Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus vs LG V60: Which Should You Buy?

The readily available Samsung Galaxy S20+ and the LG V60 for buyers have to make a tough choice here. Phones this year are bigger, better and faster than ever before, and these are two of your best choices so far in 2020.

In this Galaxy S20+ vs LG V60 ThinQ comparison, we’ll go over everything you need to know about both and the specs, features and cameras comparison to help you choose your next phone.

Samsung has launched three different versions of the Galaxy S20, and this year LG is offering the V60 in March instead of year-end, offering buyers two flagship phones that have a lot to offer. While this makes the choice even more difficult, it’s always better to have options and you now have several screen sizes and price points to choose from.

Galaxy S20+ and LG V60 ThinQ: Technical Specifications

Surprisingly, these two phones are very similar overall, but there are a few differences you’ll definitely want to note. While the V60 looks more like a Galaxy S10+ than the new Galaxy S20+, they are very similar under the hood and overall appearance.

The screen size of both is similar and the LG V60 actually sits between the Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra. Both phones have plenty of power, thanks to the latest Qualcomm processor that delivers a smooth user interface, streaming video or gaming experiences. Both come with plenty of storage, plenty of RAM, and optional upgrades. The Galaxy S20 comes with 128GB of storage, which is more than enough for most, and 12GB of RAM, which is way too much for a phone.

The LG V60, which is likely to keep the price low, comes with just 8GB of RAM along with 128GB of storage and a massive 5,000mAh battery. The V60 also has a headphone jack. To be honest, that big battery is probably one of the most important aspects of this phone and will make you want to seriously consider the Galaxy S20+.

This LG V60 ThinQ 5G

LG does not use Quad-HD display or high refresh rate. While some will think this is a minus, you’ll get significantly better battery life as a result, as it’s not as good as the S20.

The biggest difference between these phones will be the camera experience, the screen, and then the software, which Samsung usually gains. Therefore, we will examine these areas in a few more details for potential buyers.

Galaxy S20+ and LG V60: Design and Image

Last year LG added a ton of sensors to the top of the phone and like Apple added a notch. Thankfully, they’ve dropped that altogether this year, and the only thing keeping it from being an edge-to-edge display is a small circle for the front camera – just like Samsung. That said, Samsung has a cutout for the camera, while LG has added a circle teardrop notch at the top.

LG has chosen a screen size that fits perfectly between Samsung’s two main options, as it has done for several years. That way, recipients have a choice if one is too big and the other too small. That said, 6.8 inches is the biggest LG has offered in a while, so no matter which phone you choose, you’ll have to get used to a big screen.

Samsung uses a brand new display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, where the screen is refreshed 120 times per second. Users will notice that devices are faster, smoother and more responsive thanks to this technology. We expected at least 90Hz panel from LG but we didn’t get it. It’s also just a 1080p display, which some won’t like.

Honestly, with the LG V60 I ​​don’t care about 1080p resolution or 60Hz panel as it will provide great performance and truly all-day battery life. I’m pretty sure it will definitely outlast the Galaxy S20.

LG’s popular second screen cover accessory will also come with every LG V60, giving you a second 6.8-inch screen to mess with whenever you want. So, while it is a 6.8 inch phone, you can easily convert it to a 14 inch tablet whenever you want. That’s pretty neat, isn’t it?

Once again, Samsung has an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor inside the display, in the same style as its previous phones. LG eventually adopted this technology in the V60, but they will use an optical (camera) fingerprint sensor inside the display. This takes a photo from the screen to confirm your identity. Both types have their pros and cons in terms of speed and accuracy.

Both phones have curved glass screens, a metal frame and glass covering the back. Both phones will be pretty fragile and you’ll want a case.

Galaxy S20+ and LG V60: Cameras

Next, we want to briefly mention the cameras on both of these phones as they will be a strong suit and selling point for many. Both the Galaxy S20 and LG V60 have significantly upgraded cameras compared to previous years. However, the LG V60 DOES NOT have a telephoto zoom lens, while Samsung has really made great progress in zoom technology. If that’s important to you, skip the V60.

Again, two similar general setups with a different approach. Samsung uses an upgraded but similar main camera to its predecessors, which takes great pictures. Then they updated the telephoto camera to something new, capable of 3-30x optical and digital zoom, and the results we’ve seen so far are excellent. This lens can also shoot 8k video.

Then LG did the opposite and upgraded its main camera to 64MP; This will Pixel-binning to deliver excellent 16MP photos when you shoot regularly. Then there’s a 13MP wide-angle lens they’ve been offering for several years now, along with a new ToF sensor to assist with information gathering and depth of field.

Oddly enough, LG isn’t offering any telephoto zoom lenses this year. While Samsung went all-out with the 5-30x zoom, they left out the 4th sensor entirely. Is telephoto zoom lens important to you?

If we had to guess, the Galaxy S20+ will do the better of the two as Samsung generally takes the lead when it comes to camera performance. Also, initial reviews suggest the Galaxy S20 family has an incredibly capable camera setup.

Galaxy S20+ and LG V60: Battery Life and Charging

If there’s one area where the LG V60 will likely beat the Samsung (other than pricing), it’s in overall battery life. This year LG rocked out and threw a massive 5,000mAh battery inside the LG V60 ThinQ 5G. We think this could help him become the battery life champion in this new 5G world.

The LG V60 has a much larger battery that’s only slightly longer than the Galaxy S20+, but doesn’t need to do nearly as much work. Yes, the Galaxy S20 Ultra also has a 5,000mAh battery – but this phone offers a higher resolution and refresh rate display – not to mention the $1,400 cost. LG’s V60 is only 1080p and 60Hz, but still packs a massive 5K battery. This is really exciting.

Just know that higher refresh rates, 5G and big bright screens drain your battery.

We won’t know more about battery life until we see how much 120Hz big screens and 5G speeds drain the battery on the Galaxy S20, but we have a feeling it will make a big impact. This allows the LG V60 to outlast all of Samsung’s new phones and easily get you through an entire workday.

Galaxy S20+ and LG V60 ThinQ: 5G Connectivity

Another thing we should talk about briefly is 5G because that’s the next big thing. We’ll keep this short and sweet.

Yes, both the Galaxy S20+ and the new LG V60 ThinQ have 5G built in. They work on nearly all major carriers in the United States and around the world. If you’re into 5G, both of these phones should be on your radar.

Release Date and Price

And finally, we want to talk about the release date and prices of these phones. Obviously, when they’re available and how much are two very important issues – pricing in particular.

As you probably know, the Galaxy S20 family of phones is super expensive. Samsung’s new phones came out in early March and are available everywhere we speak. But the LG V60 reached carriers in the United States towards the end of March and starts at $799 without a second screen and a little more with clean accessories.

Here’s the pricing for the Galaxy S20, along with what we’ve come to expect from LG.

Do you see the difference here? The LG V60 is comparable to the Galaxy S20+ and sneaks into the Ultra, but will cost less than Samsung’s cheapest regular Galaxy S20. LG has yet to reveal exact pricing and availability, but they have confirmed that the LG V60 price will drop to “under $1,000,” which is crucial. We’ve since seen prices from carriers like Verizon for around $949 and slightly less on AT&T and T-Mobile.

If you don’t want to spend $1,200 on a new phone, consider waiting for devices like the LG V60 or OnePlus 8 Pro.

final thoughts

In closing, it’s hard to compare these two phones this early and we’ll know a lot more when we get our hands on both for some testing. With all that said, getting an experience comparable to the Galaxy S20+, which costs $1,199 for under $900, makes this a tough choice.

Either way, these will be the two best smartphones for the first half of 2020, if not the whole year. You should definitely consider buying one of these instead of something that was released last year.