LG Optimus Black P970 vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G: A Generational Leap?

The LG Optimus Black P970 was a flagship in its time, boasting a vibrant display and respectable performance. Now, let's pit it against the powerhouse that is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G, a modern marvel packed with cutting-edge technology. This comparison will reveal just how far smartphone technology has advanced.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G utterly dominates this comparison. While the Optimus Black was impressive for 2010, the S22 Ultra’s superior display, processing power, camera capabilities, and battery life make it the clear winner. It's a generational difference.

PHONES
Phone Names LG Optimus Black P970 Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 900 / 1700 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands2, 4, 121, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands-1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA 7.2/5.76 MbpsHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL)
TechnologyGSM / HSPAGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2011, January. Released 2011, May2022, February 09
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2022, February 25
Body
Build-Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
Dimensions122 x 64 x 9.2 mm (4.80 x 2.52 x 0.36 in)163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in)
SIMMini-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight109 g (3.84 oz)228 g / 229 g (mmWave) (8.04 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus, 2.8ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla GlassCorning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Resolution480 x 800 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~233 ppi density)1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)
Size4.0 inches, 45.5 cm2 (~58.3% screen-to-body ratio)6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~90.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeIPS LCDDynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak)
 Optimus UI 2.0, Gesture UI 2.0Always-on display
Platform
CPU1.0 GHz Cortex-A8Octa-core (1x2.8 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A510) - EuropeOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) - ROW
ChipsetTI OMAP 3630Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - EuropeQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) - ROW
GPUPowerVR SGX530Xclipse 920 - EuropeAdreno 730 - ROW
OSAndroid 2.2 (Froyo), 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotmicroSDHC (dedicated slot)No
Internal2GB (1GB user available), 512MB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 -UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flashLaser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad-108 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Single5 MP, AF-
Video720p@30fps8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
Features-HDR
Single2 MP40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.82", 0.7µm, PDAF
Video-4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
 -32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth2.1, A2DP, EDR5.2, A2DP, LE
NFCNoYes
PositioningGPS, A-GPSGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioStereo FM radio, RDSNo
USBmicroUSB 2.0USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspotWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
BrowserHTML, Adobe Flash-
SensorsAccelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 MP4/DivX/Xvid/H.264/WMV player MP3/WAV/WMA/eAAC+ player Document viewer Organizer Voice memo/dial/commands Predictive text inputSamsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging-45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Stand-byUp to 375 h-
Talk timeUp to 6 h-
TypeRemovable Li-Ion 1500 mAh batteryLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, Pink, Silver, White, BrownPhantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, Sky Blue, Bora Purple
Models-SM-S908B, SM-S908B/DS, SM-S908U, SM-S908U1, SM-S908W, SM-S908N, SM-S9080, SM-S908E, SM-S908E/DS
PriceAbout 110 EUR€ 397.07 / $ 269.98 / £ 304.99 / ₹ 63,899
SAR-1.18 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)
SAR EU1.27 W/kg (head)     1.43 W/kg (body)1.05 W/kg (head)     1.58 W/kg (body)
Tests
Audio quality Noise -64.5dB / Crosstalk -66.8dB-
Battery life-Endurance rating 108h
Camera Photo / VideoPhoto / Video
Display Contrast ratio: 1161:1 (nominal)Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker Voice 71dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 82dB -27.3 LUFS (Good)
Performance-AnTuTu: 968359 (v9) GeekBench: 3657 (v5.1) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

LG Optimus Black P970

  • Compact size
  • Decent display for its time
  • Relatively affordable (if found)

  • Outdated processor
  • Low camera quality
  • Short battery life
  • Limited app compatibility

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

  • Stunning display
  • Exceptional camera system
  • Powerful performance
  • Long battery life
  • Fast charging
  • 5G connectivity

  • Expensive
  • Large size may not suit everyone

Display Comparison

The Optimus Black featured a respectable 4.0-inch IPS display with a contrast ratio of 1161:1. However, the S22 Ultra boasts a massive 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1266 nits and an 'infinite' contrast ratio. The S22 Ultra’s display is significantly brighter, sharper, and offers a far more immersive viewing experience. Color accuracy and HDR support are also vastly superior on the S22 Ultra.

Camera Comparison

The Optimus Black had a basic camera setup for its era. The S22 Ultra, on the other hand, features a sophisticated multi-lens system with incredible zoom capabilities and advanced image processing. Expect significantly better image quality, low-light performance, and video recording capabilities from the S22 Ultra. The S22 Ultra’s camera is in a different league.

Performance

The Optimus Black’s 1.0 GHz Cortex-A8 processor was adequate for its time, but it’s no match for the S22 Ultra’s Octa-core chipset (Exynos 2200 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1). The S22 Ultra offers exponentially faster processing speeds, smoother multitasking, and the ability to handle demanding games and applications with ease. The S22 Ultra’s modern architecture and significantly higher clock speeds provide a night-and-day difference in performance.

Battery Life

The Optimus Black’s battery life was decent for its time, but the S22 Ultra offers a vastly superior endurance rating of 108 hours. Coupled with 45W fast charging, the S22 Ultra provides significantly longer usage time and quicker replenishment.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the LG Optimus Black P970? Likely, only collectors or those seeking a nostalgic experience with an older Android device. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G? Anyone seeking a top-tier smartphone with a phenomenal camera, stunning display, and long-lasting battery.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the LG Optimus Black still usable in 2024?
While technically usable, the Optimus Black is severely outdated. App compatibility is limited, and performance will be sluggish compared to modern devices.
❓ What is the biggest difference between these two phones?
The biggest difference is the technological advancement. The S22 Ultra represents modern smartphone technology, while the Optimus Black represents a device from over a decade ago.