LG G7 ThinQ vs LG V35 ThinQ: which LG flagship phone is the best buy?

LG doesn't like to stick with just one smartphone launch a year, with its G series and V series phones offering different features at different price points for the discerning mobile buyer. Here we'll compare its two 2018 flagships: the LG G7 ThinQ and the LG V35 ThinQ.

Want to know which phone has the nicer design? Or which one offers more horsepower in terms of its internal components? We've gone into detail in all the categories that matter so you can make the most informed choice if you're picking between these two handsets.

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What about the LG V40 ThinQ?

Before we get into a head to head with the two phones LG has launched so far this year, we should mention the LG V40 ThinQ, even if it's only a rumoured phone at this point. Three flagships in a year might seem excessive, but LG apparently doesn't think so.

We haven't heard much about the device or the specifications it'll carry, but the news that it's on the way comes from @evleaks, one of the most trusted and reliable tipsters on the web. If he says something is happening, then it's usually happening.

Reports suggest the LG V40 ThinQ is going to be with us before the autumn, and as for the specs it would seem that a slight bump on the LG V35 ThinQ is a good bet. One tidbit that has leaked out: the phone is said to be bringing with it no less than five cameras.

LG G7 ThinQ vs LG V35 ThinQ: design

The designs of the LG G7 and the LG V35 don't vary too much, though there are some differences we can talk about – there's the distinctive display notch on the LG G7, for example. You can hide it with a software setting, but it's not there at all on the LG V35.

In fact, the stylings of the LG V35 haven't changed much from the LG V30 we saw last year. It's got the same glass and aluminium design, and a screen of the same size and resolution (6 inches, 1440 x 2880 pixels). This time around though there are fewer colours to pick from: just black and grey.

Meanwhile, the LG G7 has a 6.1-inch display with a 1440 x 3120 pixel resolution. Again, glass and aluminium materials are the order of the day, so if you were squinting you'd be hard pushed to tell these two smartphones apart.

LG G7 ThinQ vs LG V35 ThinQ: specs

Under the hood, the two phones we're weighing up here are actually very similar. Both are powered by the Snapdragon 845, found in almost all the top-end Android phones this year, and guaranteed to be able to handle anything you want to throw at it.

That processor is paired with 4GB or 6GB of RAM for the LG G7 (depending on model and region) and 6GB of RAM for the LG V35. Again, whichever phone you pick, you're not going to have any performance issues. Even 4GB of RAM should be plenty for almost all smartphone tasks, though a bump to 6GB is welcome.

You can buy both the LG G7 and the LG V35 with either 64GB or 128GB of storage, and both phones also have a microSD card slot if you want to expand that even further. Even if cloud storage is becoming more and more important, it's good to have plenty of local storage on hand as well.

LG G7 ThinQ vs LG V35 ThinQ: features

In terms of the rear-facing camera on these smartphones, it's a dead heat: a dual-lens 16MP+16MP snapper on both handsets, so you're going to get the same (rather good) shots no matter which of these phones you opt for.

Both handsets offer full IP68 waterproofing and dustproofing, and both offer wireless charging, though in the case of the LG G7 that's just the US version. The headphone jack is present and correct on both phones, but the LG G7 does have a unique BoomBox feature that uses the spaces inside the phone to better amplify sound.

As for that ThinQ moniker appended to both phone model names, it means the extra smarts LG builds into all its new phones now: AI assistance for choosing photo modes, quick links to the Google Assistant, and more.

LG G7 ThinQ vs LG V35 ThinQ: verdict

As you can see from the categories we've worked our way through, there isn't really much to choose between these two handsets. They both carry some top-notch components, and both have big, bright screens (though the LG G7 uses LCD technology while the LG V35 goes for OLED).

If we had to pick a winner, we'd say the LG G7 ThinQ just about edges it: it has a more modern design and a few neat extras (like the BoomBox audio), whereas the LG V35 is more of a minor refresh of last year's hardware.

Nevertheless, buying either of these phones will bag you an Android phone you can reply on for years to come. Both phones come with Android 8.0 Oreo installed, and should be some of the first in line when the Android P roll out arrives too. The choice might not be available to you though – at the time of writing, the LG V35 is only available in the US.

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