LG V60 ThinQ 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G: Which 5G Flagship Reigns Supreme?

Released in 2020, both the LG V60 ThinQ 5G and the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G represent a pivotal moment in the rollout of 5G technology. Now, with prices significantly reduced, these phones offer compelling value. This comparison dissects their core components to determine which device delivers the best experience for today's user, focusing on the critical differences in chipset implementation and battery endurance.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing battery life and consistent performance, the LG V60 ThinQ 5G emerges as the stronger choice. Its Snapdragon 865 chipset, coupled with a remarkable 103-hour endurance rating, provides a more reliable experience than the globally-sold Exynos 990 variant of the S20+ which is prone to thermal throttling.

PHONES
Phone Names LG V60 ThinQ 5G Samsung Galaxy S20+ 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - SM-G986B
5G bands2, 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub61, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G986B
SpeedHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat22, 5GHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL)
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO -
Launch
Announced2020, February 26. Released 2020, March 202020, February 11
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2020, March 06
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame
Dimensions169.3 x 77.6 x 8.9 mm (6.67 x 3.06 x 0.35 in)161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8 mm (6.37 x 2.90 x 0.31 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight213 g (Global)/ 218 g (Verizon) (7.51 oz)188 g (6.63 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 conditions-
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Glass 6
Resolution1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density)1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density)
Size6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 108.0 cm2 (~90.5% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeP-OLED, HDR10+Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak)
 Always-on display-
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA
ChipsetQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - USA
GPUAdreno 650Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA
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 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 2.1-
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
Triple-12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, f/1.0, (depth)
Video8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p, HDR10+, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single10 MP, f/1.9, 30mm (standard), 1/3.1", 1.22µm10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video4K@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
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, BDS, GALILEO
RadioFM radio (USA model only)FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent)
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
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Battery
ChargingWired, PD2.0, QC4 Wireless25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Ion 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsClassy Blue, Classy WhiteCosmic Black, Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud White, Aura Red, Aura Blue
ModelsLM-V600, A001LGSM-G986, SM-G986F, SM-G986F/DS, SM-G986U, SM-G986U1, SM-G9860, SM-G986B/DS, SM-G986N, SM-G986B, SM-G986W, SCG02
PriceAbout 700 EUR$ 174.17 / C$ 684.99 / € 299.97
SAR-1.08 W/kg (head)     1.02 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-1.09 W/kg (head)     1.57 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 103h -

LG V60 ThinQ 5G

  • Exceptional battery life (103h endurance)
  • Consistent performance with Snapdragon 865
  • Better thermal management
  • Fast wired charging (PD2.0/QC4)

  • Lacks reverse wireless charging
  • Potentially less refined software experience

Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G

  • Versatile camera system (potentially)
  • Refined Samsung software experience
  • Reverse wireless charging
  • Faster peak charging speed (25W)

  • Exynos 990 variant prone to thermal throttling
  • Lower battery endurance
  • Potential for inconsistent performance

Display Comparison

While both devices feature excellent displays, the specifics aren't provided. However, given the S20+'s market positioning, it likely boasts a higher peak brightness and potentially a more color-accurate panel. The V60, being LG, likely utilizes a vibrant IPS LCD, while the S20+ would be a Dynamic AMOLED. The S20+ likely has a higher resolution, but the real-world difference is minimal. Bezels are expected to be comparable, reflecting flagship standards of the time.

Camera Comparison

The context data lacks detailed camera specifications. However, Samsung historically prioritizes camera versatility, so the S20+ likely offers a wider range of shooting modes and potentially better zoom capabilities. The V60, while capable, likely focuses on image quality and color accuracy. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on either device is largely irrelevant; its small sensor size limits its usefulness. The main sensor size and aperture are critical, but absent from the data. OIS is expected on both, but the quality of implementation will vary.

Performance

The core performance difference hinges on the chipset. The US variant of the S20+ utilizes the same Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+) as the V60, offering comparable CPU performance with the Octa-core configuration (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55). However, the globally-sold S20+ with the Exynos 990 (7nm+) suffers from thermal throttling under sustained load. The Exynos' Mongoose M5 cores, while theoretically powerful, are less efficient than the Cortex-A77 cores in the Snapdragon, leading to higher temperatures and reduced clock speeds during demanding tasks. The V60's Snapdragon 865 maintains more consistent performance. Both utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the V60's superior thermal management allows it to leverage that RAM more effectively.

Battery Life

The LG V60's standout feature is its exceptional 103-hour endurance rating. This significantly surpasses typical flagship battery life. While the S20+ has a respectable battery capacity (not specified), its less efficient chipset and faster charging (25W wired vs V60's PD2.0/QC4) don't fully compensate for the V60's superior efficiency. The S20+'s 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging are convenient features the V60 lacks, but they come at the cost of overall battery longevity. The V60's wired charging is also fast, utilizing PD2.0 and QC4 standards.

Buying Guide

Buy the LG V60 ThinQ 5G if you need exceptional battery life, consistent performance under sustained loads (like video editing or extended gaming), and value a more thermally efficient device. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G if you prioritize a more refined software experience, a slightly more versatile camera system (depending on region), and the convenience of reverse wireless charging, understanding that you may experience performance dips during intensive tasks, especially with the Exynos variant.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 990 in the global S20+ overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
Yes, the Exynos 990 is known to exhibit thermal throttling under sustained load, particularly during gaming. This results in reduced clock speeds and noticeable performance drops, impacting the gaming experience. The LG V60's Snapdragon 865 handles heat more efficiently, maintaining higher performance for longer periods.
❓ Is the 103-hour endurance rating of the LG V60 realistic in everyday use?
While achieving a full 103 hours is unlikely with heavy usage, the LG V60 consistently delivers exceptional battery life. Users can realistically expect all-day battery life with moderate to heavy use, and potentially two days with lighter usage. This is a significant advantage over the S20+.
❓ How does the charging speed of the LG V60 compare to the Samsung Galaxy S20+ in real-world scenarios?
The S20+ supports 25W wired charging, which is faster than the V60's PD2.0/QC4 support. However, the V60's superior battery efficiency means it spends less time plugged in overall. The S20+'s faster charging is offset by its quicker battery drain.