Reviews

LG Velvet review: Flagship reimagined

A refreshing take from LG, a much needed option in 2020

Published

November 3, 2020

I’ve reviewed many different phones this year and consistently the theme has been this: Phone prices are rising; and there are no exceptions. A faster display, multiple cameras, 5G — it all adds up. If you don’t need all of these extras on a flagship smartphone, what options are there for you?

Instead of launching a revolutionary new phone meant to blow your socks off, LG sought to fill that void with a new breed of flagship smartphone with just the essential features: the LG Velvet.

An introduction

I’ve closely followed the evolution of LG smartphones for more than six years now. In the second half of 2020, the Korean company is shifting gears — from a new design ID to a new name.

The first phone out of the gate is simply called Velvet, which is a drastic change from their last phone called the LG V60 ThinQ 5G Dual Screen.

LG says that starting with Velvet they are moving away from the G and V Series and adopting more expressive names that better fit each smartphone. Instead of offering similarly designed smartphones with marginally better specs, which is basically what everyone else in the industry is doing, they want to create differentiated products with a clear character.

The Velvet isn’t meant to be the successor to last year’s G8; neither is it a midrange version of the V60.

Who then is the Velvet for? What consumer need does it address? And is it your GadgetMatch?

READ: LG V60 ThinQ 5G Dual Screen review: 2020’s most underrated phone

Evolved design language

If I were to describe LG phones released over the last few years, several words come to mind: uninspired, unexciting, boring, bland. They looked okay but let’s just say they would never have won a smartphone beauty pageant, so most folks did not pay attention.

With the Velvet, LG set out to focus on its design. Versus last year’s G8 and the V60, immediately you can tell that LG made an effort. From curves on both its front and back, to what they’re calling a raindrop rear camera — with modules that get smaller as they reach downward. I especially appreciate the clear intent to avoid a huge camera bump.

Did they hit the mark? I’m not sure; I’m finding it hard to make an emotional connection with my review device.

After all the rich vibrant phones that have become my daily drivers this year, my LG Velvet is a bland shade of grey. Although, it is available in a host of other colors: Illusion Sunset, Aurora White, Aurora Green, Aurora Silver and something they’re calling New Black.

I am also not sure the curved displays were the best choice and overall it doesn’t necessarily look original.

There is, however, a lot to like about the Velvet. There is a certain subdued sophistication about the phone. I appreciate that it’s not too wide so you can hold it securely with one hand and that it’s light enough so that when you use it with the Dual Screen Case, it doesn’t get significantly heavy.

I also like that the Dual Screen case for the Velvet also comes in matte white. It’s refreshing, and it doesn’t pick up smudges like the mirror finish of the V60’s Dual Screen case.

I love that there are well-designed third party cases available for the Velvet at launch. LG partnered with Korean accessory manufacturer Design Skin. I would go as far as saying that these are some of the best designed cases we’ve seen for any phone.

This case has two card slots, comes in an olive shade and a croc skin finish.

This emerald green one is my favorite. It has an elastic leather strap just like a designer clutch — a stylish way to keep your phone secure when you’re out and about. Hidden underneath is a slot for a card or two.

There are plenty of other case options for the LG Velvet on Amazon ahead of its European and North American debut as well.

A flagship that doesn’t blow your socks off

There are many ways to tackle this next section. It can be about addressing why this phone has a 700-series processor, usually reserved for midrange smartphones, which I feel is the elephant in the room. In the US, the T-Mobile variant is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 1000C chip. I want to take this opportunity to challenge the status quo and encourage a new way of thinking.

Silicon technology has improved so much over the last few years that it’s gotten to a point where most people don’t necessarily need a phone with a top of the line processor.

This next statement might come off as controversial, but the everyday user does not need a phone with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865.

Snapdragon 765, which powers the LG Velvet, is a very capable processor that can handle the needs of the average consumer. If doing so allows a phone company to pass on savings to you the consumer, I’m all for it.

In essence, I believe that is what the LG Velvet is all about: giving users what they need instead of making them pay for high tech extras that prosumers and tech nerds have come to expect.

It’s a well-rounded smartphone and it comes with support for 5G networks. This is despite the lack of a fast display and out of this world telescopic camera.

In the time that I spent with the LG Velvet, I didn’t experience any hiccups in terms of performance. The phone has enough RAM to handle all the apps that I juggle on a daily basis, and the Snapdragon 765 processor handled everything I threw at it.

Of course Pokemon Go and Raid Shadow Legends might not qualify as graphics intensive games, but my buddies Joshua Vergara and Booredatwork also played a lot of Call of Duty and PUBG, respectively, and they didn’t have complaints either.

Its P-OLED display is bright and vibrant and was a pleasure to consume content on. Like the V60, it has a tear drop notch on the top center of the screen.

Dual Screen, dual fun

Cementing the company’s commitment to this form factor, the Velvet is compatible with its own Dual Screen case. Depending on where you live, it either comes bundled or is a separate purchase.

In our exhaustive review of the LG V60, we explored all the things you can do with this form factor and why it makes sense as an accessory. If you want an in-depth guide on how you can maximize the dual screen experience, read that review here, or watch it here. My thoughts there apply to the Velvet’s Dual Screen experience as well.

I love being able to use it as a controller to level up my game play, tickling my retro bones using Drastic DS to emulate my favorite Nintendo games from my childhood, and using it as an e-book reader using Librera, which is closer to the experience of reading an actual printed book than.

Of course there’s multitasking: having two documents open at the same time, or a web browser in one and Google Docs in the other. Having that second display for a chat app, a video, or my twitter feed is great and makes a lot of sense for someone like me. You can also save shortcuts for apps that you frequently open together: Spotify and Google Maps when you’re driving for example.

One of my favorite use cases, pun unintended, is flipping the case all the way around and using it as a monitor when photographing others. I also love that I can easily prop the phone up when watching videos or even when I’m on a video call.

Stylus support

Just like the V60, there’s support for any Wacom AES pen on the Velvet. If you’re the type who likes being able to jot down notes the old school way, you can purchase a stylus like Wacom’s Bamboo Ink and use it to take notes, sign documents, or draw on your Velvet.

Some will argue that the Galaxy Note comes with a bundled pen and that you can store it in the phone, but old-school note-taking isn’t for everyone. The experience also isn’t as close to pen and paper as the Apple Pencil and the iPad.

What I like about the Velvet, just like the Dual Screen case, is that the extra cost is your choice to make depending on your needs.

Exceptional audio lineage

When it comes to audio the LG V60 is the best phone I’ve reviewed this year. Given its lineage I was curious to see how well the Velvet performed in this department.

The phone comes with stereo speakers, LG’s 3D sound engine, and a headphone jack. The only thing it doesn’t have is Quad DAC support which both the G and V series had been known for. Even in this more affordable segment, LG is still the gold standard when it comes to phone audio.

When reviewing the Velvet, I did my usual blind test by listening to songs I know by heart. Its speakers aren’t as loud as the V60 but they are tuned very well. They sound leaps and bounds better than last year’s G8X. It’s also much louder and richer compared to the Samsung Galaxy S20+.

For even better sound you can toggle ON LG’s 3D Sound Engine via the quick settings panel.

Acceptable camera performance

The LG Velvet has three cameras: a standard 48MP wide angle lens, an 8MP ultra-wide angle with a 120 degree field of view, and a 5MP camera dedicated for measuring depth.

This is an important category so I spent a lot of time putting the Velvet’s camera through its paces. Take a look at these sample shots I took around Brooklyn.

With the sun shining overhead, against the light, or even when the sun started to set, the Velvet’s main camera does the job of capturing good photos.

Night Mode also does a decent job when it got dark.

Its ultra-wide angle camera doesn’t perform as well. It was alright during the day, but poor as the sun started to set. Details become fuzzy when there’s not enough light.

The third camera dedicated to creating background blur does a good job cutting subjects out. Phones usually struggle to separate Chay’s hair from the background but the Velvet managed to do it pretty well.

Camera comparison

It’s important to manage our expectations based on how much the Velvet costs. I compared it to the similarly priced OnePlus 8, and the pricier Samsung Galaxy S20+.

During the day when the sun is out, the sky blue, and the model straight off the Paris Fashion Week runway, you’d be hard pressed to pick one photo over the other. All phones did great, captured details well, and produced similar colors.

I’d say the same about this ultra wide angle shot. The only difference is that the S20+ has a wider field of view.

It’s a similar case with these photos taken with 2x zoom. Both the OnePlus and Velvet use digital zoom as they do not have dedicated telephoto cameras.

This ultra-wide angle shot is interesting — a test of how all three phones handle backlit subjects. The S20+ and the Velvet handled the harsh lighting conditions very similarly. The OnePlus 8 did the best job at managing highlights. In some cases, it just boils down to camera software, like in this example.

We spent a lot of time comparing the phones after dark. First, this artsy photo of the Manhattan Bridge shot through some fencing.

Next is of the Brooklyn Bridge. I did a poll on Twitter and most of you picked the S20+’s photo, with the Velvet coming in second and the OnePlus 8 third. It’s a tough call and really depends on what people are judging for. Some voted for presumed color accuracy, some for detail, some voted based on which one fits their aesthetic best.

When you switch to the ultra-wide angle camera, this is where the Velvet suffers. Just like in our daytime photos, the Velvet didn’t capture enough detail for it to be usable.

We took more comparisons this time without night mode. For the most part the results were pretty similar across the board.

In this last comparison photo, we didn’t use night mode as well. All three phones handled this back lit shot differently, but I think all of them are post worthy.

Overall it’s no surprise that people chose the S20+’s photo in my Twitter poll. It does after all have the best camera hardware of the trio, but the Velvet’s main camera held its own. It produced accurate colors in low light while being the cheapest phone in this shootout.

Its ultra-wide camera is just a let down, especially considering LG was pioneered this feature on smartphones many years back. Maybe they shouldn’t have included it, that might have brought down the price even further.

All-day battery

The LG Velvet comes with a 4300 mAh battery. It lasts me a full day of average use with a little bit left over for the next day. It’s not as long lasting as the V60 but overall its battery life is great.

Charging speeds are also respectable considering its battery capacity. Using the bundled fast charger, I got to 10% after 10 minutes and 70% after an hour. A full charge took just one hour and 52 minutes.

The Velvet also supports wireless charging, and it works even with the Dual Screen case on.

If you get the Dual Screen case, it comes with a USB-C adapter that magnetically latches into place. I think is a great idea. Once you plug it into the bundled USB-C cable, you’re not going to lose it. In case you do, you can buy a replacement online.

Pricing and availability

The LG Velvet was announced in South Korea earlier this year with a KRW 899,800 (US$ 700) launch price. In Europe, pricing vary per country: In Italy, it was going for EUR 650 (US$ 757), bundled with the Dual Screen case and LG’s Tone Free wireless earbuds.

In the US, it starts at US$588 if you get it from T-Mobile, US$599 from AT&T, and US$699.99. Just note that the T-Mobile model has slightly different specs than the unit we reviewed.

Is the LG Velvet your GadgetMatch?

Despite not offering the coolest features smartphone nerds rave about, there’s something interesting about the LG Velvet. It’s a much needed class of device for right now. 2020 is the year when brands known for making flagship killers have all but abandoned that calling.

Prosumers who need more computing power, better cameras, and a faster display should definitely look elsewhere.

The LG Velvet is a solid phone. It’s built well, performs great, and most importantly it comes with a price tag that doesn’t break the bank. For that we give it the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval.

Cameras

I thought the Insta360 X4 Air would be easy

Turns out 360 is a whole new challenge

Published

November 11, 2025

Rodneil Quiteles

I have a confession. When I first got the Insta360 X4 Air, I thought it was something I could take on easily. I’ve been reviewing tech for over a decade now. I’ve fiddled my way through enough of them to be in this headspace. But that was my mistake.

The Insta360 X4 Air, being the first 360 camera that I spent longer than a day with, humbled me right away. Part of that humility came from realizing that shooting with dual 1/1.8-inch sensors and full 8K 360 capture isn’t just “point and shoot.” You’re not just framing a subject. You’re framing the entire environment, and that requires a different mindset.

It wasn’t the usual smartphone review that I could write in my sleep. It was something else entirely. Even as someone who has professionally produced videos for the web for years, this was something new to me.

The thing is, the way it’s being marketed is that it’s something you bring with you, turn on, and just forget about. Just let it capture everything and make your adjustments later.

And to be fair, the X4 Air leans into that philosophy. AdaptiveTone, Active HDR, and InstaFrame Mode are designed around the idea that you shoot first and carve out the story in post. That runs counter to how I’ve operated, especially recently.

My philosophy is to be as intentional as possible with every shot and every frame. My post-production process starts as early as the time I conceptualize the video.

With the volume of stuff that we have to produce, we don’t always execute this perfectly. But it’s a nice general guideline that has saved me multiple times on multiple projects.

An outdoor camera

I am primarily an indoors person. That’s why most of our 360 and action camera reviews were handled by our more outdoorsy member, MJ. And to its credit, the X4 Air is built for the outdoors in a very literal sense.

It weighs just 165 grams, slips easily into any sling or backpack, and its user-replaceable lenses now have a tougher optical coating that doubles drop resistance. It also has waterproofing up to 15 meters, plus FlowState Stabilization and 360° Horizon Lock to keep things steady regardless of how chaotic the shooting environment gets.

So, does that mean myself and the Insta360 X4 Air are a mismatch? Not necessarily. I do travel a fair bit – at least once every quarter – and I can see the X4 Air being handy in those mostly work trips.

And because it shares the same 8K 30 fps 360 video system and replaceable lens setup as the flagship X5, you’re not giving up much by picking the lighter option. It even supports most of the X5 accessories, which makes it a flexible travel companion.

Unfortunately, I had no such trips during my time with the X4 Air. That’s why I’m not exactly thrilled by the samples I produced. But that’s more a knock on my lifestyle than the camera.

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A post shared by Rodneil Quiteles (@rodneil)

360 camera: A new tool, a new challenge

Recognizing that I’m out of my depth and comfort zone, I quickly trooped to YouTube and looked up Insta360 sample videos. The videos were all incredible but none of them I could recreate right away.

The X4 Air does make things friendlier with Twist to Shoot, Gesture Control, and Voice Control. You can start recording hands-free, which helps when you’re figuring out your flow.

InstaFrame even saves a ready-to-share flat video on top of the full 360 archive. But you still need time to understand the angles, the movement, and the kind of shots that actually make sense once you start reframing.

I’m excited to take the Insta360 X4 Air in my upcoming trips and find a way to incorporate it into my workflow. I guess that’s the question you should ask yourself if this is a camera you’re eyeing. It’s an incredible tool, sure. But is it the right one for the content you intend to produce?

Too costly to try?

At PhP 21,999 (or PhP 24,999 for the Starter Bundle with the 114 cm Invisible Selfie Stick, lens cap, and extra battery), it’s quite an investment.

You’re paying for the full 8K workflow, the stabilisation system, the improved low-light algorithms, the waterproofing, the tougher lens coating, and the AI-driven editing tools inside the Insta360 app. You’re also getting a one-year, 200 GB Insta360+ cloud subscription for backups and quick sharing.

The prudent thing to do is to do your research. Find out the work it takes to make the videos you want to make with a 360 cam and see if it’s something that you would be able to sustain.

@rodneilInsta360 X4 Air test clip. 🎳♬ som original – Darkness Music

Is the Insta360 X4 Air your GadgetMatch?

The Insta360 X4 Air is a Swipe Right, but you have to be purposeful about your intended use. Sure, you can do the just-turn-it-on-and-think-about-it-later approach, but I don’t think you’ll be maximizing it that way.

At worst, it’s an expensive extra cam that you’ll only occasionally use. At best, it’s the tool that adds dynamic shots you simply can’t capture any other way.

Reviews

Predator: Badlands is the adventure comedy that the series needs

There are so many good ideas, too.

Published

November 5, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

In its past two iterations, the Predator franchise tried on different hats. Instead of recycling the same movie monster premise, the series has seen a historical period piece (read: Prey) and an animated anthology (read: Killer of Killers). Now, in its third outing in only a few years, it’s time to take its rightful place in a new genre — a family-friendly adventure comedy.

Predator: Badlands is Dan Trachtenberg’s second film in his planned three-piece outing. Whereas Prey takes audiences back into history, Badlands flings them all the way into the future. Dek is a young Yautje who, after being outcasted from his tribe, seeks to bring down an unkillable beast from a hostile planet called Genna to reclaim his honor.

Along the way, he meets the happy-go-lucky Thia (Elle Fanning), a Weyland-Yutani synth who has her own secret mission in Genna. He also meets Bud, an adorable bipedal creature with a pug-like face. Now, when you mix a stoic warrior with a quirky sidekick and a cute pet, you have the makings of a sci-fi comedy.

Predator as a comedy

Predator: Badlands takes some getting used to. If you’ve seen other Predator films in the past, you’d know that the franchise isn’t known for its comedy. So, when Badlands wants to make you laugh, it’s not coming from a place that’s natural to the series.

At the very least, there are moments that work. When the tough-as-nails Dek finally warms up to Bud’s antics while Thia looks on, it’s a heart-warming moment that helps audiences believe in the familial dynamic between the three characters.

After a few moments of me mouthing “what am I watching,” the film does warm up. And it all starts once you realize that the Predator is the protagonist of this story and that no humans are in a life-or-death struggle this time. But again, it does take a while.

At its core, Badlands is a story about found family, and it surprisingly works. Usually, this is when the review ends, had it not been for the fact that this is a Predator film and not a generic adventure.

A wealth of great ideas

Don’t get me wrong; Badlands is not a bad movie. It’s just different. And amid the differences, there is a mountain of great ideas that can tickle any Predator fan.

For the first, it’s actually refreshing to finally see the Yautje act like a resourceful hunter, rather than just an invisible killing machine. The Predator is not invincible. He gets hurt. Often, he has to use the planet’s resources to survive.

For way too long, Predator films focused too much on forcing humans to adapt against the technologically advanced alien from outer space. For the first time, it’s now the alien in a position of vulnerability, and it’s great.

Secondly, the new creatures introduced in Genna are inspiring. The roster is equal parts of the silliness of James Gunn and the macabre of Guillermo del Toro. These include a bursting plant that paralyzes with a single hit, a sentient tree that eats other beings, and Bud. The planet is filled with creatures that are both frightening and interesting to meet in a forest.

Despite the laughs, this is a Predator film that helps expand the lore of a usually mysterious franchise. Because, of course, the Yautje are a species of hunters where honor exists. Of course, they hunt terrifying things. Of course, Weyland-Yutani is still an evil monster of a corporation here.

The Alien connection

In the months leading up to the movie’s premiere, the main talking point was Elle Fanning’s character. She plays a synth from Weyland-Yutani, a corporation from the Alien franchise.

A connection between the two franchises has existed since the Alien vs. Predator series of films. (Badlands even nods to this duology when Dek eventually get the nickname of “Wolf”.) This is, however, the first time we get a crossover set in the far-flung future traditionally held for the Alien franchise.

Is this the return of the AvP franchise? Well, not really.

From a production standpoint, using Weyland-Yutani as a plot device saves a lot. The story involves a crew completely populated by synths. Fanning plays two characters. An entire army of synths is played by one or two actors. Since they’re synths, they don’t need red blood. Plus, it keeps the movie in PG territory.

However, from a narrative standpoint, Weyland-Yutani is a slightly odd choice. For one, the movie heavily assumes that audiences already know how evil the corporation is. Though there are a few expository dialogue that confirms such, Weyland-Yutani is a mostly invisible force.

It’s also unclear where Trachtenberg wants to take this connection. This isn’t a xenomorph movie, so you won’t see a shoehorned connection to the Alien series. But it is a natural connection. There’s no need to force a new Alien vs. Predator film right off the bat. Weyland-Yutani’s status as an antagonist just needs more time to marinate because it’s hard to expect audiences to know who the corporation is.

Accessories

Cooling down my daily life with the Aecooly Aero Ultra

A fan built for real heat

Published

November 4, 2025

Rodneil Quiteles

Living in a tropical country means heat is woven into my routine. I walk a few steps and instantly break into a sweat because my body thinks it’s funny. Being out of shape doesn’t help, but until I fix that, handheld fans are my lifeline.

They’ve become essential in the Philippines, and I still can’t believe it took this long for them to evolve into actual daily-use gadgets. The Aecooly Aero Ultra stood out because it didn’t look like the typical fan you see everywhere. The half-pipe frame, the pop of orange, and the odd tube-like shape felt like gear from a game instead of a humid-day survival tool.

Design that turns heads

What surprised me first was how unique it looked. The r-style air tube design has this odd charm that sparks curiosity. Every time I pulled it out, people asked about it, held it, and tried to figure out how the air travels through that curved body.

The 170-gram weight feels almost nonexistent in hand or in a bag. I wouldn’t put it in a pocket since it sticks out awkwardly, but carrying it around never felt like a burden. The PC and AeroGrade aluminum blend also feels solid and durable, not cheap or hollow.

And that orange finish fits me perfectly. Sometimes a little color can make a hot day feel lighter, and this one does the job.

Performance that actually matches the design

On Standard speeds 1 to 4, the Ultra gives you a soft, steady breeze. Even at the highest standard setting, it still feels mellow, like a nudge of airflow rather than a blast.

Switch to the Turbo modes and it transforms. The power jump is real, strong enough that I’ve used it to dry my hair when I needed to rush out the door. The 11 m/s airflow hits a sweet balance where it cools you quickly but doesn’t overwhelm you whether you’re outdoors, walking through a mall, or sitting in a café.

Even at its top 15,000 RPM, the airflow still feels smooth. The honeycomb vents keep the direction tight without making the wind feel aggressive. Noise-wise, it’s noticeable in quiet rooms but blends into the background in noisier spaces.

The LED display is perfect for someone like me who panics when devices drop below fifty percent. Knowing the exact battery level shapes how I use it throughout the day. The seven speed levels make it easy to adapt in different environments, from blasting full Turbo at a concert to staying quiet in calmer settings.

Switching modes is intuitive, and the “r” form factor helps direct the airflow with minimal wrist movement. It’s comfortable, functional, and easy to pick up without overthinking how to hold it.

Battery Life, everyday use, and why I prefer the Ultra

Aecooly claims seventeen hours of battery life, but I never drained it to zero because I always top up before going out. Still, I never once felt like I had to conserve power. It usually refills after an hour-long podcast, and that alone makes it reliable for daily cycles.

The LED percentage indicator is another quality-of-life win. It helped me ration usage during events, long commutes, and casual walking days. I didn’t test the base Aero or Aero Pro, but looking at the numbers, I still tell people to get the Ultra if they can afford it. The stronger Turbo levels and larger battery make it feel like the complete package.

In real use, I bring it everywhere. I cool down after small activity bursts, I use it while walking, I’ve brought it to concerts, events, and even used it to dry my wavy hair. It never felt awkward to use in public.

My only complaint is not knowing how to attach the included wrist strap. I also wish it had a lanyard option so I could hang it around my chest and angle it upward hands-free.

Is the Aecooly Aero Ultra your GadgetMatch?

Our Associate Creative Director, MJ, enjoying the Aecooly Aero Ultra

Still, the Aecooly Aero Ultra feels premium, dependable, and built for the kind of heat I deal with daily. Definitely a Swipe Up.

If you need consistent cooling on the go, this is an easy recommendation. It has become a part of my everyday carry, and I don’t see myself leaving the house without it anytime soon.