LG has finally taken the wraps off of the G6, its long-anticipated and highly leaked flagship phone for 2017. The device boasts a number of great features, including a display with rounded corners, a dual-lens rear-facing camera, and more.
While it’s definitely one of the better Android phones currently available, the fact is that Android isn’t the only mobile operating system out there. Can the new G6 go up against Apple’s flagship phone, the iPhone 7 Plus? We put the two head to head to find out.
Specs and performance
LG G6
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
Size
148.9 x 71.9 x 7.9 millimeters (5.86 x 2.83 x 0.31 inches)
158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 millimeters (6.23 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches)
Weight
5.75 ounces
6.63 ounces
Screen
5.7-inch IPS LCD
5.5-inch IPS LCD
Resolution
2,880 x 1,440
1,920×1,080
OS
Android 7.0 Nougat
iOS 10
Storage
32/64GB
32/128/256GB
SD Card Slot
Yes
No
NFC support
Yes
Yes (Apple Pay Only)
Processor
Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821
Apple A10 Fusion
RAM
4GB
3GB
Connectivity
Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA
Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA
Camera
Front 5MP, Rear dual 13MP
Front 7MP, Rear dual 12MP
Video
2,160p 4K UHD
2,160p 4K UHD
Bluetooth
Yes, version 4.2
Yes, version 4.2
Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes
Water Resistant
Yes, IP68
Yes, IP67
Battery
3,300mAh
2,900mAh
Charger
USB-C
Lightning
Quick Charging
Yes
No
Wireless Charging
Yes, WPC and PMA
No
Marketplace
Google Play Store
Apple App Store
Color offerings
White, black, platinum
Rose Gold, Gold, Silver, Black, Jet Black
Availability
TBD
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile
DT Review
First Take
4 out of 5 stars
When it comes to specs, it can sometimes be a little hard to compare iPhones and Android devices. That’s because of the fact that while Android phones generally use the same processors, Apple designs its own chips for use in the iPhone. Still, there are things that we can compare.
The LG G6 makes use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, which is only second to the upcoming Snapdragon 835 chip. To compare, Apple uses its self-built A10 Fusion chip, which has been hailed as one of the best smartphone chips ever built. In fact, when it comes to benchmarks, the Apple A10 Fusion puts anything else on the market to shame. In one AnTuTu benchmark test performed by Android Authority, the Apple A10 Fusion scored a hefty 150,000, while the Snapdragon 821 hit 141,092. On Geekbench S, however, the A10 Fusion scored a whopping 3,399, more than doubling the Snapdragon 821 score of 1,500.
Of course, things like the operating system will affect those scores, but the fact is this — the A10 Fusion chip is more powerful than the Snapdragon 821.
The RAM situation is a little different. On paper the LG G6 has 4GB while the iPhone 7 Plus only has 3GB. Still, those figures don’t really mean much if the iPhone performs better in the real world.
When it comes to storage, the LG G6 has the option of either 32GB or 64GB of storage. The iPhone has 32GB, 128GB, or 256GB, however the G6 also has a MicroSD card slot, so you can expand your storage if you so choose.
Android fans, brace yourselves: The iPhone 7 Plus is the winner in the performance department. The processor is faster, and while the G6 has an extra 1GB of RAM, the fact is that even in real-world tests the iPhone performs better. That could be due to operating system integration, or a range of other factors — but it doesn’t really matter what the reason is.
Winner: Apple iPhone 7 Plus