LG V30 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 8: How do they compare?

With the launch of its new flagship V30 smartphone, LG has its sights set on producing the best big-screen Android mobile that money can buy.

The V30 has one of the highest quality dual-lens cameras available. This sits behind a six-inch OLED (organic light emitting diode) display with high dynamic range (HDR) effects that bolster the screen's contrast ratios.

The new device will have to compete with Samsung's latest Note 8 – a smartphone of near-equal size and performance.

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Both have similar processors, cameras and edge-to-edge displays. So what is it that sets the two large Android-powered mobiles apart?

Here's how they compare:

Displays

Samsung debuted its bezel-free Infinity Display on its flagship Galaxy S8 smartphone in April, removing the fingerprint scanner from the front panel and relocating it to the rear for a more minimalist look.

The company has done the same for its larger sibling. Wired says the Note 8 comes with an AMOLED (active matrix organic light emitting diode) 6.3ins curved display that packs a resolution of 2960x1440 pixels. It's a "tall and narrow" screen, the website says, but it looks "fantastic" and "massive" in the palm of your hand.

TrustedReviews says LG has fitted the V30's halo device with an OLED display that's 0.3ins smaller than its Samsung rival and has slightly fewer pixels at 2880x1440.

Nevertheless, it still comes with HDR effects that make videos and pictures look more vibrant and colourful compared to its predecessors, says the site. The feature is also available on the Note 8. Only HDR content, such as some TV shows and movies on Netflix, is compatible.

Performance and hardware

First off is the LG V30, which ExpertReviews says is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 processor and 4GB of RAM. While the chip is "still in its infancy", it should offer enough performance to rival the very best smartphones on sale.

It's also got an IP68 rating, says Cnet, meaning it can resist being submerged in water 60ins (1.5m) deep for up to 30 minutes without being damaged. As the device doesn't come with a detachable backplate, the website says the V30's 3,300mAh battery cannot be removed.

For Note 8, Samsung has fitted its halo product with the same Snapdragon 835 processor as the V30 for customers in the US, says TrustedReviews. But all other countries that sell the Note 8 will do so with an Exynos 8895 chip produced by Samsung.

The company has paired the processor with 6GB of RAM, the site says, along an IP68 water resistance rating and a 3,300mAh battery that matches the V30. But the Note 8's battery isn't as big as the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, meaning it could "struggle" to get though a whole day on one charge.

Cameras

The Note 8 is the first smartphone in the Samsung range to sport a pair of cameras at the back, says The Guardian. Both lenses are 12-megapixel shooters. One acts as a traditional wide-angle lens and the other comes with "a telephoto-like" two-times zoom.

Each lens has optical image stabilisation as well, says TrustedReviews. This makes it easier to take high-quality images with shaky hands or in windy weather. At the front sits the same eight-megapixel shooter from the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus.

LG's V30 also sports a pair of cameras at the rear, which Cnet says comprises 16-megapixel and 13-megapixel sensors. Like the Note 8, the site says one acts as a standard shooter while the other has a wide-angle setting.

The Verge reports that the smaller sensor offers 120 degrees of viewing and lower aperture values to help produce "better nighttime shots".

Price

Samsung is due to launch the Note 8 on 15 September. It can be pre-ordered from Carphone Warehouse for £869.

There's no word on how much the LG V30 will cost, but Cnet believes it will be priced around $600 to $800 (£460 to £616) – substantially undercutting the Note 8.

An actual figure is expected to be revealed closer to the V30's release on 21 September.