameras for snapping the odd picture on the go. Plus, up to 40 hours of battery life is enough for a full work week of listening.

The best smartphone for music lovers

LG G7 ThinQ

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Why you should buy this: Loud, “Boombox” speaker, a stand-alone quad DAC, DTS.X 3D support … oh, and it doubles as a phone.

Product Card Copy: “The Best Smartphone for Music Lovers” “The LG G7 ThinQ is simply the best smartphone for audio, hands down. It has a fantastic speaker (for a phone) and outputs high-res audio.”

Who it’s for: Music lovers who’d rather just use their phone.

How much will it cost: $750+

Why we chose the LG G7 ThinQ:

Most smartphones’ music capabilities are extremely limited. Having access to streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music is important, but not everyone is willing to sacrifice sound quality and functionality for a bigger library of music.

Thankfully, with the LG G7 ThinQ, you don’t have to choose. The same Quad digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that we loved on the LG V30 returns in the company’s latest model, bringing pristine audio quality to anything you plug into the phone’s 3.5 mm audio jack (!). In addition, the g7 ThinQ also supports DTS.X 3D surround sound, a technology similar to Dolby Atmos.

The phone also features a unique “Boombox” speaker, which is a single, bottom-firing mono speaker that uses the phone’s entire body as a resonance chamber. It may seem like a gimmick on paper, but we found the speaker to be extremely rich and loud, offering some of the best fidelity we’ve ever heard from the sometimes-tinny smartphone segment.

Ultimately, the LG G7 ThinQ is worth a buy if you’re in need of both a smartphone and a hi-res music player. It’s not the king of either category, necessarily, but there are few — if any — phones that can match the quality of its audio output.

Our full review

What is hi-res audio?

High resolution audio uses a higher sampling rate and a higher bitrate than regular audio files. A typical hi-res audio file is sampled at 96 kHz/24 bit, which means that the audio is ‘sampled’ more frequently each second than a typical MP3 file, which loses around 90 percent of its information during the compression process. Hi-res files (like .FLAC files) process information more than 20 times faster than MP3 files, which means that those little details in the music — such as the attack and decay of a single guitar pluck — can be heard more clearly by the human ear. MP3 files are quick and dirty representations of actual songs that have been compressed in order to save storage space. High resolution audio, on the other hand, is compressed in such a way that those little details are preserved.

How we test

You might be wondering how, exactly, we came to these conclusions. As the market for MP3 players has thinned, devices must fit snugly into a niche — or be left out in the cold. For hi-res options like the AK Jr., there’s only one way to test: with variety. We tested the AK with several different genres of music across several different file codecs, with several different pairs of headphones. When it performed admirably across the gamut of variables, we knew we had our pick. We also do extensive phone reviewing, and picked other MP3 music players based on their ease of use or usefulness in a particular situation.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best LG G7 ThinQ cases to keep your LG phone looking new
• The best free music players
• ATC’s CDA2 Mk2 will make you want to put the phone away and dig out your CDs
• Here are the best camera phones of 2018
• The best smartphones

Moto G6 review: Finding success in compromise

Another triumph in the low-cost phone arena.

Motorola under Lenovo has maintained a stronghold on the budget market in many parts of the world — particularly India and Latin America — but its U.S. tenure hasn’t been as assured. With the Moto G6, the company butts up against rising component prices and emerges with a budget champion that’s also full of compromise.

Moto G6

Price: from $240

Bottom line: While it’s clear sacrifices were made to reach its $249 price, the Moto G6 is one of the best budget phones around.

Pros:

• Great build quality and design for the price
• Excellent main rear camera
• Good battery life
• Moto Display is still amazing
• USB-C charging

Cons:

• Slippery
• Screen quality isn’t great, even for the price
• Occasional performance stuttering
• Moto G line isn’t known for swift software updates
• Lacks NFC

See at Amazon

Moto G6 The details

I’ve been using an unlocked U.S. Moto G6 for a week as my daily driver — Android 8.0, Build OPS27.104-15-10, with a March 1, 2018 security patch date. It has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, which aligns with the $249 “base” model.

Moto G6 The Prelude

When reviewing a phone that’s less than half — and in some cases a full third — the price of the flagship products we normally look it, it’s important to put its review into context. Most people choose a budget phone like the Moto G because they don’t have a lot of money to spend. Makes sense, but the matter is complicated by the varieties of ways people buy their phones.

The Moto G6 is a sequel to either the G5 or G5 Plus depending on the market.

In North America, most people buy their devices through carriers, which amortize the cost over a year or two, tacking on the cost of the phone to their monthly bill. In parts of Europe, the cost of the phone depends on the cost of the plan — the more expensive the plan, the less one pays for the phone. In South America, India, and certain other countries — where Motorola dominates the market — phones are bought outright in order to keep plan costs down. If a carrier doesn’t have to subsidize, or even stock, the phone being used, it has less overhead and can charge less for what it’s really there to provide: service.

It’s with that lens that I look at the Moto G6, because at $250 it attempts to reproduce the look and experience of pricier models, becoming convincingly aspirational in markets where most phones sold are under $300 and suitably disruptive in markets where flagships sell in volume.

Most Moto G6 users will likely be upgrading from previous budget phones, which means we have to frame the device in that light. Me, I’m reviewing this after using “budget” flagships like the $529 OnePlus 6 and canonical flagships like the Huawei P20 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S9.

The Moto G6 is objectively impressive, but it’s particularly so after using it right after those phones.

Moto G6 The Review

Until Lenovo purchased Motorola in 2014, the Moto G line emphasized function over form. The first four iterations weren’t ugly, but they had no real design, no true eye-catching appeal. That changed in 2017 with the Moto G5 line, which traded plastic for metal, and a year and a bit later we have the Moto G6, which trades metal for glass… and a bit of plastic.

The Moto G6, which sits in the middle behind the $199 Moto G6 Play and the $349 (ish — it’s not available in North America) Moto G6 Plus, has Gorilla Glass 3 on the front and back, with matching shiny acrylic sides. While slippery, I appreciate the way the rear curves to meet the frame, making it a pleasure to grip the tall-and-narrow frame. And while the device, which has a 2:1 aspect ratio, is taller than its predecessors, it’s also immediately identifiable as a Moto product, mainly due to the signature rounded camera module and front-facing fingerprint sensor.

I really like this design. It’s not symmetrical, but it’s balanced, and despite the fingerprint sensor’s reduction in surface area, it’s responsive and easy to use, even when standing in for the on-screen navigation keys with One Button Nav.

A note on One Button Nav

Motorola introduced the One Button Nav feature with the Moto G5 line, adapting it from parent company India-centric Lenovo’s Z2 Plus, and has since brought it to every phone in its lineup that has a front fingerprint sensor.

It works by mimicking Android’s on-screen navigation buttons — Back, Home, Multitasking — with a set of swipe and tap gestures. Swipe left for back; swipe right for multitasking; tap quickly for Home; tap-and-hold for Google Assistant.

When it debuted, I couldn’t use it. The sensitivity was abysmal and I experienced too many false positives for it to be even remotely useful. With the Moto G6, I decided to give it another go and found it much better. In fact, I used it for the entire review period, and aside from a few situations found it reliable and enjoyable. While I’m not sure I could transition full-time to it, it’s an interesting feature that frees up screen space, allowing apps to use the Moto G6’s full 5.7-inch display.

Compared to Google’s own set of navigation gestures in Android P, Motorola keeps things relatively simple, but it will be interesting to see how the feature evolves as devices get updated to Android 9.0 in 2019.

Should you buy the Moto G6, I highly recommend you give One Button Nav a try.

One Button Nav on the Moto G5 is an exciting new way to interact with your phone

OS	Android 8.0 w/ Moto
Screen	5.7-inch LCD 2160×1080 Gorilla Glass 3
SoC	Snapdragon 450 Adreno 506 GPU
RAM	3GB / 4GB
Storage	32GB / 64GB
Camera 1	12MP rear, ƒ/1.8
Camera 2	5MP rear, ƒ/1.8
Front camera	8MP
Battery	3000mAh
Connectivity	300Mbps LTE, 19 LTE bands Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile
Security	Fingerprint, face unlock
Charging	USB-C 15W TurboPower charger
Dimensions	153.8 x 72.3 x 8.3 mm
Weight	167 grams
Colors	Black, Deep Indigo, Blush
Price	starts at $249

The 5.7-inch 1080p display is where the first obvious compromise comes into play. It’s sharp, yes, but colors are dull compared to more expensive devices and, more importantly, touch response is considerably slower.

It’s not going to impede your enjoyment of the device in day-to-day activities — I had no issues typing, for instance — but when playing games that require twitch reflexes, it may become more of an issue. Still, this is an impressive display, and one of the best in its price range.

Thankfully, Motorola hasn’t messed with Moto Display, one of the company’s legacy standout features. It debuted five years ago with the Moto X and, despite minor improvements to information density, hasn’t changed that much but that’s completely fine. Being able to not only view but interact with notifications when the screen is “off” — or more accurately, passively on — is still, years later, one of the best mobile user experiences there is. Despite the proliferation of always-on displays, no company has matched Motorola here. Not even close.

Moto Display is activated by tapping the display or physically moving the phone, and while I miss the ability to bring my hand close to the screen to turn it on, those sensors add cost, and cost is a factor with the G6.

I bring that up again because Motorola made a questionable specifications decision with the G6, and one that has positive and negative implications. The Snapdragon 450 SoC in the phone is paired with either 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage or 4GB and 64GB, and despite the chip sharing a lot in common with last year’s Moto G5 Plus, it’s hard to see this as anything but a downgrade.

Sure, most people won’t be upgrading directly from that phone to this one, but with the absence of the Moto G6 Plus in the U.S. market, the G6 is the logical successor (especially because, thanks to increasing component prices, they share the same base price) it’s clear you’re trading some performance for additional features.

(To be clear, the Moto G line did that for years; it stuck with the Snapdragon 400 and 410 chips between 2013 and 2015, choosing to spend money in other areas.)

Motorola is also keenly aware of the performance regression, since it doesn’t mention the specific chip used in the phone anywhere on its specs page, choosing instead to call it a “blazing fast qualcomm Snapdragon 1.8GHz octa-core processor.” The Moto G6 Plus spec sheet, on the other hands, mentions the Snapdragon 630 explicitly.

The Moto G6 doesn’t feel slow, but there’s a perceptible difference between its languid response to commands and the immediacy of a flagship.

To that end, the Moto G6 performs quite well, but everything takes an additional tick to complete compared to devices running 600- and 800-series chips. (Andrew reviewed the Moto G6 Plus, which has a faster Snapdragon 630, and saw no such performance slouching.)

This is especially evident in the camera app, which takes a couple of agonizing seconds to load, and inserts a noticeable beat between shutter and capture. The camera isn’t slow the way budget phones were a few years ago, but it’s the most obvious area where more powerful hardware justifies its additional cost.

That camera offers a familiar set of specs and drawbacks, too. The main 12MP sensor isn’t as good as the one in the Moto G5 Plus — it lacks the autofocus-boosting Dual Pixels feature — and its ƒ/1.8 aperture isn’t as fast.

In exchange, you get a second 5MP sensor that offers up a fascimile of flagship features like portrait mode, “stage lighting”, and more. You also lose the Moto G5 Plus’s 4K video, maxing at 1080p (though at an impressive 60fps).

Given the impressive pedigree of the Moto G5 Plus, the camera situation here is unfortunate, but it’s not all grim: I was impressed by most of the photos taken in daylight and moderate indoor light, and even managed to eke a couple of decent nighttime photos after a few throwaways.

The lens has a difficult time locking onto subjects, even outdoors, but once it locks the lens gets some magnificent bokeh, largely negating the need for the portrait mode — which has also improved this year, with much better edge detection.

But either because of the poor quality of the secondary sensor or an immature depth algorithm (or both), portrait subjects emerge with a cartoony halo around them, with inconsistent borders and little gradation between the foreground and rear. I’d have much rather seen Moto spend the extra money on a better primary sensor and lens, but when the market speaks, companies must listen.

That said, though it did take me a few tries, I got a pretty nice portrait of my dog, Zadie, outside on a hot day.

So the camera is a mixed bag — if you’re coming from a Moto G4 or G5, it’s a huge improvement. Better sensor, faster lens, superior low-light shots. But if you’re looking at this, like many North Americans are, as the successor to the Moto G5 Plus, it’s more of a lateral move.

Moto G6 (left) | Moto X4 (right) — Taken in bright daylight

I compared the Moto G6 to the Moto X4, which shares a 12MP sensor of similar quality to the G5 Plus (though its ƒ/2.0 lens is a bit slower) and found the G6 to produce richer, more vivid photos indoors and out, but with considerably more grain in areas with poor light.

That’s a trade-off I’m willing to make — the X4 is more true-to-life and produces cleaner, more editable photos whereas the G6’s photos are more instantly ‘Grammable.

Moto G6 (left) | Moto X4 (right) — Taken in indoor light

Moto G6 (left) | Moto X4 (right) — Taken in low light

The camera’s saving grace, however, is its app. Still accessible with a double-twist of the wrist (another 2013-era gesture that, along with “chop-chop for flashlight,” still holds up nicely) it’s received a nice redesign for 2018, putting the most important sections within thumb’s reach. The object recognition stuff that Motorola touts as “Smart Camera” is neither smart nor helpful, but it’s easy enough to disable and doesn’t get in the way.

In fact, software is the entire phone’s saving grace. Running Android 8.0 Oreo with only minor changes to what you’d find on a Pixel phone, the software is what makes the Moto G6 feel as snappy and mature as it does. Apps load quickly and generally perform well, though my unit cleared out its 3GB of RAM more quickly than I’d like, forcing apps to reload after a few minutes idle.

Unfortunately, the return of Moto Voice — supposedly new and improved — is a big disappointment. Motorola touts the service’s ability to perform local commands like “turn on Wi-Fi” or “play cat videos” but everything I tried in Motorola’s short list of acceptable phrases could be reproduced better and faster with Google Assistant. My suggestion is to ignore this duplicative feature completely.

Some important miscellany

• There’s a single front-facing speaker built into a earpiece above the screen. It’s pretty good and gets surprisingly loud. ✅
• The phone charges via USB-C, which has been incredibly useful during my review period. The phone comes with a compatible 10-watt charger in the box along with a USB-A to C cable, so if you’re moving up from Micro-USB, welcome to the rest of your life. ✅
• There’s a headphone jack on the bottom of the phone, but I only used Bluetooth headphones in my time with the phone, and they all worked perfectly. ✅
• Call quality is really good, as is usually the case with Motorola phones. ✅
• Motorola’s famous “Water-repellent nano-coating” meant to keep water out of the phone’s internals works really well. I dropped my phone in to a water fountain for a few seconds and it showed no signs of damage. ✅
• In addition to the front-facing fingerprint sensor, there’s whip-fast face unlock that works in all but the worst of lighting conditions. ✅
• At 167 grams, the Moto G6 is 12g heavier than last year’s Moto G5 Plus, but thanks to a taller body and improved ergonomic design, it actually feels lighter. ✅
• The Snapdragon 450 SoC maxes out at 300Mbps down and 150Mbps up, but I consistently reached speeds over 120Mbps on Canada’s TELUS network, which is hard to complain about. ✅
  • The good news is that the phone supports all four major U.S. carriers, including Verizon and Sprint, and will work on T-Mobile’s growing AWS-3 (Band 66) network. No Band 71 support, though. ✅
  • The less attractive side of that coin is the lack of aggregation diversity; the Moto G6 only supports 2x20MHz carrier aggregation, which not only limits overall speed but coverage potential in areas with many different wireless bands. 🚫
• There’s no NFC, so no Google Pay. It’s 2018, Motorola — this is still a bad decision. 🚫

Phew.

Finally, on battery life, the 3,000mAh battery has fared remarkably well, largely thanks to the power-sipping 14nm Snapdragon 450, which maxes out at a leisurely 1.8GHz per core. In my week using the phone full-time, I didn’t have to recharge during the day at all, and even though I hit the red (below 10%) by bedtime, I never felt battery anxiety. What’s most surprising, though, is just how similar the phone’s longevity was to devices twice or three times the cost.

Other low-cost handsets like the Moto G6 Play and Moto E5 Plus rely on enormous batteries to eke as much uptime as possible because they have older, less efficient processors. The Moto G6 finds the right balance.

Moto G6 The competition

So what of the competition? When you’re in the market for a cheap phone, the choices are seemingly endless and yet there are so few standouts. If you’re in the U.S., the obvious choice would be the 2018 version of the Nokia 6, also known as the Nokia 6.1, which sells for a reasonable $269.

What it lacks in design it makes up for in solidity: it’s milled from a single piece of Series 6 aluminum, and features a faster Snapdragon 630 SoC in addition to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Its 16MP camera is higher resolution, but doesn’t match the Moto G6’s for speed and features. It also runs Android One, with a clean version of Android 8.1 that is sure to appeal to many in the unlocked phone space.

Between devices like the Nokia 6.1 and Honor 7X — not to mention other Motorola phones — the G6 has more competition than ever.

Of course, that Nokia 6.1, like most in this price range only supports T-Mobile, AT&T, and its MVNO partners; Motorola made sure to support all four major U.S. carriers with its Moto G6 line this year. That’s a big advantage, and helps it slip into higher-volume carrier channels Nokia will likely never enter in the U.S.

Then there’s the Honor 7X, which shares a lot in common with the Moto G6, including a 2:1 screen and dual cameras. At $199, it’s a little cheaper and a bit more powerful, but its EMUI software is a mixed bag, as is the camera. The Xiaomi Mi A1 is also similarly great.

Outside the U.S., there’s plenty in the €200/£200 range, from the Xiaomi Mi A1 to myriad devices from ASUS and Huawei, but Motorola holds court over the category, as it’s done for half a decade now.

That court extends to other Motorola phones, too. The Moto G6 Plus is sold alongside the G6 in many parts of the world, and it takes what I love about this phone and improves on it in every way — better display, faster processor, and significantly improved camera. Similarly, the Moto X4, which stands in for the G6 Plus in the U.S., may not share the tall-and-thin design language of Moto’s 2018 lineup, but it’s still a heck of a phone, and can be procured for roughly the same price as the G6.

Moto G6 Bottom line

When evaluating the Moto G6, it’s important to mark its proper place in Motorola’s hierarchy: it’s not the direct successor to the Moto G5 Plus despite seeming that way in the U.S. market. When viewed as a sequel to the G5 Plus, it doesn’t fare particularly well because improvements like battery life, design, and features come at the cost of speed and camera quality. Unfortunately, because the G5 wasn’t available in the U.S. and the G6 Plus will be similarly absent, the line of succession becomes murkier.

But when looked at on its own, as an objectively good budget phone in 2018, the value proposition is clear. Despite some obvious shortcomings, there is very little separating the experience of using the Moto G6 to that of much more expensive phones. And if, like many Moto G owners, you’ve never used a flagship, or have no desire to spend between $700 and $1000 on a smartphone, the Moto G6 offers outstanding value. Similarly, in markets where the Moto G6 does succeed the Moto G5, the phone is an improvement in every way.

As with all Motorola phones, it remains to be seen whether the company will maintain the G6’s software. A year on from the Moto G5 lineup, security patches have been rare, and a jump to Oreo, while promised, has taken far too long.

4
out of 5

Despite some misgivings, there’s very little I dislike about the Moto G6. Motorola’s crafted a solid, dependable, and enjoyable budget phone, and one that I would heartily recommend to anyone looking to spend under $300.

See at Amazon
See at Verizon

What do you think about a notch on the Pixel 3 XL?

It’s (maybe) coming.

Earlier this week, a leaked picture made its way around the web showing panels for the front of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.

The panel for the regular Pixel 3 shows an 18:9 ratio with much slimmer bezels compared to the Pixel 2, and with the Pixel 3 XL, we’ve got that infamous notch.

We can’t confirm how legit/fabricated this leak is, but a notch on the Pixel 3 XL isn’t unlikely in the slightest. Some of the AC forum members shared their thoughts on a notched Pixel 3 XL, and this is what they had to say.

DMP89145
05-29-2018 12:28 PM

“

I’ll bite on the speculation, for the sake of discussion.

I think the P3 would look okay, the XL … well.. mixed. I’m not a fan of notches, though like the headphone jack, would probably get over it somewhat quickly if I was interested in the XL version. The camera location and the top speaker in the notch on the XL would be a little troubling.

If the smaller P3 comes out something like…

Reply

Ry
05-29-2018 01:53 PM

“

I am totally OK with this design.

But then again, I’m not a soldier in the war against bezels.

Reply

TraderGary
05-29-2018 02:42 PM

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For me a notch would be very disappointing and would give me pause for thought about a Pixel 3 XL.

Reply

Theot
05-29-2018 09:46 PM

“

Love the Pixel 3 look. If it’s the same size as my Pixel 2 with small bezels, a 5.5″ 18:9 display and the same internals as the 3 XL I’m down for the smaller one for sure. A battery size bump would be nice too.

Reply

What do you think? Do you want a notch on the Pixel 3 XL?

Join the conversation in the forums!

OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?

Is it time to continue with the one-year upgrade cycle?

OnePlus has a rapid release cycle for its phones, iterating roughly every six months to get the latest specs and features in your hands if you’re willing to pay the price. But if you’re locked in on a once-yearly refresh, then you’ve likely held onto your OnePlus 5 — and now, just shy of a year on, the OnePlus 6 is here to entice you once again.

Holding off from getting a OnePlus 5T, the OnePlus 6 is your opportunity to move to a new form factor with a larger display and rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, plus refreshed specs and new configuration options. But considering that the OnePlus 5 is still a fine phone today and there’s so much shared in the new phone, is it worth the upgrade? We’re here to help you make that decision.

See at OnePlus

What’s the same

OnePlus has been fantastically consistent with the features and experience it offers in its phones from generation to generation. A year on from the OnePlus 5, not a whole lot has changed at the core of the OnePlus 6. You’ll find the same complement of buttons in the usual places, the great Alert Slider, and a normal set of ports on the bottom including a headphone jack. The USB-C port supports Dash Charge at the same charging rate as before, and the battery inside is even the same 3300mAh capacity. You’ll find the same base 6GB of RAM with an option for 8GB, and the same base 64GB of storage with optional 128GB — but the OnePlus 6 has a new 256GB tier as well.

The experience of using these phones doesn’t differ much, particularly in the software and performance.

The OnePlus consistency carries over particularly well in the software, where OxygenOS has very few differences on the new phone that weren’t already brought to the OnePlus 5 in an update or at least in beta release for a future public launch. Aside from a few little changes, OnePlus has been very good about keeping OxygenOS similar between its phones, so you don’t have to feel like you’re missing out on any new features by not getting the newer phone. The OnePlus 5 also easily has another round of major software updates in its future, so you don’t have to be worried about being stranded on Android Oreo.

Along the same lines, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who could identify where the OnePlus 5 is slower than the OnePlus 6 in anything but synthetic benchmarks. Yes, the new Snapdragon 845 is more powerful, but a year on the Snapdragon 835 is still a great platform and when paired with 6 or 8GB of RAM it makes the OnePlus 5 fly. There are marginal improvements to be found, particularly in power consumption by the processor itself, but this small bump to the new generation of processor isn’t enough in itself to justify a move considering how well the OnePlus 5 still performs today. Battery life is great on the OnePlus 6, but of course it was strong on the OnePlus 5 as well.

What’s different

Even though the core of these phones doesn’t differ much, there are several improvements that come from another year of development, design and technological advancements. The biggest differentiation is the design — moving from metal to glass transforms the look and feel of the phone, and I’d say the OnePlus 6 is more modern in both respects. There’s a bit more style and flair at play here, particularly compared to the OnePlus 5’s very generic look.

There’s a full generation jump in hardware quality, design and camera performance.

The new design also incorporates a considerable change to the screen, now 6.3 inches in a much taller 19:9 aspect ratio. Paired with smaller bezels, you’re getting more screen in a package that’s only marginally larger. Yes there’s a notch at the top of the display, but the OnePlus 5 has huge bezels on both ends — this is undeniably a positive move. On that note, the fingerprint sensor moved to the back of the OnePlus 6, but is just as easy to use every day.

The only other change to note is in the camera, and it’s worth talking about extensively. Specs-wise things look the same sticking with 16MP resolution and f/1.7 aperture, but this is a new larger sensor that’s also supported by OIS — both critical additions for every type of photography, but particularly low light. The OnePlus 6 also introduces 1080p video at 240 fps or 720p video at 480 fps, which are both fun to shoot with — there’s also improved video stabilization for even smoother shots.

The secondary camera is no longer “telephoto,” and instead just has the same focal length and aperture as the primary camera. So you lose out on the zoom, but if you’ve used the OnePlus 5 for any length of time you know that secondary camera’s small pixels, high aperture and lack of OIS makes it unusable in anything but fantastic lighting anyway.

OnePlus 6 specs

The OnePlus 6 undoubtedly takes better photos across the board, but the biggest difference is in low-light and mixed-light shots where the processing and clarity is dramatically improved. Daylight photos can be a toss-up, but whenever there are adverse conditions the OnePlus 6 wins — and by a large margin in many cases. Here are a handful of samples comparing the two:

OnePlus 6 (left) vs. OnePlus 5 (right) — click images to view larger.

The camera improvement isn’t big enough in itself to make you upgrade, but when you add it to all of the other design improvements you see how the OnePlus 6 is a big step in a positive direction compared to the last-generation phone.

Should you upgrade?

In some ways, OnePlus is its own worst enemy when it comes to getting its customers to upgrade to the next generation. It fills its phones with great specs and clean software from the start, so even a year on they don’t feel old or sluggish. If you’re using a OnePlus 5 today you know it still performs well and is capable of doing just about anything you need it to do.

The OnePlus 6 does a few key things better, and critically doesn’t do anything worse than the OnePlus 5.

So, then, we have to focus on a few of the finer points where OnePlus can influence an upgrade. Most of that comes down to the design, display, and camera. Compared to the OnePlus 6 the OnePlus 5 looks old and generic, and that shiny new glass certainly feels more modern across the board. Pair that up with the new extra-tall display and tiny bezels, and you get a really handsome phone that also makes better use of its size to deliver more usable screen space. The camera has also inarguably improved, making important spec improvements of pixel size and optical stabilization, leading to better photos in every situation — even if it did mean losing telephoto zoom from the second camera.

As we’ve seen for a few generations now, the biggest thing helping you upgrade to a new OnePlus phone is the high resale value of the old models. A used OnePlus 5 will sell on the open market for around $350, depending on its condition and configuration. That gets you well over halfway to a new OnePlus 6, which makes this a pretty enticing option if you have no need for your current phone once you upgrade. The OnePlus 6 isn’t a dramatic improvement in most ways over the OnePlus 5, but it is better in key areas and critically isn’t worse in any. If you can sell your old device and drop a couple hundred dollars for a new phone, this is definitely a smart move if you like what OnePlus phones offer.

See at OnePlus

Update, May 30, 2018: This article has been updated with new more detailed battery and camera comparisons between the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 6.

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 review
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums