LG G8X ThinQ vs LG Velvet 5G: Which LG Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing sustained performance and longer battery life, the LG G8X ThinQ emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 855 chipset delivers a noticeable advantage in demanding tasks, and its 111-hour endurance rating significantly outlasts the Velvet's 79 hours. However, the Velvet's more modern design and faster charging are compelling considerations.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG G8X 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, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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 Cat20 1960/75 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 |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 14, 20, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - USA | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, September 06. Released 2019, November 01 | 2020, May 07. Released 2020, May 15 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.3 x 75.8 x 8.4 mm (6.27 x 2.98 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 | 192 g (6.77 oz) | 180 g (6.35 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 1.5m for 30 mins) MIL-STD-810G compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | - |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) | 1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~83.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~88.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | 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 12 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, LG UX |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (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 | 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 | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | 3.15 MP, AF | - |
| 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@30/60/240fps, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 16 MP, f/1.9, 29mm (standard), 1/3.06, 1.0µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio | 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Browser | HTML, Adobe Flash | - |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), 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 |
| Talk time | Up to 12 h (multimedia) | - |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4300 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | New Aurora Black | Aurora White, Aurora Green, Aurora Gray, Illusion Sunset, Red, Pink |
| Models | LMG850EMW, LM-G850, 901LG, LM-G850N | LM-G900N, LM-G900EM, LM-G900, LM-G900TM |
| Price | About 560 EUR | About 470 EUR |
| SAR | 1.12 W/kg (body) | 0.23 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.90 W/kg (head) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -93.2dB / Crosstalk -93.4dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 111h | Endurance rating 79h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.9 LUFS (Very good) | -23.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 339726 (v7), 411980 (v8) GeekBench: 11251 (v4.4), 2870 (v5.1) GFXBench: 38fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 297372 (v8) GeekBench: 1905 (v5.1) GFXBench: 16fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
LG G8X ThinQ
- Superior processing power with Snapdragon 855
- Significantly longer battery life (111h endurance)
- Potentially better sustained performance due to thermal headroom
- Older design and potentially less refined software experience
- Slower charging speed (21W vs 25W)
LG Velvet 5G
- More modern and stylish design
- Faster 25W wired charging with advanced protocols
- Integrated 5G connectivity
- Noticeably weaker performance with Snapdragon 765G
- Shorter battery life (79h endurance)
Display Comparison
Both the LG G8X ThinQ and Velvet 5G feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the Velvet edges out the G8X in peak brightness, reaching 617 nits compared to the G8X’s 603 nits. While the difference is subtle, it translates to slightly better visibility in direct sunlight. Both likely utilize OLED panels, but LG doesn't specify panel type. The Velvet’s more recent release likely benefits from improved color calibration and potentially a more efficient panel design, though this isn't quantifiable from the provided data.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, offering minimal insight. Without sensor size or megapixel counts, a detailed camera comparison is impossible. However, given the G8X’s focus on overall performance, it’s reasonable to assume it may have benefited from more advanced image processing capabilities at the time of its release. The Velvet’s camera likely prioritizes computational photography techniques, leveraging the 765G’s ISP. The absence of detail suggests neither phone excels in a specific photographic area, and image quality will likely be comparable in good lighting conditions.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The LG G8X ThinQ boasts the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, built on a 7nm process, featuring an octa-core CPU with a prime core clocked at 2.84 GHz. This is a significant step up from the LG Velvet 5G’s Snapdragon 765G (also 7nm), which has a lower-clocked 2.4 GHz prime core. The 855’s Adreno 640 GPU provides a substantial graphics performance advantage, crucial for gaming. While the 765G integrates a 5G modem, the performance trade-off is noticeable. The G8X will handle demanding applications and sustained workloads with greater ease, experiencing less throttling.
Battery Life
The LG G8X ThinQ’s endurance rating of 111 hours is a clear win over the Velvet 5G’s 79 hours. This translates to significantly longer usage between charges. While the Velvet offers faster 25W wired charging (with PD3.0 and QC4 support) compared to the G8X’s 21W (PD and QC3), the G8X’s larger effective battery capacity mitigates the charging speed advantage. Both support 9W wireless charging. The G8X’s superior endurance makes it the better choice for users who frequently travel or have limited access to power outlets.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG G8X ThinQ if you need a phone capable of handling intensive gaming, video editing, or multitasking without significant throttling, and if maximizing battery life is a priority. Buy the LG Velvet 5G if you prefer a sleeker, more contemporary design with 5G connectivity and faster 25W charging, and are willing to trade some raw processing power for those features.