LG G6 vs. Galaxy S7 vs. Galaxy S7 Edge: How does LG’s best stack up to Samsung?

LG has finally taken the wraps off of the long-awaited and heavily leaked G6 — a phone that could be LG’s crowning jewel after a somewhat lackluster release in the modular G5. But just because the G6 is getting good early reviews, that doesn’t mean it’s the best device out there — and there are plenty of great flagship devices to pit it against. Like, for example, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.

Read our first impressions of the LG G6 and our rundown of the testing LG performs on its devices

The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge are now year-old phones, but that doesn’t mean they’re not excellent devices. So how do they compare against the newer and perhaps more powerful LG G6? We put all three phones head to head to find out.

Specs

LG G6

Galaxy S7

Galaxy S7 Edge

Size
148.9 x 71.9 x 7.9 millimeters (5.86 x 2.83 x 0.31 inches)
142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 millimeters (5.61 x 2.74 x 0.31 inches)
149 x 72 x 7.62 millimeters (5.85 x 2.85 x 0.30 inches)
Weight
5.75 ounces
5.36 ounces
5.54 ounces
Screen
5.7-inch IPS LCD
5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED
Dual-edge, 5.5-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED
Resolution
2,880 x 1,440 pixels
2,560 x 1,440 pixels
2,560×1,440 pixels
OS
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 7.0 Nougat
Storage
32/64GB
32/64GB
32/64GB
SD Card Slot
Yes
Yes
Yes
NFC support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Processor
Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821
Qualcomm MSM8996, Snapdragon 820 (U.S. Models),
Exynos 8890 Octa (International Models)
Qualcomm MSM8996, Snapdragon 820 (U.S. Models),
Exynos 8890 Octa (International Models)
RAM
4GB
4GB
4GB
Connectivity
Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA
Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+
Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+
Camera
Front 5MP, Rear dual 13MP
Front 5MP, Rear 12MP
Front 5MP, Rear 12MP
Video
2,160p 4K UHD
2,160p 4K UHD
2,160p 4K UHD
Bluetooth
Yes, version 4.2
Yes, version 4.2
Yes, version 4.2
Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes
Yes
Water Resistant
Yes, IP68
Yes, IP68
Yes, IP68
Battery
3,300mAh
3,000mAh
3,600mAh
Charger
USB-C
Micro USB
Micro USB
Quick Charging
Yes
Yes
Yes
Wireless Charging
Yes, WPC and PMA
Yes, Qi and PMA
Yes, Qi and PMA
Marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Color offerings
White, black, platinum
Black, white, gold, silver
Black, white, gold, silver
Availability
TBD

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile

DT Review
First Take 
4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars

When it comes to specs, these two phones are more alike than we might have wanted — that’s because the LG G6 features a now aging Snapdragon 821, which is only slightly better than the older Snapdragon 820 found in the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. On top of that, all three devices feature a respectable 4GB of RAM, though we expect many new phones to begin shipping with a larger 6GB of RAM. And to be fair, that’s because Samsung’s phone is a year older. The upcoming Galaxy S8 may be different.

More: Apple iPhone 7 vs Samsung Galaxy S7: Which flagship is best?

Still, there is something to be said for that slight performance boost in using the Snapdragon 821 over the 820, and it should help the new G6 run that much faster — or stay relevant for slightly longer. Of course, to complicate things, not all Galaxy S7 models feature the Snapdragon 820 — the international model instead opts for Samsung’s self-built Exynos 8890. In most benchmarks, the 8890 has been found to be slightly more powerful than the Snapdragon 820, though slightly less powerful than the Snapdragon 821 — so the LG G6 still has the edge here.

When it comes to storage, both Galaxy S7 phones offer 32GB and 64GB options, but the G6 only has a 64GB version in some markets. However, all three have a MicroSD card slot, meaning you can expand upon that storage if you so choose.

While the phones are close in performance, the LG G6 has a slight edge. In reality, we would have liked the G6 to have more than a slight advantage in the performance department given the fact that it’s almost a year newer — but there’s no denying what the winner is here.

Winner: LG G6