LG V50S ThinQ 5G vs Sony Xperia 1 III: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing value, the LG V50S ThinQ 5G offers a capable 5G experience at a fraction of the Xperia 1 III’s original cost. However, the Sony Xperia 1 III’s Snapdragon 888 and superior display technology make it the clear choice for power users and content creators.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG V50S ThinQ 5G | Sony Xperia 1 III |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 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, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | 41 NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat19 1600/75 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, October. Released 2019, October | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.3 x 75.8 x 8.4 mm (6.27 x 2.98 x 0.33 in) | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 192 g (6.77 oz) | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 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 | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~83.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR10 | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Always-on display | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| 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-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 3.X | |
| 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 | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 70mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 105mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", dual pixel PDAF, 3x/4.4x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.6", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis 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 by Meridian Audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output |
| 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 (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| - | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 21W wired, PD, QC3 9W wireless | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Aurora Black | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | LM-V510N | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | About 1100 EUR | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
LG V50S ThinQ 5G
- Significantly lower price point
- Functional 5G connectivity
- Decent overall performance for everyday tasks
- Older chipset (Snapdragon 855)
- Slower charging speeds
- Lacks wireless charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Powerful Snapdragon 888 processor
- Brighter and higher-quality display
- Faster charging and wireless charging support
- Higher price tag
- Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load (though mitigated by 5nm process)
- May be overkill for basic users
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 1 III boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 620 nits measured, compared to an unspecified brightness for the LG V50S. While both offer an 'infinite' contrast ratio (typical for OLED panels), the Xperia 1 III’s panel is likely to provide better visibility in direct sunlight. The Xperia 1 III’s focus on content creation is further supported by its display quality, making it superior for photo and video editing on the go. The LG V50S, while still offering a quality OLED experience, likely targets a more power-efficient profile.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are described as having capable photo/video systems, but details are limited. The Xperia 1 III likely benefits from Sony’s advanced image processing algorithms and potentially larger sensor sizes, common in their flagship devices. The LG V50S, while offering a versatile camera setup, is likely to fall behind in low-light performance and dynamic range. Without specific sensor details, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but Sony’s expertise in camera technology gives the Xperia 1 III a likely edge.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: the LG V50S utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm), while the Sony Xperia 1 III features the Snapdragon 888 (5nm). This generational leap translates to a substantial performance advantage for the Xperia 1 III. The 5nm process node of the 888 offers improved power efficiency and thermal management, allowing for sustained performance during demanding tasks. The Xperia 1 III’s CPU configuration, with a Cortex-X1 prime core, further enhances single-core performance, crucial for responsive UI and app loading. While the V50S is still capable, the 888 in the Xperia 1 III provides a noticeably smoother and faster experience.
Battery Life
Both phones share an endurance rating of 82 hours, suggesting comparable real-world battery life despite the Xperia 1 III’s more powerful processor. However, the Xperia 1 III offers faster charging at 30W with a 50% charge in 30 minutes, compared to the V50S’s 21W wired charging. The Xperia 1 III also includes wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities, features absent on the LG V50S. The faster charging speed and added wireless options give the Xperia 1 III a convenience advantage.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG V50S ThinQ 5G if you need a functional 5G phone with a decent camera and don't want to spend a lot of money. It's ideal for everyday tasks and casual gaming. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you prioritize top-tier performance, a professional-grade camera experience, and a stunning display for multimedia consumption, and are willing to pay a premium.