Editor's note:
Since the LG Velvet's debut, LG has discontinued its mobile service and no longer offers new phones. You may still be able to find the LG Velvet from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.
Verdict
The LG Velvet 5G is a beautiful and capable flagship smartphone designed to feel as light in your hand as it does on your wallet. As Canada's first 5G smartphone under $1,000, users shouldn’t expect the same premium gaming experience as the competition offers. What you get with the LG Velvet 5G is a midrange device that thinks it’s a premium smartphone.What we love
- Large screen that fits in your hand
- 48 MP camera and 4K video
- Water resistant and durable
- 5G and other great connectivity
What we don't like
- Disappointing 3D Performance
- No HDR+ or fast refresh rate
- Glass back is slippery and a fingerprint magnet
77/100
Is the LG Velvet 5G Good Phone?
What are the LG Velvet 5G Specs?
- Performance: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765, 6GB RAM, Android 10, 128GB UFS 2.1, MicroSD expandable storage
- Cameras: 48 MP rear camera (12MP photos), 8 MP wide angle, 5 MP depth sensor, 16 MP selfie camera
- Display: 6.8” FHD+ (2460 x 1080 pixels) POLED Endless Edge display, 60 Hz refresh, Gorilla Glass 5
- Battery: 4300 mAh, Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+, 9W Wireless Charging
- Connectivity: 5G, 4G LTE, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, USB 2.0 Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack
- Features: In-screen fingerprint reader, Stereo speakers with LG 3D Sound Engine, Google Assistant button, slim and light design
LG Velvet 5G Plans
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Fido
$40 Data, Talk & Text Plan with 75GB
$71.25/mth
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LG Velvet 5G: Performance
The Snapdragon 765G inside the LG Velvet 5G compromises on performance in order to reduce price and improve power efficiency. It’s new enough to feature 5G connectivity, Adreno 620 graphics and smart power management. There's 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard UFS 2.1 storage that’s expandable with a microSD card. App switching and 4K video recording is quick and easy.
We didn’t expect the LG Velvet 5G to compete with top-tier smartphones when it comes to hardcore gaming. We did hope that it would be an affordable option for users who want to upgrade an older device. Casual games with 2D and simple 3D graphics look great on the 6.8” OLED display, but games like Asphalt 9 and Fortnite demand high performance that the Snapdragon 765G CPU can’t endure. Low framerates and poor image quality in these games position the LG Velvet 5G firmly as a midrange smartphone in terms of performance.
LG Velvet 5G: Cameras
The rear array of lenses includes a 48 megapixel (MP) primary camera that employs pixel-binning to create sharp, colourful images even in low-light conditions. The ultrawide lens on the LG Velvet 5G uses an 8MP sensor. That’s a big step down from older LG flagships which are great at taking high-quality wide-angle photos. When taking ultrawide photos with the LG Velvet 5G, you sacrifice a lot more image fidelity. There’s also a 5MP depth camera on the back to assist quick autofocus and get that photo with little delay.
The selfie camera uses a 16MP sensor that pulls in lots of light to take impressive photos. There are fewer portrait effects than offered by the rear camera because it’s not assisted with a depth sensor like the rear-facing cameras. However, you do get a wide selection of 2D and 3D AR effects to add a unique touch to your profile photos.
Video mode shoots in HDR colour up to 4K at 30 frames-per-second (fps) or full HD at 60fps on both the main camera and the selfie camera. The ultrawide angle lens only shoots in Full HD mode. LG’s exclusive voice bokeh mode focuses in on voices and helps eliminate background noise. The feature can also be employed to make high-quality ASMR audio recording.
LG Velvet 5G: Display
The brilliant POLED screen on the LG Velvet 5G reaches 6.8” diagonally which is bigger than most premium smartphones. However, the device uses a FullHD+ display (1080x2460 pixels) with a refresh rate of 60Hz. LG is a market leader in manufacturing OLED displays, so a higher pixel density, faster refresh rate and HDR10+ would have been nice when streaming video content to that big, beautiful display.
There’s a notch in the top-middle of the screen for the selfie camera. Many midrange and premium smartphones have transitioned to a less obstructive pinhole. Personally, I’m happy with the symmetry of a mid-screen notch than an off-centre pinhole, but whether this is good or bad layout really comes down to your own preference.
LG Velvet 5G: Battery Life
The LG Velvet 5G features a respectable 4300 mAh battery. It yields a full day of typical use and a bit more on your second day. QuickCharge 4 is supported and testing showed 40 minutes of wired charging adds 50% of life to the battery. Wireless charging up to 9W makes it very easy to keep battery levels up. There is no reverse charging feature, so make sure your LG TONE Free wireless earbuds are fully charged before leaving the house.
LG Velvet 5G: Connectivity
This is the phone for Canadians who want a 5G phone today without breaking the bank. The LG Velvet 5G is the first smartphone in Canada priced under $1,000 that supports next generation 5G networks. You can transfer data or power over the USB Type-C port and listen to music using the analog 3.5mm headphone jack. The LG Velvet 5G also includes Bluetooth 5.1 for easy connection to any wireless accessories, but Wi-Fi is limited to 802.11ac instead of faster WiFi 6. It would have been nice to see multi-gigabit speeds in the home as on mobile networks.
LG Velvet 5G: Additional Features
The oversized 6.8” display fits comfortably in one hand thanks to a slim profile, curved edges, glass back and buttons that are barely visible yet responsive. The in-display fingerprint sensor is more reliable than the LG V60 5G we tested just a few months ago and is now nearly as fast as the competition.
The LG Velvet 5G is durable too. In addition to IP68 dust and water resistance, the device was put through military durability testing to receive MIL-STD-810G certification. It should easily survive your relatively quiet lifestyle. Even if you accidentally run over it with a tank*, LG offers a free second year limited warranty when you register your device.
* Tank damage may not be covered
LG Velvet 5G: In Conclusion
According to LG Canada, the LG Velvet 5G was built on three pillars: sleek premium design, easy content creation and immersive experience. Indeed, the sleek front and back glass with curved edges truly gives the effect of soft velvet in one’s hand. The “waterdrop” layout of the rear cameras is an attractive alternative to the chunky lens arrays found on most other flagship smartphones. Content creation is easy with software that intelligently enhances photos, videos and even audio recordings. Although the large display is immersive, competitive smartphones achieve superior quality using smaller screens, higher resolution, faster refresh rates and HDR10+. Stereo audio reproduction on the LG Velvet 5G is loud and clear, but previous generations of LG flagship smartphones set a high bar that this model can’t quite achieve.
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