The LG V30 and Google Pixel 2 XL are in most ways very similar smartphones but the difference lies in many basic areas. Mostly, LG offers more in the department of hardware while Google’s expertise lies more in the software department.
In both the phones, the built is of very high quality. The LG V30 is mainly glass build production that enables wireless charging while on the other hand the Pixel 2 XL predominantly has a metal assembly with a soft touch coating on the metal that feels like plastic and curved glass is present in both the phones on the front that makes it comfortable to browse through menus.
The LG V30 has an IP68 water and dust resistance rating whereas the Pixel 2 XL has a rating of IP67. As a provision for expandable storage the LG V30 has a microSD card slot and it also has a headphone jack of 3.5mm with a dominant DAC amplifier that helps in listening to music through headphones an incredible experience. However, the Pixel does not provide any of these features.
Both phones have the same type of displays. For example, a slight blue tint is noticeable when looking at the displays from an angle though it is a little more prominent in the case of the Pixel 2 XL. Both the devices also have equally thin bezels but comparatively thicker bezels can be seen in the Pixel 2 XL. The display in 2 XL also has dull looking colors but a fix in the software is being worked upon. If you are looking for the best display in smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is highly recommended. Even with their issues, these displays can still make an impression with their OHD solutions and high contrast ratios.
Another software difference is that the LG V30 runs Android 7.1 Nougat when just out of the box and on the other hand the Pixel 2 XL runs the most recent version of Android which is stock Android 8.0 Oreo and it runs the software the exact same way Google expects it to. Google is also incorporated in the Pixel 2 XL in every which way possible. One can actually squeeze the phone to turn on Google Assistant which is quite similar to the HTC U11. Also, Google’s search bars will be seen almost everywhere. Some users will like the performance advantages of stock Android and the fact there will be guaranteed updates available for Pixel 2 from Google for a time period of at least the next three years. Others will, to the least, be displeased with the skinned version of Android Nougat that contains a horde features which are specific to LG like for example, the floating bar whose main purpose is to enable easy access to apps via shortcuts which is in the form of a floating bar on your screen. The Snapdragon 835 chipset is featured in both the phones along with a RAM of 4GB, however, the Pixel 2 is much smoother and faster than its rival, because of the pure edition of Android present in it.
The LG V30 is also one step ahead of the Pixel 2 XL when it comes to the hardware in terms of the cameras. It has a 16-megapixel main camera with industry leading statistics such as /1.6 aperture and 13-megapixel f/1.9 aperture with wide angle sensor. The Pixel 2 XL has just a 12-megapixel primary camera sensor on the back. Both the cameras can capture unbelievable results in all types of lighting conditions. Again, the LG V30 gets an additional point compared to the Pixel 2 XL in terms of hardware as it has a wider f/1.6 aperture but the Pixel combats that with its unique technology that has dual pixel which in turn gives Google more matter to work with so that it can produce amazing images. In spite of its weaker hardware, the Pixel 2 is competent enough to capture brighter low light pictures and better photos in HDR as compared to the LG V30. Its camera is best suited for front facing selfies. The front facing camera in LG V30, however, is poor and often produces grainy and poor quality selfies.
A remarkable wide angle camera sensor is present in the LG V30 that can capture amazing landscape and nature photos, a capability that the Pixel lacks due to limitations in its hardware. It also has manual controls for photos and videos capturing along with really unique filters and zoom tricks that are best suited for creative users.
Talking about heavy usage, the LG V30 has 3,300 mAh battery and a 3,520mAh battery is present in the Pixel 2 XL. The Pixel 2 XL, comparatively, has more possibility of lasting through the entire day on a single charge, which is all because of its larger capacity battery and software that is better optimized. As mentioned earlier, the LG V30 has a quad DAC and headphone jack which is not present in the Google phone. However, the Pixel 2 XL does have dual stereo speakers which are front facing and they have excellent sound handling system, comparatively better than the bottom-facing speakers of the LG V30.
When considering the hardware rather than the software, the LG V30 is the winner. Its storage is expandable, has wireless charging, rear facing camera sensors that are dual and a headphone jack with an amazing quad DAC. These hardware features are not seen in the Pixel 2 XL but if you are looking for the best mobile software, guaranteed updates received directly from Google, unique hardware and other software features such as the squeeze feature and portrait modes, then Pixel 2 Xl will definitely be the better choice.
A few shortcomings can be overlooked in terms of hardware but the pricing of $850 off-contract for the Pixel 2 XL may make it difficult for some buyers. Relatively, the LG V30 is about $50 cheaper and has more hardware related features compared to its competitor to give it an extra edge over it. However, the Pixel phone will eventually prove to be a more comfortable purchase because of the newly added stereo speakers and the latest waterproofing rating that the former Pixel did not have.
