LG G8 ThinQ vs. LG G8S ThinQ: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the LG G8 ThinQ emerges as the slightly better choice. Its superior endurance rating of 79 hours, coupled with faster 21W charging (including PD and QC3), provides a more forgiving and convenient experience. While the G8S offers a marginally cleaner design, the G8’s battery advantages outweigh this aesthetic difference.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG G8 ThinQ | LG G8S ThinQ |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - USA | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat19 1600/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat19 1600/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 13, 20, 28, 46, 48, 66 - Verison | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, February 24. Released 2019, April 11 | 2019, February 24. Released 2019, July 02 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 151.9 x 71.8 x 8.4 mm (5.98 x 2.83 x 0.33 in) | 155.3 x 76.6 x 8 mm (6.11 x 3.02 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 167 g (5.89 oz) | 181 g (6.38 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) MIL-STD-810G compliant* Method 516.6, Procedure IV "Transit Drop" *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) MIL-STD-810G compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~564 ppi density) | 1080 x 2248 pixels (~401 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 91.0 cm2 (~83.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.21 inches, 97.6 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | P-OLED, HDR10 | G-OLED, HDR10 |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 | Adreno 640 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11 | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) - single-SIM modelmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model | microSDXC (dedicated slot) - single-SIM modelmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual or Triple | 12 MP, f/1.5, 27mm (standard), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/1.9, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, no AF or 12 MP, f/1.5, 27mm (standard), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/1.9, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, no AF 12 MP, 52mm (telephoto), f/2.4, 1.0µm, 2x optical zoom, dual pixel PDAF, OIS | - |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1.4µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.6, 49mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.4, 14mm (ultrawide), 1.0µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR10, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec. | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 1080p@240fps, HDR, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.22µm, AF TOF 3D, f/1.4, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 8 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm, AF TOF 3D, f/1.4, (depth sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@60fps | 1080p@60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio (market/region dependent) | FM radio |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, Hand ID, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 21W wired, PD, QC3 9W wireless | 18W wired, QC3 Wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 3500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 3550 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Platinum Gray, New Aurora Black, New Moroccan Blue, Carmine Red | Mirror Black, Mirror Teal, Mirror White, Carmine Red, New Aurora Black, New Moroccan Blue |
| Models | LMG820QM7, LM-G820UMB, LMG820UM0, LMG820UM1, LMG820UM2, LM-G820N, LM-G820, LM-G820QM | LMG810, LM-G810, LMG810EAW |
| Price | About 350 EUR | About 480 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -94.1dB / Crosstalk -87.6dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 79h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: infinite | - |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 68dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 92dB | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 331537 (v7), 362730 (v8) GeekBench: 10735 (v4.4), 2700 (v5.1) GFXBench: 20fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
LG G8 ThinQ
- Superior battery endurance (79h rating)
- Faster 21W wired charging with PD and QC3
- 9W wireless charging support
- Potentially larger and heavier design
- May exhibit slightly more thermal throttling under sustained load (speculative)
LG G8S ThinQ
- Slightly more refined design (potentially)
- Potentially more compact form factor
- Similar performance to the G8 ThinQ
- Lower battery endurance
- Slower 18W wired charging (QC3 only)
- Wireless charging speed unspecified
Display Comparison
Both the LG G8 ThinQ and G8S ThinQ feature displays with infinite contrast ratios, suggesting OLED panels. The G8 ThinQ boasts a measured peak brightness of 655 nits, a respectable figure for outdoor visibility. While the G8S’s display specifications aren’t provided, it’s reasonable to assume similar performance given their close release timeframe and target market. The lack of high refresh rate technology (90Hz or 120Hz) is a notable omission compared to some competitors, but both phones compensate with features like HDR10 support. The real-world difference in display quality is likely minimal for the average user.
Camera Comparison
Both the G8 and G8S ThinQ are advertised as having capable photo and video capabilities, but detailed sensor specifications are lacking. The absence of specific information regarding sensor size, aperture, or OIS suggests that the camera systems are broadly similar. It’s likely both phones employ a multi-camera setup with a primary lens, ultrawide lens, and potentially a depth sensor. Given the era, image processing likely focused on scene recognition and AI enhancements. Without detailed camera samples or sensor data, a definitive camera comparison is impossible, but the core imaging experience is expected to be comparable.
Performance
The core performance of both devices is identical, powered by the Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) chipset with an octa-core CPU configuration (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485, and 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485). This means users can expect similar performance in demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. However, thermal management could differ slightly due to variations in internal design. The G8S’s slightly more compact form factor *could* lead to more thermal throttling under sustained load, but without specific thermal testing data, this remains speculative. Both phones utilize the same chipset, so the performance gap will be minimal.
Battery Life
This is where the most significant difference lies. The LG G8 ThinQ achieves an endurance rating of 79 hours, indicating a larger battery capacity and/or more efficient power management. The G8S ThinQ, however, only supports 18W wired charging with QC3, a step down from the G8’s 21W charging which also includes Power Delivery (PD) support. The G8 ThinQ also offers 9W wireless charging, a feature present but unspecified in charging speed for the G8S. This means the G8 ThinQ will charge faster and offers more charging flexibility, offsetting any potential battery capacity differences.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG G8 ThinQ if you prioritize all-day battery life and fast, versatile charging options. It’s ideal for users who frequently travel, heavily utilize their phones throughout the day, or simply dislike the anxiety of constantly monitoring battery percentages. Buy the LG G8S ThinQ if you prefer a slightly more streamlined aesthetic and are willing to trade some battery endurance for a potentially more refined in-hand feel, and don't mind slower charging.