LG Wing in the test – revolutionary display, but the processor is only middle class

The LG Wing is a smartphone with an exceptional form factor. Because it has a swiveling screen and one and a half displays. TECHNOLOGY BUTTON tested whether the concept was convincing and how the LG Wing performed technically.

LG Wing in the test – design and display

Although the manufacturer LG is very well known, the company has never been able to keep up with the smartphone competition. It’s a shame, because LG has shown some bold and innovative developments in the past – including not only the first QHD display in the LG G3, but also the first curved display in the LG Flex. The LG Wing also stands out from the crowd. At first glance, it looks like a normal smartphone, but there is more to the display. The smartphone has a display that can be rotated 90 degrees to reveal a second screen. This is about half the size of the main screen, but offers new possibilities for operation.

In its normal state, the LG Wing seems to be an ordinary, albeit quite large and, above all, thick smartphone. The display has a diagonal of 6.8 inches and has a resolution of 2460 x 1080 pixels – standard food. Otherwise, the screen looks good, but not very special. Thanks to POLED technology, it offers a high-contrast and strong color display, displays content sharply and is also sufficiently bright for outdoor use. Thanks to its slight bend around the narrow edges, the display also has a modern look. All of these points were positive in the LG Wing test, but they are not spectacular – after all, many smartphones can come up with such good display data.

The turning mechanism looks solid

To rotate the display, the user only has to slide it slightly to the left in the lower right corner. The screen then automatically jumps to the opened position. When swiveled to the side, the main screen reveals another display below. This has a diagonal of 3.9 inches, also uses OLED technology and has a resolution of 1240 x 1080 pixels. Here too, LG uses good display data.

In the test of the LG Wing, the rotating mechanism made a solid impression. He has to, after all, users will surely rotate the screen a few times with daily use. However, there is a clear gap between the two halves of the smartphone, in which dirt can quickly collect. And this could damage the rotating mechanism. Users should therefore be very careful with their smartphone.

Partial rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

System and special use

LG has made some adjustments to the user interface especially for the dual-screen mode. If the user swivels the display, the surface automatically changes. Instead of the usual start screen, a reduced app overview appears, which is somewhat reminiscent of the system of a smart TV. This can be expanded to include an expanded selection of apps on the small screen.

However, in the test of the LG Wing, we noticed a slight delay when switching between the standard view and the wing view. It took the smartphone a second to think before both screens switched views. And something else was noticed: if the screen is swiveled before the smartphone is unlocked, the position of the fingerprint sensor also changes. Because LG has positioned this under the main screen. Due to the changed position, it is now at the top left. If, for example, the user has registered his right thumb to unlock, he can no longer be scanned as easily as in the closed mode.

Three different usage methods

Outsourced mode

In outsourced mode, the second display serves as an additional control element for an application, which can be incredibly practical in everyday life. For example, if the user writes an email or surfs the web, the text field is displayed in the upper screen, but the keyboard is moved to the small screen. When watching videos on YouTube, the LG Wing shows the film on the large display, while users can see the control symbols and the slide controls for brightness and volume on the second display.

Parallel mode

Alternatively, users can also work with two different apps at the same time using the additional screen. For example, the calendar can be displayed on the small screen, while the e-mail app is open on the large screen. Or users can watch a YouTube video in the small window while surfing the web on the large display. Such parallel operation of two different apps is also possible on most normal smartphones, but space problems can quickly arise on just one screen.

By the way: App combinations that users frequently use can be saved as a link on the start screen and started together with one click.

Technical equipment of the LG Wing

Technically, the LG Wing is in the upper middle class. Most smartphone users will find the equipment completely sufficient and gamers will also get their money’s worth with the offered performance. This is ensured by the Snapdragon 765G with 5G modem and 8 GB of RAM. The processor may not be the upper class that Qualcomm has to offer, but it is still very powerful. In the test of the LG Wing, it offered immediate and fluid operation.

As already mentioned, the smartphone has 128 GB of internal storage. This can be expanded using a micro SD card. In addition, the LG Wing transmits via WLAN ac as well as LTE and 5G and allows data transmission via Bluetooth 5.1 and NFC. Users have to do without stereo speakers; the sound is only output via the speakers on the lower edge – not ideal, which you can unfortunately tell from the sound.

 

Partial rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Camera with special features

Triple camera with gimbal function

The triple camera of the LG Wing consists of a wide angle with 64 megapixels and f / 1.8 aperture, an ultra wide angle with 13 megapixels and f / 1.9 aperture and a 12 megapixel wide angle, which is also used as a gimbal motion camera serves. Apart from the digital gimbal function, there is no further stabilization. The triple combination ensures good, but not outstanding photos in daylight or artificial light. On closer inspection, however, the photos lack sharpness. In addition, the colors appear natural, but are sometimes a bit pale. While the competition has reworked a bit too much here and relies on bright colors, LG is a bit (too) cautious in the preparation.

If users choose a larger image section with ultra-wide angle, there are minor problems with the exposure. Especially darker areas of the image lose details. The exposure could be better in general. At least the LG Wing offers a few options to pimp your recordings – including funny stickers. This may just be a gimmick, but it caused a few laughs in the test.

The strength of the camera lies in the gimbal mode, which LG implements using a digital software solution. It is activated automatically as soon as users open the LG Wing’s display and start the camera. With a kind of joystick, the image section can be swiveled from left to right without moving the smartphone. The focus can also be adjusted in this way. The gimbal function not only allows you to take panoramic photos without distortion, the image section remains stable even if users turn the smartphone around its own axis while recording a video – excellent! It’s just a shame that the gimbal sensor has the lowest resolution in the camera trio.

Pop-up front camera

Partial rating: 4 out of 5 stars

LG Wing’s battery tested

The LG Wing’s battery proves to be solid, if not very spectacular. It has a nominal charge of 4000 mAh, which is almost at the lower limit of what is acceptable for a smartphone of this size and with a second display. We would have liked a little more capacity. In the test, we got through the day well with one battery charge. However, if the smartphone is a bit older and the battery is no longer as fresh, that could change.

Partial rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Price of the LG Wing

Finally, a few words about the price. LG sells the LG Wing for 1099 euros, including accessories such as a plastic case, a charging cable and a power supply unit. The mobile phone is available in the colors Aurora Gray (dark gray) and Illusion Sky (silver blue). If we only look at the technical equipment, the price is very high. Buyers pay for the special form factor with which the LG Wing stands out from the crowd. Technically similarly equipped models with conventional designs are already much cheaper. The ZTE Axon 20 5G and the OnePlus Nord for around 400 euros each or the Google Pixel 5 for around 615 euros are just a few of the smartphones in which the Snapdragon 765G works. The LG Wing could have a hard time and will probably remain a fan favorite.

LG Wing in the test: conclusion

The LG Wing was able to convince us in a few points in the test. It’s fun to hold a smartphone in your hand that stands out from the uniformity of previous years. LG opted for a concept that has never been seen before on a smartphone. The special operation has advantages for some everyday applications – but it comes with a rather bulky and heavy housing. The LG Wing is technically well equipped, but only the gimbal camera really catches the eye. And this was able to inspire in the test in its functionality. It’s just a shame that the generally rather average photo quality doesn’t support this great function.