We purchased the LG K30 so that our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and review it. Read on for our full product review.

Sometimes you just need a smartphone that works and doesn’t cost a fortune. The LG K30 is designed to fill that niche, offering an acceptable, affordable smartphone that checks off all the basic boxes that modern consumers expect from their portable computing devices. But it’s starting to show its age at this point, so we put it to the test to see if the K30 can compete with other budget options and deliver an acceptable user experience. Read on to see how we fared.

It’d be hard to think of a more boring, forgettable phone design than the LG K30, but if you can look past its average looks, it’s actually not unattractive. The back of the phone has a surprisingly premium, metallic feel to it, even though it is of course plastic. It’s very susceptible to smudges, but we were pleased with the lack of scratches. One aesthetic touch we did like was the slight two-tone look.

The sides of the phone are unfortunately made of a much less attractive plastic, which negatively impacts our initial impressions of the device. The bezel around the display is thick, making the K30 seem larger and more cumbersome than it otherwise would be. The thick bezel also makes the phone look old-fashioned. The K30 isn’t waterproof or ruggedized, but it seems to hold up well to the rigors of everyday use. The display itself seemed reasonably durable and scratch-resistant, though it is prone to smudges.