Based on its specs and our brief hands-on time with the new LG G6, it's shaping up to be a very competitive flagship. How does it stack up to one of our favorite Android standard-bearers, the Google Pixel XL?
Size
The LG G6 is the smaller device overall. The Pixel XL is about 4-percent taller and 5-percent wider, though it is also a little thinner.
Weight
The Pixel is also heavier by 5 grams – the weight of a nickel.
Build
Both devices are built from glass and aluminum, but with a different approach. The G6 has a glass front and back with a thin curved aluminum frame holding it together. The Pixel is mostly aluminum. Its metal unibody is similar to an iPhone's, but it has a glass accent portion on its upper back panel.
Water resistance
The LG G6 has an IP68 water resistance rating.
Colors
There are three colors for the G6, but the white variant will not be available in the US. The Pixel's blue option is probably the most adventurous of the bunch.
Display size
The G6 has an impressive screen-to-device ratio, fitting a slightly-larger screen on a smaller machine. Its display also has a unique 18:9 (or 2:1) aspect ratio, making it taller and thinner than most. (The 16:9 ratio is nearly ubiquitous in smartphones.)
Display resolution
We certainly don't have any complaints about the Pixel XL's excellent display, but on paper, the G6 could give it a run for its money. The G6 has slightly higher resolution and meets Dolby Vision and HDR 10 standards.
Display type
LG goes with IPS, while the Pixel XL sticks with AMOLED.
Camera megapixels
The LG's rear camera has one more megapixel in its rear-facing camera, but the Pixel's 8 MP selfie camera bests that of the G6.
Dual-lens camera
The G6's rear camera has dual lenses: One is standard, and the other is a wide angle lens. You can toggle between the standard and wide angle lenses to fit more or less into the frame. The Pixel's camera is impressive, but it doesn't pack a second lens of any kind.
Camera aperture (rear)
The aperture on the G6 is slightly larger than the Google Pixel's. We have yet to meaningfully test the G6's camera, but we expect that it will take better low-light pictures than its G5 predecessor.
Optical image stabilization
The G6 has optical image stabilization, a bit of camera engineering meant to reduce blur from camera shake. OIS is missing from the Pixel, but to be fair, we still consider its camera one of the best.
Battery
The Pixel has a slightly larger battery capacity, but a number of factors go into overall battery life. We'll conduct our standard test on the G6 when we get our hands on one for a full-length review.
Fast charging
Both phones offer some form of fast charging, but with different standards. The G6 supports Qualcomm's Quick Charge 3.0, but the Pixel uses USB-C quick charging. Google claims you can get up to 7 hours of use from 15 minutes of charging.
Processor
Both have the Snapdragon 821 processor, but clock speeds for the G6 aren't available yet.
RAM
The phones have matching memory amounts – 4 GB of RAM each.
Built-in storage
The G6 is only available in one 32 GB size. The Pixel XL is available with 32 or 128 GB of built-in storage.
microSD
However, the G6 has a microSD slot for up to 2 TB of expandable storage – a feature that's been rare in recent flagships.
VR-ready
The Pixel is Google Daydream-ready, which supports a growing number of mobile VR experiences.
Headphone jack
If you're worried about using your favorite wired headphones, don't be. Neither of these phones have followed in the iPhone 7's footsteps.
Fingerprint sensor
Both devices have a back-mounted fingerprint sensor.
NFC
They also both have NFC, the requisite technology for making mobile payments.
Google Assistant
For a few months after its release, the Google Pixel and Pixel XL were the only phones with Google Assistant built-in. But the G6 will also have Google Assistant from the get-go, and we expect it to come to more of this year's Android flagships as well.
Operating system
Both devices have Android 7.0 Nougat, but expect the Pixel to stay ahead of the curve. The made-by-Google phones are first in line for software updates for the foreseeable future.
Release
The G6 will be release in South Korea (home to LG) first, starting in March, and is expected to roll out to other major markets in April. The Pixel XL was released last October.
Starting price (full retail)
At the time of this writing, LG hasn't confirmed the US pricing for the G6. We wouldn't be surprised if it came in a notch or two higher than last year's G5, which started around US$630. On the other hand, the Pixel XL starts at $769, the same price as an iPhone 7 Plus.
We'll post a full-length review on the LG G6 once it's released, but you can check out our impressions from a hands-on session with the device at the Mobile World Congress earlier tis week. You can also revisit our review of the Google Pixel XL.
Correction: The original version of this article listed the aspect ratio of the LG G6 as 18:2 instead of 18:9. We regret the error.
