LG G5 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 – the clash of the South Korean titans

As expected, this year’s MWC event in Barcelona didn’t disappoint! During the conference, we witnessed the announcement of a lot of new smartphones and notebooks, as well as a couple of new additions to the VR department. However, Samsung and LG have undoubtedly attracted the most attention with their new flagship smartphones – Galaxy S7/S7 edge and G5 respectively. Both South Korean manufacturers have outdone themselves this year, and now its time to see how their offerings stack up against each other. We’ve already shared our first impressions articles about the Galaxy S7/S7 edge and G5, so let’s jump straight into the comparison.

You can check the current availability of LG G5 here: http://amzn.to/21tZd9j

…Or if you prefer the Galaxy S7, check out if it’s out and what its price is here: http://amzn.to/21kaDje


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Price and release dates

Along with the specs and appearance, the price of a smartphone is one of the most important aspects when searching for a daily driver. However, in this case, we’re expecting both offerings to be available at roughly the same cost, so we’re going to base our comparison mainly on the specs and capabilities, rather than their price. Anyway, even though Samsung’s Galaxy S7 is available for pre-order on some online stores, the device will globally hit the market on March 11. We have some bad news for you if you’re fan of LG – their flagship offering will be available for purchase somewhere around the begging of April. This gives Samsung a head start over their competitor, which will perhaps result in higher sales for their product, since there are a lot of consumers eager to get their hands on a device boasting the latest specs.

Design

On the design front, LG’s G5 model definitely brings a lot more changes to the overall appearance. The device has a unibody, aluminum-magnesium alloy construction and, interestingly enough, sports a user-removable battery. You can eject it via a special small button, located on he phone’s lower back. Furthermore, you can add various extensions to it. For example, you can choose to go with the LG Cam Plus, which will provide you with an additional 1100 mAh to your battery, as well as comfortable and easy-to-use hardware camera buttons for video recording, snapping a photo, and zooming in and out. There’s even one for better audio quality with a B&O-branded device. It is precisely these extensions that are LG’s secret weapon in this year’s flagship war. Anyway, LG has moved the volume rocker from the rear of the device to the left, and has left only the Power button at the back, which, by the way, integrates a fingerprints sensor, much like the one in Nexus 5X. Another major difference between the two flagship phones is the presence of a USB Type-C slot, which the Galaxy S7 lacks. It will provide you with faster charging speeds and data transfer.


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As for the Galaxy S7, the device has undergone only minor design changes, compared to last year’s model, but they’re all for the best. The phone still features the same metal and glass construction which looks as sleek and as premium as ever. However, this time, around, we see slightly more curved edges, providing a better and more secure grip on the phone. Furthermore, the rear camera no longer protrudes, or at least not as much as the one in the Galaxy S6. We should also note that unlike LG’s G5 model, the Galaxy S7 does have an IP68 waterproof certificate. As for the thickness and weight, well LG’s flagship device is 0.2 mm thinner than Samsung’s offering, but it’s also 7 grams heavier. Keep in mind that these are only minor differences and you’ll most likely not even notice them.

Hardware

The Galaxy S7 will have a version boasting the Snapdragon 820 SoC, as well as one with the Exynos 8890. The Qualcomm model will be available in the USA, China and Japan, while the Exynos one will most likely be found on all the other markets. Since you most likely already know the specs of Snapdragon 820, here is what the Exynos 8890 will offer: eight cores grouped into two clusters – the first one boasting four cores clocked at 2.29GHz, while the second one packing the other four, but clocked at the lower 1.58 GHz. LG G5, on the other hand, will be available only with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820. There’s no doubt that both SoCs will provide high performance, but let’s leave this topic for when we actually get the devices in our hands and put them through our computing and graphic benchmark tests. We’re also looking forward to seeing whether any of the mobile chips causes the smartphones to overheat.


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The difference in screen sizes is also minor. G5’s display measures at 5.3 inches, while the one in Galaxy S7 is 5.1 inches. Both screens feature Quad HD resolution (2560 x 1140). While LG has chosen to go with an IPS panel, Samsung is sticking to their Super AMOLED technology. We’ll make sure to test the displays as soon as possible.

Last year’s Samsung flagship smartphone (Galaxy S6) packed a smaller battery than the one of LG G4. However, times have changed and now Samsung has the upper hand, as their model features a 3000 mAh unit, while the competitor, G5, packs only a 2800 mAh one. To make the comparison fair, we aren’t taking into account the additional 1200 mAh that the G5 receives from the Cam Plus extension. Anyway, we can’t say anything about which of the phones provides better battery life, since we’ll have put them through our tests. Another thing worth mentioning is that LG G5’s battery is user removable and can easily be replaced, while the Galaxy S7 doesn’t provide you with that option.


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Both smartphones will face off in an epic clash for best performing camera, due to all the improvements they’ve undergne. LG’s model packs a 16MP main camera with laser autofocus, OIS, and f/1.8 aperture and an 8MP secondary rear shooter with wider field of vision. On the other hand, Galaxy S7’s camera is only 12MP. However, the pixel size is increased and the aperture is f/1.7. This should result in outstanding camera performance when taking photos in low-light conditions.

Specs sheet

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Specs sheetSamsung Galaxy S7LG G5
OSAndroid 6.0 MarshmallowAndroid 6.0 Marshmallow
SoCQualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 / Exynos 8890Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820
RAM4GB4GB
Storage32GB + microSD memory card slot, uses the second SIM slot32 GB + dedicated microSD memory card slot
GPUAdreno 530/Mali T880MP12Adreno 530
Display5.1-inch Super AMOLED screen with 1440 x 2560 resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 45.3-inch IPS LCD screen with1440 x 2560 resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 4
ConnectivityWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth 4.2, LTE Cat9, GPS, NFC, microUSB v2.0Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth 4.2, LTE Cat9, GPS, NFC, USB Type-C 1.0
Cameras12 MP, 1.4 µm, f/1.7, autofocus, OIS, LED flash, 2160p@30fps video (rear), 5MP, f/1.7 (front)16 MP (f/1.8) + 8 MP (f/2.4), laser autofocus, OIS, LED flash,
2160p@30fps video (rear), 8 MP (front)
Featuresfingerprint sensor, heartrate sensor, waterproof IP68, Samsung Pay, Quick Charge 3.0fingerprint sensor, Quick Charge 3.0, LG Friends
Battery3000 mAh (non-removable)2800 mAh (removable)
Dimensions142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7 mm
Weight152 grams159 grams

Official product videos





You can check the current availability of LG G5 here: http://amzn.to/21tZd9j

…Or if you prefer the Galaxy S7, check out if it’s out and what its price is here: http://amzn.to/21kaDje

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