Hands-On

LG G7 ThinQ Hands-on: Ticks all the boxes

It’s never too late

Published

May 2, 2018

There’s a lesson to be learned from the tortoise and the hare, and it seems like LG took this to heart when it developed its 2018 flagship.

Launched today in New York, the LG G7 ThinQ comes two months later than what we’re used to. But it’s these two extra months that could have been exactly the right pace needed for it to finish first.

For us tech journalists, these two months mean time for LG to sort out its artificial intelligence strategy, work out supply chain challenges so that the phone ships with all the best parts and hits stores soon after its launch, and carve out the space for it to have its own moment in the spotlight.

LG G7 ThinQ (left), LG G6 (right)

For everybody else, this means extra time that’s allowed LG to produce a solid smartphone that ticks off many, if not all, of the important boxes that we consider when looking for a smartphone.

It’s built well, has a great camera, has a bright screen and loud speakers, and is backed up by artificial intelligence that simplifies all this tech for you.

Design

2017 was a renaissance year for LG in terms of smartphone design. Both of its flagships were smashing, well-built smartphones, with each release being iteratively better than the last.

Earlier this year, reps from LG’s design team told me that the design of the V30 was so strong and so well received, that it could be one they could settle in for a few generations. And so it comes as no surprise that the G7 and V30 feel like they’re from the same family.

The G7 ThinQ is made mostly of glass, with an aluminum frame, soft rounded corners, and a subtle amount of curves. In the hands, it has just the right amount of heft giving it a more premium feel, fits well in the hands, and is slightly taller and squeezes in more screen.

And of course, because its 2018, it has a notch, which one might argue gives you more screen real estate. If that’s notch your cup of tea, you could turn it off completely, so that the part of the your screen that displays your signal bars and battery status are filled with black. LG also lets you adjust the amount of curvature of the inside corners of your display, a teeny tiny aesthetic change that we’ve nitpicked about in the past and are thrilled to see addressed.

The LCD display itself fills most of the screen apart from a small chin on the bottom of the phone. It’s super bright and has great outdoor visibility.

There are no physical buttons in front; instead, you rely on traditional on-screen buttons to go back, home, and dive into your list of open apps. There’s a fingerprint sensor on the back, a headphone jack on its bottom, wireless charging support, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. Yep, pretty much the essentials.

Artificial Intelligence

But what makes the G7 an upgrade is its new artificial intelligence-based features.

Earlier this year, LG launched its own AI brand called ThinQ, first seen on its lineup of consumer home appliances. That G7 is the final part of the ThinQ puzzle, hence it officially goes by a longer name.

The phone should be able to identify LG appliances in your living space and allow you to control them from the phone.

While ThinQ today represents only a small part of what LG wants to do in the area of artificial intelligence space, LG’s vision is to use these technologies to create a device that’s hyper personalized to your needs.

We like how LG’s not reinventing the wheel by forcing users on yet another (half-baked) personal assistant, and instead keeping its platform open, giving Google Assistant even tighter integration. There’s now a dedicated button to summon Google — just press and speak a command. Or if the “Okay/Hey, Google” hot word is more to your liking, they’ve also improved improved the phone’s ability to hear you from much father away.

Cameras

Of course, the biggest AI changes come via the phone’s cameras, which have also been improved. It’s still got the same dual camera setup, one of which has a wide-angle lens. Both now shoot at 16 megapixels, meaning you don’t have to scrimp on quality if you’d rather shoot wide.

There’s a new image sensor that supposedly shoots better low-light photos, although I have yet to test those claims.

What I can tell you for sure is that, through AI, the phone can detect up to 19 objects and scenes and offer you four different filters that it thinks best match what you are taking a photo of. You can also choose to ignore any of these suggestions and shoot, just as the camera sees it.

There’s a new selfie camera too, one that’s usable, and I say that with plenty of thankfulness in my heart, as the selfie camera has long been a weak spot on a whole string of recent LG phones. Portrait mode is available on both the front and main cameras.

BoomBox Speaker

Another area where the G7 shines is its new BoomBox Speaker. They’re not stereo speakers unfortunately, but these bottom-firing speakers are sufficiently loud and of great quality. LG says they’ve utilized the cavity inside the phone as a chamber used to amplify the sound. We tried it, and are pretty impressed.

The phone also supports DTS:X audio for 3D surround sound and Quad DAC (on both Asian and North American variants and not just the former).

Specifications

That’s a theme with the G7 ThinQ: The phone doesn’t compromise on specs, including a top-of-the-line Snapdragon 845 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 3000 mAh battery.

The LG G7 will come in four colors, namely Moroccan Blue, Aurora Black, Platinum Grey, and Raspberry Rose.

Prices will differ depending on region, but LG promises it will retail for less than the V30 and closer to last year’s G6 pricing.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

It sure is too early to tell, but as early as now, it’s safe to say LG’s built a great phone they can be proud of, one that you would enjoy using.

We particularly like LG’s approach to an ecosystem of AI devices. Because LG makes so many other home appliances, it’s in a unique position to provide tighter integration. And because it’s also embracing the open approach, you’re not locked in to a single platform.

There’s a lot of promise here, and it’s exciting.

Related Topics:featured G7 ThinQ LG LG G7 LG G7 ThinQ

First Look

Match Pulse: TECNO SPARK 50 5G

Does it SPARK joy?

Published

April 2, 2026

Vincenz

In a modern world dominated by flagships and midrangers, budget smartphones are often undervalued just because of the mere value they bring to the table.

But, let’s be real. Not everyone chases specs. There are users who simply need a phone they can afford without all the best-in-class bells and whistles often glorified but spec-obsessed nerds.

Well, the TECNO SPARK 50 5G might just be that handy-dandy everyday companion you need.

First Look

Right off the bat, the TECNO SPARK 50 5G will instantly remind you of Google’s recent Pixel phones. That camera bar is very reminiscent of the Pixel 9 and 10’s camera “visor.”

This isn’t a complaint. SPARK 50 5G’s camera island looks cleaner than that overly-used, left-justified square camera cutout popularized by Apple during the reign of their iPhone Pro series.

More so, it avoids joining the bandwagon of phones imitating the all-new “camera plateau” of the iPhone 17 Pro series.

Coincidental or not, it even reminds me of Apple’s pill-shaped Dynamic Island — or that interactive area around the punch-hole cutout that’s found among newer iPhones.

And now that we’re at it, let’s flip the SPARK 50 5G to its front.

The moment you power on the device, you’d be welcomed by its large 6.78-inch punch-hole display. However, bigger doesn’t always mean better.

Not-so-thin bezels and that awfully-thicc bottom chin aside, I’m more concerned about its display quality.

I’m not trying to be very nit-picky but, my clear eyes can easily distinguish that its 720p screen resolution is quite a stretch for a screen this big.

Ain’t even expecting a class-leading OLED display (this is an IPS LCD type, BTW). However, a 1080p Full HD would have been more plausible.

Don’t even get me started with that subpar max brightness, backlight bleeding, alongside poor viewing angles and legibility.

And, even if it features a 120Hz refresh rate that smoothens day-to-day scrolling and switching, it doesn’t totally override the fact that the display is not up to par.

Still, the choice of punch-hole is heaps better than other phone makers continuously making phones with teardrop notches — which is turning almost a decade next year.

I’m just glad TECNO halted (if not completely stopped) putting it among their recent budget offerings.

First Date

While I have strong feelings against its display, the overall feel of the SPARK 50 5G is of the opposite. Holding the phone for the first time barely looked and felt cheap at all.

Setting the bar high, TECNO’s SPARK 50 5G is made from aviation-grade aluminum — which some other plasticky budget phones can only dream of.

With that durability talk, it’s also worth noting it’s also IP64-rated as well as MIL-STD-810H certified.

Personally, I love the classy and luxe Champagne Gold colorway that I’ve dated.

There are bolder colors too such as Mint Green and Fantasy Purple. More so, the subdued Titanium Grey and Ink Black options.

After setting everything up, the phone greets you with TECNO’s latest HiOS 16 based on Android 16.

Despite its price point, TECNO didn’t leave out all the usable AI feats originally announced in the recent CAMON 50 series.

Not only it includes the usual AI Tools and Ella (or its smart AI Assistant), the newer AI FlashMemo as well as AI MindHub are ever-present as well. These intelligently discern content you consume or whatever you’re curious about.

I’m not a total h-AI-ter as I believe that AI, when used responsibly, gives much leverage to users. It balances an individual’s time so s/he can work and focus more on things that need to be prioritized.

Still, I blame AI for the sharp price rise of components among all consumer devices imaginable.

Now that I’ve mentioned it, TECNO’s SPARK 50 5G comes in either 128 or 256GB of storage and memory choices between 4/8/12/16GB (region-dependent).

At its core lies MediaTek’s Dimensity 6400 SoC. For the market it tries to lure, this is a chipset capable of handling most tasks.

It’s a better option if you’re someone like me who relies on 5G connectivity most of the time. Its Helio G200 counterpart, while speedy and reliant, has 4G as its biggest drawback.

Gaming? Well, it’s obviously not built for that.

Still, it’s playable for the not-so-demanding-games: 60fps in PUBG while 90fps with the widely popular Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).

Even with just a chassis of 8.18mm, TECNO has managed to put in a 6500mAh single-cell battery (or a lesser 6150mAh dual-cell variant that I have with me).

Still, the TECNO SPARK 50 5G has outlasted me more — way past midnight after that full-day first date.

If you’re already in a pinch, the phone can be charged through its 45W fast-charging adapter bundled in its box. ICYMI, last year’s SPARK 40 5G relied on a painfully-slow 18W charging.

And, before I forget, I just missed the novelty of side-mounted fingerprint scanner. I still consider it better than the optical ones.

Lastly, despite that elongated camera bar at its rear, the SPARK 50 5G is only equipped with a lone 50MP camera.

Although AI FlashSnap exists, the camera app being somewhat sluggish evades the purpose of that camera feature per se.

While cameras have never been the strong point of the SPARK series, it should be enough for users who just want a functioning rear camera not just for document-scanning, but for life moments as well.

Its 8MP shooter can still capture selfies — or just be used for those unavoidable school and/or work video calls.

First Impressions

With a starting price (4+128GB base config) of INR 16,999 (approx. US$ 180 / EUR 160 / GBP 135 / SG$ 235 / MYR 735 / PhP 10,995), the TECNO SPARK 50 5G isn’t the most well-rounded budget smartphone around.

Still, this phone will satisfy the general, non-tech-savvy population. That sophisticated design, solid build quality, ginormous battery with reliable fast charging, smart AI-powered OS. Even 5G-capable chipset in this price range?

Did I even mention that it still rocks the almost obsolete microSD card slot and 3.5mm audio jack?

Obviously, I’m not the target user of this phone. Especially as a creative guy who values display and cameras a lot.

However, technophobes might get the hang of this phone when they take it out on a lovely, more intimate date more than twice. The phone is as straightforward as it can get. Sans, exploring the more complex AI tools within.

Still, this is a phone suitable for a wider range of user base consisting of kids, young students, the elderly, or even everyday workers who just need a reliable phone that they can bring around without sacrificing too much of their hard-earned savings — especially in an economy we live in right now.

Hands-On

OPPO Reno15 F 5G hands-on

More question marks than exclamation points?

Published

March 6, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G made its way to the Philippines last month, and reception has been pretty great so far.

With a powerful camera package, AI, and a slew of upgrades, there’s a lot to love and not much negative to say. But that’s with both the standard and Pro models.

On the other hand, with the Reno15 F 5G — the series’ supposed budget-friendly “lite” variant —there were more question marks than exclamation points.

I attack this piece once more from a consumer standpoint: shelling out PhP 23,000 to PhP 26,000 for a midrange smartphone that feels and performs like it’s a few notches below its segment doesn’t sound too pleasant.

Performance

With a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor, the OPPO Reno15 F performs pretty much like any sub PhP 20,000 mid-ranger. It’s acceptable, but does not punch above its weight as expected.

No major hiccups for light and casual usage. But performance struggles a lot for demanding video games.

It also heats up significantly just 10 minutes into a title like Honkai: Star Rail. This is a stark contrast to the marketed 25℃ and up to 10 hours straight of smooth gameplay.

Although, the experience was still enjoyable with several wins and MVP runs in Call of Duty Mobile. It only means the F variant remains a more camera-centric phone rather than an a hard-hitting all-arounder.

As with other devices, the 7000mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC is a strong suit. You’re fueled from dawn ’til dusk, with much to spare. Recharging takes a breeze, too.

Display

The OPPO Reno15 F has a 6.57-inch 120Hz display, with a 92.8% screen-to-body ratio. At least, that allows you to focus on content on the screen.

Content leans more towards the cooler tone, so you’ll have to adjust it manually if you want a warmer or more vivid look.

The 397ppi pixel density is fine to ensure sharper visuals, while the 1400 nits peak brightness is helpful outdoors.

Camera

The device’s 50MP main camera captures decent quality. The color science leans on being natural anew, without being too dull nor washed out. You can pull off smooth portraits too.

I hardly used the phone for stills as I focused on videos, but here are some samples, on the occasions I was able to take the handset with me:

The 50MP front camera is an intriguing add-on, as it is capable of up to 4K video and a wide 100° field of view.

What this does is it essentially removes the need to flip your phone for the popular “0.5” shots. And the quality doesn’t get compromised given the pixel count.

Here are some selfies from different focal lengths:

To its credit, filming with the back camera at 60fps does look and feel smooth, although it can be improved.

Same with the front camera; and the zoom range can be switched from 0.6 to 2x without cutting the recording.

Although, it’s still best to use a selfie stick or small tripod if you’re just after talking head videos.

Speaking of which, here are a few I’ve made with just this device:

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But for travel and on-the-go captures, as OPPO markets for the series in general, even the Reno15 F can cover a lot of background along with your or your groups’ faces.

Make no mistake, there are some useful AI editing features here. In particular, AI Portrait Glow gives your raw capture an effect to make it look it was taken with flash.

I do not recall the device heating up as well when taking many photos or videos, so you can say it’s more optimized for that task rather than gaming.

Connectivity issues

Meanwhile, AI LinkBoost 3.0, as in the case of the OPPO A6 Pro, doesn’t seem to punch above its weight either.

Once, I also played Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and the session opened to a jittery start despite being on Wi-Fi and having a stable connection. I don’t know what triggered this.

Design, feel

We got the Aurora Blue variant which does kind of resemble the northern lights when you tilt the phone a certain way and when light hits its back panel.

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The cursive “Reno” on the large, protruding camera island gives it more style.

However, it’s all just aesthetics. On the downside, the phone is all sorts of slippery.

I couldn’t hold it properly without think of it slipping away from my hands; nor could I put it on my lap with confidence.

So I guess it’s good that it has structural integrity and waterproofing, because you’ll need that.

oplus_16

The 6.57-inch body does have a good balance between being too compact and too large, like ultras and pro maxes.

It has a squarish body and has already adapted to the premium, aluminum frame look from the sides.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

Sadly, the OPPO Reno15 F 5G is a Swipe Left unlike its bigger, more capable siblings. There are plenty of plus points for the camera package but take that away, and I don’t see much difference between the Reno15 F and something like the A6 Pro.

Granted, the asking price of this phone will drop significantly in a few months. But throw in a little more, and you’ve got a legitimate mid-ranger that’s more on the premium side rather than the cheap end of the spectrum.