Overview

When the LG V30s ThinQ released in early 2018, it served as a modest refresh to the acclaimed V30, pushing RAM up to 6GB and introducing LG's early AI camera features. Years after LG exited the mobile market entirely, the V30s ThinQ holds a unique place in tech history. Rather than serving as a mainstream daily driver, it has transitioned into a niche favorite—most notably for mobile audiophiles who refuse to let go of the 3.5mm headphone jack and LG's celebrated 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC.

Equipped with a Snapdragon 835 processor and a crisp 6.0-inch P-OLED display, the device originally represented the pinnacle of LG's multimedia vision. Evaluating the device today requires balancing its lingering hardware strengths against the friction of maintaining an aging Android device.

Design and build

One of the most striking aspects of holding the V30s ThinQ today is its ergonomics. At just 158 grams, it feels astonishingly light compared to modern multi-lens glass slabs, yet its combination of an aluminum mid-frame and Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back gives it a solid, premium feel. The rear-mounted fingerprint scanner doubled as a clicky hardware power button—a design choice many LG loyalists still prefer over modern under-display optical sensors.

The 6.0-inch 1440p P-OLED screen features a 18:9 aspect ratio with modest top and bottom bezels, bypassing the intrusive display cutouts of later eras. Color reproduction remains vibrant thanks to HDR10 support, though early-generation P-OLED technology has quirks that become more apparent with age.

Everyday performance

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 paired with 6GB of RAM allows the V30s ThinQ to navigate basic system tasks, web browsing, and audio streaming applications reasonably well. The extra 2GB of RAM over the standard V30 helps keep background audio apps from getting prematurely closed by system memory management.

However, intensive modern applications, heavy web pages, and high-framerate 3D games will show clear thermal throttling and dropped frames. Furthermore, because software updates ceased years ago, you are stuck on older Android versions. Many modern banking, navigation, and enterprise apps have dropped support for legacy API levels, limiting this device's utility as an primary phone.

Battery, durability, and longevity

The non-removable 3300 mAh battery was adequate upon release, but time is relentless on lithium-ion chemistry. Any original battery still inside a V30s ThinQ will suffer from capacity loss, elevated internal resistance, and shortened screen-on times. Expecting more than a few hours of active use on an original cell is unrealistic.

On the durability front, the phone carries IP68 water resistance and MIL-STD-810G compliance, but aging rubber gaskets mean water resistance should no longer be trusted. The glass sandwich construction makes drop protection essential, as an impact to the rear cover can spiderweb the back glass or fracture the exposed camera module.

Common issues owners hit

Long-term owners of the V30s ThinQ commonly report a few distinct failure modes:

• Battery Degradation: Rapid drain, random shutoffs at 15–20% charge, or swelling under heavy load.
• Display Retention & Burn-In: The older P-OLED panel can suffer from permanent burn-in around the status bar and navigation buttons, as well as uneven brightness at low levels.
• Worn USB-C Port: Years of cable insertions lead to loose charging connections, slow charging rates, or intermittent data transfer.
• Cracked Rear Camera Lens: The protruding glass element covering the dual camera sensors is particularly vulnerable to impact.

If you are working to keep your hardware operational, you can explore hardware breakdown procedures and troubleshooting walkthroughs in our collection of step-by-step guides and hardware reference charts on the device page.

Who it's for

The LG V30s ThinQ is ideal for audiophiles and digital audio player (DAP) enthusiasts. The integrated ESS Sabre Quad DAC drives high-impedance wired headphones with clean power and minimal distortion, making this phone significantly cheaper than dedicated high-end music players on the secondary market. It also suits collectors and secondary-device users who want a lightweight portable device for offline media consumption.

It is not recommended for non-technical users seeking a reliable, main smartphone for daily communication, high-security banking, or heavy gaming.

Bottom line

The LG V30s ThinQ stands as a reminder of LG's innovative, media-first smartphone era. While software abandonment and battery wear limit its usefulness as a primary daily phone, its superb build ergonomics and elite Quad DAC audio hardware keep it remarkably relevant as a dedicated media device.

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