LG G8X is dual-screen phone for only $700

Available unlocked and on US carriers AT&T and Sprint, the LG G8X ThinQ is a 6.4-inch phone that attaches to a second screen using a special case. As a middleman solution for foldable phones, the G8X costs $700 to $780, though carriers are offering deals that lower the cost even more (Sprint, for example, has a plan that totals $270).

Read CNET's review of the LG G8X ThinQ.

By itself without the case, the G8X features a 6.4-inch display with a 1080p resolution. It runs Android 9 and it's also water resistant.

The phone has expandable memory (up to 2TB) and has wireless charging. 

The phone has an in-screen fingerprint reader so you can it by scanning your finger right on the display.  

It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset and a 4,000-mAh battery.  

Like other LG phones the G8X has a headphone jack -- a rarity among premium phones these days.

The G8X has two rear cameras: A 12-megapixel standard camera and a 13-megapixel wide-angle camera. LG was one of the first phone makers to include wide-angle shooters, and it's useful to capture more content in each frame. 

On the front is a 32-megapixel camera for ultra-clear selfies, and it can take portrait pictures, too.  

The second screen relies on the G8X for power and battery.

It connects through a USB-C connection at the bottom of the phone.

FYI, you can charge the phone when it's inside the case. LG included a magnetic USB-C accessory that attaches outside the case and plugs into a charging cord.

With the case, the G8X is so thick it reminds me a lot like using an ultra-rugged Otterbox phone case. Putting the phone in my pants pocket or a small clutch was out of the question, unless I just wanted to use the G8X by itself.  

A look at the bottom of the phone with the case on.

Pressing the volume buttons or Google Assistant key on the left side of the phone when the second screen is open is also difficult since the hinge gets in the way of my fingers. 

To navigate between screens, LG added an on-screen, movable hotkey that gives quick access to controls such as "swap screens" and "show main on dual screen."   

Because the second screen bends all the way back, I could configure it at any angle as a kickstand. I propped up the phone sideways to watch videos and I placed it standing like a book so I could take photos at a distance.  

The second screen is handy for multi-tasking, like navigating to a restaurant on Google Maps while looking up other options on Yelp with the other screen. 

Playing games such as Call of Duty was more comfortable thanks to the "LG Game Pad," a mode that turns the main screen into a separate game controller. There are different preset controls to choose from, like one that has a steering wheel for racing games. Not every game in the app store will work automatically with these preset controllers, so expect to customize your own controller for some games.

The G8X's has something other dual-screen phones, like the ZTE Axon M or upcoming Surface Duo, don't: flexibility. Whenever I didn't have a use for the second screen or grew tired of carrying it around, I popped the phone out and left the rest at home.  

 At $700 to $780, the G8X's cost alone is pretty much on par with, if not a tad cheaper than, most high-end phones these days. But LG and carriers such as AT&T intend to sell the whole thing, second screen and all, at that price range. That's a whole lot cheaper than the thousand dollars you have to pay for the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X.

Read CNET's review of the LG G8X ThinQ.