There’s little doubt that the LG Wing is a polarizing phone, and that’s partly on purpose. It’s an experiment to push the boundaries of design, and not everyone will like its rotating screen or gimbal mode camera. However, that may not necessarily be the dealbreaker — for some, it might be the LG Wing’s $999 price.
That raises a question, then: would you buy the Wing if it were more affordable? If so, what kind of discount would it take to get you to give it a try? It might be a tougher call than you think. LG’s unique design stands out in an increasingly homogenous market, but it’s easy to see reasons why you might pass on the Wing no matter how inexpensive the price might be.
The case against the Wing is fairly clear: you can buy phones that represent a better value if you don’t care for a rotating display, even if it goes on sale. The Galaxy S20, for instance, offers a faster processor, better cameras and a more alluring main screen (albeit ‘just’ one) at its official $999 sticker. And if you’d rather have similar or better specs while paying less, you’re embarrassed for choices. The Pixel 5, Galaxy S20 FE, and LG’s own Velvet are among the numerous phones that undercut the Wing on price, if sometimes with tradeoffs.
At the same time, there’s something to be said for buying a one-of-a-kind device. The LG Wing is a truly special phone even at its original cost, and it could be that much more tempting at a more competitive price. Why pick up a good-but-boring slab if you can get a more exciting phone for similar money? That’s doubly true if you have valid reasons to use a second screen, whether it’s controlling music during your commute or messaging friends while watching a video. It might just be a question of how low the price needs to be rather than whether you’d buy the Wing at all.
Next: The best Android phones