Samsung and LG are the first set of brands to launch 2017 flagship phones in India. Priced upwards of Rs 50,000, both the Galaxy S8 and the G6 rank as top-end device that will be invariably compared with this year’s iPhone.
But before that, let’s take a look at how Samsung and LG have improved things this year, what changes make their respective flagship phones worth going for, and yes – which one of these two would we pick as the ultimate flagship.
Design
Samsung has worked hard to reduce the size of bezel on the Galaxy S8, calling it infinity display. The curve edges on both the sides of this 5.8-inch device ensure that the size never wears you down. Samsung has opted for 3D-touch Home button, which has made the display even bigger. The fingerprint scanner is awkwardly placed right next to the camera sensor at the back.
The use of glass on both sides does make it slippery and we’re not sure what happens if the Galaxy S8 ends up being prey of a mishap.
Also Read: Careful With the Samsung Galaxy S8’s Display, Or Be Ready to Pay
LG, on the other hand, has ditched its modular formula and gone back to the basics with the G6. The phone sized at 5.7-inch feels bigger and bulkier than the Galaxy S8, and while the bezels have been smartly taken care of, LG claims that the G6 is more durable than its delicate competition.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S8 without any doubts.
Display
With the Samsung Galaxy S8, you get a 5.8-inch display that packs 2960x1440 pixels resolution, underneath the Super AMOLED panel that is Samsung’s speciality. Infinity display is a big improvement on the one-side edged Galaxy S7 Edge from last year, giving the Galaxy S8 a premium appeal that a flagship device deserves.
LG’s 5.7-inch display on the G6 is more conventional and when you compare to the Galaxy S8’s display, the former lacks the high colour reproduction of Samsung that makes a blue look brighter than it actually is.
In terms of overall quality, Samsung trumps the LG’s G6 hands-down in terms of quality as well as the way it has been built. As for LG, the G6 is a good effort that pales in front of what’s coming up later this year.
Winner: Samsung for its display quality, LG gets some points for its durability
Hardware
This is where LG lags behind the Samsung’s flagship. In India, the Galaxy S8 packs the Exynos 8895 processor, with 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage, which is expandable. In other countries, you get the phone with Snapdragon 835.
When you compare this with the LG G6, for Rs 51,990 you’re buying a phone that offers Snapdragon 821 processor, which is the same that you can get with the OnePlus 3T for under 30K. Both the phones support USB Type C port, fingerprint scanner at the back, and in LG’s case, it’s the power button as well.
Camera
This is where the true quality of a flagship phone shows up. Samsung hasn’t truly upgraded the 12-megapixel camera from the Galaxy S7, and it feels they’ve felt no need to do so when a camera is as good as they had last year. LG G6 packs 13-megapixel dual cameras, with dual-LED flash. But here comes the important part, which one’s camera is better?
So, as you can see, the Galaxy S8 might not have gotten dual camera, but that doesn’t really matter much, does it? LG G6 clearly pales in front of this competition, and that will always bear heavy on the company. As for the Galaxy S8, the 12-megapixel camera with dual pixel technology has been carried forward from last year’s Galaxy S7.
Battery
This is probably where Samsung’s preference for finesse will work in favour of the LG G6. The Galaxy S8 comes with a 3000mAh battery, while LG has packed a 3300mAh battery unit for the G6.
And the difference is noticeable after using both the phones for a week. Samsung is hoping that people rely on features like ultra-saving mode, when they’re running out of juice, and with fast charging, the users of Galaxy S8 won’t feel the need to look for any other phone. The LG G6 does manage to last more than the Galaxy S8 and offers quick-charging as well. So, on the whole, LG does win the battery battle.
Who Wins?
Samsung’s Galaxy S8 has the better of LG G6 when it comes to display quality, hardware in tow and the camera sensors on offer. However, when it comes to durability, LG scores over its South Korean counterpart. Also, the battery life of G6 is more than what the Galaxy S8 could muster (even though, both support quick charging).
When you consider price, the competition and what’s coming later this year, Samsung is in a better position to challenge. LG just feels like a latecomer to the party in 2017.
The pricing of LG G6 could be a reason worth looking at, but if you’re looking for a true-blue flagship phone right now and don’t really care what others will offer this year, then Galaxy S8 is the one to go for.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)