LG Q9 vs Samsung Galaxy S10e: A Deep Dive into Two Compact Flagships

The LG Q9 and Samsung Galaxy S10e represent distinct approaches to the compact flagship space. Released in different years, they now occupy a similar price bracket as older, yet capable, devices. This comparison dissects their core components to determine which offers the best experience for today's user, balancing performance, battery life, and camera capabilities.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing all-around performance and future-proofing, the Samsung Galaxy S10e emerges as the better choice. Its Exynos 9820 (or Snapdragon 855 in some regions) offers a significant performance leap over the LG Q9’s Snapdragon 821, coupled with wireless charging and reverse wireless capabilities. However, the Q9 remains a viable option for budget-conscious users.

PHONES
Phone Names	LG Q9	Samsung Galaxy S10e

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 - Global, USA
4G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global
Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat11 600/50 Mbps	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
	-	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA

Launch
Announced	2019, January. Released 2019, July	2019, February 20. Released 2019, March 08
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Build	-	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame
Dimensions	153.2 x 71.9 x 7.9 mm (6.03 x 2.83 x 0.31 in)	142.2 x 69.9 x 7.9 mm (5.60 x 2.75 x 0.31 in)
SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	159 g (5.61 oz)	150 g (5.29 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
Resolution	1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~564 ppi density)	1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~438 ppi density)
Size	6.1 inches, 91.0 cm2 (~82.6% screen-to-body ratio)	5.8 inches, 82.8 cm2 (~83.3% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD, HDR10	Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+
	Always-on display	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo)	Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2x2.31 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEA/LATAMOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) - USA/China
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821 (14 nm)	Exynos 9820 (8 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China
GPU	Adreno 530	Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAM Adreno 640 - USA/China
OS	Android 8.1 (Oreo)	Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.1

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (dedicated slot)	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only
Internal	64GB 4GB RAM	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
	UFS 2.0	UFS 2.1

Main Camera
Dual	-	12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, Super Steady video
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single	16 MP, f/2.2, 28mm (wide), PDAF	-
Video	4K@30fps	4K@60fps (no EIS), 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR
Single	8 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide)	10 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video	1080p@30fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with stereo speakers
	32-bit/192kHz audio	32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG

Comms
Bluetooth	5.0, A2DP, LE	5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
Radio	FM radio	FM radio (USA & Canada only)
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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
	-	ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)

Battery
Charging	18W wired, QC3	15W wired, PD2.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Type	Li-Ion 3000 mAh, non-removable	Li-Ion 3100 mAh, non-removable

Misc
Colors	Carmine Red, New Aurora Black, New Moroccan Blue	Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Green, Prism Blue, Canary Yellow, Flamingo Pink
Models	LM-Q925S, LM-Q925L, LM-Q925K	SM-G970F, SM-G970U, SM-G970W, SM-G9700, SM-G970U1, SM-G970N, SM-G970X
Price	About 400 EUR	About 130 EUR
SAR	-	0.56 W/kg (head) 0.70 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	-	0.58 W/kg (head) 1.57 W/kg (body)

Tests
Audio quality	-	Noise -92.9dB / Crosstalk -89.4dB
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 83h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: infinite
Loudspeaker	-	Voice 71dB / Noise 76dB / Ring 80dB
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 325192 (v7), 389694 (v8) GeekBench: 10081 (v4.4), 2141 (v5.1) GFXBench: 40fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

LG Q9

More affordable price point
Decent performance for basic tasks
Functional and reliable

Outdated Snapdragon 821 processor
Lacks wireless charging
Inferior performance compared to S10e

Samsung Galaxy S10e

Significantly faster Exynos 9820/Snapdragon 855 processor
Wireless and reverse wireless charging
More modern feature set

Higher price than LG Q9
Battery life is comparable, not superior
May show its age in 2024

Display Comparison

Both the LG Q9 and Samsung Galaxy S10e boast displays with an 'infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels likely achieved through OLED technology. However, specific details like peak brightness and color gamut coverage are missing. The S10e’s smaller 5.8-inch display likely contributes to a higher pixel density, potentially resulting in a sharper image. The S10e’s display benefits from Samsung’s established display expertise, potentially offering superior color accuracy and viewing angles, though this is difficult to quantify without detailed testing data.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but detailed specifications are lacking. The S10e likely benefits from Samsung’s advanced image processing algorithms and potentially a larger main sensor. While the Q9 may offer acceptable image quality in good lighting conditions, the S10e’s superior processing power and potentially better sensor technology should result in better low-light performance, dynamic range, and overall image clarity. The absence of details regarding sensor sizes and lens apertures makes a precise comparison difficult, but Samsung’s history suggests a more sophisticated camera system.

Performance

The performance gap between these devices is substantial. The Samsung Galaxy S10e, equipped with the Exynos 9820 (8nm) or Snapdragon 855 (7nm), leverages a more advanced manufacturing process and a significantly more powerful CPU architecture. The S10e’s octa-core processor, with its Mongoose M4 cores (EMEA/LATAM) or Kryo 485 cores (USA/China), outperforms the LG Q9’s quad-core Snapdragon 821 (14nm) in both single-core and multi-core tasks. This translates to faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and a better gaming experience. The 7nm/8nm process node also contributes to improved thermal efficiency, reducing the likelihood of throttling under sustained load.

Battery Life

Both devices share an endurance rating of 83 hours, indicating comparable battery life despite the LG Q9’s lack of wireless charging. However, the S10e’s 15W wired charging (with PD2.0 support) and 15W wireless charging (Qi) provide greater convenience and flexibility. The Q9’s 18W QC3 charging is respectable, but lacks the versatility of the S10e’s charging options. The S10e also offers 4.5W reverse wireless charging, allowing it to charge accessories like earbuds, a feature absent on the Q9.

Buying Guide

Buy the LG Q9 if you need a functional smartphone with a decent processor for everyday tasks and are on a very tight budget. It’s a good option for those who prioritize affordability over cutting-edge features. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10e if you prefer a more refined experience with significantly better performance, wireless charging, and a more modern feature set, even if it means spending a bit more. It’s ideal for users who want a compact phone that can handle demanding apps and games.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 9820 in the S10e suffer from thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?

While the Exynos 9820 is a powerful chip, it was known to exhibit some thermal throttling under sustained heavy load, particularly in the EMEA/LATAM regions. However, the 7nm process node and Samsung’s thermal management solutions mitigate this issue, and it’s generally less pronounced than on older chipsets like the Snapdragon 821 in the LG Q9.

❓ Is the 18W charging on the LG Q9 significantly slower than the 15W charging on the S10e?

While the LG Q9 has a slightly higher charging wattage, the S10e’s support for Power Delivery 2.0 (PD2.0) allows for more efficient charging. In real-world scenarios, the difference in 0-100% charging time is likely minimal, but the S10e’s wireless charging capabilities offer a significant convenience advantage.

❓ How does the Snapdragon 821 in the LG Q9 hold up for modern app usage?

The Snapdragon 821 is showing its age. While it can handle basic tasks like browsing and social media, it may struggle with demanding apps and games. Expect longer loading times and occasional stuttering compared to the S10e’s more powerful processor.

❓ Is the camera on the Samsung Galaxy S10e a significant upgrade over the LG Q9?

Based on Samsung’s camera track record, the S10e likely offers a noticeable improvement in image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The S10e’s image processing algorithms and potentially larger sensor contribute to better dynamic range, detail, and overall clarity.