Arguably, LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7 are the two biggest launches of the year. Let us compare the features and components of the two ompeting devices based on a couple of key aspects one by one.
Design and display
Galaxy S7 has continued to have the same design language as on last year's Galaxy S6. Rear side has slight curves this time. Rest of all remains a combination of metal.and glass.
LG on the other hand has everything made of metal this time. In fact, thjs is fhe first time we will see a full metal LG device. Unlike the unibody construction found on Galaxy S7, we see a removable modular design on LG G5. The modular design allows custom components. LG has already showcased a few custom camera modules and battery packs.
Samsung Galaxy S7 has a super AMOLED display at 2560x1440 resolution. The qHD display is capable of stunning colors. LG G5 ckmes with a slightly larger 5.3 inch screen. It incorporates quantum HD display. Resolution remains same as on the S7. The pixel density on Galaxy S7 reads 577 ppi, while LG slightly lags behind at 554 ppi.
The physical dimensions for the S7 measure 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm and it weighs 152 grams. Corresponding figures for LG G5 are 149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7 mm and 159 grams. That makes the LG flagship a little heavier.
Hardware and performance
Galaxy S7 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 octacore processor. LG too has the same processor for its LG G5. However, Samsung is expected to use the in house Exynos 8890 octacore processor in its device for certain markets. The onboard RAM on bith the competing smartphones remains equivalent at 4 GB. The internal storage on Samsung Galaxy S7 begins at 32 GB. But it also has a high memory variant at 64 GB. LG G5 on the other hand, has only one version at 32 GB. Both of them support expandable memory using microSD card up to 200 GB. Samsung has stated that the processor is 30% faster while the GPU performance has been touted to be 64 % faster.
Camera
Samsung has surprisingly lowered its megapixels count this time. Compared to the 16 MP rear camera on Galaxy S6, we have a 12 MP one on the S7. But, there are under the hood tweaks for the camera setup. The autofocus is now faster. You now have a f/1.7 aperture which is wide enough. Even the sensor pixel size is sufficiently larfer at 1.4 microns. Autofocus speed and low light performance have been stated to be quite effective.
The LG G5 comes with a 16 MP dual sensor amera setup. The dual setup consisfs of a 16 MP camera with 75° viewing angle and a 8 MP camera with 135° viewing angle. You get the familiar laser auto focus technology. Cameras are capable of 4K video recording capacity.
Battery and other features
Battery capcity wise, Samsung has used 3000 mAh battery on its S7 and LG has a 2800 mAh battery. The one on Samsung is non removable compared to LG G5 which has a removable variety. Both the devices support quick charging.
You get all the in demand connectivity options like NFC, Wi Fi, finger print scanner, Blue tooth and other regular features. Samsung takes a lead with its water and dust resistance capability. It has IP68 level water resistance properties. Your Galaxy S7 can stay under 1.5 meter of water for 30 minutes without getting damaged. LG could not offer this functionality given its modular design.
In my opinion, neither of the devices play one upmanship. Yes, the Galaxy S7 has a few advanced features. But, the G5 too does not fall much behind. It is just by a whisker that the Samsung device trails ahead.
Live....and Let Live!