Best overall
LG V30
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The successor to the enthusiast-focused V20, the V30 shares more in common with the G6 in terms of design, but that's a good thing. This phone is light, well-made, and powerful, while retaining many of the features that made the V10 and V20 so popular. Gone is the removable battery, but you get waterproofing and wireless charging in exchange, which is a far better trade-off.
And with the world's first f/1.6 lens in its main camera, and a low light-enabled f/1.9 lens in its second sensor, the V30 takes some amazing photos in wide- or ultra-wide angle.
Bottom line: Nobody does wide-angle cameras in a smartphone like LG, and between the camera and the general polish of other areas of the phone, the V30 is easily LG's best.
One more thing: The display isn't quite as great as Samsung's SuperAMOLED.
Why the LG V30 is the best
LG has positioned all of its V-series phones as being tuned for "content creation," and the V30 keeps up with that perfectly. We know it's quite capable for still photos, but its advanced video tools really make it shine.
Manual control and tons of shooting modes rule the roost here.
The core of the V30's video capabilities starts with its dual cameras, one with a standard focal length lens and another with a super wide-angle lens. It lets you shoot with one or the other, but also seamlessly "zoom" from the wide lens into the tighter one for a dramatic effect. That's paired up with all of the standard shooting modes, including 4K resolution and slow motion.
Photography and video may be the differentiator, but the LG V30 also scores points for just being a great all-round smartphone. There's no nonsense here, just a compact phone with a sleek design, fast performance, all the features you'd want out of a modern flagship and key bullet points like wireless charging, a headphone jack (with Quad DAC, naturally) and water resistance. And with prices continuing to fall as competing devices launch, the V30's price -- even unlocked -- is now highly competitive.
Best for less
LG G6
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LG's successor to the disappointing G5 is an incredible feat of engineering. Glass front and back, with metal sides and an extra tall 2880x1440 display, the phone is all about simplicity and versatility. Adding to its pedigree is a system of dual 13-megapixel cameras — a standard 71mm lens and a 125mm wide-angle lens — which take amazing photos in almost any lighting condition.
Then there's the other additions to the collection this year: IP68 waterproofing, a larger 3,300mAh battery, a Quad DAC in some regions, and wireless charging in the U.S.
Bottom line: The LG G6 is no longer the new hotness, but it's still a decent mid-tier phone with some exciting features.
One more thing: Don't hold your breath for a speedy update to Android Oreo. LG will be prioritizing the V30 before updates to the G6 start rolling out.
Update, December 2017: We've updated this post to remove the now outdated LG V20.
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