LG V10 vs Samsung Galaxy Note5: first look

Samsung got things jumpstarted for this upcoming holiday season when they announced the Samsung Galaxy Note5, which has gone on to reach universal acclaim. LG’s response to that is none other than the generically named V10, one that might sound boring, but it’s far from that. There’s a lot of similarities between these two phablets, but we got to spend some time with the two to find out exactly how they stack up against one another.

Design

Looking at the two, it’s instantly recognizable that they have contrasting designs. Samsung favors the premium touch with the Note5, as it exhibits that luxurious look thanks in part to its metal meeting glass construction. In achieving that level of premium, however, they’ve made the phone feel a bit fragile – one that wouldn’t necessarily withstand drops.

And that’s where the LG V10 answers back with a solid response, seeing that it addresses the fragility of the Note5’s package. Boasting a Dura Guard cladded body, further strengthened by 316L stainless steel guard on its sides, the V10 ensures it’s well protected against shocks and drops – while also offering a bit more grip in the process. Indeed, it’s not as premium looking or feeling in comparison to the Note5, but regardless, some folks will appreciate the peace of mind that accompanies its design.

Display

On the specs front, they’re pretty much the same – 5.7-inch sized displays with 1440 x 2560 Quad-HD resolution. What’s different, unsurprisingly, is the type of display technology that both employ. The Note5’s in particular, a Super AMOLED one, has already proven to be amongst the best in the field, dishing up great color accuracy and potent brightness, while still adhering to all of the properties that make AMOLED screens stand out.

Conversely, the LG V10 employs an IPS Quantum display, which is similar to the G4, but noticeably different at the same time. Staring at it, we can’t help but notice some AMOLED-like qualities with its package. At the highest brightness setting, it produces an iridescent glow that gives colors a ton of liveliness. Additionally, it manages to do nicely in reproducing that true black color.

Each phone has its own unique characteristics. For the Note5, it leverages the aid of its S Pen stylus to offer a higher degree of control and interaction with the screen. Meanwhile, LG V10 sports a smaller sized secondary screen tucked into the upper right corner of the panel. Its purpose is mostly related to eliminating the need to constantly turn on the screen to check out the time and date, and when it’s powered on, it’s used to multi-task between apps and offer some additional functions in certain apps.

Interface

LG’s customized Android experience meets TouchWiz again. Even though their layouts and overall presentations differ from one another, they’re incredibly powerful and diversified to appease power users who crave a higher level of functionality. From their multi-tasking prowess, to even their one-handed modes, they really cater to a wide range of folks. Until we experience the LG V10 in full form, we can’t specify which of the two offers the superior experience.

Processor and Memory

Superficially, the two handsets provide the necessary power punch to handle all the basic and trivial tasks. The Note5 is propelled by Sammy’s own octa-core Exynos 7420 chipset with 4GB of RAM, which has shown to be excellent in handling graphics processing as well. On the flip side, the LG V10 is powered by the same processor used by the G4 already – a hexacore Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC coupled with 4GB of RAM as well. While it’s accompanied with smooth responses navigating through the interface, we’re curious to see how it yields in the graphics side.

Sammy’s prized darling is available in 32GB and 64GB capacities, but there’s no room for expansion whatsoever. Well, LG addresses that because not only does it come stock with a generous 64GB of storage, but there's also a microSD card slot in tow for expansion.

Camera

The Note5’s 16-megapixel camera with an f/1.9 aperture lens has proven to be quite exquisite when it comes to capturing all sorts of footage, but if the LG G4 is any indication, we can expect the same, if not better results with the V10. And why’s that? For starters, it’s fashioned with a 16-megapixel snapper with a slightly better f/1.8 aperture lens, but what really sets it apart is the fact that it offers true video manual control – something that’s unavailable with the Note5.

Adding to its arsenal, the V10 comes with two front-facing 5-megapixel cameras – whereas there’s only a single 5-megapixel snapper with the Note5. This tandem of sorts enables the V10 to capture a wider field of view with its front-facing cameras, so you’ll never need to use a selfie stick again.

Expectations

Samsung has done a commendable job with the Note5, evident in how it has gone on to garner praise and notoriety in the space for being one of the phones to beat this upcoming holiday season. It’s filled from head-to-toe with some impressive tech, such as wireless charging and a heart rate sensor, but the LG V10 comes with an equally impressive package. Some might find the V10’s unique features to be novel, but it’s undoubtedly gunning to become the best all-around camera phone out there. Of course, only time will tell if that’s certainly the case.