LG G8 ThinQ vs LG Velvet 5G: Which LG Phone Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing raw performance and a brighter display, the LG G8 ThinQ remains the superior choice, despite its age. However, the LG Velvet 5G offers a more modern design and slightly faster charging, making it a compelling option for those seeking 5G on a budget.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG G8 ThinQ | LG Velvet 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 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 |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 3, 28, 78 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat19 1600/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat16 1000/75 Mbps, 5G 2Gbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 13, 20, 28, 46, 48, 66 - Verison | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, February 24. Released 2019, April 11 | 2020, May 07. Released 2020, May 15 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 151.9 x 71.8 x 8.4 mm (5.98 x 2.83 x 0.33 in) | 167.2 x 74.1 x 7.9 mm (6.58 x 2.92 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 167 g (5.89 oz) | 180 g (6.35 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 | - |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~564 ppi density) | 1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 91.0 cm2 (~83.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~88.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | P-OLED, HDR10 | P-OLED |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 | Adreno 620 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, LG UX |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) - single-SIM modelmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB 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, panorama, HDR |
| Triple | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 15mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm Auxiliary lens |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR10, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec. | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| 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) | 16 MP, f/1.9, 29mm (standard), 1/3.06, 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@60fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio (market/region dependent) | FM radio (market/region dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C, 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 (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 21W wired, PD, QC3 9W wireless | 25W wired, PD3.0, QC4 9W wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 3500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4300 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Platinum Gray, New Aurora Black, New Moroccan Blue, Carmine Red | Aurora White, Aurora Green, Aurora Gray, Illusion Sunset, Red, Pink |
| Models | LMG820QM7, LM-G820UMB, LMG820UM0, LMG820UM1, LMG820UM2, LM-G820N, LM-G820, LM-G820QM | LM-G900N, LM-G900EM, LM-G900, LM-G900TM |
| Price | About 350 EUR | About 470 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.23 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -94.1dB / Crosstalk -87.6dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 79h | Endurance rating 79h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: infinite | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 68dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 92dB | -23.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 331537 (v7), 362730 (v8) GeekBench: 10735 (v4.4), 2700 (v5.1) GFXBench: 20fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 297372 (v8) GeekBench: 1905 (v5.1) GFXBench: 16fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
LG G8 ThinQ
- Superior processing power with Snapdragon 855
- Brighter display for better outdoor visibility
- Potentially better camera performance due to flagship status
- Older device, potentially limited software support
- Slower charging speed compared to Velvet 5G
LG Velvet 5G
- Integrated 5G connectivity
- Faster 25W wired charging
- More modern and stylish design
- Lower processing power with Snapdragon 765G
- Dimmer display compared to G8 ThinQ
Display Comparison
Both the LG G8 ThinQ and Velvet 5G feature displays with an infinite contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels. However, the G8 boasts a significantly brighter peak brightness of 655 nits compared to the Velvet’s 617 nits. This 38-nit difference translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. While both likely utilize similar OLED technology, the G8’s higher brightness provides a more vibrant and usable experience outdoors. The Velvet’s design prioritizes a curved ‘Waterfall’ display, a stylistic choice not present on the G8, but doesn’t offer a quantifiable performance benefit.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, but detailed sensor information is absent. Given the G8’s flagship positioning, it likely features a more sophisticated camera system with a larger primary sensor and potentially more advanced image processing. The Velvet 5G, being a mid-range device, likely compromises on sensor size and image processing capabilities. Without specific sensor details, it’s reasonable to assume the G8 captures more detailed photos and videos, particularly in low-light conditions. The absence of information on OIS or lens apertures makes a precise comparison impossible.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The LG G8 ThinQ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm), featuring an octa-core CPU with a prime Kryo 485 core clocked at 2.84 GHz. The LG Velvet 5G utilizes the Snapdragon 765G (7nm), an octa-core processor with a lower peak clock speed of 2.4 GHz. While both are 7nm chips, the 855’s architecture and higher clock speeds deliver demonstrably better CPU and GPU performance. This translates to smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and superior gaming performance on the G8. The 765G’s integrated 5G modem is its key advantage, but comes at the cost of raw processing power.
Battery Life
Interestingly, both the LG G8 ThinQ and LG Velvet 5G share an identical Endurance Rating of 79 hours. This suggests similar real-world battery life despite the differing chipsets. However, charging speeds differ. The G8 supports 21W wired charging with PD and QC3, while the Velvet 5G offers 25W wired charging with PD3.0 and QC4. This 4W difference translates to a slightly faster 0-100% charge time on the Velvet 5G. Both devices support 9W wireless charging, offering a comparable wireless charging experience.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG G8 ThinQ if you need uncompromising processing power for demanding tasks like gaming or video editing, and value a brighter screen for outdoor visibility. Buy the LG Velvet 5G if you prioritize 5G connectivity, a more contemporary aesthetic, and faster charging speeds, and are willing to trade some processing headroom.