LG V10 review

The LG V10 has the same 3,000mAh battery as the LG G4, and yes, it's once again removable, which I was able to easily test out when peeling away the phone's back cover.

Battery life has gotten an extra boost in my day-to-day use over the LG G4 thanks to the fact that I didn't light up its quad HD display all of the time. I just peeked at the always-on second display instead.

That dimly lit 2.1-inch panel, in part, allowed me to use the phone for more than a day and a half before it flatlined to 0%. With heavy use, it lasted just over a day, all longer than the LG G4.

LG claims that its new always-on screen only drains 5% of extra battery life in a day, which would make it 7.5% by the time the phone is ready to shut down. The measurement may differ because the second display turns off whenever it's slipped into your pocket or backpack.

Of course, if you're firing all of the pixels by watching a movie on the quad HD display instead of figured out mixed use, you're going to have a different, not-as-long-lasting experience.

Techradar's battery life test, which runs a looped HD video for 90 minutes, saw the battery drain 22% at max brightness. The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 was able to hold onto all but 14% when starting with a freshly charged battery using the same 90-minute test.

That's a step in the right direction for mixed use, okay for heavy use and poor for anyone who is foolish enough to constantly keep their screen lit at all times.

The biggest problem, though, is with the seemingly helpful Battery Saver mode. It turns on when the LG V10 reaches either a critical 5% or 15%, depending on the setting. It restricts apps, and this means the camera software no longer loads.

I know it's a way of saving my battery from draining the last bits of energy, but sometimes I want to snap that last all-important photo at 5% and I can't do it. Worse, when the phone powers down, I have to wait for it to power up beyond 5% to take the photo.

There's also no wireless charging out of the box. Yes, LG confirmed that there's Qi charging, but only with a special cover, so, not really without springing for the accessory.