The LG G8 ThinQ, LG G8S, and LG V50 5G might have taken the media attention, though the South Korean tech giant also introduced a trio of amazing mid-rangers including the LG K40, LG Q60, and K50 which were announced in the MWC 2019 kickoff in Barcelona. However, the most common difference between these new releases comes in their camera set-up. The least of them is the humble LG K40 which sports a smaller screen and single rear snapper.
Despite its prominent nature, the K40 still benefits from many amazing technologies the smartphone giant has to offer. The LG K40 is the cheapest and it’s the direct successor to the LG K30 launched in 2018. However, this new set of mid-rangers are around a third of the price of what LG offers in their flagship devices and the spec sheet isn’t as impressive. However, the LG K40 still has what it takes to make it top in the competition with its captivating matte design, decent camera, amazing processor, and mediocre battery life.
Fortunately, we’ve had some time with the new LG K40, and below are our final thoughts and verdict about the phone.
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LG K40 Key Specifications
- Display: 5.7-inches IPS LCD
- Resolution: 720 x 1440 pixels
- Processor: Mediatek MT6762 Helio P22
- Front Camera: 8-megapixel
- Rear Camera: 16-megapixel
- RAM: 2GB /3GB
- Storage: 32GB
- Battery Capacity: 3000mAh
- OS: Android 8.1 (Oreo), LG UX 7
LG K40 Review: Design and Display
The LG K40 comes with a full metal body design, and so far sports triple color options of Black, New Moroccan Blue, and New Platinum Gray. However, Moroccan Blue is the most available color on most continents and possesses the true beauty of the smartphone. While the phone lacks a curvy display like most flagship devices, it does sit in the hand comfortably.
Despite lacking the glass back and rounded edges like the Moto G7, the K40’s 8.8mm thick allows you to slip the phone into your pocket with ease. Fortunately, the K40 does offer an impressive ruggedization without looking like it’s built to be hardy. Also, the K40 can survive all manner of harsh conditions, thanks to MIL-STD 810G compliant.
For connections, there’s a micro USB at the bottom for charging and data in place of USB-C which is a norm feature for every smartphone. Apart from being available to serve you as a reliable pocket pal, the K40 also wants to be your personal assistant on the day. Similar to Nokia 3.2 and 4.2, the LG K40 features a dedicated Google Assistant button housed on the right side of its frame.
Fortunately, this button is more reliable and useful than the Bixby button on most Samsung Galaxy phones. Also, the LG K40 grants fast access to Google’s virtual assistant even when the phone is locked.
Meanwhile, there’s a fingerprint sensor on the rear of the phone which is easy to reach and respond to within a few seconds. However, you might found it irritating when you placed your handset down flat on a desk, but the power button and screen unlock methods is available as other security options.
The LG K40 showing at 5.7-inch IPS LCD with an HD+ (720 × 1440) resolution is one of the best you’ll find at this price range. It’s acceptable all-round though you’ll found the odd pixel when inspecting the quality display.
The phone has an 18:9 aspect ratio with the display equaling 282 pixels per inch which isn’t as good as most other phones of this price segment. These display specification make the K40 look more modern than most budget smartphones that haven’t adopted the trending taller and thinner screens.
LG K40 Review: Cameras
In the photo department, the LG K40 is equipped with a single sensor back and front. On the rear is a single 16-MP shooter. This isn’t equipped to blow you away with the best photography shots but if you’re searching for a camera that’s good for social media, it should be able to serve you well. Fortunately, this rear camera comes with both a Google lens and a dedicated AI Cam mode. LG quoted that this enabled the K40 to “magically recognizes objects it sees and recommends the ideal shooting mode for the best results.”
This is exactly the AI scene detection that’s found on Xiaomi, Huawei, and Sony’s phones, though without a clear picture of how many scenes the system can be able to detect. However, it should at least guesswork out of getting half-decent shots from the phone’s cameras.
Selfie fans will gladly appreciate the LED-flash that’s bestowed upon the 8-MP front-facing camera. There’s no doubt it’ll be good for social media as well. Also, the LG K40’s front camera has its own AI mode.
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LG K40 Review: Processor Performance and Software
Under the hood, the LG K40 is equipped with a MediaTek Helio P22 chipset along with a 2GHz octa-core processor. We found this processor to be powerful enough to handle basic tasks and it was snappy under the finger.
When it comes to storage, the phone sports a single built-in storage option of 32GB along with either 2GB or 3GB of RAM. This allows you to open multiple Chrome tabs and apps at ease without any lags, but don’t push it beyond its limit. However, if you’re used to flagship devices you may find this phone isn’t as fast enough as expected.
LG is offering Android 8.1 (Oreo) software out of the box, and it comes with LG UX 7 overlay on top that makes it look different from other Android manufacturer’s interfaces. Though this software is a bit outdated, they still manage to bring out lots of customizable options and are among the best available in mid-range phones.
LG K40 Review: Battery Capacity
The LG K40 is supported by a 3000mAh battery capacity which is average for a phone of this range. However, considering this isn’t the most richly-equipped phone, this battery cell should power the phone for at least 24 hours after a single charge on normal usage. Unfortunately, there are no special battery features like wireless charging or fast charging capability either.
LG K40 Review: Price in Nigeria and Availability
The price of the K40 is good, making it a potentially great budget phone for you. However, the problem is despite the Moto G7 has more impressive specs, the price is still competitively lower than the K40.
The initial price of the phone has been slightly reduced making it quite affordable to buy. Currently, the LG K40 is priced at ₦55,000 (roughly $135). However, the price of the phone is subjected to reduce overtime as new higher specced models have been released over time. Fortunately, you can buy the LG K40 at any notable online or offline phone outlet.
LG K40 Full Specifications
General
- Brand: LG
- Model: K40
- Release Date: April 2019
- Operating System: Android 8.1 (Oreo), LG UX 7
- Weight: 144g
- Colors: Black, New Moroccan Blue, New Platinum Gray
Display
- Touchscreen: YES
- Type: IPS LCD
- Display Size: 5.7-inches
- Screen Resolution: 720 x 1440 pixels
- Dimensions: 153 x 71.9 x 8.3 mm (6.02 x 2.83 x 0.33 in)
- FaceLock Support: YES
- In-display fingerprint scanner: No
- Sensors: Fingerprint (rear-mounted)
Platform
- Chipset: MediaTek Helio MT6762 P22 (12nm)
- CPU: Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53
- GPU: PowerVR GE8320
Memory
- RAM: 2GB /3GB
- Inbuilt Storage: 32GB
- SD Card slot: Yes
Camera
- Rear Flash: LED Flashlight
- Rear Camera: 16-MP f/2.0
- Video: 1080p @30/60fps
- Front Camera: 8-MP f/2.0
- Front Flash: —
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi: YES
- Bluetooth: 5.0
- USB: MicroUSB 2.0
- GPS: YES
- WLAN: YES
Network
- SIM: Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
- Technology: GSM | HSPA | LTE
- 3G Support: Yes
- 4G/ LTE Support: Yes
- 5G Support: No
Battery
- Capacity: Li-Po 3000 mAh, non-removable
- Fast Charge:
Price
- Price in Nigeria: ₦55,000
- Price in Dollar: $135