LG G8S ThinQ vs Google Pixel 7: Can an Older Flagship Still Compete?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing camera quality and long-term software support, the Google Pixel 7 is the clear winner. While the LG G8S ThinQ offers respectable performance thanks to the Snapdragon 855, the Pixel 7’s Tensor G2, superior camera system, and guaranteed updates provide a more polished and future-proof experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG G8S ThinQ | Google Pixel 7 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GQML3 |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - GQML3 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat19 1600/150 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GVU6C | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, February 24. Released 2019, July 02 | 2022, October 06 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2022, October 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 155.3 x 76.6 x 8 mm (6.11 x 3.02 x 0.31 in) | 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7 mm (6.13 x 2.88 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 181 g (6.38 oz) | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) MIL-STD-810G compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2248 pixels (~401 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~416 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.21 inches, 97.6 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.3 inches, 96.7 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | G-OLED, HDR10 | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1400 nits (peak) |
| 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 (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Google Tensor G2 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 | Mali-G710 MP7 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) - single-SIM modelmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model | No |
| Internal | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm |
| 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, 1080p@240fps, HDR, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec. | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm, AF TOF 3D, f/1.4, (depth sensor) | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| 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/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, QC3 Wireless | 20W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 20W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 3550 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4355 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mirror Black, Mirror Teal, Mirror White, Carmine Red, New Aurora Black, New Moroccan Blue | Obsidian, Lemongrass, Snow |
| Models | LMG810, LM-G810, LMG810EAW | GVU6C, GQML3, GO3Z5 |
| Price | About 480 EUR | € 199.00 / $ 179.26 / £ 189.99 / ₹ 28,499 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 96h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.2 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 813114 (v9) GeekBench: 3288 (v5.1) GFXBench: 59fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
LG G8S ThinQ
- Headphone Jack: A feature increasingly rare in modern smartphones.
- Potentially Lower Price: The G8S ThinQ is an older model and can be found at a significantly lower price point.
- Expandable Storage: Likely supports microSD card expansion (based on LG's historical practices).
- No Software Updates: LG has ceased software support for the G8S ThinQ.
- Older Chipset: The Snapdragon 855 is less efficient and powerful than the Tensor G2.
- Inferior Camera: Likely lacks the advanced image processing capabilities of the Pixel 7.
Google Pixel 7
- Superior Camera: Google’s computational photography is a standout feature.
- Guaranteed Updates: The Pixel 7 receives regular software and security updates.
- Faster Charging: 20W wired and wireless charging offers greater convenience.
- Higher Price: The Pixel 7 is a more expensive device.
- No Headphone Jack: Lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack.
- Potentially Less RAM: Depending on the configuration, may have less RAM than some G8S ThinQ models.
Display Comparison
The Google Pixel 7 boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 974 nits, compared to the LG G8S ThinQ’s unspecified peak brightness. This translates to better visibility outdoors. While the LG G8S ThinQ likely has a good quality OLED panel, the Pixel 7’s infinite contrast ratio (nominal) suggests deeper blacks and a more vibrant image. The Pixel 7’s display technology is also likely more power efficient, contributing to overall battery life.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 7’s camera system is a major advantage. While both phones offer photo and video capabilities, the Pixel 7 benefits from Google’s renowned computational photography. Details regarding the LG G8S ThinQ’s camera sensors are limited, but the Pixel 7’s image processing algorithms, powered by the Tensor G2’s dedicated image processing unit, deliver superior dynamic range, detail, and low-light performance. The Pixel 7’s software features, like Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur, further enhance the user experience.
Performance
The core architectural difference lies in the chipsets. The LG G8S ThinQ’s Snapdragon 855, built on a 7nm process, is a capable performer, but the Google Pixel 7’s Tensor G2, fabricated on a 5nm node, offers superior transistor density and therefore, improved power efficiency and thermal performance. The Pixel 7’s CPU configuration – 2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 – utilizes newer ARM cores designed for higher performance and efficiency than the Kryo 485 cores in the Snapdragon 855. This means the Pixel 7 will likely handle demanding tasks and multitasking more smoothly, with less throttling under sustained load.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 96 hours, suggesting comparable battery life in typical usage scenarios. However, the Pixel 7’s 20W wired charging with PD3.0 and 50% charge in 30 minutes is faster than the LG G8S ThinQ’s 18W QC3 charging. The Pixel 7 also adds the convenience of 20W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the LG G8S ThinQ. While the mAh capacity isn’t specified for either device, the Tensor G2’s 5nm efficiency likely contributes to comparable endurance despite potentially having a smaller battery.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG G8S ThinQ if you need a capable phone for basic tasks, appreciate a headphone jack, and are comfortable with a phone that won't receive further software updates. It's a good option for those on a very tight budget. Buy the Google Pixel 7 if you prioritize camera performance, a clean Android experience with timely updates, and the benefits of Google’s AI features, even if it means paying a premium.