The LG V50 and V60 represent LG's attempts to capture the early 5G market. While both offer 5G connectivity and a premium experience, the V60 arrived as a refinement, boasting a newer chipset and incremental improvements. This comparison dissects the key differences to determine which device offers the best value in today's market.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the LG V60 ThinQ 5G is the superior choice. The Snapdragon 865 provides a noticeable performance boost over the V50’s 855, and the slightly improved battery endurance makes it a more reliable all-day device. However, the V50 remains a viable option for budget-conscious buyers.
| 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 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA | 2, 4, 5, 12, 25, 26, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - USA |
| 5G bands | 41, 260, 261 NSA | 2, 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/75 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat22, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2019, February 24. Released 2019, April 19 | 2020, February 26. Released 2020, March 20 |
| 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 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.2 x 76.1 x 8.3 mm (6.27 x 3.00 x 0.33 in) | 169.3 x 77.6 x 8.9 mm (6.67 x 3.06 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 183 g (6.46 oz) | 213 g (Global)/ 218 g (Verizon) (7.51 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*
Method 516.6, Procedure IV "Transit Drop"
*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) | 1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.4 inches, 100.2 cm2 (~82.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | P-OLED, HDR10 | P-OLED, 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 (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 | Adreno 650 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | - | 64 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (standard), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
13 MP, f/1.9, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm
0.3 MP, TOF 3D, f/1.4, (depth) |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone 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 | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p, HDR10+, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| 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 | HDR |
| Single | - | 10 MP, f/1.9, 30mm (standard), 1/3.1", 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@60fps | 4K@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| 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 with Meridian Audio | 32-bit/192kHz audio
24-bit/192kHz audio recording |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio | FM radio (USA model only) |
| 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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, PD2.0, QC3, 50% in 36 min
10W wireless (Qi) | Wired, PD2.0, QC4
Wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | New Aurora Black | Classy Blue, Classy White |
| Models | LM-V500, LM-V500N, LM-V500EM, LM-V500XM, LM-V450PM, LM-V450 | LM-V600, A001LG |
| Price | About 550 EUR | About 700 EUR |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -92.5dB / Crosstalk -92.6dB | - |
| Battery life |
Endurance rating 96h
|
Endurance rating 103h
|
| Camera |
Photo / Video | - |
| Display |
Contrast ratio: 194000:1 (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker |
-25.2 LUFS (Very good)
| - |
| Performance |
AnTuTu: 343758 (v7), 421934 (v8)
GeekBench: 10928 (v4.4), 2672 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 22fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
LG V50 ThinQ 5G
- Excellent 96-hour battery endurance.
- More affordable price point.
- Capable 5G connectivity.
- Older Snapdragon 855 chipset.
- Potentially slower charging speeds.
LG V60 ThinQ 5G
- Faster Snapdragon 865 chipset.
- Improved 103-hour battery endurance.
- QC4 fast charging support.
- Higher price compared to the V50.
- Wireless charging details are unspecified.
Display Comparison
Both the V50 and V60 feature large displays, but detailed specifications are limited. The V50 achieves a measured peak brightness of 533 nits, and a contrast ratio of 194000:1. While the V60’s display specs aren’t provided, LG’s flagship displays typically prioritize color accuracy and brightness. The V60 likely benefits from refinements in panel technology, potentially offering slightly improved viewing angles and color reproduction, though without specific data, this remains speculative. Both devices likely utilize OLED panels, offering excellent blacks and vibrant colors.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, lacking specific details. Given LG’s history, both likely feature versatile camera systems with multiple lenses. However, without sensor size, aperture, or megapixel information, a direct comparison is impossible. It’s reasonable to assume the V60 benefits from improved image processing algorithms powered by the Snapdragon 865’s ISP, leading to better dynamic range and low-light performance. The absence of detail regarding secondary cameras suggests they are likely standard fare for the time – ultrawide and depth sensors.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipset: the V50 utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm), while the V60 steps up to the Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+). The 865 features a newer CPU architecture – Cortex-A77 cores versus the Kryo 485 in the 855 – resulting in improved single-core and multi-core performance. The V60’s CPU configuration (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77, 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) offers a more efficient and powerful processing experience compared to the V50’s (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485, 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485). The '5G' designation on the 865 also indicates an integrated 5G modem, potentially offering faster and more reliable 5G connectivity than the V50’s external modem solution.
Battery Life
The LG V60 boasts a slightly improved endurance rating of 103 hours compared to the V50’s 96 hours. While the actual battery capacity isn’t specified, the V60’s more efficient Snapdragon 865 contributes to this improvement. The V50 supports 18W wired charging with PD2.0 and QC3, reaching 50% charge in 36 minutes, alongside 10W wireless charging. The V60 upgrades to QC4 and adds unspecified wireless charging capabilities. The faster charging standard on the V60, combined with the more efficient chipset, translates to quicker top-ups and potentially longer real-world usage.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG V50 ThinQ 5G if you prioritize affordability and still want a capable 5G phone with excellent battery life (96h endurance). It’s ideal for users who don’t demand the absolute latest performance. Buy the LG V60 ThinQ 5G if you need a smoother, faster experience for demanding tasks like gaming or video editing, and appreciate the benefits of the Snapdragon 865’s improved efficiency and 5G capabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Does the Snapdragon 865 in the V60 offer a significant gaming performance boost over the V50's 855?
Yes, the Snapdragon 865 provides a noticeable improvement in gaming performance. The newer CPU and GPU architecture in the 865 deliver higher frame rates and smoother gameplay, especially in demanding titles. While both phones are capable of gaming, the V60 will offer a more consistent and enjoyable experience.
❓ How does the 5G modem integration differ between the V50 and V60, and does it impact real-world speeds?
The V50 likely utilizes an external 5G modem, while the V60 integrates the 5G modem directly into the Snapdragon 865. This integration generally leads to improved power efficiency and potentially faster and more stable 5G connections. The V60 is likely to achieve higher peak 5G speeds and maintain a stronger signal in challenging conditions.
❓ Is the difference in battery endurance between the V50 and V60 noticeable in everyday use?
The 7-hour difference in endurance rating (96h vs 103h) is likely noticeable for heavy users. The V60’s more efficient chipset allows it to last longer on a single charge, reducing the need for frequent top-ups. Users who frequently stream video, play games, or use 5G extensively will benefit most from the V60’s improved battery life.
