LG G5 vs Galaxy S7: Is A Removable Battery Better Than Virtual Reality?

LG and Samsung both unveiled strong contenders over the weekend for the best smartphone of the year, and choosing between them will be tough. Will the Galaxy S7 virtual reality sway consumers away from the LG G5 modular design? Here’s some of the reasons why buyers may opt for one over the other.

It’s a tricky decision. Both phones come with the latest Android Marshmallow update, an always-on display that shows basic information like the time, and a microSD slot for expanding the 32GB storage after purchase. They’re also both powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, so anyone sick and tired of slow phones will likely be pleased with the speed boosts.

Should you get the Galaxy S7? It comes with a Gear VR headset and six games when bought from Samsung before March 18. It also supports the new Gear 360 camera, which captures footage for playback in virtual reality at high resolution.

The S7 has a 5.1-inch display, slightly smaller than the G5’s 5.3-inch screen, but both have a super high resolution at 2560x1440. Battery life conscious folk may be swayed by the S7’s 3,000 mAh battery, slightly larger than the G5’s, which is rated at 2,800 mAh. However, the G5 does have a removable battery.

There’s also strong reasons why you should buy the LG G5. It has a unique modular design that could really open up the phone further down the line. Currently, it supports a camera and audio plug-in, but what about future add-ons? The slot could be used for anything the user wants it to excel at. What about a game controller, or a heart rate meter, or maybe even a blood glucose monitor for diabetics?

The G5 also has a dual lens wide angle camera. When coupled with the camera plug in, which adds physical picture controls, it could be a serious shooter. Complementing the 16 megapixel rear camera is an 8 megapixel front camera, ideal for selfies and video chat.

What may tip the balance in the end is price. Unfortunately, LG is remaining tight lipped on pricing or release dates, simply saying the phone should launch in “key markets” by early April. The S7, on the other hand, is priced at $669 on a 24 month plan from T-Mobile, and will launch March 11.