Introduction
Do we have a good one for you today – we compare the new OnePlus 6 to the new LG G7 ThinQ. Do either OnePlus or LG make the necessary effort to go far enough to attract users to upgrade or even entice new buyers? Flagship devices this year are going through evolutionary upgrades – nothing we haven’t seen in the Galaxy S8 to S9, the OnePlus 5T to the OnePlus 6, nor the LG G6 to the LG G7 is revolutionary. Both of our comparison devices have a new look and feel to them that make them sleeker and more modern looking, but both also have the wannabe iPhone notch in the display. Major upgrades in the front-facing camera (FFC) on the G7 ThinQ bring it more on par with the OnePlus 6. We will first look at the things these two devices may have in common and then look at each individual smartphone in an attempt to select a winner.
The OnePlus 6 and the LG G7 ThinQ are very close in physical dimensions, but then so is the display size nearly the same. Both use the same Snapdragon 845 processor and Adreno 630 GPU and both have a 64GB internal memory base, but only the LG G7 offers expandable memory. You will find a dual camera setup in both devices as well as great FFCs. Both have enhanced sound coming out of the 3.5mm headphone jack and the LG G7 includes their Boombox sound when the device is sitting on a surface. The fingerprint sensor is found on the back of both devices and both offer quick methods for charging their non-removable batteries. The OnePlus 6 and LG G7 both have the usual WiFi, Bluetooth v5.0, NFC, and a Type-C port for charging and data transfer.
Please take a careful look at the detailed specifications comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two high-end smartphones stack up against each other. After that, we will look at each mobile offering in more detail and point out some of its pros and cons. From all of this information, we will try to determine the winner based on overall specs, as well as the execution of design and functions.
Specifications
OnePlus 6
OnePlus has just come out with their first flagship, the OnePlus 6, for 2018 – we say their ‘first’ flagship, because there could always be a OnePlus 6T already in the works to debut later this year. Because 2018 seems to be a year of refinement and small changes, the OnePlus 6 does not look much different from its predecessor – but that could be said about the Samsung and LG offerings as well. This is not a bad thing for all of those brands because they all look great with a more modern design. The OnePlus 6 comes in an all Gorilla Glass 5 body with the painted backing offering a better grip that is also kind to fingerprints. After being criticized last year, OnePlus listened and gave additional functions to the Alert Slider, like zooming in and out when the camera is functioning. OnePlus still refuses to include a QHD display nor expandable memory, but does include options to increase the memory up to 256GB. If we have anything to complain about it would be the ‘notch’ in the display – a direct copy from the iPhone, albeit smaller, that is just not necessary.
The OnePlus 6 has a notched 6.28-inch Optic AMOLED display – at least OP got the AMOLED part correct. The display does use the latest 19:9 aspect ratio for a better entertainment and multitasking experience, OnePlus continues to use a Full HD+ resolution of only 2280 x 1080 pixels and 402 PPI. They have also included their Sunlight Display for better outdoor viewing. As with other Android smartphones that decided that a notch is necessary, you can falsely hide the notch by making it look like there is a small bezel across the top, but it is still ‘there’. Gorilla Glass 5 protects the display.
OnePlus put in the latest processor on the market from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 845 – the workhorse of all 2018 smartphones to this point. The SD845 is an octa-core processor clocked at 2.48GHz and works in tandem with the Adreno 630 GPU to provide the most demanding graphics. The base OnePlus 6 comes with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of non-expandable internal memory. OnePlus sells two additional models with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of internal memory – each additional memory upgrade is only $50 from the previous one. A 3,300mAh battery powers the OnePlus, but there is still no wireless charging available. OnePlus Dash Charge, that claims to give you a 63-percent charge of your battery in 30 minutes, is standard for a quick charge.
The OnePlus 6 comes to us with a dual camera setup and better software and menus. The main sensor is 20-megapixel with an large aperture of f/1.7, EIS and OIS are both used for stability. The 16-megapixel secondary camera comes with the same f/1.7 aperture and both cameras use PDAF with a dual LED flash. The FFC is a huge 16-megapixel that comes with its own EIS and Auto HDR and should provide great selfies and video chats. More than the lenses, OnePlus designed a better interface that allows you to use the Alert Slider to zoom in/out on subject matter when using the camera.
The most exciting thing about a OnePlus smartphone is the tremendous value that it offers when compared to other smartphones. It may not have a QHD display, but do we really need that much resolution. The downside of the OnePlus 6 is the notched display and its lack of expandable memory. OnePlus gives you 6GB or 8GB of RAM, it comes with an excellent dual camera setup and a 16-megapixel FFC. NFC allows you to use Android Pay. The OnePlus 6 uses its own light user interface, OxygenOS, on top of Android 8.1 Oreo, making it easier to receive Android updates. The device measures 155.7 x 75.4 x 7.8mm and weighs in at 177 grams. It comes in Midnight Black, Mirror Black, or Silk White. It will cost you $529 for the 6GB/64GB version, $579 for the 8GB/128GB version, and $629 for the 8GB/256GB version.
LG G7 ThinQ
In an era when shorter names are catchier and easier to remember, LG decided to lengthen the names of the flagships – the LG V30S ThinQ and the new LG G7 ThinQ. The new LG G7 (for short) does have a more sophisticated look than the LG G6 and is slightly narrower, with more rounded edges. The subtle redesign gives the LG G7 a modern look, on par with the other 2018 smartphones. It follows the growing trend of using dual cameras – and while they increased the number of megapixels, they also did away with the wider angle lens used on the LG G6. In what we hope is only a fad, the LG G7 does have that annoying ‘iPhone X’ notch in its display. Why would any Android flagship follow a company that refused to increased its display size, still uses a small battery, or refused (up to this point) to use an AMOLED display.
LG increased the display size of the LG G7 from 5.7-inches to 6.1-inches and used a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. It is a QHD+ resolution FullVision IPS LCD display with 3120 x 1440 pixels and a density of 564 PPI – the same found on the LG G6. They also upped the protection to Gorilla Glass 5. It continues to include Dolby Vision, is HDR10 compliant, and it kept the Always-On display for notifications, which helps lengthen the battery life. The LG G7 also adds a higher brightness up to 1,000 nits that it can hold for 3 minutes before dropping back down in an effort to save battery life.
This year, LG waited long enough to use a current processor – the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 along with an Adreno 630 GPU that provides outstanding graphics whether you are into gaming or watching those videos or movies with intense graphics. The SD845 is an octa-core processor clocked at 2.8GHz with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable internal memory. There is also a 6GB/128GB model available in some regions.
LG increased the megapixels from 13 to 16 for both cameras – the primary camera uses a 16-megapixel sensor with a large f/1.6 aperture, Laser and PDAF, OIS, and LED flash. The secondary camera is also 16-megapixel, with a slightly wider angle with a smaller f/1.9 aperture. The primary camera is used for most of your pictures, but if you want a wider group or landscape shot, you can use the secondary lens, although the secondary lens was more useful on the LG G6 as it was a much wider angle. LG did a great upgrade on the FFC by increasing it from 5-megapixels and an f/2.2 aperture to an 8-megapixel sensor with a smaller f/1.9 aperture for better selfies and video chatting. In a strange move, LG decreased the battery size from 3,300mAh to a 3000mAh, but retained Quick Charge 3.0 and wireless charging.
LG did a few things on the LG G7 that make sense – like using Gorilla Glass 5 for protection all around, keeping the 3.5mm headphone jack, upped the Bluetooth to v5.0, and redesigned the speaker to resonant throughout the device, giving it a Boombox sound. However, they also did some things that do not make sense – such as adding a notch on the display, put in a smaller battery, and taking away the on/off capability of the fingerprint sensor and instead gave it the typical side switch. NFC will allow you to perform Android Pay. Android 8.0 Oreo comes standard on the LG G7 ThinQ. The LG G7 ThinQ measures 153.2 x 71.9 x 7.9 mm, weighs in at 162 grams and comes in Platinum Gray, Aurora Black, Moroccan Blue, Raspberry Rose. The device is available for for about $750 for the 64GB model.
…And The Winner Is…
The Final Word
The LG G7 ThinQ may have a few things more going for it than the OnePlus 6, but we are hard-pressed to find them, especially with a price differential of over $220. Both devices are well-built, modern looking, they use the similar 18:9/19.5:9 display ratio, the same processor/GPU, they both sport dual cameras, and both are running Android 8.0 Oreo. In fact, the OnePlus 6 sports a larger AMOLED display, more RAM, a FFC with twice as many megapixels, a larger battery, and comes unlocked. For all of these reasons, we are choosing the OnePlus 6 as the winner of this comparison.
The LG G7 ThinQ does have more PPI on the display, Always-On display, wireless charging, expandable memory, IP68 and MIL-STD-810G specs, and a Boombox speaker setup, but those do not justify an extra $220 in pricing, in my opinion. Both of these devices will serve you well, but with the OnePlus 6 you will have some extra cash in your pocket.
Buy The OnePlus 6Buy The LG G7 ThinQ