Samsung Galaxy Note10+ vs. LG V60 ThinQ 5G UW: A Detailed Comparison

Released within months of each other in 2019, the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ and the LG V60 ThinQ 5G UW represent different approaches to the high-end smartphone market. The Note10+ focused on refinement and productivity with its S Pen, while the V60 prioritized 5G connectivity and multimedia experiences. Now, with both devices available at significantly reduced prices, the choice becomes more complex, demanding a thorough examination of their strengths and weaknesses.

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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing all-around capability and a mature software experience, the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ remains a compelling choice. While the LG V60 boasts a newer Snapdragon 865 chipset, the Note10+'s excellent display, refined S Pen features, and faster charging provide a more polished user experience, especially considering the price difference.

PHONES
Phone Names	Samsung Galaxy Note10+	LG V60 ThinQ 5G UW

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
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	2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 20, 28, 46, 48, 66
5G bands	-	260, 261 mmWave
EDGE	No	-
GPRS	Yes	-
Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat22, 5G
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	2020, February 26. Released 2020, April 02
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	162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9 mm (6.39 x 3.04 x 0.31 in)	169.3 x 77.6 x 8.9 mm (6.67 x 3.06 x 0.35 in)
Keyboard	QWERTY	-
SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM (pre-installed)
Weight	196 g (6.91 oz)	218 g (7.69 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* Method 516.6, Procedure IV "Transit Drop" *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 6	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution	1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~498 ppi density)	1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density)
Size	6.8 inches, 114.0 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio)	6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~83.6% 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 Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Exynos 9825 (7 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China	Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)
GPU	Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAMAdreno 640 - USA/China	Adreno 650
OS	Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4	Android 10, upgradable to Android 13

Memory
Call records	Yes	-
Card slot	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model
Internal	256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM	128GB 8GB RAM
Phonebook	200 entries	-
	UFS 3.0	UFS 2.1

Main Camera
Dual	-	64 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)
Features	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama	Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
Single	CIF	-
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 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)	-
Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS	8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p, HDR10+, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR
Single	10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF	10 MP, f/1.9, 30mm (standard), 1/3.1", 1.22µm
Video	4K@30/60fps	4K@30fps, gyro-EIS

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

Comms
Bluetooth	5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX	5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
Radio	FM radio (USA & Canada only)	FM radio (USA model only)
USB	USB Type-C 3.1	USB Type-C 3.1, OTG
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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA

Features
Browser	WAP 2.0	-
Games	Downloadable	-
Java	No	-
Messaging	SMS, MMS	-
Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer	Fingerprint (under display, optical), 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	45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless	Wired, PD2.0, QC4 Wireless
Stand-by	Up to 450 h	-
Talk time	Up to 6 h	-
Type	Li-Ion 4300 mAh, non-removable	Li-Po 5000 mAh

Misc
Colors	Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black, Aura Blue	Classy Blue, Classy White
Models	SM-N975F, SM-N975U, SM-N9750, SM-N975U1, SM-N975W, SM-N975N, SM-N975X, SCV45	LM-V600VML, LMV600VML
Price	About 220 EUR	About 870 EUR
SAR	0.35 W/kg (head) 0.70 W/kg (body)	0.85 W/kg (head) 1.12 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	0.19 W/kg (head) 1.40 W/kg (body)	-

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -94.0dB / Crosstalk -95.1dB	-
Battery life	Endurance rating 107h	-
Camera	Photo / Video	-
Display	Contrast ratio: infinite (nominal)	-
Loudspeaker	-26.0 LUFS (Very good)	-
Performance	AnTuTu: 342208 (v7), 438622 (v8) GeekBench: 10403 (v4.4), 2154 (v5.1) GFXBench: 24fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	-

Samsung Galaxy Note10+

Excellent display brightness and color accuracy
Versatile S Pen functionality
Faster 45W wired charging and reverse wireless charging

Older Exynos 9825/Snapdragon 855 chipset
Software support nearing end-of-life

LG V60 ThinQ 5G UW

More powerful Snapdragon 865 chipset
5G connectivity
Potentially better sustained performance

Lacks reverse wireless charging
LG’s software update history is less reliable

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy Note10+ features a display capable of reaching 794 nits of peak brightness, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the LG V60’s brightness isn’t specified, Samsung’s Super AMOLED technology typically delivers superior contrast – rated as infinite (nominal) on the Note10+ – and color accuracy. Both devices offer large displays suitable for multimedia consumption, but the Note10+’s established display calibration and brightness advantage give it an edge. The absence of refresh rate information for the V60 means it likely lacks the smoother scrolling experience becoming standard on higher-end devices.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer capable camera systems, but details beyond 'Photo/Video' are limited. The LG V60 likely benefits from the improved image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 865, potentially leading to better dynamic range and low-light performance. The Note10+’s camera system, while excellent, is hampered by the older chipset’s processing capabilities. Without specific sensor size or aperture information for either device, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner, but the V60’s newer hardware gives it a probable advantage in image quality and video stabilization. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on the V60 is unlikely to significantly impact overall camera performance.

Performance

The LG V60 ThinQ 5G UW’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+) chipset represents a generational leap over the Samsung Galaxy Note10+'s Exynos 9825 (7nm) or Snapdragon 855 (7nm) depending on the region. The Snapdragon 865 utilizes newer Cortex-A77 cores compared to the Note10+'s A75 cores, resulting in improved single-core performance. While the Note10+’s octa-core CPU is capable, the V60’s chipset offers a more efficient architecture and better sustained performance, particularly in graphically intensive tasks. However, the Note10+’s LPDDR4X RAM is comparable to the V60’s, mitigating some of the chipset difference. The 7nm+ process of the Snapdragon 865 also suggests better thermal efficiency, potentially reducing throttling during extended gaming sessions.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy Note10+ boasts an endurance rating of 107 hours, indicating solid battery life. It supports 45W wired charging with PD3.0, 15W wireless charging (Qi), and 4.5W reverse wireless charging – a comprehensive charging solution. The LG V60 ThinQ 5G UW supports wired charging with PD2.0 and QC4, and wireless charging, but lacks the reverse wireless charging feature. While the V60’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the Note10+'s faster charging speeds and reverse wireless capabilities provide a more convenient and versatile charging experience. The 107-hour endurance rating suggests the Note10+ is more efficient overall, despite the newer chipset in the V60.

Buying Guide

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ if you need a versatile device with a focus on productivity, creative tasks, and a premium user experience enhanced by the S Pen. Buy the LG V60 ThinQ 5G UW if you prioritize 5G connectivity, potentially better sustained performance in demanding games due to the Snapdragon 865, and are comfortable with LG’s software implementation.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 9825 in the Note10+ overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?

The Exynos 9825 is known to throttle under sustained load, particularly in warmer environments. While it's capable of handling most games, expect some performance reduction after extended play. The Snapdragon 865 in the V60, with its 7nm+ process, is generally more thermally efficient.

❓ Is the 5G connectivity on the LG V60 actually useful in 2024?

5G availability has significantly expanded since the V60’s release. However, the benefits of 5G depend heavily on your location and carrier. If you live in an area with robust 5G coverage, the V60 can offer faster download and upload speeds. Otherwise, the advantage is minimal.

❓ How does the S Pen on the Note10+ enhance everyday use?

The S Pen offers a unique set of features, including Air Actions for remote control, handwriting-to-text conversion, and precise note-taking. It’s particularly useful for creative professionals, students, and anyone who prefers a more tactile input method.

❓ Does the LG V60 support high frame rate gaming (90fps or higher)?

While the Snapdragon 865 is capable of supporting high frame rates, the LG V60’s display specifications don’t confirm a high refresh rate panel. Therefore, achieving 90fps or higher in games like PUBG will likely depend on the game’s settings and optimization, rather than the display’s inherent capabilities.