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World’s two best flagship Android phones face off in real-world performance test

Published Apr 18th, 2016 10:48AM EDT
Galaxy S7 Vs LG G5

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In our in-depth HTC 10 review, we made it clear that HTC’s new flagship handset is one of the best smartphones on the planet. In fact, it’s the most powerful phone in the world by a wide margin. There’s just one problem with the HTC 10: You can’t buy it yet.

Among the many smartphones that are currently available to purchase, there’s little doubt in our minds that the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and the LG G5 are the two best options out there for users in search of a high-end Android phone. They each offer a wide range of unique design elements and features, while also offering plenty of power for hardcore Android fans.

But which phone offers the most power in real-world usage?

MUST SEE: How to tell if all those glowing reviews on an Amazon product listing are fake

Both the Galaxy S7 edge and the LG G5 are powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 820 processor, and both phones feature similar cutting-edge specs across the board. But just because they have the same chipset and similar specs doesn’t mean they offer the same performance, of course. Samsung’s phone sports its own unique hardware tweaks as well as Samsung’s customized TouchWiz software on top of Android, while LG’s latest flagship phone has its own custom software and hardware tweaks.

In a video posted to YouTube recently by “PhoneBuff,” the two phones were pitted against each other in the YouTuber’s typical real-world usage test. It’s not perfect, as we’ve noted in the past, but this test does likely give a better indication of a phone’s real-world performance than specs on paper alone.

So which phone won in the end? You’ll have to watch the video below to find out.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.