LG V50S 5G vs. LG V40 ThinQ: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the LG V50S ThinQ 5G is the superior choice. The Snapdragon 855 offers a noticeable performance boost over the 845, and the inclusion of 5G future-proofs the device. While battery life is comparable, the V50S’s faster charging and newer features make it the better overall value.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG V50S ThinQ 5G | LG V40 ThinQ |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - V405QA7 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - V405QA7 |
| 5G bands | 41 NSA | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat19 1600/75 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat16 1024/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO - V405QA7 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, October. Released 2019, October | 2018, October 03. Released 2018, October 16 |
| 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 | 159.3 x 75.8 x 8.4 mm (6.27 x 2.98 x 0.33 in) | 158.8 x 75.7 x 7.6 mm (6.25 x 2.98 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 192 g (6.77 oz) | 169 g (5.96 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 | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~537 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~83.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | 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 (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 12 | Android 8.1 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (standard), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 9mm (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm | - |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, 27mm (standard), f/1.5, 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3-axis OIS 12 MP, 52mm (telephoto), f/2.4, 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., gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., HDR video, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 8 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (standard), 1/3.2", 1.4µm 5 MP, 21mm (wide), f/2.2, 1.4µm |
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps |
| 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 by Meridian Audio | 32-bit/192kHz audio 24-bit/48kHz audio recording Tuned with Meridian Audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio | FM radio (market/region dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0 |
| 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 (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 21W wired, PD, QC3 9W wireless | 18W wired, PD2.0, QC3, 50% in 36 min 10W wireless (Qi) |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 3300 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Aurora Black | New Platinum Gray, Carmine Red, New Aurora Black, New Moroccan Blue |
| Models | LM-V510N | V405, LM-V405, LM-V409N |
| Price | About 1100 EUR | About 330 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -93.3dB / Crosstalk -94.1dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 64h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: 161500:1 (nominal), 4.256 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 68dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 77dB |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 254304 (v7) GeekBench: 8568 (v4.4) GFXBench: 16fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
LG V50S ThinQ 5G
- Faster Snapdragon 855 processor
- 5G connectivity for future-proofing
- Faster 21W wired charging
- Potentially improved image processing
- Potentially higher price
- Similar battery life to V40
LG V40 ThinQ
- Excellent display quality
- Capable camera system
- More affordable price point
- Good battery endurance
- Older Snapdragon 845 processor
- Lacks 5G connectivity
Display Comparison
Both the LG V50S ThinQ 5G and V40 ThinQ boast impressive displays with a contrast ratio of 161500:1 (nominal) and 4.256 (sunlight). This indicates excellent readability even in bright outdoor conditions. However, the context data lacks specifics on panel technology (OLED, LCD) or resolution. Given LG’s history with OLED, it’s highly probable both utilize OLED panels. The V50S likely benefits from minor display calibration improvements, but the core visual experience is expected to be very similar. Bezels are also likely comparable, focusing on maximizing screen real estate.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are described as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but specific details are absent. Assuming LG’s typical approach, both likely feature multi-camera systems with standard wide, ultrawide, and telephoto lenses. The V50S may benefit from improved image processing algorithms leveraging the Snapdragon 855’s enhanced ISP (Image Signal Processor). Sensor size and aperture details are crucial for determining low-light performance, but are not provided. Without this data, it’s difficult to definitively declare a camera winner, but the V50S’s newer processor gives it a potential edge in computational photography.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipset: the V50S utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm) while the V40 features the Snapdragon 845 (10nm). The 855’s 7nm process offers improved power efficiency and thermal performance compared to the 845’s 10nm node. This translates to less throttling under sustained load, benefiting gamers and users running resource-intensive applications. The V50S’s CPU configuration (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485, 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) is a refinement over the V40’s (4x2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver), offering faster processing speeds across all core clusters. While both phones likely feature similar RAM configurations, the V50S benefits from the more efficient Snapdragon 855.
Battery Life
Interestingly, both the V50S and V40 share an endurance rating of 64 hours. This suggests similar real-world battery life despite the V50S’s more powerful processor. However, the V50S gains a charging advantage with 21W wired charging (PD, QC3) compared to the V40’s 18W (PD2.0, QC3). The V50S also offers 9W wireless charging, while the V40 supports 10W Qi wireless charging. The V40 claims a 50% charge in 36 minutes, while the V50S’s 21W charging should achieve a similar or faster result. The faster charging on the V50S is a significant convenience factor.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG V50S ThinQ 5G if you prioritize future-proofing with 5G connectivity, demand smoother performance for demanding apps and games, and value faster charging speeds. Buy the LG V40 ThinQ if you’re on a tighter budget and still want a premium LG experience with excellent display quality and a capable camera system, and don't require 5G.