Introduction
Do we have a good one for you today – the Apple iPhone 6s Plus goes up against the LG V10. These two metal monsters square off to see just which one of these devices has the better specifications and which one offers up more value for your money. Every time we compare an iPhone to an Android device the sparks fly between the two camps as to which one makes the better smartphone. Let’s first look and see if these two devices have anything in common before we look at each one more closely.
Both devices are solidly built and with their all-metal construction, it is a toss up as to which design you like better. Both the iPhone 6s Plus and the LG V10 are almost physically the same size and even weigh 192 grams a piece. They both use an IPS LCD display technology, are close to the same size (iPhone is 5.5-inches and LG V10 is 5.7-inches), but use different resolutions. They both offer a model with 64GB of internal storage as an option, but the LG V10 has the ability to expand via a microSD card. Both can handle videos at 2160p at 30fps and both use a 5MP sensor for their front-facing camera (FFC), although the LG V10 uses two of them. They both have some of the usual suspects – WiFi, Bluetooth (4.2 in iPhone 6s Plus and 4.1 in the LG V10), GPS and NFC (used for Apple Pay ONLY for the iPhone 6s Plus).
Please take a deliberate look at the detailed Specifications Comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two great devices stack up against one another – click on the “View Full Comparison” link at the end of the chart to expand the details. After that, we will look at each individual device in greater detail and point out some of its pros and cons. From all of this information we will try to determine the winner based on specs and execution of design and functions.
Specifications
Apple iPhone 6s Plus
The iPhone 6s Plus is nothing more than a stretched version of the iPhone 6s with a larger display and the addition of OIS to the main camera. The iPhone 6s series looks identical to the iPhone 6, with an all-metal body and a few changes – nothing as wildly new like Apple is touting in its commercials…in fact, sales of the new iPhone 6s/Plus have been disappointing overall. While the LG V10 also has an all-metal body, it has its own look about it, both devices are beautiful looking with a solid build and premium look.
The iPhone 6s Plus has a 5.5-inch display – it is a Full HD IPS LCD screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 with 401 pixels-per-inch (PPI) – compared to the 5.7-inch QHD IPS LCD display and 515 PPI found on the LG V10. It uses a 64-bit A9 dual-core processor clocked at 1.84GHz and it is smooth and fast and goes up against the 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor in the LG V10. The 6s Plus comes with 2GB of RAM…which handles iOS quite nicely, but is not up to the multitasking powers of the 4GB of RAM found in the LG V10. The iPhone 6s Plus offers a choice of 16GB, 64GB or 128GB of storage and no expansion whereas the LG V10 offers 64GB of internal memory that is expandable via a microSD card slot.
The camera continues to be one of the iPhone’s strong points and in the iPhone 6s Plus Apple finally increased the size of the sensor to 12MP along with some tweaking here and there and new software options. It comes with the usual autofocus, a dual-tone LED flash and for the first time they added OIS to the Plus model. It has always been one the best point-and-shoot cameras on a smartphone, although the flagship Android smartphones, the 16MP LG V10 is no exception, have long since passed it up in test scores. The FFC on the iPhone is now a larger 5MP for social media selfies or video chatting – ONLY through Apple’s FaceTime unless both users download a third-party app. The LG V10 actually uses dual 5MP cameras as its FFC for better depth. The iPhone has never been known for great battery life and the 2750mAh non-removable battery in the 6s Plus doesn’t do much to help its cause. While not much larger, the LG V10 uses a 3000mAh removable battery, but the LG V10 should easily outlast the iPhone and should your battery need a charge, the LG V10 incorporates quick charge where you can charge it 50-percent in only 40 minutes.
What does the iPhone 6s Plus have the LG V10 does not? It has Apple’s proprietary Apple Pay and its proprietary FaceTime video chat feature – if you can call that good. There is no denying the iPhone is easy to use, smooth and efficient. However, it can be rather boring when compared to an Android device and the way you can customize its capabilities and add features. Apple is proud of its new 3D Touch display, where the display can ‘sense’ up to three pressures – press once to open up an app and then press again within the app to go somewhere else. The pricing has always been a sore spot with the iPhone, commanding an off contract price of $850 for the 64GB model.
LG V10
LG introduced the new LG V10, we can only assume to compete with its LG G4…or as a future replacement. It is an interesting smartphone and is sculptured from stainless steel with a silicone backing, secondly it has two 5MP FFCs, and lastly, it has a small, independent display sitting above the 5.7-inch main display, which can operate when the main display is off. Let’s take a closer look at the new LG V10 and see just how it stacks up against the newest phablet on the block – the Apple iPhone 6s Plus.
The LG V10 sports two displays – the main display is a 5.7-inch IPS Quantum QHD with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and 515 PPI, along with a 1040 x 160 pixel display that ‘sits’ above the main display at the top. The secondary display can be on while the main display is off – showing notifications, the weather, the time/date, app shortcuts and more. This goes up against the FHD display on the iPhone 6s Plus of 401 PPI. The LG V10 uses a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core with four cores running at 1.44GHz and two cores running at 1.8GHz. This goes up against the 64-bit A9 dual-core on the iPhone 6s Plus. The LG V10 packs 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, while the iPhone 6s Plus packs 2GB of RAM and offers 16GB, 64GB or 128GB of storage – only the LG V10 can expand that internal memory via a microSD card another 200GB.
The main camera areas should be very competitive with the LG V10 coming out on top if the LG V10 lives up to the LG G4’s camera heritage. The LG V10 uses a 16MP sensor and adds laser autofocus, a large f/1.8 aperture, OIS and an LED flash. The LG V10 uses a dual 5MP FFC to add a wider field and more depth to the traditional selfie or video chat. This goes up against the new 12MP main camera and 5MP FFC on the iPhone 6s Plus. The LG V10 uses a 3000mAh removable battery versus the slightly smaller 2750mAh non-removable battery in the iPhone 6s Plus – both should last through an entire day with Quick Charge 2.0 available only to the LG V10.
The LG V10 wisely included a fingerprint sensor and NFC that will allow the V10 to make mobile payments. Once updated to Android 6.0 Marshmallow the V10 it will be able to make mobile payments using the fingerprint sensor for verification. The LG V10 has a speaker on the bottom of the device and includes Hi-Fi circuitry for improved sound through the headphones. It also has a built-in IR Blaster and FM radio. The available colors are Space Black, Luxe White, Modern Beige, Ocean Blue, Opal Blue. It is available on Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile and priced approximately $700.
…And The Winner Is…
Summary
This was a fairly easy one to select – and not just because the Apple iPhone 6s Plus is participating in this comparison – I am picking the LG V10 as the winner of this rodeo. Both devices offer some compelling features and performance, and while iOS runs smooth and fast on the iPhone, Android 6.0 is more refined than ever and on a Nexus smartphone you can get a sense of just how polished it has become. Android allows other manufacturers – Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola, etc. – to add their own personality and those changes may slow things down a tad, but it is this freedom to express that makes Android so great.
The only areas that the iPhone 6s Plus has over the LG V10 is in the processor, its simplicity and its higher price – $850 versus $700…for a comparable 64GB model – its proprietary items, such as chargers, Apple Pay, iTunes and Apple Talk. In other words, the iPhone 6s Plus only ‘plays nice’ with other iPhones…so if you want to enshrine yourself in Apple’s ecosystem, the iPhone is for you.
The LG V10 has the better QHD display and offers the dual display, both at 515 PPI versus the iPhone 6s Plus at 401 PPI. While the 2GB of RAM on the iPhone may suffice for its locked-down operation, the 4GB in the LG V10 offer more capabilities, such as multitasking. The LG V10 offers up an expansion slot to add an additional 200GB of internal storage – with the iPhone 6s Plus, you are stuck with either 16GB, 64GB or 128GB, which cost much more money. The camera in the LG V10 beats out the one in the iPhone 6s Plus in nationwide tests. The dual 5MP FFCs in the LG V10 also add capabilities when taking selfies or video chatting. The LG V10 has a larger, 3000mAh versus 2750mAh, battery, it is removable and comes with Quick Charge 2.0.
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