LG’s dual-screen phone bundle arrives in the US November 1, starting at $699

Announced this summer at IFA in Berlin, LG's G8X ThinQ offers yet another take on the folding/dual-screen phenomenon. Rather than the outright foldable display of the Samsung Galaxy or the dual-screen of the forthcoming Microsoft Surface Duo, the device sneaks in additional screen real estate through an accessory.

Available here in the States starting November 1, the G8X ThinQ will arrive as a bundle with the LG Dual Screen accessory, starting at the extremely reasonably price of $699. Using a USB-C connector, the combo offers up a number of different dual-screen experiences, including a standard two screen, a game pad, and a keyboard, working a a sort of mini-laptop.

Early reviews and hands on have been a bit mixed. Given the nature of the product, there's unsurprisingly a pretty sizable gap between the two screens. That rules out some of the primary folding phone case uses like movie watching. Honestly, the setup seems a bit more like an attempt to appeal to the growing interest in foldables without actually fully committing to the form factor.

LG certainly seems to have the resources to go all-in a foldable, but the category still has a long way to go in terms of proving itself. And honestly, the early Galaxy Fold hiccups and Huawei Mate X delays aren't exactly helping speed things along.

Still, there's something to be said for the ability to go either single or dual screen, depending on the day and the use case. The Fold leaves something to be desired when closed. It's a thick device with a tiny front screen. The G8X ThinQ certainly offers more in terms of flexibility. Plus the specs aren't at all bad for the price, including a Snapdragon 855, 6GB of RAM and a 4,000mAh battery.