LG Wing 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Innovation vs. Refinement

The LG Wing 5G, with its unique swiveling form factor, represented a bold attempt to redefine the smartphone experience. Now, years later, we pit it against the current Android champion, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, to see if innovation can still compete with sheer power and polish. This isn't just a spec sheet comparison; it's a look at two very different philosophies in smartphone design and execution.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the vast majority of users, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the clear winner. Its significantly faster processor, brighter display, and longer battery life, coupled with a more refined software experience, outweigh the LG Wing’s novelty. However, the Wing remains a fascinating device for those seeking something truly different.

PHONES
Phone Names LG Wing 5G Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 20, 28, 46, 48, 66 - USA1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands2, 5, 66, 260, 261 Sub6, mmWave - USA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA 800 / 1900 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2020, September 14. Released 2020, October 152023, February 01
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2023, February 17
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame
Dimensions169.5 x 74.5 x 10.9 mm (6.67 x 2.93 x 0.43 in)163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight260 g (9.17 oz)234 g (8.25 oz)
 IP54, dust and water resistant Water-repellent coating MIL-STD-810G compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditionsIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Resolution1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density)1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)
Size6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.0% screen-to-body ratio)6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeRotating P-OLEDDynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak)
 Always-on display Secondary display: G-OLED, 1080 x 1240 pixels, 3.9 inchesAlways-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver)Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm)Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 620Adreno 740
OSAndroid 10, upgradable to Android 12Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 UFS 2.1UFS 4.0
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, panorama, HDRLaser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad-200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Single-12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF
Triple64 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/1.9, 117˚, (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm 12 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR, HDR10+
SingleMotorized pop-up 32 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video1080p@30fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
 -32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX5.3, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSSGPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS
RadioFM radioNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNAWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
ChargingWired, QC4 13W wireless45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4000 mAhLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsAurora Gray, Illusion SkyPhantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition
ModelsLMF100N, LM-F100N, LM-F100V, LM-F100SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS
PriceAbout 850 EUR€ 549.90 / $ 454.99 / £ 433.00
SAR1.13 W/kg (head)     1.06 W/kg (body)1.12 W/kg (head)     0.92 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.96 W/kg (head)     1.40 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery lifeEndurance rating 87h Endurance rating 126h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -30.9 LUFS (Below average) -25.6 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 315688 (v8) GeekBench: 7898 (v4.4), 1952 (v5.1) GFXBench: 17fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 1241531 (v9) GeekBench: 4927 (v5.1) GFXBench: 67fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

LG Wing 5G

  • Unique swiveling form factor
  • Relatively affordable (due to age)
  • Decent battery endurance for its time

  • Outdated processor
  • Dimmer display
  • Limited software support

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

  • Exceptional performance
  • Bright and vibrant display
  • Versatile camera system
  • Long-lasting battery life
  • Guaranteed software updates

  • High price
  • Large and bulky design

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, peaking at 1274 nits, compared to the LG Wing 5G’s 586 nits. This translates to vastly improved visibility outdoors under direct sunlight. While both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, the S23 Ultra’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel likely offers superior color accuracy and viewing angles. The Wing’s display, while adequate, feels dated in comparison, lacking the vibrancy and clarity of modern flagships. The S23 Ultra’s adaptive refresh rate (LTPO) is also missing from the Wing, further enhancing its smoothness and power efficiency.

Camera Comparison

Both phones feature capable camera systems, but the S23 Ultra offers a more comprehensive and advanced experience. While both are listed as capable of Photo/Video, the S23 Ultra benefits from a larger main sensor and more sophisticated image processing algorithms. The S23 Ultra’s camera system is known for its exceptional detail, dynamic range, and low-light performance. The LG Wing 5G’s camera, while decent, lacks the refinement and versatility of the S23 Ultra. The S23 Ultra’s advanced features, such as 8K video recording and enhanced zoom capabilities, are also absent on the Wing.

Performance

The performance gap between these two devices is substantial. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) chipset, with its Cortex-X3 prime core clocked at 3.36 GHz, is in a different league than the LG Wing 5G’s Snapdragon 765G (7nm). The 4nm process node of the S23 Ultra’s chip provides significantly better thermal efficiency, meaning less throttling during sustained workloads like gaming. The S23 Ultra’s CPU architecture is also far more advanced, offering a noticeable improvement in both single-core and multi-core performance. The Wing’s Kryo 475 cores, while competent for their time, simply can’t keep pace with the S23 Ultra’s Cortex-X3 and A715 cores.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra delivers significantly better battery life. Its endurance rating of 126 hours, based on real-world testing, far exceeds the LG Wing 5G’s 87-hour rating. While the Wing’s 87-hour endurance is respectable, the S23 Ultra’s combination of a larger battery (implied, given the endurance rating) and a more efficient chipset results in a much longer-lasting experience. The S23 Ultra also supports 45W wired charging with PD3.0, allowing it to reach 65% charge in just 30 minutes, a significant advantage over the Wing’s QC4 wired charging and slower 13W wireless charging.

Buying Guide

Buy the LG Wing 5G if you prioritize a unique, conversation-starting design and are willing to compromise on performance and long-term software support. It's a collector's item or a device for those who genuinely want to experiment. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you demand top-tier performance, a stunning display, a versatile camera system, and guaranteed software updates for years to come. It's the all-rounder for power users and photography enthusiasts.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the LG Wing 5G still a viable daily driver in 2024?
While the LG Wing 5G is a fascinating device, its outdated processor and limited software support make it challenging to recommend as a primary phone in 2024. App performance will be noticeably slower than on modern devices, and security updates are unlikely to be provided. It's best suited for collectors or those who prioritize its unique form factor over everyday usability.
❓ How does the Snapdragon 765G in the LG Wing 5G compare to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23 Ultra for gaming?
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23 Ultra offers a vastly superior gaming experience. Its more powerful GPU and efficient thermal design allow for higher frame rates and sustained performance in demanding games. The Snapdragon 765G in the Wing 5G will struggle with newer, graphically intensive titles, and may exhibit noticeable frame drops and throttling.
❓ Does the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's camera offer significant improvements in low-light photography compared to the LG Wing 5G?
Yes, the S23 Ultra's camera excels in low-light conditions due to its larger sensor, wider aperture, and advanced image processing algorithms. It captures significantly more detail and exhibits less noise compared to the LG Wing 5G, resulting in clearer and more usable low-light photos.
❓ What is the real-world impact of the faster charging on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?
The S23 Ultra's 45W charging capability significantly reduces downtime. Reaching 65% charge in 30 minutes means you can quickly top up your battery during a short break, whereas the LG Wing 5G's slower charging will require considerably more time to achieve a similar charge level.