LG G8X ThinQ vs. iPhone 11 Pro Max: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Power
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a refined software experience, long-term software support, and consistently strong camera performance, the iPhone 11 Pro Max remains the superior choice. However, the LG G8X ThinQ delivers comparable performance and significantly longer battery endurance at a lower price point, making it a compelling option for budget-conscious Android enthusiasts.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG G8X ThinQ | Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max |
| 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) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2218 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat20 1960/75 Mbps | HSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 14, 20, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - USA | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2161, A2220 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, September 06. Released 2019, November 01 | 2019, September 10 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2019, September 20 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 159.3 x 75.8 x 8.4 mm (6.27 x 2.98 x 0.33 in) | 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 192 g (6.77 oz) | 226 g (7.97 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) MIL-STD-810G compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 4m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) | 1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~83.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~83.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR10 | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12 | iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 9mm (ultrawide), 1.0µm | - |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 3.15 MP, AF | 13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6" |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/192kHz audio 24-bit/192kHz audio recording Tuned by Meridian Audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| 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/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Browser | HTML, Adobe Flash | - |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 21W wired, PD, QC3 9W wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi) |
| Talk time | Up to 12 h (multimedia) | - |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3969 mAh, non-removable (15.04 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | New Aurora Black | Matte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green |
| Models | LMG850EMW, LM-G850, 901LG, LM-G850N | A2218, A2161, A2220, iPhone12,5 |
| Price | About 560 EUR | $ 233.00 / C$ 369.75 / £ 226.95 / € 249.00 |
| SAR | 1.12 W/kg (body) | 1.16 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.90 W/kg (head) | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 256GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 874.46 |
| 512GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 1,004.31 |
| 64GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 435.00 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 485.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -93.2dB / Crosstalk -93.4dB | Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -81.5dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 111h | Endurance rating 102h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.9 LUFS (Very good) | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 339726 (v7), 411980 (v8) GeekBench: 11251 (v4.4), 2870 (v5.1) GFXBench: 38fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 459713 (v7), 536883 (v8) GeekBench: 13870 (v4.4), 3503 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
LG G8X ThinQ
- Superior battery endurance (111h rating)
- Faster wired charging (21W with PD/QC3)
- More affordable price point
- Less refined software experience
- Inconsistent camera image processing
- Shorter software support lifespan
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
- Exceptional camera consistency and video quality
- Seamless iOS ecosystem integration
- Long-term software support
- Higher price
- Shorter battery life (102h rating)
- Slower wired charging
Display Comparison
The iPhone 11 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display at 820 nits compared to the LG G8X ThinQ’s 603 nits. This translates to better outdoor visibility, particularly in direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels, but the iPhone’s superior brightness provides a more vibrant and punchy image overall. While both are excellent, the iPhone’s display is demonstrably better for media consumption in challenging lighting conditions.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in photography, but approach it differently. The iPhone 11 Pro Max’s strength lies in its consistent image processing and excellent video recording capabilities. While specific sensor sizes aren’t provided, Apple’s computational photography algorithms deliver reliable results across various lighting conditions. The LG G8X ThinQ offers a versatile camera system, but its image processing can be less consistent. The iPhone’s video recording, with its cinematic mode and excellent stabilization, is a clear advantage for content creators. Ignoring the often-underperforming 2MP macro lenses on both devices, the iPhone’s overall camera experience is more refined.
Performance
The Apple A13 Bionic, built on a 7nm+ process, consistently outperforms the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm) in both single-core and multi-core benchmarks. While the Snapdragon 855’s octa-core configuration appears more complex, Apple’s chip architecture and software optimization deliver superior real-world performance. The iPhone’s 4GB of RAM is comparable to the G8X, but Apple’s memory management is more efficient, resulting in smoother multitasking. The A13’s Neural Engine also provides a significant advantage in machine learning tasks, enhancing features like image processing and Siri performance.
Battery Life
The LG G8X ThinQ edges out the iPhone 11 Pro Max in battery endurance with a rating of 111 hours versus 102 hours. This is despite a similar battery capacity (not specified in the data). The G8X’s 21W wired charging with Power Delivery (PD) and Quick Charge 3.0 (QC3) is faster than the iPhone’s wired charging, which reaches 50% in 30 minutes with PD2.0. The G8X also offers 9W wireless charging, while the iPhone supports Qi wireless charging. For users prioritizing all-day battery life and faster charging speeds, the LG G8X ThinQ is the clear winner.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG G8X ThinQ if you need maximum battery life, prefer the openness of the Android ecosystem, and want a flagship-level experience without the premium Apple price tag. Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max if you prioritize a seamless user experience, exceptional camera consistency, and guaranteed software updates for years to come, even if it means paying a premium.