Remember the days of flagship battles? We're revisiting two compelling contenders from the mid-2010s: the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo and the LG G6. Both offered impressive features for their time, but how do they stack up against each other today, and which one remains the better choice?
🏆 Quick Verdict
The LG G6 edges out the Note 3 Neo thanks to its more powerful Snapdragon 821 chipset, faster charging, and slightly better sunlight display performance. While the Note 3 Neo boasts incredible battery endurance, the G6's overall performance and modern features give it the advantage.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - all versions | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only) |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - SM-N7505 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 - SM-N7505 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 28, 38, 40 |
| EDGE | Class 10 | - |
| GPRS | Class 10 | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2(LTE)/21.1(3G)/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| | HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100 - SM-N750 | - |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2014, January. Released 2014, February | 2017, February 26. Released 2017, April 07 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 148.4 x 77.4 x 8.6 mm (5.84 x 3.05 x 0.34 in) | 148.9 x 71.9 x 7.9 mm (5.86 x 2.83 x 0.31 in) |
| Keyboard | QWERTY | - |
| SIM | Micro-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 162.5 g (5.71 oz) | 163 g (5.75 oz) |
| | Stylus | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
MIL-STD-810G compliant*
*does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~267 ppi density) | 1440 x 2880 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~564 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~72.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.7 inches, 84.1 cm2 (~78.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED | IPS LCD, HDR10, Dolby Vision |
| | - | Always-on display |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (4x1.3 GHz Cortex A7 & 2x1.7 GHz Cortex A15) | Quad-core (2x2.35 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) |
| Chipset | Exynos 5260 Hexa | Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821 (14 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-T624 MP4 | Adreno 530 |
| OS | Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to 5.1.1 (Lollipop), TouchWiz UI | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), LG UX 8 UI |
| Memory |
|---|
| Call records | 30 dialed, 30 received, 30 missed calls | - |
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 16GB (11GB user available), 2GB RAM | 32GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM |
| Phonebook | 1000 contacts, Photo call | - |
| | eMMC 5.0 | UFS 2.0 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | - | 13 MP, f/1.8, 30mm (standard), 1/3.1", 1.12µm, PDAF, 3-axis OIS
13 MP, f/2.4, 12mm (ultrawide), no AF |
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.6, 31mm (standard), AF | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, stereo sound rec. | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, HDR, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Single | 2 MP, f/2.4, 27mm (wide) | 5 MP, f/2.2, 18mm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| | - | 32-bit/192kHz audio
|
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.0, A2DP, LE | 4.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS |
| Radio | No | FM radio (market dependent) |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML | - |
| Games | Yes | - |
| Java | Yes, MIDP 2.0 | - |
| Messaging | SMS, MMS, Email | - |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| | ANT+
S-Voice natural language commands and dictation | - |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 18W wired, QC3, 50% in 30 min
Wireless (USA) |
| Music play | Up to 64 h | - |
| Stand-by | Up to 540 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 18 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 3100 mAh, removable | Li-Po 3300 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Green, Pink, Red | Astro Black, Ice Platinum, Terra Gold, Marine Blue, Mystic White, Raspberry Rose, Moroccan Blue, Lavender Violet |
| Models | SM-N750, SM-N7505, SM-N750K, SM-N750S, SM-N7507, SM-N750L, SM-N7500Q, SM-N7506V, SM-N7505L | H870, H870DS, H873, H870S, LGM-G600L, H872, H871, LS993, US997, vs988, VS988, LGM-G600K, LGM-G600S, AS993, LGUS997, H870AR, H872PR, H871S, H870I |
| Price | About 320 EUR | About 240 EUR |
| SAR | 0.54 W/kg (head) 0.70 W/kg (body) | 0.65 W/kg (head) 1.23 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.25 W/kg (head) 0.27 W/kg (body) | 0.23 W/kg (head) 0.15 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -96.1dB / Crosstalk -94.9dB |
Noise -93.3dB / Crosstalk -94.4dB |
| Battery life |
Endurance rating 74h
| Endurance rating 72h |
| Camera |
Photo / Video |
Photo / Video |
| Display |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 3.487 (sunlight) |
Contrast ratio: 2053 (nominal), 3.556 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 68dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 75dB
|
Voice 66dB / Noise 68dB / Ring 74dB |
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 158785 (v7)
GeekBench: 4175 (v4.4)
GFXBench: 8.5fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
- Exceptional battery life
- Large display
- S Pen stylus
- Relatively affordable
- Outdated processor
- Slower performance
- No fast charging
- Older software
LG G6
- Faster processor (Snapdragon 821)
- Better display sunlight readability
- Fast charging (QC3)
- More modern design
- Dual camera setup
- Battery life slightly less than Note 3 Neo
- Older software
- Can be difficult to find in good condition
Display Comparison
Both phones feature excellent displays for their era. The Note 3 Neo's 'Infinite' contrast ratio is a marketing term, but its display is vibrant. The LG G6's 2053:1 contrast ratio is more quantifiable and its 3.556 sunlight readability score is slightly better than the Note 3 Neo's 3.487, making it a bit easier to see outdoors. The G6 also has a slightly higher resolution.
Camera Comparison
Camera quality is a mixed bag. Both phones offer decent photo and video capabilities for their time. The LG G6 generally produces more detailed and vibrant images, especially in good lighting conditions. Low-light performance is comparable. The G6's camera app also offers more features and shooting modes.
Performance
The LG G6's Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 is significantly more powerful than the Exynos 5260 in the Note 3 Neo. The Snapdragon 821's Kryo cores offer superior processing power, resulting in smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance. The Note 3 Neo's hexa-core processor is decent, but noticeably slower by today's standards.
Battery Life
The Note 3 Neo shines in battery life, boasting an impressive 74-hour endurance rating. However, the LG G6's 72-hour rating is still very respectable. The G6 also supports 18W fast charging and Quick Charge 3.0, allowing for a 50% charge in just 30 minutes – a feature the Note 3 Neo lacks.
Buying Guide
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo is ideal for users prioritizing extreme battery life and a large display on a budget. The LG G6 is better suited for those seeking a smoother, faster experience with a more modern design and quicker charging capabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Are these phones still receiving software updates?
No, both the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo and the LG G6 have reached their end of life and are no longer receiving official software updates. Security patches are no longer provided.
❓ Where can I find these phones?
Due to their age, you'll likely find these phones on the used market (eBay, Swappa, etc.). Be sure to check the condition and seller reputation before purchasing.
