LG V10 review:

The Good The sturdily designed LG V10 gives users more camera control with manual modes for both photos and video, a fingerprint sensor, two front-facing cameras for wider selfie shots, expandable memory and a removable battery.

The Bad The handset is pricey, its secondary display doesn't offer any essential necessities and its manual camera features require some time to learn.

The Bottom Line The feature-packed V10 is LG's best smartphone yet -- just be prepared to pay a premium for its selfie- and photo-friendly extras.

When LG announced that it would release a new line of extra-premium handsets, it wasn't kidding around. As the inaugural device for the company's V-series, the V10 is packed with nearly all of the luxuries found in high-end flagships and then some. It has a fingerprint reader, two front-facing cameras, two displays, tons of photo tools and more. It also has what lots of top-tier phones don't have: A removable battery and expandable memory.
By launching this new family of devices, LG gives itself space to experiment with its handsets. Unlike its marquee phone, the G4, the V10 isn't meant for a wide audience. Rather, it's a premium device with features that appeal to a niche group of people -- say, budding cinematographers who will readily use V10's manual video controls.
For the average smartphone user, however, the V10's goodies verge on gimmicky and could easily be left unused. Especially because all of the handset's premium hardware comes a high price tag. Though UK and Australia pricing haven't been announced, the phone is going for about $600-$700 in the US without a contract (depending on the carrier). That converts to about £390-460 and AU$835-975.
If you find the secondary display useful and photo features compelling, the V10 is an excellent phone, and it doesn't cost as much as the other high-end, large-screen dual-display Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+. But if you're like me and don't absolutely need all the V10's bells and whistles, there are cheaper flagships available, such as the Motorola Moto X Pure Edition, the Google Nexus 6P and even LG's own G4, which has similar core features as the V10, but cost about $100 less.

 When the phone's main display is off, the second display can stay on and continuously show the time, date, battery status and a small icon for the current weather.

All in all, the display can be useful, and because it's just there, I find myself using it. But it doesn't have any key features that I just can't live without, especially since lot of these shortcuts are accessible elsewhere. You can still access recent apps from the square hotkey at the bottom of the display, and the home screen has plenty of room to house your favorite commonly-used apps. Music controls are available on the lockscreen and in the Notifications shade and LG's Smart Bulletin page (more on that below) lets me quickly check my calendar without having to open the actual app.
In addition, unlike the curved secondary displays on the S6 Edge+, it honestly doesn't look as novel. It's also stationary and is always shown (unless you choose to turn it off completely). There are some occasions, however, when it does disappear, like when a game or a full-screen video is opened. When the camera or QuickMemo+ is open, these shortcuts also change into their respective controls. But this is essentially different than the dynamic functions on the S6 Edge+. The controls seen on its curved edge display hide away when not in use, and you can move it to either the left or right edges. And when it tucks away, the size of the main screen has more real estate as well. Though the immobility of the V10's secondary display isn't a deal breaker, the S6 Edge+ provided users with a few more options.

Software and other features

• Google Android 5.1.1 Lollipop mobile operating system
• LG's custom user interface, UX 4.0
• LG apps include LG Health and QuickMemo+
• Rear fingerprint sensor

Since the G3 smartphone launched in summer 2014, people have been anticipating LG integrating a fingerprint reader into one of its premium handsets. But as Apple and Samsung continued to add the feature to iPhones and Galaxy devices, LG had yet to add fingerprint recognition.
Until the V10, that is. Folded into the rear power button, the sensor can scan up to four fingerprints. Users can use the sensor to unlock the lock screen as well as access hidden notes written in the QuickMemo+ app and pictures locked away in the photo gallery. It can also be used as a security measure for payments on Android Pay. The feature is easy to set up and fingerprint recognition is quick. I barely had to wait a beat before my fingerprint registered and unlocked content.

The device runs Android 5.1 Lollipop OS. Currently, the latest Android OS is 6.0 Marshmallow, which only couple of handsets run at this point -- like the Google Nexus 5X and 6P. The update includes Now On Tap, an expansion of Google's digital voice and search assistant, a battery-saving feature called Doze, more user control over app permissions and the digital payment service Android Pay, which works with the Near Field Communication (NFC) standard.
LG has confirmed that the V10 will get the Marshmallow update within six months of its launch. Until then, you'll have to miss out on some of its features. However, given that the phone has NFC built-in, you can download Android Pay from the Play Store and use its services. And because it is possible authorize payments on Android Pay with a fingerprint, the device's fingerprint sensor will also come in handy.
As for the handset's included apps, keep in mind that the review unit I reviewed is for the Korean market and includes tons of Korean-language apps. Depending on your carrier, you'll get different preloaded apps. You'll also get apps from Google, such as Gmail, the Chrome Web browser, Maps, Google Now (which is also launchable by sliding upwards from the center home softkey), the Play Store and more.
LG threw in lots of its own signature software features as well. LG Smart Bulletin dedicates an entire home screen page to widgets of certain apps, including the music player, your Calendar, the LG Health fitness tracker and more. QuickMemo+ is a notes app that you use to jot down notes or doodles. Dual Window (which is nestled in Settings) splits your screen in two so you can use two apps simultaneously. LG's staple KnockOn and KnockCode features enable you to wake up or unlock the device with various tapping gestures while the display is asleep.