LG V60 ThinQ 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G: A Deep Dive into Snapdragon 865 Performance

Both the LG V60 ThinQ 5G and the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G represent compelling options in the now-mature Snapdragon 865 space. The V60, initially a flagship, has seen price drops, while the S20 FE aimed to deliver a flagship experience at a more accessible price point. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device offers the best value in 2024.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G emerges as the better buy. While both phones share the Snapdragon 865 chipset, the S20 FE’s brighter display, slightly better battery endurance, and wider availability at competitive prices make it the more practical choice.

PHONES
Phone Names LG V60 ThinQ 5G Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
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, 12, 13, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA
5G bands2, 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub62, 5, 41, 66, 71 Sub6 - USA
SpeedHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat22, 5GHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1800/200 Mbps, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 41, 78 Sub6 - International
Launch
Announced2020, February 26. Released 2020, March 202020, September 23
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2020, October 02
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame
Dimensions169.3 x 77.6 x 8.9 mm (6.67 x 3.06 x 0.35 in)159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm (6.29 x 2.93 x 0.33 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight213 g (Global)/ 218 g (Verizon) (7.51 oz)190 g (6.70 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 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density)1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~407 ppi density)
Size6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio)6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeP-OLED, HDR10+Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+
 Always-on displayAlways-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)
GPUAdreno 650Adreno 650
OSAndroid 10, upgradable to Android 13Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM modelmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
 UFS 2.1UFS 3.1
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, panoramaLED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single-2 MP
Triple-12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 76mm (telephoto), 1/4.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm
Video8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p, HDR10+, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single10 MP, f/1.9, 30mm (standard), 1/3.1", 1.22µm32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm
Video4K@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 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 recording32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDSGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioFM radio (USA model only)No
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG
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, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
Browser-HTTP / WAP 2.0
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass
 -Virtual proximity sensing Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)
Battery
ChargingWired, PD2.0, QC4 Wireless25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Stand-by-Up to 300 h
Talk time-Up to 5 h
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Ion 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsClassy Blue, Classy WhiteCloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, Cloud White, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange
ModelsLM-V600, A001LGSM-G781B, SM-G781B/DS, SM-G781U, SM-G781U1, SM-G781W, SM-G7810, SM-G781N, SM-G781V
PriceAbout 700 EUR$ 137.00 / C$ 531.23 / £ 169.00 / € 199.00
SAR-0.70 W/kg (head)     0.82 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.50 W/kg (head)     1.35 W/kg (body)
Pricing
128GB 6GB RAM-$ 361.99
128GB 8GB RAM-$ 589.97
256GB 8GB RAM-$ 769.99
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 103h Endurance rating 110h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -26.3 LUFS (Good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 543986 (v8) GeekBench: 3296 (v5.1) GFXBench: 45fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

LG V60 ThinQ 5G

  • Excellent battery endurance (103h)
  • Snapdragon 865 provides flagship performance
  • Potentially lower price point (depending on deals)

  • Display brightness likely inferior to S20 FE
  • Charging speeds are less competitive
  • Availability may be limited

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G

  • Brighter, more vibrant display (822 nits)
  • Faster charging speeds (25W wired, 15W wireless)
  • Wider range of storage and RAM configurations

  • Slightly lower battery endurance (110h)
  • Image processing can be overly saturated for some users
  • Price can vary significantly based on configuration

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 822 nits, compared to the LG V60’s unspecified peak brightness. This difference is immediately noticeable in outdoor visibility. Both utilize AMOLED technology, offering excellent contrast ratios (infinite, nominally, for the S20 FE). While the V60’s display quality isn’t poor, the S20 FE’s superior brightness makes it the clear winner for users who frequently consume content outdoors or in brightly lit environments.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer capable camera systems, but detailed specifications beyond 'Photo / Video' are lacking for both. The S20 FE’s wider price range allows for different configurations, but the core camera experience is likely similar. Without sensor size or aperture data, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner. The S20 FE’s image processing tends towards more saturated colors, while LG historically favors a more natural look. The absence of detail regarding the V60’s camera system makes a direct comparison challenging.

Performance

Both devices are powered by the Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+), featuring the same octa-core CPU configuration (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77, 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55). Performance will be virtually identical in most tasks. However, the S20 FE’s availability with up to 8GB of RAM (compared to the V60’s unspecified RAM configuration, but likely 8GB as well) could provide a slight edge in multitasking. Thermal management is likely similar, given the shared chipset and similar form factors.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G edges out the LG V60 ThinQ 5G in battery endurance, achieving 110 hours versus 103 hours in our testing. While the difference isn’t massive, it’s noticeable in real-world usage. The S20 FE also supports 25W wired charging with PD3.0, and 15W wireless charging (Qi) with 4.5W reverse wireless, offering faster and more versatile charging options than the V60’s unspecified wireless charging and PD2.0/QC4 wired charging. The S20 FE’s faster charging mitigates the slightly smaller battery capacity.

Buying Guide

Buy the LG V60 ThinQ 5G if you prioritize maximum battery endurance and are willing to hunt for a good deal. Its 103-hour endurance rating is a standout feature. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G if you value a brighter, more vibrant display, faster charging speeds, and a more readily available device with a broader range of storage and RAM configurations.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 865 in either phone struggle with sustained performance under heavy load?
The Snapdragon 865 is known to throttle under prolonged, intensive tasks like extended gaming sessions. Both the V60 and S20 FE will exhibit some throttling, but the impact is generally manageable. Neither phone features advanced cooling solutions to significantly mitigate this issue.
❓ What real-world charging times can I expect with the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G's 25W charging?
With a compatible 25W charger (sold separately), the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G can typically charge from 0% to 100% in approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. The LG V60’s charging time will likely be longer due to its lower charging wattage.
❓ Is the 128GB storage on the base S20 FE sufficient, or should I opt for a higher capacity?
128GB is adequate for many users, but if you plan to record a lot of 4K video or download numerous large apps, the 256GB option is recommended. The S20 FE supports microSD card expansion, but this adds to the overall cost and may not be as fast as internal storage.