Samsung Galaxy Note10 5G vs LG V50 ThinQ 5G: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity and consistent performance, the LG V50 ThinQ 5G emerges as the stronger choice. Its impressive 96-hour endurance rating, coupled with the Snapdragon 855, provides a more reliable experience than the Note10 5G’s potentially throttling Exynos variant (depending on region).
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Note10 5G | LG V50 ThinQ 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - USA |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 46, 48, 66, 71 - USA | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA |
| 5G bands | 78 NSA/Sub6 | 41, 260, 261 NSA |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/75 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO - USA | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, August. Released 2019, August | 2019, February 24. Released 2019, April 19 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 151 x 71.8 x 7.9 mm (5.94 x 2.83 x 0.31 in) | 159.2 x 76.1 x 8.3 mm (6.27 x 3.00 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 168 g (5.93 oz) | 183 g (6.46 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus, 42ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) MIL-STD-810G compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~538 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.3 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.2 cm2 (~82.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ | P-OLED, HDR10 |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEA/LATAMOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) - USA/China | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) |
| Chipset | Exynos 9825 (7 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAMAdreno 640 - USA/China | Adreno 640 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4 | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.1, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, Super Steady video | 12 MP, 27mm (wide), f/1.5, 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3-axis OIS 12 MP, 52mm (telephoto), f/2.4, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, 2x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS 16 MP, 16mm (ultrawide), f/1.9, 1/3.1", 1.0µm, no AF |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., HDR10 video, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 8 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP, 21mm (wide), f/2.2, 1/5.0", 1.12µm |
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | - |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps | 1080p@60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | 32-bit/192kHz audio 24-bit/192kHz audio recording Tuned with Meridian Audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio (USA & Canada only) | FM radio |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 12W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 18W wired, PD2.0, QC3, 50% in 36 min 10W wireless (Qi) |
| Type | Li-Ion 3500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black, Aura Pink, Aura Red | New Aurora Black |
| Models | SM-N971U, SM-N971N | LM-V500, LM-V500N, LM-V500EM, LM-V500XM, LM-V450PM, LM-V450 |
| Price | About 1100 EUR | About 550 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -92.5dB / Crosstalk -92.6dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 96h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: 194000:1 (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.2 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 343758 (v7), 421934 (v8) GeekBench: 10928 (v4.4), 2672 (v5.1) GFXBench: 22fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Note10 5G
- Integrated S Pen stylus for enhanced productivity.
- Faster 25W wired charging with PD3.0.
- Samsung’s image processing delivers vibrant photos.
- Exynos 9825 variant prone to thermal throttling.
- Potentially shorter battery life compared to the V50.
- Regional chipset variations create inconsistent user experience.
LG V50 ThinQ 5G
- Exceptional 96-hour battery endurance.
- Consistent performance with the Snapdragon 855.
- High contrast ratio for immersive viewing.
- Slower 18W wired charging.
- Less prominent brand recognition for camera features.
- Wireless charging is slower at 10W.
Display Comparison
The LG V50 ThinQ 5G boasts a display capable of reaching 533 nits of peak brightness, a figure not directly provided for the Note10 5G, but generally considered comparable in real-world use. However, the V50’s standout feature is its exceptional 194000:1 contrast ratio, promising deeper blacks and a more immersive viewing experience. While both utilize OLED technology, the V50’s contrast advantage is significant. Neither device specifies refresh rate, suggesting standard 60Hz panels.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but detailed sensor specifications are limited in the provided data. Both are described as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities. The absence of specific details makes a direct comparison difficult. However, focusing on practical usage, the Note10 5G’s camera benefits from Samsung’s well-regarded image processing algorithms, often prioritizing vibrant colors and detail enhancement. The V50 ThinQ likely offers a more natural color profile, typical of LG’s camera tuning. Without sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner.
Performance
Both the Note10 5G (in select regions) and the V50 ThinQ 5G are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm). However, the Note10 5G also shipped with the Exynos 9825 (7nm) in EMEA/LATAM markets. The Snapdragon 855 offers consistent performance across both devices, but the Exynos 9825 has historically shown a tendency towards thermal throttling under sustained load, potentially impacting gaming and demanding applications. Both utilize an octa-core CPU configuration, but the specific core arrangement differs, with the Snapdragon employing Kryo cores and the Exynos utilizing a mix of Mongoose M4 and Cortex-A cores. The V50’s consistent Snapdragon implementation provides a more predictable performance profile.
Battery Life
The LG V50 ThinQ 5G’s 96-hour endurance rating is its most significant advantage. This rating, derived from real-world usage tests, indicates substantially longer battery life than the Note10 5G. While the Note10 5G supports faster 25W wired charging with PD3.0, and 12W wireless charging, the V50’s 18W wired charging (with QC3 and PD2.0) and 10W wireless charging are offset by its superior battery capacity and efficiency. The V50 can reach 50% charge in 36 minutes, a respectable speed, but the Note10’s faster wired charging is a minor benefit.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note10 5G if you prioritize the S Pen stylus for productivity and creative tasks, and are comfortable with potentially shorter battery life and regional chipset variations. Buy the LG V50 ThinQ 5G if you value exceptional battery endurance, a consistently smooth Snapdragon 855 experience, and a high-contrast display for media consumption.