What's good
- Solid swivel mechanism
- Clever design
What's bad
- Bulky and awkward
- Poor battery life
- Questionable price
- So-so performance
LG took a stab at looking at smartphone design differently with the LG Wing. It will look odd to those used to the ordinary black slate phone but borrows design elements from slider phones of the past. Is an innovative design enough to make a phone great? And does the design work?
Design
The LG Wing has an impressive swivel design from which it gets its name. When folded out, the phone resembles a capital ‘T.’ This design offers a few different benefits depending on how you use and how you’re holding the phone. A couple of examples include a wider keyboard when texting and a more convenient way to play your favorite games.
Display
The main display is a 6.8-inch OLED. Reviews noted that bright colors and dark shadows were okay but nothing mind-blowing. The second screen is a 3.9-inch OLED with basically the same performance. So while the design itself impressed, the screens only just passed muster for reviewers after the novelty wore off.
Performance
The performance seemed to be the least of LG’s worries, and it shows. With similarly priced phones including 90-144Hz refresh rates panels, the phone perhaps feels slower than it really is with its 60Hz panel. The chipset they used is firmly mid-tier, especially when you consider this phone supports 5G. Reviewers worry that the older Snapdragon model they chose isn’t where it needs to power two different displays and run 5G adequately -- let alone provide any form of future-proofing for the price.
Software & Storage
The phone uses the latest version of Android with the LG UX overlay. The overlay is essential to the swivel screens' arrangement, so you won’t be able to install a new one if you don’t like it. This means the phone might be less flexible for power users. Storage is decent, however, at 128GB/256GB of internal storage with the option to add up to 2TB using a microSD card.
Cameras
While the design wowed, the cameras failed to impress reviewers. Due to the phone’s unique design, it wasn’t possible to do the usual selfie camera. Instead, LG used a mechanism to pop up for it. But overall picture quality was only so-so.
However, if you’re looking to stream, record vlogs, or capture video of your daily adventures, a range of different recording options (including a pseudo gimbal mode) offers interesting features you might not find on other phones.
Battery Life
Reviewers stated that the battery doesn’t have enough endurance. With two displays running all the time, they ended up charging during the day rather than just plugging it in at night like other phones in this price range.
Audio
Phone audio only gets so good, but since one speaker is bottom-firing, you’ll need to be careful how you hold the phone to avoid muffling the speaker.
Specs at a Glance
- Glass chassis
- A 6.8-inch OLED and a 3.9-inch mini display
- Octa-core 2.4 GHz Qualcomm SDM765 Snapdragon 765G processor
- 8GB of RAM
- Android 10
- 128GB/256GB storage with MicroSD option
- 64MP camera
- 4000mAh battery
Bottom Line
The LG Wing turned heads with its unique design. It is innovative and something we haven’t seen before. However, the rest of the phone seemed sub-par for the price, which rivals that of iPhones and Samsung’s higher-end smartphones. The battery is too small and the chipset is outdated. The result is a device seemed relatively underpowered according to reviews yet doesn’t last a full day on a single charge.
The Verge says, “The LG Wing’s rotating display is a marvel of engineering and an incredibly fun novelty, the kind of design innovation that’s exciting to see in a world where most smartphone designs are just variations on the same black slabs. But being new and interesting doesn’t mean that something is good, and without better software support or a lower price tag, it’s hard to recommend the Wing for anyone but the most jaded smartphone owners.”
Android Authority states, “The LG Wing is a first-try at an entirely new form factor for modern smartphones. It needs some work to appeal beyond the early adopter crowd, but it's impossible to deny that LG is on to something here. In other words, we're anxiously awaiting the LG Wing 2.”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Nandagopal Rajan, The Indian ExpressYes, if you are one of those who have been contemplating a dual-screen or foldable phone. This phone is much more affordable and offers a very unique experience that can also be practical. I recommend this phone for those who record a lot of video, either for a hobby or for work. The adventurous amo...
- Marcus Herbrich, NotebookcheckThe benefit of LG's dual-screen completely hinges on the software. At this point, only few apps or games are adjusted for the secondary screen, so that at times its additional value can turn out low in your favorite apps.
- Alex Hernandez, TechaerisOverall, the Wing isn’t for those who aren’t really interested in trying new and unique devices. This is a phone for the more adventurous, willing to deal with a few annoyances and compatibility issues to enjoy something different. I think LG made the right choice in pricing this where they did. It’...
- Julian Chokkattu, WiredThe LG Wing also reaffirms one trend we've been seeing all year: Phones are finally becoming fun again, if you can afford the $1,000+ price of admission. As these new ideas get cheaper, we won't need to settle for a boring, single-screen phone anymore. The future has a little more swivel than that.
- Chris Davies, SlashGearHaving multiple displays so that different apps can coexist in different ways isn’t a bad idea, per-se, but it requires more than just hardware. I have zero confidence that the Android app ecosystem is going to embrace the Wing form-factor and come out with must-have software that only its dual scre...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
LG released the Wing on October 31, 2020.
The Wing price will vary depending on retailer, age, special offers and whether or not it's purchased with a service plan. If purchased with a 2 year service contract for example, you would likely pay much less for the phone itself up front. You can compare LG Wing prices from around the web here on The Informr.
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the LG Wing user manual here.
LG backs up the Wing with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Wing has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact LG support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find LG's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- LG Wing Manual (PDF)
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