Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
The $700 V10 mostly gives you what you'd expect from a premium Android smartphone, like quick performance and a great camera.
But it has two unique features that makes it stand out above the rest.
The V10's nifty second screen
The small second touchscreen is the V10's main feature.
It sits above the main screen to the right and you can swipe through different mini app menus, like you favorite apps, recent apps, favorite contacts, upcoming calendar events, and even music control.
It's a handy feature that removes a few steps to get to your favorite apps or contacts. Normally, I'd need to go back to my home screen or open the multitasking menu and to reach the app I'm looking for, but the second screen lets me open an app with one touch from wherever I am in the phone.
The best use I have for the second screen is controlling music while I'm using another app.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
Unfortunately, when the main screen is off, the second screen does little more than show you the time. It's a missed opportunity for things like controlling music without having to wake the V10's main display.
It's built like a tank
The other differentiating feature is how exceedingly well built and tough it is. The V10 has a steel frame that makes it a lot tougher than most phones that use aluminum frames and shells, like the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
It also has a removeable battery, a feature that most premium smartphones have abandoned in recent years.
Apart from LG's other flagship, the G4, the V10 is one of the only premium Android phones that lets you exchange the battery.
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider
The letdown
There's little doubt that the V10 a top-performer, but so are so many other phones. It's nice to have a durable phone, but not necessarily when you have to sacrifice looks. And while that second screen is functional, it is a bit gimmicky. If you're going to spend $700 on a phone, there are a lot of better options. Plus, if you love Android, you can get one of Google's new Nexus phones starting at $379.