With the release of the Galaxy S8 Plus, Samsung has offered its latest intrusion into the phablet marketplace. The Korean company is perhaps most responsible for popularizing this larger-sized smartphone, but many other companies also offer similar devices now. Indeed, the Galaxy S8 Plus will compete in an increasingly crowded phablet marketplace, so here ValueWalk compares the new handsets from some of the established competitors.
Size
Galaxy S8 Plus – 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm (6.28 x 2.89 x 0.32 in)
LG G6 – 148.9 x 71.9 x 7.9 mm (5.86 x 2.83 x 0.31 in)
Google Pixel XL – 154.7 x 75.7 x 8.5 mm (6.09 x 2.98 x 0.33 in)
iPhone 7 Plus – 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm (6.23 x 3.07 x 0.29 in)
OnePlus 3T – 152.7 x 74.7 x 7.4 mm (6.01 x 2.94 x 0.29 in)
The Galaxy S8 Plus is actually the largest of these devices, which is perhaps not surprising when one considers the extra screen real estate included. This will probably count against the device with some users, on the other hand the compact design is actually rather ergonomically pleasing.
Those wanting the most compact phablet available on the market will opt for the LG G6, which is the only device in this category measuring under 6-inches in length.
Weight
Galaxy S8 Plus – 173 grammes
LG G6 – 163 grammes
Google Pixel XL – 168 grammes
iPhone 7 Plus – 188 grammes
OnePlus 3T – 158 grammes
Despite being significantly larger than the LG G6, the OnePlus 3T is the lightest of these five smartphones. Interestingly, the iPhone 7 Plus is the heaviest, something that Apple may wish to address in future generations. Despite being the largest of the five phablet contenders, the Galaxy S8 Plus competes fairly favorably here, only weighing 15 grammes more than the lightest device.
Display
Galaxy S8 Plus – 6.2-inches
LG G6 – 5.7-inches
Google Pixel XL – 5.5-inches
iPhone 7 Plus – 5.5-inches
OnePlus 3T – 5.5-inches
The Galaxy S8 Plus features by far the largest display of the five phablet releases, thanks to the wraparound screen which has enabled the bezels in the device to be slimmed down significantly. Only the LG G6 has a display larger than 5.7-inches of the four other phablets here, with the Google Pixel XL, iPhone 7 Plus and OnePlus 3T all opting for a 5.5-inch screen.
Resolution
Galaxy S8 Plus – 1,440 x 2,960 pixels (~529 ppi pixel density)
LG G6 – 1,440 x 2,880 pixels (~564 ppi pixel density)
Google Pixel XL – 1,440 x 2,560 pixels (~534 ppi pixel density)
iPhone 7 Plus – 1,080 x 1,920 pixels (~401 ppi pixel density)
OnePlus 3T – 1,080 x 1,920 pixels (~401 ppi pixel density)
This is another area where Apple lags behind its contenders, with both the iPhone 7 Plus and OnePlus 3T settling for full HD resolution. Each of the other three phablet contenders has quad HD resolution, although the Galaxy S8 Plus actually features marginally higher resolution than either the LG G6 or Pixel XL. However, the smaller display of the LG G6 means that it has the most impressive pixel density of the five devices.
Processor
Galaxy S8 Plus – octa-core (4 x 2.35 GHz Kryo & 4 x 1.9 GHz Kryo)
LG G6 – quad-core (2 x 2.35 GHz Kryo & 2 x 1.6 GHz Kryo)
Google Pixel XL – quad-core (2 x 2.15 GHz Kryo & 2 x 1.6 GHz Kryo)
iPhone 7 Plus – quad-core 2.34 GHz (2 x Hurricane + 2 x Zephyr)
OnePlus 3T – quad-core (2 x 2.35 GHz Kryo & 2 x 1.6 GHz Kryo)
The Galaxy S8 Plus is the only one of these five handsets to feature an octa-core processor, with all of the other devices settling for quad-core setups. This undoubtedly means that the Samsung offering is the most powerful performer in this category.
RAM
Galaxy S8 Plus – 4GB
LG G6 – 4GB
Google Pixel XL – 4GB
iPhone 7 Plus – 3GB
OnePlus 3T – 6GB
The OnePlus 3T is armed with 6GB of RAM memory, giving it a serious edge over any of the other handsets listed here. Indeed, this is double the amount included in the iPhone 7 Plus, although Apple’s devices have always benefited from the combination of proprietary hardware and software. All of the other phones here offer 4GB of RAM.
Storage
Galaxy S8 Plus – 64GB
LG G6 – 32 / 64GB
Google Pixel XL – 32 / 128GB
iPhone 7 Plus – 32 / 128 / 256GB
OnePlus 3T – 64 / 128GB
The iPhone 7 Plus offers more native storage than any other device in this comparison, with a maximum of 256GB in its premium model. LG and Samsung are lagging behind the others in this department, although they do compensate for the 64GB of storage offered in their devices with micro SD functionality.
Rear camera
Galaxy S8 Plus – 12 MP, f/1.7
LG G6 – Dual 13 MP f/1.8
Google Pixel XL – 12.3 MP, f/2.0
iPhone 7 Plus – Dual 12 MP, f/1.8
OnePlus 3T – 16 MP, f/2.0
The OnePlus 3T is clearly the winner in this department, with a 16 megapixel snapper offering more resolution than any of its competitors. Cameras are arguably the most difficult aspect of smartphones to compare, with each manufacturer providing various innovations in order to enhance the photographic capabilities of its mobile. Thus, each of these devices offers its own qualities in terms of picture taking, with Samsung having gone to some lengths to ensure that the low-light shooting capabilities of the Galaxy S8 Plus are particularly outstanding.
Front camera
Galaxy S8 Plus – 8 MP, f/1.7
LG G6 – 5 MP, f/2.2
Google Pixel XL – 8 MP, f/2.4
iPhone 7 Plus – 7 MP, f/2.2
OnePlus 3T – 16 MP, f/2.0
However, there is absolutely no doubt that the OnePlus 3T wins out in this department, offering a pretty staggeringly good 16-megapixel front-facing camera. The LG G6 has some catching up to do here, with the Korean rival of Samsung offering a mere 5-megapixel resolution with its selfie snapper.
Battery
Galaxy S8 Plus – 3500 mAh
LG G6 – 3300 mAh
Google Pixel XL – 3450 mAh
iPhone 7 Plus – 2900 mAh
OnePlus 3T – 3400 mAh
The batteries in these five devices are fairly evenly matched, but it is notable that the Galaxy S8 Plus features the largest unit. However, considering the larger display of the Galaxy S8 Plus, it is reasonable to conclude that the Google Pixel XL probably offers the best lifecycle of these five phablets.
USB
Galaxy S8 Plus – v3.1, Type-C
LG G6 – v3.1, Type-C
Google Pixel XL – v3.0, Type-C
iPhone 7 Plus – v2.0
OnePlus 3T – v2.0, Type-C
Apple is the only manufacturer compared here which has yet to embrace USB Type-C. The reversible technology does not feature in the iPhone range, whereas all the other devices do include this technology. Samsung and LG perhaps deserve extra kudos for delivering the most up-to-date versions of this connectivity system.
Price
Galaxy S8 Plus – $820
LG G6 – $850
Google Pixel XL – $875
iPhone 7 Plus – $730
OnePlus 3T – $600
Finally, the retail prices of mobile devices are often difficult to compare, as they are at different periods of the retail lifecycle, and thus are offered by stores that completely different prices. However, the OnePlus 3T is available for around $600 at Amazon.com, making it by far the most affordable of the five units. The mass-market appeal of the iPhone 7 Plus is also clear, with this device currently retailing at around $730. Samsung must be commended for bringing the Galaxy S8 Plus out at a very competitive price point, and currently the Google Pixel XL looks a little overpriced at around $875.
