LG V60 ThinQ 5G vs. iPhone 11 Pro Max: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Power

Released in 2020, the LG V60 ThinQ 5G and Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max represent distinct approaches to the flagship smartphone experience. The V60 aimed to deliver cutting-edge Android performance and 5G connectivity, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max focused on refining Apple’s established ecosystem with a powerful camera and long-lasting battery. Now, with price drops on both devices, the question isn't just about which was 'better' at launch, but which offers the best value today.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing a seamless, polished experience and strong resale value, the iPhone 11 Pro Max remains the better choice. However, the LG V60 ThinQ 5G offers comparable battery life and significantly more raw processing power for a lower price, making it ideal for power users and Android enthusiasts.

PHONES
Phone Names LG V60 ThinQ 5G Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands2, 4, 5, 12, 25, 26, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - USA1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2218
5G bands2, 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6-
SpeedHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat22, 5GHSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2161, A2220
Launch
Announced2020, February 26. Released 2020, March 202019, September 10
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2019, September 20
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frameGlass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame
Dimensions169.3 x 77.6 x 8.9 mm (6.67 x 3.06 x 0.35 in)158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.32 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China)
Weight213 g (Global)/ 218 g (Verizon) (7.51 oz)226 g (7.97 oz)
 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 conditionsIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 4m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Scratch-resistant glass
Resolution1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density)1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
Size6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio)6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~83.7% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeP-OLED, HDR10+Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
 Always-on display-
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+)
GPUAdreno 650Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
OSAndroid 10, upgradable to Android 13iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM modelNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM
 UFS 2.1NVMe
Main Camera
Dual64 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)-
FeaturesDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panoramaDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single-13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF
Triple-12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6"
Video8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p, HDR10+, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec.
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single10 MP, f/1.9, 30mm (standard), 1/3.1", 1.22µm12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video4K@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 32-bit/192kHz audio 24-bit/192kHz audio recording-
Comms
Bluetooth5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDSGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS
RadioFM radio (USA model only)No
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGLightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNAWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
ChargingWired, PD2.0, QC4 WirelessWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi)
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Ion 3969 mAh, non-removable (15.04 Wh)
Misc
ColorsClassy Blue, Classy WhiteMatte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green
ModelsLM-V600, A001LGA2218, A2161, A2220, iPhone12,5
PriceAbout 700 EUR$ 233.00 / C$ 369.75 / £ 226.95 / € 249.00
SAR-1.16 W/kg (head)     1.17 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.95 W/kg (head)     0.99 W/kg (body)
Pricing
256GB 4GB RAM-$ 874.46
512GB 4GB RAM-$ 1,004.31
64GB 4GB RAM-$ 435.00
RENEWED-$ 485.00
Tests
Audio quality- Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -81.5dB
Battery life Endurance rating 103h Endurance rating 102h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -25.6 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 459713 (v7), 536883 (v8) GeekBench: 13870 (v4.4), 3503 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

LG V60 ThinQ 5G

  • More affordable price point
  • Expandable storage via microSD
  • Potentially faster wired charging
  • Raw processing power of Snapdragon 865

  • Less refined software experience
  • Potentially slower long-term software support
  • Lower resale value

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

  • Superior camera video quality
  • Smoother and more responsive user experience
  • Long-term software support and updates
  • Stronger resale value

  • Higher initial cost
  • No expandable storage
  • Slower wired charging compared to V60

Display Comparison

The iPhone 11 Pro Max boasts a brighter display, peaking at 820 nits, which translates to better visibility under direct sunlight compared to the LG V60’s unspecified peak brightness. While the V60 likely offers a vibrant panel, the iPhone’s superior brightness and infinite (nominal) contrast ratio provide a more visually impactful experience. Both devices lack high refresh rate displays, a feature becoming increasingly common in this price range, but the iPhone’s color accuracy is generally considered best-in-class.

Camera Comparison

Both phones excel in camera performance, but approach it differently. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is renowned for its consistent image processing and excellent video recording capabilities. While specific sensor details are not provided, Apple’s computational photography algorithms deliver natural-looking photos with accurate colors. The LG V60, similarly, offers photo and video capabilities, but relies more on hardware specifications. Without detailed sensor information, it’s difficult to assess a direct advantage, but the iPhone’s video quality is generally considered superior. The V60’s potential for more manual control may appeal to photography enthusiasts.

Performance

The LG V60 ThinQ 5G’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G chipset, built on a 7nm+ process, features an octa-core CPU configuration designed for multi-tasking and demanding applications. However, Apple’s A13 Bionic, also on a 7nm+ process, utilizes a hexa-core architecture that, despite fewer cores, consistently outperforms the Snapdragon 865 in single-core performance and efficiency. This translates to snappier app launches and smoother overall responsiveness on the iPhone. While the V60 has a theoretical advantage in multi-threaded workloads, the A13’s optimized software integration often negates this advantage in real-world use.

Battery Life

Both the LG V60 ThinQ 5G and the iPhone 11 Pro Max achieve an endurance rating of 102-103 hours, indicating comparable battery life. The V60 supports faster wired charging with PD2.0 and QC4, while the iPhone offers 50% charge in 30 minutes with PD2.0. Both support wireless charging (Qi). The similar endurance ratings suggest that despite potentially different battery capacities, efficient power management on both devices delivers comparable real-world usage.

Buying Guide

Buy the LG V60 ThinQ 5G if you need expandable storage, prioritize raw Android performance for demanding tasks like gaming or video editing, and want 5G connectivity at a significantly lower price point. Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max if you prefer a refined user experience, a consistently excellent camera system, long-term software support, and integration within the Apple ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the LG V60 ThinQ 5G's Snapdragon 865 overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
While the Snapdragon 865 is a powerful chip, thermal throttling can occur during extended, graphically intensive gaming. The V60's cooling system is adequate, but users may experience some performance dips after prolonged use. The iPhone 11 Pro Max's A13 Bionic generally manages heat more efficiently, maintaining consistent performance for longer periods.
❓ How does the iPhone 11 Pro Max's 4GB of RAM compare to the LG V60's RAM capacity (unspecified, but likely 6-8GB)?
Despite having less RAM, the iPhone 11 Pro Max's iOS operating system is highly optimized for memory management. This allows it to perform efficiently with 4GB of RAM, often outperforming Android devices with higher RAM capacities. iOS aggressively manages background processes, freeing up memory for active apps.
❓ Is the lack of a high refresh rate display (90Hz or 120Hz) a significant drawback on both the LG V60 and iPhone 11 Pro Max?
Yes, the absence of a high refresh rate display is noticeable compared to newer smartphones. High refresh rates provide a smoother scrolling and gaming experience. While both phones still offer excellent displays, they lack this modern feature.