Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Alert

Samsung Galaxy S7 or LG G5?

May 18, 2017 6:01AM PDT

Hey guys,

I'm looking to buy a new high-end smartphone but the new titans (LG G6, Galaxy S8, etc...) are much too expensive for my tastes. I'm getting the phone itself, no plan. EBAY's holding some 20% off deal that ends today (hence the "Alert" post type) so if I want to make a decision I better make it now.

LG G5- Sprint, for $151
Samsung Galaxy S7- US Cellular, for $191

I don't know too much about phones but I do know that the two are very similar to each other- similar screen resolution, same exact chipset, similar price. Both are sold in Refurbished condition for these deals.

Again I am new to this stuff so if these aren't good deals at all then be sure to let me know.

I will be primarily using the phone to do everything I can do on my laptop from the palm of my hand- browsing the web, checking email, messaging (and of course calling)-- but I'll also be using it for graphics-intense games and some other processor-intensive tasks.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
I have the LG G4
May 18, 2017 6:49AM PDT

And like it for a few reasons. LG may get my next phone choice. Samsung however has a penchant for too many OS mods so it's not something I'd consider today. I'm not saying you might not like it.

Then we have Sprint. Here the coverage was awful and one the road was awful so I went to Tmobile with Ting.com. Sorry Sprint but you lost me on this plus your charge for me being a new customer. 5 bucks a month for spite? I'm not coming back to you.

Tough call here. My choice at the just under 200 dollar phone price would be https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DZJFWWS so I don't have to use Spring.

- Collapse -
LG G5 then?
May 18, 2017 7:32AM PDT

Well seems to be LG is better for phones? I don't know, if I buy one of these phones it'd be my first-ever smartphone. I've used an iPhone 4 before but that's about it.

Dunno about Motorola's G4. The tech specs simply won't cut it for games and multi-tasking. I'll be using my phone quite heavily so this is important.

- Collapse -
For the first ever smart phone buy?
May 18, 2017 7:51AM PDT

I might put new owners onto an Apple. It's a lot more consistent and no odd issues about fussing about with onboard storage and cards.

- Collapse -
total comparison
May 22, 2017 12:30AM PDT

LG G5 vs Galaxy S7: Design

LG G5: 7.7mm thick, 159g, all-metal build, modular design

Galaxy S7: 7.9mm thick, 152g, metal alloy, glass front and back


LG G5 vs Galaxy S7: Screen

LG G5: 5.3-inch, 2,560 x 1,440 IPS Quantum display, 554 ppi, 900 nits brightness, always-on

Galaxy S7: 5.1-inch Super AMOLED, 2,560 x 1,440, 577 ppi, 855 nits brightness, always on


LG G5 vs Galaxy S7: Performance

LG G5: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset - dual-core 2.15 GHz Kryo & dual-core 1.6 GHz Kryo, Adreno 530 GPU, 4GB RAM

Galaxy S7: Exynos 8890 octa-core/Snapdragon 820 quad-core CPU, Mali-T880 MP12/Adreno 530 GPU, 4GB RAM


LG G5 vs Galaxy S7: Camera

LG G5: 16-megapixel & 8-megapixel, f/1.8 & f/2.4 lens, OIS, laser autofocus, 4K video, 8-megapixel wide-angle front camera

Galaxy S7: 12-megapixel, phase detection, Dual Pixels, OIS, f/1.7 lens, 1/2.6" sensor, 1.4 µm pixel, 4K video, 5-megapixel front camera


LG G5 vs Galaxy S7: Features

LG G5: Modular design, 24-bit audio, USB Type-C, fingerprint sensor

Galaxy S7: IP68 rating, Wireless charging, fingerprint sensor

When it comes to adaptability and sheer innovation, the LG G5 can't be beaten. A press of a button results in the bottom sliding out, letting you remove and replace the battery while also providing the ability to incorporate a new module to add functionality.


LG G5 vs Galaxy S7: Battery

LG G5: 2,800 mAh

Galaxy S7: 3,000 mAh

One of the charges levelled at the Galaxy S6 was that its battery life wasn't as good as it should have been. Samsung has listened to the feedback and come back strongly with a 3,000mAh battery on the S7.


LG G5 vs Galaxy S7: Software

LG G5: Android 6.0.1, LG UX

Galaxy S7: Android 6.0.1, TouchWiz UI

The latest version of Android powers both phones. Android Marshmallow isn't left stock on either, though. Samsung has its TouchWiz, while its competitor has the new version of its LG UX 5.0.


Verdict

In considering these two phones, we're pleased at how much they've diverged from a time when the ranges were really quite similar.

Is a wide-angle camera more useful than water-resistance? Do you value a phone that lasts longer, or one to which you can add specialised modules and replace the battery? It's great to have such options, and both phones are safe bets in their own right.

However, we're not here to sit on the fence. If you're simply after the best all-round phone that you can get, then the Samsung Galaxy S7 is clearly better than the LG G5. One glance at our respective review summaries will tell you that,

- Collapse -
SAMSUNG GALAXY S7
May 23, 2017 3:34AM PDT

Samsung Galaxy s7 is betters LG g5