LG has announced the LG V10, a new handset that's the first in a new V line of handsets, a new family.

We'd all got accustomed to the G series being the flagship, but it looks like LG is stepping up a notch, moving away from the trend to push the mid-range, and focusing on adding innovation at the top. 

The result is the V10. Born from the same mother as the G4, these twins are closely related. But is this a case of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito?

LG V10 refines design

When the LG G4 was launched, there was a lot of talk about design. Attention was poured on the (optional) leather skin, the display to body ratio and the natural curves that it offers. Measuring 148.9 x 76.1 x 6.3-9.8mm and weighing 155g, we think it's a good looking phone. 

With the V10, however, LG is switching up a gear. We're no longer talking about leather, instead the focus is on durability, with a stainless steel frame and a damage resistant silicon back. The LG V10 measures 159.6 x 79.3 x 8.6mm and weighs 192g. 

Much of the size difference will be accounted for by the increase in screen size, but with that Dura Frame, reinforced corners and MIL-STD-810G standard shock resistance, the V10 is the sturdier device. 

LG V10 display expands

The LG V10 has a 5.7-inch IPS display with a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution, 513ppi. That in itself is up there with top devices, but it is joined by a second display, with 160 x 1040 pixels (also 513ppi). 

This secondary display is designed to be always on, letting you get information at a glance without having to wake the main display. It's an innovative twist, a little like the exterior display on old clamshell phones, but more dynamic. 

The LG G4 by comparison sounds rather pedestrian with a 5.5-inch IPS display with 2560 x 1440 pixels, although it's worth noting it's a little sharper due to its size, at 538ppi.

LG V10 hardware edges out G4

In many ways, the V10 matches the G4's hardware, but edges it out little by little. It's powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset, but bumps the RAM up to 4GB. We'd expect the performance to be pretty close. 

The LG G4 comes with 32GB of storage as standard, the V10 comes with 64GB. Both offer microSD expansion.

Both also offer removable batteries (LG is about the last manufacturer to do so). The LG V10 has a 3000mAh battery, as does the G4. We suspect the endurance is going to be much the same.

The LG V10 also introduces a fingerprint scanner, something that the G4 lacks.

LG V10 widens camera functionality

One of the key areas of change for the LG V10 is in the camera department. Starting with the front, there are two 5-megapixel cameras. You'll be able to get a regular 80-degree selfies, or wide 120-degree group shots. The LG G4 by comparison has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. 

The rear cameras on both are 16-megapixels, both offering laser autofocusing. But the V10 is supercharged for video. You can capture through all three lenses at the same time, you get full manual video controls, including shutter speed, frame rate, ISO and white balance. That explains the bump in RAM. 

Then there are a range of additional video editing features on the V10, as well as an audio boost, with a wind noise filter. 

Talking of sound, the V10 comes with a ESS Technology 32-bit DAC. When you connect to your V10, you'll get options to tweak the sound for optimal performance.

Software

Aside from the software differences around the video capture functionality, both the V10 and G4 run on Android Lollipop, with LG's customisation on top. 

As we've mentioned, there are a number of software differences to take into account the enhanced video controls, fingerprint scanner, cameras and that new display. 

Otherwise, the experience should be pretty close.

Conclusions

The LG V10 comes with a number of hardware changes that are somewhat innovative. The V10 steps out, with that focus on video creation, offering a second display and innovative front cameras. 

The LG G4 is the more compact and offers many of the same benefits, with a great display, nice slim body, good cameras, and plenty of power. The software experience is likely to be very close, as is the performance. 

But the real difference is likely to be the price. The LG G4 is good value for money at £420. LG hasn't yet put a price on the V10, but it's likely to jump back into top-tier prices. The device you choose may well come down to how wide this gulf in price is.