HTC 10 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 vs LG G5
Our Verdict
We won’t give our final verdict until we’ve thoroughly tested the HTC 10. However, it’s clear each phone has its advantages. You might like the LG G5, with its modular design, generous display size and removable battery. Alternatively, the more compact Galaxy S7 is fastest of the lot, with extras such as waterproofing, fast wireless charging, a heart-rate sensor and more common Micro-USB port. But don’t write off HTC: while the One M9 was mildly disappointing, the company has really pulled up its socks with the HTC 10, which is now a true rival to Samsung and LG and may just win you over with its fantastic design, awesome selfies and Hi-Res audio.
Samsung, LG and HTC have each now unveiled their flagship Android phones for 2016, and it looks to be a closer-fought battle than ever before as to which phone comes out on top. In this article we explain the main differences between each phone. HTC 10 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 vs LG G5. Also see our fullSamsung Galaxy S7 review,LG G5 review, andHTC 10 hands-on review.
HTC 10 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 vs LG G5: Design
Three gorgeous Android phones, the HTC 10, Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG G5 couldn’t look more different. While the Galaxy S7 is a sleek combination of metal and glass front and rear, the HTC 10 is a unibody two-tone metal device. The LG G5 stands apart with its modular design, allowing you to bolt on ‘LG Friends’, which are optional accessories such as a 360 camera and B&O DAC. Oh, and it means you can access the battery, which isn’t possible with either the S7 or HTC 10. Also see:HTC 10 UK release date, price, specification, new features and photos.
Of the trio the Galaxy S7 is both the smallest and lightest, but not quite the slimmest – that accolade goes to the 7.7mm LG G5. In truth, though, there’s very little difference, with just 7mm and 9g separating LG, Samsung and HTC.
All three are fitted with Quad-HD screens, which mean they are incredibly crisp and clear. The Samsung is clearest of all with its 577ppi pixel pitch, thanks to its 5.1in screen, but we can’t believe anyone would be able to tell the difference between this and the 5.2in, 564ppi HTC 10 or 5.3in, 554ppi LG G5. Also see:Best smartphones 2016.
What may be more obvious is the screen panel technology each phone uses. HTC fits a Super LCD 5 panel, which tend to be very bright and easily visible in sunlight, but contrast can be reduced. That’s not an issue for the Super AMOLED tech favoured by Samsung, which omits a backlight and thus has very deep blacks, along with extremely rich, saturated colours. IPS technology, as seen in the LG G5, is by comparison much more realistic in terms of its colour palette, yet it can place a heavier burden on battery life.
Samsung and LG have both opted to implement an always-on display, which allows you to check the time, date and other useful information at a glance without activating the screen. Samsung’s version is more customisable, while LG’s shows more notifications. However, we don’t think either has got the balance just right, and we don’t blame HTC for leaving it out for this generation.
The HTC 10’s familiar BoomSound front-facing speakers are no longer visible from the front, but it still has the best audio system of any phone here on paper, with the HTC BoomSound H-Fi Edition, Dolby Audio and Hi-Res Audio support. You also get a pair of Hi-Res earphones in the box.
If you need a waterproof phone, your only choice in this group is the Galaxy S7 with its IP68 rating. It’s also the only phone to feature a heart-rate sensor, while the LG is the only one not to have removed its IR blaster for its 2016 flagship. All three phones feature a fingerprint scanner – the LG’s at the back and the HTC and Samsung’s built into the Home button. Also see:Best Android phones 2016.
HTC 10 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 vs LG G5: Core hardware & performance
While HTC and LG both fit the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, a 64-bit quad-core chip that’s paired with Adreno 530 graphics and 4GB of RAM, Samsung has opted for its own Exynos 8890 octa-core chip with the Mali-T880 MP12 GPU.
In our benchmarks the Samsung’s Exynos chip was faster than the LG’s Snapdragon. We have yet to benchmark the HTC, but expect that its slightly higher-clocked processor and smaller screen would give it a lead on the LG in performance, putting it in second place behind the Samsung.
It’s worth pointing out that all three phones are capable of fantastic performance, and you should not let a small difference in benchmarks heavily influence your buying decision. And, in any case, what’s more important than what a phone is capable of is what it feels like in use, and we can’t wait to try HTC’s new Freestyle Layout and find out whether there’s any truth in its claims that apps launch twice as fast.
In terms of battery performance the trio should be fairly on par with each other. The LG is the only phone here to let you swap out its battery for a spare, and it supports the latest fast-charging technology,Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. HTC also specifies QC3, which it combines with its own rapid-charging tech to allow you to get 50 percent charge in just half an hour.
With an Exynos rather than Qualcomm chip inside the Galaxy S7 doesn’t support QC3, but it does feature Samsung’s own adaptive fast charging, and is the only phone here to not only support wireless charging, but fast wireless charging.
It’s worth pointing out that the Galaxy S7 also sticks with the older Micro-USB connection for charging and data transfer, unlike the LG and HTC which both specify the newer and reversible USB-C. Which format appeals to you will be a personal choice: on the one hand you probably own dozens of Micro-USB cables and accessories, and on the other USB-C is convenient in that it works either way around and is futureproof. See allAndroid phone reviews.
HTC 10 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 vs LG G5: Cameras
As phones drastically improve with each new generation, it becomes more difficult to differentiate between them. One key area in which smartphones can do their own thing is photography. Unfortunately, looking at the specifications alone can’t help you here – you really need to see how they fare in the real world. As soon as we have the HTC in our lab we will update ourbest phone camera 2016group test.
At a glance you might think the LG G5 has the best camera. Not only can you bolt on additional camera hardware, but what it’s got onboard looks to be pretty good. It has an 8Mp selfie camera where HTC and Samsung specify only 5Mp (although HTC’s is the only one to feature optical image stabilisation). And whereas those two rivals feature 12Mp primary cameras, the LG G5 has a 16Mp camera AND an 8Mp wide-angle camera.
Don’t let the numbers do the talking for you, though: if photography is important, wait until you can see just how good the camera is before you make up your mind.
HTC 10 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 vs LG G5: Specifications
HTC 10
Samsung Galaxy S7
LG G5
Price
£569 RRP
£569 RRP
£529 RRP
Operating system
Android 6, HTC Sense
Android 6, TouchWiz
Android 6, UX 5.0
Display size
5.2in
5.1in
5.3in
Display resolution
2560×1440, 564ppi
2560×1440, 577ppi
2560×1440, 554ppi
Display tech
Super LCD 5, 2.5D
Super AMOLED
IPS
Always-on display
No
Yes
Yes
Processor
2.2GHz Snapdragon 820 64-bit quad-core
1.6/2.3GHz Exynos 8890, 64-bit octa-core
2.1GHz Snapdragon 820, 64-bit quad-core
GPU
Adreno 530
Mali-T880 MP12
Adreno 530
RAM
4GB
4GB
4GB
Storage
32GB
32GB
32GB
MicroSD support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Primary camera
12Mp UltraPixel 2, dual-tone LED flash, OIS, f1.8, laser autofocus, 1.55um pixels
12Mp Dual Pixel, single LED flash, f/1.7, laser autofocus, 1.4um pixels
16Mp, 8Mp dual camera, OIS, laser autofocus. LG 360 Cam optional (£199)
Video recording
4K, slow-mo
4K, slow-mo, time-lapse
4K, slow-mo
Selfie camera
5Mp UltraSelfie, 1080p video, OIS, f/1.8
5Mp, 1080p video, f/1.7
8Mp, 1080p video
Fingerprint scanner
Yes
Yes
Yes
Heart-rate scanner
No
Yes
No
Modular design
No
No
Yes
Audio
HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition, Dolby Audio, Hi Res Audio, Hi Res earphones
Bottom-facing mono speaker
B&O Hi-Fi Plus DAC optional (£149)
Waterproof
No
Yes (IP68)
No
4G LTE
Yes (Cat 9 LTE 450Mb/s)
Yes (Cat 9 LTE 450Mb/s)
Yes (Cat 9 LTE 450Mb/s)
Wi-Fi
Dual-band 802.11ac
Dual-band 802.11ac
Dual-band 802.11ac
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 4.2
Bluetooth 4.2
Bluetooth 4.2
NFC
Yes
Yes
Yes
GPS
GPS & GLONASS
GPS & GLONASS
GPS & GLONASS
IR blaster
No
No
Yes
SIM
Single Nano
Single Nano
Single Nano
Battery
3000mAh, non-removable
3000mAh, non-removable
2800mAh, removable
USB
USB-C
Micro-USB
USB-C
Quick Charge
3.0
Adaptive fast charge
3.0
Wireless charging
No
Yes (fast)
No
Dimensions
145.9×71.9×3-9mm
142x70x7.9mm
149x74x7.7mm
Weight
161g
152g
159g
Read next:Best new phones coming in 2016.
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Specs
HTC 10: Specs
Author: Marie Black, Editorial Director, International
Marie is Editorial Director at Foundry. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she’s worked in tech media for almost 20 years, covering all types of consumer tech from smartphones and their accessories to smart home gear. These days she manages our international editorial teams and leads on content strategy, having witnessed first-hand Foundry’s transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.
