Best New Cell Phone – HTC 10 VS. LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7
HTC 10 will finally be released in May 2016 and it’s already making a lot of buzz after information about its features were released last week. HTC 10 is the best new cell phone from HTC, there is no doubt.
But how is it compared to other flagship smartphones such as the LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7?
Let’s find out!
Device Type: Smartphone
Display: 5.2 inches (1440 x 2560 pixels)
Camera: 12MP (2160p)
Hardware: Snapdragon 820, Dual-core 2.15 GHz + Dual-core 1.6 GHz, 4GB RAM
Battery: 3000 mAh
Price: US$ 699
Most Powerful Snapdragon Chipset Right Now
The HTC 10’s processing hardware is the same with the Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 Edge and LG G5. These include the same Snapdragon 820 chipset, Dual-core 2.15 GHz + Dual-core 1.6 GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM, and Andreno 530 GPU.
All three run on the latest Android OS 6.0.1 (Marshmallow), so expect almost the same speed when opening your menus, multitasking, and running your power-hungry apps.
For gamers, you can expect the best 3D gaming experiences as well. ?
The internal storage of the HTC 10 has two variants, 32 GB or 64 GB, both can be expanded up to 200 GB using a microSD card.
Super Sharp Screen with Super LCD 5 Display
The HTC 10 has the same 5.2-inch display, Quad HD (2K) resolution, and 565 ppi pixel density that can be found in the HTC One M9+ released last April 2015.
The sharpness of the HTC 10’s display is close to the Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG G5. Both flagship smartphones also have a 2K display resolution.
When checking a smartphones’ sharpness, you should always look at the pixel density because it is the real measure of sharpness relative to the display size.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 (5.1 inches) has a pixel density of 577 ppi while the LG G5 (5.3 inches) has a 554 ppi. So the HTC 10’s display sharpness is very close to these latest high-end smartphones.
Compared to the iPhone 6s Plus, which only has a Full HD display at 401 ppi, the HTC 10 is definitely sharper.
When it comes to display protection, the HTC 10 is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4 which is the latest version of Gorilla Glass. The Gorilla Glass is twice more durable than other glass designs. This is the same glass protection on the Samsung Galaxy S7 / S7 Edge and LG G5.
The Super LCD 5 display technology is being used by the HTC 10.
But how is it compared to the Super AMOLED display technology of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the IPS LCD technology of LG G5?
Samsung actually owns the company that makes the Super LCD 5 display technology and still they trusted their flagship phones to Super AMOLED technology. A Super AMOLED display has more vivid and realistic colors compared to the other display technologies.
Super LCD’s also has an excellent quality but its main advantage is it has lesser power consumption and it reduces glare. The Super LCD and IPS LCD are close in terms of display quality.
Camera with Larger Sensors and Higher Pixel Size
The HTC 10 has a 12 MP rear camera. Most people will just rely on this information to determine the image quality of a smartphone’s camera.
But the truth is, it is only one of the few factors that you should consider.
There are other features that significantly affects the image quality and these are the sensor size, pixel size, and aperture size.
The camera resolution of the LG G5 is 16MP and the Galaxy S7 has 12MP camera. This does not mean that the LG G5 has a better camera than HTC 10 nor the Galaxy S7 has the same image quality.
Let’s take a loot at the camera features of the HTC 10 and see how it is compared with the other top new smartphones.
Sensor Size
When it comes to sensor size, the HTC 10 has a 1/2.3″ sensor size while the LG G5 and Galaxy S7 have a 1.26″ sensor size.
The sensor size determines how much light the camera uses to make an image. The value is usually expressed using a fractional number, which means the HTC 10 has the largest sensor size among the three.
The larger the sensor size, the more light is used, the more information gained by the camera, and the better the images.
How better? The images have less noise, better dynamic range, and will look better even in low light setting.
Camera Pixel Size
In term of camera pixel size, the HTC 10 has 1.55µm (µm = micrometer). The LG G5 has 1.12µm and the Galaxy S7 has a 1.4µm. Pixel size fits into a narrow range between 1 and 2µm.
Again, the large the value, the more light the camera gathers, and the better image quality even in dark places.
The camera pixel size is a more useful feature than sensor size when comparing cameras with varying camera resolutions. And in this case, the HTC 10 is still clearly the winner.
Aperture Size
The aperture size is almost the same with the three smartphones. HTC 10 and LG G5 have f/1.8 and the Galaxy S7 has f/1.7. The smaller the value, the larger the aperture, the better.
This feature is responsible for creating a dimensional effect on your captured images.
This means that when you focus on a subject on an image, the background is blurred for a beautiful effect. The larger the aperture size, the more the dimensional effect.
4K Video Recording and the FIRST Front Camera with OIS
Like the LG G5 and Galaxy S7, the HTC 10’s camera can record videos at 4K HD (2160p) quality. That’s four times the definition of Full HD video.
When it comes to the front camera, the HTC 10 has a 5MP resolution, can record Full HD videos, and the first ever to have the OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) feature.
OIS is the feature you may not know, but you have always love. ?
It is the feature responsible for reducing the blur when the subject is in motion. OIS has been a normal feature for rear cameras even in LG G5 and Galaxy S7, but not in a selfie camera.
LG G5 may have an 8MP front camera, but you will like the HTC 10’s front camera more because of the OIS feature and a wider aperture size.
Hi-Res Audio, Other Don’t Have It
The HTC 10 has a Hi-Res Audio which is not in the LG G5 and Galaxy S7 Edge. We are normally hearing a compact 16-bit audio. The Hi-Res Audio can process 24-bit.
It has two speakers called HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi edition speakers. They have one speaker for the tweeter and another for the woofer.
The tweeter which is for mid to higher audio frequencies or tones is located at the top. The woofer, on the other hand, which is for lower frequencies or bass tones is located at the bottom.
It also has a dedicated amplifier for each of the two speakers.
Longer Battery Life, More Fun!
The HTC 10 has a 3000 mAh battery capacity which is even larger than the 2800 mAh of LG G5. Take note that the LG G5 has a larger display than the HTC 10.
The Galaxy S7, on the other hand, has the same 3000 mAh battery capacity.
Battery capacity may be the basic measure but there are many other factors that determine the battery life.
How are they in terms of Talk Time (3G)?
The HTC 10 can last even up to 27 hours of Talk Time (3G). The LG G5 can last up to 20 hours and the Galaxy S7 is up to 22 hours of Talk Time (3G).
This makes the HTC 10 the winner in terms of battery life. ?
You can also charge 50% of your battery is just a short period of 30 minutes!
Metallic Design
The HTC 10, like the LG G5 and Galaxy S7, has a body made of metal, which is what the latest top smartphones are currently made of. It is 9mm thick and weighs 161 g.
The LG G5, despite having a larger display, is thinner and lighter at 7.7mm and 159 g. Tha Galaxy S7 is also slightly thinner and lighter at 7.9 mm and 152 g.
The HTC 10 has a little wide chamfered edge, which provides a very comfortable hold. It comes in Carbon Gray, Topaz Gold, Glacier Silver, and whichever color you chose, the front is either black or white.
Other Cool Features
The HTC 10 has a fingerprint sensor which also functions as a home button. It has a wide range of LTE bands for lightning speed downloads. It has a Wi-Fi, Hotspot, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC Support.
You may check our FAQS page for videos of some of these features. ?
Conclusion
The HTC 10 is an awesome smartphone. I personally like it. It has many amazing features like a metallic design, very high display sharpness, and an outstanding camera. It also has high-resolution audio that is not featured in the other top smartphones.
It has the same processing hardware of the LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7, but if you want longer battery life, the HTC is the better choice.
What do you think of this new smartphone from HTC? I would love to hear from you.