LG V50 ThinQ 5G vs. LG G7 ThinQ: A Deep Dive into LG's 2019 Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the LG V50 ThinQ 5G is the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 855 chipset, coupled with a significantly larger 96-hour endurance rating, provides a noticeable performance and longevity advantage. While the G7 remains a capable device, the V50’s future-proofing and battery life justify the price difference.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG V50 ThinQ 5G | LG G7 ThinQ |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - USA | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - Global |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 40, 42, 46 - Global |
| 5G bands | 41, 260, 261 NSA | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/75 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat16 1024/150 Mbps or Cat15 800/150 Mbps (region dependant) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 - G710EMW, G710EAW1,2,3,4,5,7,8,12,13,17,20,25,29,30,38,41,46,66 - G710AWM | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, February 24. Released 2019, April 19 | 2018, May 02. Released 2018, June 01 |
| 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 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.2 x 76.1 x 8.3 mm (6.27 x 3.00 x 0.33 in) | 153.2 x 71.9 x 7.9 mm (6.03 x 2.83 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 183 g (6.46 oz) | 162 g (5.71 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 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 | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~538 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~564 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.4 inches, 100.2 cm2 (~82.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 91.0 cm2 (~82.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | P-OLED, HDR10 | IPS LCD, 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 (4x2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 | Adreno 630 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11 | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) - single-SIM modelmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 16 MP, f/1.6, 30mm (standard), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/1.9, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", no AF |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 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@30/60/240fps, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., HDR10 video, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec. |
| 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 | - |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide) |
| Video | 1080p@60fps | 1080p@60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes |
| 32-bit/192kHz audio 24-bit/192kHz audio recording Tuned with Meridian Audio | 32-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio | FM radio |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.1, 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, PD2.0, QC3, 50% in 36 min 10W wireless (Qi) | 18W wired, QC3 Wireless (USA) |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 3000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | New Aurora Black | New Platinum Gray, New Aurora Black, New Moroccan Blue, Raspberry Rose |
| Models | LM-V500, LM-V500N, LM-V500EM, LM-V500XM, LM-V450PM, LM-V450 | LM-G710, LM-G710N, LM-G710VM, G710, SM-G710, LM-G710V |
| Price | About 550 EUR | About 370 EUR |
| SAR EU | - | 0.24 W/kg (head) 1.47 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -92.5dB / Crosstalk -92.6dB | Noise -94.0dB / Crosstalk -93.0dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 96h | Endurance rating 77h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: 194000:1 (nominal) | Contrast ratio: 2044:1 (nominal), 3.978 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.2 LUFS (Very good) | -24.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 343758 (v7), 421934 (v8) GeekBench: 10928 (v4.4), 2672 (v5.1) GFXBench: 22fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 259393 (v7), 297116 (v8) GeekBench: 8865 (v4.4), 2047 (v5.1) GFXBench: 18fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
LG V50 ThinQ 5G
- Superior battery life (96h endurance)
- Faster processor (Snapdragon 855)
- 5G connectivity for future-proofing
- Brighter and higher contrast display
- Larger form factor may be less comfortable for some
- Potentially higher price point
LG G7 ThinQ
- More compact and manageable size
- Potentially lower price point
- Solid performance for everyday tasks
- Bright display (though less so than V50)
- Shorter battery life (77h endurance)
- Less powerful processor (Snapdragon 845)
- Lacks 5G connectivity
Display Comparison
The LG V50 boasts a brighter display, reaching 533 nits compared to the G7’s 3.978 nits in sunlight. This translates to significantly improved visibility outdoors. Furthermore, the V50’s contrast ratio of 194000:1 is a substantial leap over the G7’s 2044:1, resulting in deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. While both utilize LCD technology, the V50’s superior brightness and contrast make it the clear winner for multimedia viewing and outdoor usability.
Camera Comparison
Both the V50 and G7 feature capable photo and video capabilities, but detailed sensor information is lacking. However, the V50’s inclusion of 5G connectivity suggests a focus on content creation and sharing, potentially indicating more advanced video recording features. The G7’s camera system, while solid, is likely less optimized for demanding tasks like 4K video recording and real-time image processing. Without specific sensor details, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner, but the V50’s positioning suggests a more robust camera experience.
Performance
The LG V50’s Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855, built on a 7nm process, represents a significant architectural upgrade over the G7’s Snapdragon 845 (10nm). The 855’s Kryo 485 cores, with their tiered clock speeds (2.84 GHz, 2.42 GHz, 1.78 GHz), offer improved multi-core performance and efficiency. The G7’s Kryo 385 cores, while capable, are less efficient. This translates to better sustained performance in demanding tasks and less thermal throttling on the V50. While both phones likely feature similar RAM configurations, the 855’s improved memory controller further enhances overall responsiveness.
Battery Life
The LG V50’s 96-hour endurance rating is a substantial improvement over the G7’s 77-hour rating. This difference is attributable to both the more efficient Snapdragon 855 chipset and potentially a larger battery capacity (though specific mAh figures are unavailable). Both phones support 18W wired charging with Quick Charge 3.0, but the V50 adds Power Delivery 2.0 for faster charging with compatible adapters. The V50 also includes 10W wireless charging, a feature not explicitly mentioned for the G7 in all regions. The V50’s superior battery life and charging options make it the clear choice for users who prioritize all-day usage.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG V50 ThinQ 5G if you prioritize 5G connectivity, extended battery life for power users, and a larger display for media consumption. Buy the LG G7 ThinQ if you prefer a more compact and manageable form factor, and are less concerned with the latest cellular technology or all-day battery performance. The G7 is a strong contender for those seeking a capable flagship at a potentially lower price point.