Samsung Galaxy Note10 vs LG V50 ThinQ 5G: A 2024 Retrospective
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user in 2024, the LG V50 ThinQ 5G emerges as the slightly better value. Its superior battery endurance (96h vs 92h) and higher contrast ratio (194000:1 vs infinite) provide a more consistently enjoyable experience, especially considering the Note10’s aging battery. However, the Note10’s S Pen functionality remains a unique draw for productivity-focused users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Note10 | 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global, LATAM | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA |
| 5G bands | - | 41, 260, 261 NSA |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/75 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - Canada | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, August 07. Released 2019, August 23 | 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· 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 8GB 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@30fps | 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-N970F, SM-N970U, SM-N970U1, SM-N9700, SM-N970W, SM-N9700, SM-N970N, SM-N970X | LM-V500, LM-V500N, LM-V500EM, LM-V500XM, LM-V450PM, LM-V450 |
| Price | About 590 EUR | About 550 EUR |
| SAR | 0.85 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.21 W/kg (head) 1.52 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -92.8dB / Crosstalk -94.0dB | Noise -92.5dB / Crosstalk -92.6dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 92h | Endurance rating 96h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: 194000:1 (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.2 LUFS (Good) | -25.2 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 344442 (v7), 452400 (v8) GeekBench: 10353 (v4.4), 2241 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 343758 (v7), 421934 (v8) GeekBench: 10928 (v4.4), 2672 (v5.1) GFXBench: 22fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Note10
- Integrated S Pen for productivity and creativity
- Faster 25W wired charging
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities
- Slightly lower battery endurance (92h)
- Exynos variant may exhibit thermal throttling
LG V50 ThinQ 5G
- Superior battery life (96h endurance rating)
- Higher contrast display for a more immersive experience
- Consistent Snapdragon 855 performance globally
- Lacks S Pen functionality
- Slower 18W wired charging
Display Comparison
The Note10 boasts a measured peak brightness of 789 nits, offering a vibrant image, but the V50 ThinQ 5G’s contrast ratio of 194000:1 significantly surpasses the Note10’s ‘infinite’ (nominal) ratio. This translates to deeper blacks and a more dynamic visual experience on the V50. While both displays offer a premium experience, the V50’s superior contrast is noticeable, particularly in darker environments. The Note10’s display, while bright, lacks the punch of the V50’s panel.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable photo and video recording, but a detailed analysis requires sample comparisons beyond the provided data. The Note10’s camera system likely benefits from Samsung’s image processing algorithms, known for vibrant colors. However, without sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner. The V50’s camera system, while competent, generally received less critical acclaim than Samsung’s offerings. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on both devices is largely a marketing gimmick, offering limited practical benefit.
Performance
Both the Note10 (EMEA/LATAM: Exynos 9825, USA/China: Snapdragon 855) and the V50 ThinQ 5G utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm). The Note10’s Exynos variant, while powerful, historically exhibited slightly lower sustained performance and thermal efficiency compared to the Snapdragon 855 due to differences in the manufacturing process. The Snapdragon 855 in the V50 provides consistent performance across all regions. Both devices feature octa-core CPUs, but the Snapdragon’s Kryo cores offer a more refined architecture. While real-world differences are minimal for everyday tasks, demanding applications may show a slight edge for the V50.
Battery Life
The LG V50 ThinQ 5G holds a slight advantage in battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 96 hours compared to the Note10’s 92 hours. This difference, while not massive, is noticeable in real-world usage. The V50 also supports 18W wired charging with Quick Charge 3.0 and PD2.0, reaching 50% charge in 36 minutes, while the Note10 offers 25W wired charging with PD3.0. The Note10 also includes 12W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the V50. Despite the Note10’s faster wired charging, the V50’s superior endurance provides a more consistent experience.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note10 if you prioritize stylus input for note-taking, sketching, or precise control. Its integrated S Pen offers a unique workflow enhancement. Buy the LG V50 ThinQ 5G if you value longer battery life, a higher-contrast display, and early 5G connectivity, making it ideal for media consumption and users in areas with robust 5G coverage.