HTC U12+ vs LG G7 ThinQ: Which is best?

HTC U12+ vs LG G7 ThinQ: Which is best?

Need a new phone but bored of the same old identikit rectangles? HTC’s U12+ and LG G7 ThinQ both have quirky extras that set them apart from the rest of the smartphone crowd, be it the U12+’s squeezy sides or the LG’s clever speaker setup. But which one is the better buy? Here’s what we think now that we’ve given both of these handsets hearty, in-depth reviews.

Design: Slim pickings

Both of these phones have premium builds but they lack character. The HTC U12+ offers a pretty plain-looking face: an 18:9 screen with a regular ol’ block of bezel on the top and bottom. The “Liquid Glass” finish on the back is nice, but it lacks the panache of the best 2018 flagships. Meanwhile, the LG G7 ThinQ gets a bit lost in the recent notch-and-chin trend of Android phones, including the OnePlus 6 and Huawei P20, and the glass backing doesn’t pop as much as it does on the U12+. Verdict: LG G7 ThinQ

Screen: Brighter is better

You’ll find a Quad HD resolution LCD screen on both phones: a 6in 18:9 display at 2880×1440 for the HTC, while the G7 ThinQ goes for a 6.1in 19.5:9 display at 3120×1440. You’ll want to tweak the colours on both but the U12+ doesn’t get as bright as the G7 ThinQ, which has a boost option for when you need it most. Neither can match the punchy blacks and killer contrast of an OLED, but the LG gets the leg up here. Verdict: LG G7 ThinQ

Camera: Snap decision

Both phones have two cameras on the back. The U12+ has a 12MP (f/1.7) main sensor and 16MP (f/2.6) secondary one, while the G7 ThinQ opts for two 16MP shooters, the main one at f/1.6 and the wide-angle at f/1.9. Neither are world-class snappers but on the whole the U12+ produces the better images of the two, even if you do have to be aware of occasional shutter lag. The G7 performs better in low light and the wide-angle lens is a real benefit, but it does have a habit of blowing out highlights. Verdict: HTC U12+

Performance: Pretty even

Like a lot of flagships out there, these phones share pretty similar specs. They both boast a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip as the brains of the operation, which means they’re both super fast and able to handle any games, apps, or media sent their way. The HTC U12+ ships with 6GB RAM, while the base LG G7 ThinQ has 4GB and a pricier model bumps up to 6GB RAM. But we didn’t notice any real difference between the 4GB in the G7 and the 6GB in the U12+. Verdict: Draw

Battery and storage: Bigger not better

The 3500mAh battery in the HTC U12+ should impress, but we found ourselves easily blitzing through a whole charge in a day. The LG’s 3000mAh pack, however, proved totally decent, leaving us about 30% left most nights. And it supports wireless charging, to boot. Both of these phones offer 64GB in the base model and 128GB in a pricier edition, and both support microSD cards for expandable storage. Nice. Verdict: LG G7 ThinQ

Perks: Get ready to rumble

With its Active Edge sides you can squeeze the U12+ to launch the camera, Google Assistant, or something else. You might find that particularly useful, but we triggered it by accident more than we intentionally used it. The G7 ThinQ has a dedicated button for the Google Assistant but its coolest feature is the Boombox speaker, which resonates sound through any surface the phone is laying on. It’s surprisingly effective. Prefer to use headphones? The LG has a 3.5mm port, whereas the HTC ditches it. Verdict: LG G7 ThinQ

Verdict: ThinQ about it

Despite their differences, these phones aren’t worlds apart in quality – but we see advantages for the LG G7 ThinQ when it comes to things like design, screen quality, and battery reliability. When you consider that the LG G7 ThinQ comes in £100 less than the £699 HTC U12+, it’s a pretty easy verdict in favour of LG. We’d still point you towards other Android phones ahead of either of these, but if your decision comes down to LG or HTC, we say LG this time around. Winner: LG G7 ThinQ