Skip to main content

LG shows off the Q8 — a waterproof V20 in a slightly more manageable package

LG has two flagship smartphones currently on the market — the G6, which released in the spring, and the V20, which has been kicking around since last fall. They are both powerful, capable devices, but feel very different to use. On Thursday, in a surprise announcement, the company unveiled a third top-tier option — the LG Q8.

The Q8, in essence, appears to be a smaller version of the V20. That phone had a 5.7-inch display with a secondary “ticker” panel at the top, beside the front-facing camera. The Q8 sports a similar layout, though its main display measures just 5.2 inches, while featuring the same QHD resolution. In terms of the design, it also borrows the V20’s metallic, dark silver enclosure and even its Quad DAC audio tech. The dual cameras have been carried over as well — though the Q8’s main shooter is 13 megapixels, compared to the 16-megapixel one found in the V20.

Surprisingly, the Q8 goes even a step further in one very significant respect. It is rated IP67 water-resistant, which is more than can be said for the V20. Despite the smaller size, the phone contains the same processor as its larger sibling — Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 — along with the same 4GB of RAM and a battery that is comparable in capacity at 3,000mAh. That is a hair smaller than the 3,200mAh unit in the V20 but the more compact frame had to shave off some bulk from something.

Recommended Videos

That sounds like a winning package in a much more accessible form factor, though LG is remaining tight-lipped on whether most consumers around the world will be able to get their hands on one. Currently, the Q8 has only been announced in Italy and is scheduled to release sometime before the end of July. At an asking price of 600 euros (about $698), it is still quite expensive considering the age of the V20’s hardware, which is almost a year out of date at this point. We have reached out to LG about expanded availability and will update this article as we receive more information.

We liked the V20 when we reviewed it in 2016, though we admitted that the lack of waterproofing and large size may be deal-breakers for some users. Fortunately, the Q8 looks to solve those issues, if they kept you from snagging a V20 before.

Adam Ismail
Former Contributor
Adam’s obsession with tech began at a young age, with a Sega Dreamcast – and he’s been hooked ever since. Previously…
The Nothing Phone 3 gives you something you never seen before
The Nothing phone 3 in white

If you put the best phones side by side on a table, could you tell them apart? As smartphones have become increasingly homogenous, companies are searching for different ways to ensure their products stand out, and chief amongst these is Nothing.

The nascent London-based company has made design a key staple of its product portfolio, and the result has been some of the most unique designs in tech, including the Nothing Phone 3a Pro earlier this year. Key to the Nothing experience has been the Glyph Interface, a series of programmable light bars that are designed to notify you when your phone is face down on a table.

Read more
Honor Magic V5 is a seriously impressive foldable phone, so it’s gutting it’s not available in the US
We've been hands-on with the world's thinnest foldable phone
The internal screen of the Magic V5, standing on the edge of a foosball table

The Honor Magic V5 is the world’s thinnest foldable phone, and while the thickness of your phone may not be a driving force behind your purchasing decision my brief time so far with this handset has shown there’s more going on here than a simple spec benchmark.

If I were Samsung, I’d be looking a little nervously over my shoulder as I prepare for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 launch on July 9.

Read more
The world’s thinnest foldable phone is actually thicker than its predecessor
The Honor Magic V5 is super slim, but it also bulks out in one key area
The Magic V5 and Magic V3 foldable phones being held in one hand

I’ve been hands-on with the Honor Magic V5, officially the world’s thinnest foldable phone - a title the Chinese manufacturer expects the phone to retain throughout 2025.

But while it is the thinnest foldable around, it’s also oddly thicker in one key way than its predecessor the Magic V3 (a former world’s thinnest foldable itself) and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold I had in my pocket.

Read more