Hands-On

LG V30 Hands-on Review

Published

August 31, 2017

Michael Josh Villanueva

Launched in 2015, LG’s V-series represents a new breed of LG flagships designed to be the ultimate device for creating and consuming content. While each release has given users something to love, that vision hasn’t been fully realized until today’s V30 launch in Berlin.

If there’s something that resonated most during my short test period with this phone, it’s that the V30 has the potential to be the perfect smartphone companion for content creators. And while that may sound like the V30 is a niche device, it definitely isn’t.

Even if you weren’t into its set of pro tools — which we’ll discuss in full later — the V30 has plenty to offer casual users looking for a great all-around phone. It ticks off so many boxes, we don’t know where to begin.

Look and feel

I’ve said it many times over: When it comes smartphones, looks matter, and you’ll find that seeing a device in person is like going on a first date. I want a phone that evokes this indescribable pull, a phone that makes me want to keep picking it up and holding it. The V30 is such a phone.

LG V30 (left), LG V20 (right)

The phone is a stunner. And while I loved the rugged and rubberized feel of 2015’s V10, and the removable metallic back cover of the V20, the new all-glass design of the V30 feels like a step up in the looks department.

The review unit I tested came in Cloud Silver, which had a similar sheen to my Ice Platinum G6, but with a different texture to it. The V30 is also available in three other colors: Aurora Black, Lavender Violet, and the color I really want, Moroccan Blue.

Up front, its display now has very subtle curves, and finally on an LG flagship, a gorgeous near-borderless 6-inch OLED display. The combination is top-notch. And despite the shift in materials of choice, LG says the V30 is still built tough with the same adherence to military standards, although one would assume that glass is more fragile than the silicon and metal of past V-series phones.

Because the front of the phone is all display, there are only three physical buttons on the device, volume buttons on the left, and a power button with fingerprint sensor on the back. The dual-camera module on its rear also takes up a smaller footprint, and because there aren’t any visible antenna bands, the whole back side has a more polished look.

The only real downside is that the glass back, like any other all-glass smartphone, is quite the fingerprint magnet. In case you were wondering: Yes, there is a headphone jack on top of the phone. Down below are the microphone, USB-C port, and speaker grilles.

Camera features

The V30 sports dual cameras, which has become a long-running tradition on LG flagships. As usual, one’s a normal lens, while the other is an ultra-wide-angle lens — perfect for capturing architecture and majestic landscapes.

Both cameras are an improvement over last year’s models, according to LG. The company boasts the use of a clear glass lens that captures more light unlike the conventional plastic material used on most smartphones. The main shooter is still 16 megapixels, but this time has a larger f/1.6 lens. That means there a larger opening for more light to come in, which is great for taking photos at night or in dimly lit places.

Meanwhile, the secondary wide-angle lens has been improved with a 12 megapixels sensor and f/1.9 lens. And, while it fits more elements into a photo, it minimizes distortion (or the fisheye effect) on the image. That was an issue we had with the V20 from last year, wherein there was a considerable amount of distortion on the edges of wide-angle photos.

Being a multimedia tool, it still has the full manual controls for shooting, but the V30 is kicking things up a notch by introducing its Cine Log feature. For the unfamiliar, using Log basically maximizes the dynamic range in order to preserve more details during post-processing. This term is usually tossed around between filmmakers and video editors, so LG has made a clear direction for this handset.

Another feature is something LG calls Point Zoom. What it does is smoothly zoom in on a specific area even when it’s not at the center of the frame — just tap the area and adjust the slider to zoom.

Have a specific look you want for your shots? LG worked with professionals on Cine Effect to offer a set of presents that dramatically change the look and feel of your video. There’s a wide selection, so check out our hands-on video to see them in action! Adding to its slew of video features is high-frame rate recording at 120fps at Full HD

Here’s what V30 photos look like. All these were shot in auto mode:

Software, specs, and security

As expected of any flagship smartphone this half of the year, the LG V30 comes with the best-available processor in the Snapdragon 835. During our time with it, we weren’t disappointed by the performance. Every app ran smoothly, and there were rarely any hiccups or stuttering.

If we’re being nit-picky, the V30 only has 4GB of RAM, which may be behind some other premium phones that offer 6GB, but to be honest, 4GB is more than sufficient. Android 7.1.2, which is the latest build of Nougat, should be optimized enough to keep power-hungry apps at bay, but it’s no Oreo.

The software experience on the V30 is great. LG’s Android skin covers the basics and throws in plenty of its own customizations without bogging you down. Things like knocking to turn on the display are always a great touch. First seen on the Q6, LG brings its facial recognition technology to the V30. Not to be confused with an iris scanner, facial recognition uses the front camera for some sort of a biometric scan. If you train the phone under multiple lighting conditions, facial recognition works great except when the light gets too low.

LG has also thrown in voice recognition which lets you unlock your voice with a voice command. While a fun party trick, voice unlock is still a tad bit too slow. I’d still prefer using the fingerprint sensor which is conveniently placed on the back of the phone, away from the camera module!

Unlike any of its predecessors, the V30 does not have a secondary display. In its place, LG added a software feature called Floating Bar. When turned on, you get this little tab that expands to reveal a bunch of shortcuts to apps, contacts, and other tools.

While the 3300mAh battery looks adequate on paper, we’ll have to bombard the V30 as a daily driver before we can say for sure if its capacity is enough. And unlike with the V10 and V20, you can’t simply swap the battery for a fully charged one. Looks like the era of hot-swappable batteries is dead.

Is the LG V30 your GadgetMatch?

Because of the timing of its release, the V30 will most likely be compared to the phones that come immediately before and after it, including the Galaxy Note 8, Pixel 2, and iPhone 8 — all worthy contenders.

Pending the release of the latter, if you compare the Note 8 versus the V30, our answer would require a comprehensive answer. How LG chooses to price the phone will be a big factor; if LG can set it at about US$ 200 lower than the Note 8 (somewhere in the US$ 750 to US$ 800 range), it would be an easy phone to recommend to anyone.

In all aspects, this phone is a standout. It delivers on expectations, does amazingly well where it matters most, and doesn’t compromise. If you’re in the market for a top-of-the-line Android smartphone and have the money for it, then by all means take home a V30. You won’t regret it.

[irp posts=”19282″ name=”LG V30 features 6-inch FullVision OLED, brightest phone camera”]

Accessories

The GameSir G8 Galileo is great for PS Remote Play

While we wait for the PlayStation Portal

Published

November 30, 2023

Rodneil Quiteles

We happen to be in a region where the PlayStation Portal has yet to be released. Good thing, PS Remote Play is available and GameSir has a controller you can hook up to your smartphone that’s readily compatible. Enter the GameSir G8 Galileo.

You might not see it right away, but the biggest difference with the G8 Galileo compared to other smartphone controllers (even the ones GameSir made themselves) is it’s actually full size.

Watch our unboxing.

@gadgetmatch

Unboxing the Gamesir G8 Galileo. Best smartphone controllers right now? #gaming #mobilegaming #remoteplay #RemotePlay #remoteplayps5 #mobilecontroller #controller #controllers

♬ original sound – GadgetMatch – GadgetMatch

Most smartphone controllers prioritize portability. Thus, they’re more compact. That means smaller face buttons, smaller thumbsticks, and generally smaller overall profile.

Usable, sure. But not exactly ideal for people with chubby hands like yours truly.

BackBone One | GameSir G8 Galileo

This is also one of the primary reasons why, despite owning a Backbone One, I’ve rarely used it for its intended purpose. And the reason why the PlayStation Portal is appealing to me.

The GameSir G8 Galileo changes all of that because of its size. It’s also not just larger. Its ergonomics are great too. Your hands will sit nicely on the nice, curved handles for a more comfortable, more enjoyable handheld gaming session.

PS Remote Play

Another big area of convenience is you don’t necessarily have to have the GameSir app to make it work. Simply download the PS Remote Play app, register, and fire it up.

To make sure it’s on PS Remote Play compatible mode, just press the Share and Options buttons simultaneously. Those are the tiny buttons on the left and right hand side of the controllers right above the left thumb stick and the face buttons.

Upon pressing simultaneously, make sure the color on the GameSir logo on the lower right part of the controller is white. That’s how you know it’s on PS Remote Play mode.

Currently green so you have to press the buttons for Remote Play.

Once done, just easily plug-in your smartphone with a USB-C port on GameSir’s signature flexible USB-C plug and off you go.

Actual play time

Here’s a quick Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 gameplay using the GameSir G8 Galileo along with the HONOR Magic5 Pro with Remote Play:

Playing #SpiderMan2PS5 via Remote Play using an HONOR Magic5 Pro and the new @mygamesir G8 Galileo. pic.twitter.com/q6eDBYAq1E

— rodneil (@rodneilquiteles) November 30, 2023

This under a minute clip, naturally, isn’t representative of the entire Remote Play experience. Anyone who has tried it before knows that with extended play time, you’ll likely experience a few hiccups here and there. That’s just the nature of the beast.

That said, this whole set-up has been generally great. Other than Spider-Man 2, I’ve managed to play a handful of quick NBA 2K24 games like this. I still racked up a handful of wins despite suffering from occasional latency trouble.

The feel of the controller is fantastic and is easily the most enjoyable out of every other smartphone controller that I’ve tried before. And I’ve tried a few other than the Backbone One. There’s the GameSir X3, GameSir X2 Pro-Xbox, and the Razer Kishi V2.

Compatible games, mapping

Depending on the platform you’re on, the GameSir G8 Galileo will work on multiple other games. If you’re an iPhone 15 Series user, Remote Play, select Apple Arcade games, and even the AAA games set to release for that iPhone will work with this controller.

For Android users, it’s the usual handful of controller supported games that will work with this. For everything else, you’ll have to resort to mapping — a task for those with patience.

If you need more tutorials on how to get it working, just follow GameSir on Facebook or YouTube. They constantly post tutorials.

You can buy the GameSir G8 Galileo here: https://bit.ly/gsg8galileo

Use G8Creator on the Coupon Code for 10% off.

Cameras

GoPro HERO12 Black: Making heroic shots with the new HERO

Small but not terrible

Published

November 24, 2023

Vincenz

The HERO of action cameras is back! And no doubt, the GoPro HERO 12 Black is one of the hottest action cameras around.

Not only does it provide great video output, it’s also packed with features and improvements that make it stand out from the crowd.

Packed Inside and Out

If you’re already planning to purchase the new GoPro HERO 12 Black, here’s what you should expect with its thicc packaging.

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If you’re here for the nitty-gritty new features of the brand’s latest action cam, you can see all the specifics in this article.

Keep on reading for the actual hands-on experience..

Reels-Ready

With the continuous rise of Reels and/or TikToks, having to shoot vertically is the way to go.

This is where the new Vertical Framing feature comes handy as it can shoot vertical videos for you without actually turning the device — as opposed to other action cameras including its older counterparts.

Make It Even Wider

The GoPro HERO 12 Black, just like any other action camera, comes with a default lens that it’s enough to shoot wide enough footage.

But with the optional Max Lens Mod 2.0, it makes shots even wider.

You can choose between three lens views: the default Wide (16-34mm), Max SuperView (middle ground), and the Max HyperView (the extremest view).

Just remember, you can only apply these when shooting in the default horizontal orientation.

If you’re shooting for Reels or TikTok and want this super wide look, you can stick with the default FoV (Field of View) of Vertical Mode. Otherwise, you can shoot in Horizontal Mode and just rotate it during post-process (or via GoPro’s Quik app available in both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store).

Also, don’t forget to enable it in its drop-down quick settings menu. This way you can fully-maximize its full-blown super-wide angle view whenever, wherever.

Memento Making

I enjoyed using the combination of the new lens and vertical shooting of this wonder cam during the duration of my travel. And with just one press of the top button, it instantly starts recording.

Several swipes also enables it to shoot photos or record timelapses.

Terrific Thailand.mov

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Cute Capy Cafe.mp4

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Short Singapore Stop.mkv

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What’s Poppin’ in this Pop Up.hevc

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Compact Camera Companion

The GoPro HERO 12 Black is fantastic for recording and keeping travel mementos. But other than that, it’s also be good for documenting your everyday life.

The thing I love about the GoPro HERO 12 Black is that it features a built-in mount that can be flapped out within seconds.

My former action camera relies on its case before it can actually be mounted.

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Despite the continuous advancements of smartphone cameras and their video-making improvements and capabilities, the ultra-wide lenses aren’t the best performers when you’re trying to shoot videos. This is true even if you rock the latest flagship Android smartphone or even the maxed out iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The GoPro continues to exist to fulfill that vital role in shooting. Its compact form, ease of access, easy usability, and rugged-readiness are more points to consider on owning a GoPro HERO12 Black. It’s better than actually pawning your phones just to shoot UWA (ultra-wide angle) footages in the harshest conditions.

Pricing and Availability

The GoPro HERO12 Black is being sold for PhP 24,990 (US$ 399.99 / EUR 449.99 / GBP 399.99 / SG$ 580). Meanwhile, the HERO12 Black Creator Edition retails for PhP 36,990 (US$ 599.99 / EUR 679.99 / GBP 599.99 / SG$ 890).

The Max Lens Mod 2.0 is a separate purchase for PhP 7,490 (US$ 99.99). A special bundle is available for other regions. Visit GoPro.com for specific pricing and other bundle offers in your respective regions.

Hands-On

I used the Infinix ZERO 30 5G to film my workout routines

It looks too posh as a workout recorder, but it does the job!

Published

November 17, 2023

MJ Jucutan

When you don’t have a flip smartphone that’s versatile enough to help you film your workout routines, what do you look for?

An affordable smartphone with a high-resolution front camera!

Nowadays, it’s important to have an excellent selfie shooter. It can be for vanity, for helping you review your form, or you just love recording yourself while living in the moment.

Before I got my hands on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 and the OPPO Find N3 Flip, I was using the Infinix ZERO 30 5G. And boy, did it help me in my fitness journey.

Let’s talk about its cameras

On its rear, the Infinix ZERO 30 5G has a triple set of cameras. A 108-megapixel main camera, a 13-megapixel ultrawide lens, and another 2-megapixel for depth.

With those numbers, on paper, the Infinix ZERO 30 5G would’ve been ideal to record my fitness journey. Except, we don’t normally film using the rear cameras.

Inside the gym, I always place the smartphone somewhere I can see it. I look at the phone recording from time to time to check my form, and to check the shooting angle.

It’s also respectful for other gym-goers to see if they might be filmed while you’re working out. A lot of times, they’re uncomfortable being seen as part of your content. The proper gym etiquette is to ask them if they’re comfortable to be seen in the background while you film.

With that in mind, it’s precisely the reason why I enjoyed using the Infinix ZERO 30 5G.

The front shooter’s a beast

Not a lot of smartphones prioritize their front cameras. All eyes are on its rear cameras capable of up to 100x zoom or something like that. While they’re nice to have when you’re traveling and out and about, I appreciate the efforts Infinix put into the ZERO 30 5G.

It’s equipped with a 50-megapixel front camera that’s capable of recording 4K videos at 30 or 60fps, and 1080p at 30fps.

Having that camera system allowed me to film my fitness journey, especially at a time when I was hitting almost rock bottom and I was only living life between home and the gym.

Here’s a reel stitched from 4K videos, all taken using the Infinix ZERO 30 5G.

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Sleek and slim, like yours truly

Aside from the camera capabilities of the Infinix ZERO 30 5G, I liked its design and build whenever I brought it to the gym. This particular unit I have is coated in Rome Green eco-leather.

Accented by gold on its camera island and sides, it looked posh and sophisticated, matching the vibe of my Anytime Fitness gym: Somewhat expensive, but still affordable.

Moreover, it’s lightweight yet feels durable enough which gives me extra assurance whenever I place it near the free weights.

It might look fragile given that it looks a little bit ritzy, but trust me, it’s tough. It’s equipped with a Gorilla Glass 5 upfront. Also, it has a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen which gave me a vivid preview of my photos and videos.

And even with that slim frame, it still sports a 5000mAh battery capacity, capable of 68W fast wired charging through its USB-C port on the bottom side.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The Infinix ZERO 30 5G retails at PhP 14,999. For its looks and capabilities, you’d think it comes with a higher price tag.

Now, if you use mostly your cameras as part of your everyday life and don’t want to shell out lots of cash just to get a device that takes excellent photos, this is worthy of your attention.

It’s a sweet candidate for its price range. If you’re looking for a sign to get a device that you can use for your obsession with TikTok videos and Instagram Reels, the Infinix ZERO 30 5G might be it.