LG G8S ThinQ vs. LG V50 ThinQ 5G: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the LG V50 ThinQ 5G emerges as the superior choice. While both share the Snapdragon 855, the V50’s exceptional 96-hour endurance rating, coupled with faster 18W charging utilizing PD2.0, provides a more reliable and convenient experience. The higher display brightness also makes it more usable outdoors.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG G8S ThinQ | LG V50 ThinQ 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - USA |
| 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, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA |
| 5G bands | - | 41, 260, 261 NSA |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat19 1600/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/75 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, February 24. Released 2019, July 02 | 2019, February 24. Released 2019, April 19 |
| 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 | 155.3 x 76.6 x 8 mm (6.11 x 3.02 x 0.31 in) | 159.2 x 76.1 x 8.3 mm (6.27 x 3.00 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 181 g (6.38 oz) | 183 g (6.46 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) MIL-STD-810G compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2248 pixels (~401 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~538 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.21 inches, 97.6 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.2 cm2 (~82.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | G-OLED, HDR10 | P-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 12 | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) - single-SIM modelmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 12 MP, 27mm (wide), f/1.5, 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3-axis OIS 12 MP, 52mm (telephoto), f/2.4, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, 2x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS 16 MP, 16mm (ultrawide), f/1.9, 1/3.1", 1.0µm, no AF |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 1080p@240fps, HDR, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec. | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., HDR10 video, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 8 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP, 21mm (wide), f/2.2, 1/5.0", 1.12µm |
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 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, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/192kHz audio 24-bit/192kHz audio recording Tuned with Meridian 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 |
| Radio | FM radio | FM radio |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| 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 | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, QC3 Wireless | 18W wired, PD2.0, QC3, 50% in 36 min 10W wireless (Qi) |
| Type | Li-Po 3550 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mirror Black, Mirror Teal, Mirror White, Carmine Red, New Aurora Black, New Moroccan Blue | New Aurora Black |
| Models | LMG810, LM-G810, LMG810EAW | LM-V500, LM-V500N, LM-V500EM, LM-V500XM, LM-V450PM, LM-V450 |
| Price | About 480 EUR | About 550 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -92.5dB / Crosstalk -92.6dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 96h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: 194000:1 (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.2 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 343758 (v7), 421934 (v8) GeekBench: 10928 (v4.4), 2672 (v5.1) GFXBench: 22fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
LG G8S ThinQ
- Potentially more compact design (spec not confirmed)
- Snapdragon 855 provides flagship-level performance
- Supports Quick Charge 3.0 for fast wired charging
- Battery life is likely inferior to the V50
- Wireless charging wattage unspecified
- Lacks 5G connectivity
LG V50 ThinQ 5G
- Exceptional 96-hour battery endurance
- Faster 18W charging with PD2.0 support
- 5G connectivity for future-proofing
- May be larger and heavier than the G8S
- Wireless charging is limited to 10W
- Display brightness, while good, isn't class-leading
Display Comparison
Both devices feature similar display technology, but the LG V50 ThinQ 5G boasts a significantly brighter panel, reaching a measured 533 nits. This translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. While both likely utilize OLED panels, the V50’s contrast ratio of 194000:1 suggests a more vibrant and immersive viewing experience. The G8S’s display specs are not provided, making a direct comparison of color accuracy and other parameters difficult, but the V50’s higher brightness is a clear advantage.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are described as having Photo/Video capabilities, but detailed camera specifications are absent. Without sensor size, aperture, or image processing details, a meaningful comparison is impossible. It’s reasonable to assume both devices offer a versatile camera system for their time, but the V50’s positioning as a flagship suggests it may have benefited from slightly more advanced camera hardware or software features. The absence of any mention of a telephoto lens on either device suggests a reliance on digital zoom.
Performance
Both the LG G8S ThinQ and the LG V50 ThinQ 5G are powered by the Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) chipset, featuring an identical octa-core CPU configuration. This means raw processing power will be nearly indistinguishable between the two. However, the V50’s larger battery and potentially more sophisticated thermal management (details not provided) could lead to slightly more sustained performance under heavy load, mitigating potential throttling. The lack of LPDDR5x specification for either device suggests they both utilize LPDDR4X, limiting memory bandwidth compared to newer standards.
Battery Life
The LG V50 ThinQ 5G’s 96-hour endurance rating is a standout feature, indicating significantly longer battery life than most smartphones. While the G8S’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the V50’s endurance suggests a larger battery or more efficient power management. Furthermore, the V50 supports PD2.0 alongside QC3, enabling faster charging and compatibility with a wider range of chargers. The V50 achieves 50% charge in 36 minutes, while the G8S’s 18W charging lacks this speed advantage. The V50 also offers 10W wireless charging (Qi), while the G8S’s wireless charging capabilities are simply stated as ‘Wireless’ without specifying wattage.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG G8S ThinQ if you prioritize a slightly more compact form factor and are less concerned with extended battery life or 5G connectivity. It’s a solid performer for everyday tasks and media consumption. Buy the LG V50 ThinQ 5G if you value long-lasting battery performance, faster charging speeds, and future-proofing with 5G support. It’s the better option for power users and those who frequently travel or spend extended periods away from a charger.