During the previous month, a big part of the top-selling smartphone brands released at least one flagship: that is why February was the most interesting month of the year. Among the devices released there is Xiaomi’s main flagship: the Mi 9, as well as the long-awaited LG G8 ThinQ and the first ZTE’s 5G smartphone: the Axon 10 Pro. In this comparison, we will tell you which company seems to have done the best job under every aspect with their latest flagships. You can let us know if you agree with our statements by using the comment box at the end of the article.
Xiaomi Mi 9 vs LG G8 ThinQ vs ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G
| Xiaomi Mi 9 | LG G8 ThinQ | ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 157.5 x 74.7 x 7.6 mm, 173 g | 151.9 x 71.8 x 8.4 mm, 167 g | 159.2 x 73.4 x 7.9 mm |
| DISPLAY | 6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED | 6.1 inches, 1440 x 3120p (Quad HD+), AMOLED | 6.47 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz |
| MEMORY | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, MIUI | Android 9 Pie | Android 9 Pie |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 48 + 16 + 12 MP, f/1.8, f/2.2 and f/2.2 20 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Triple 12 + 16 + 12 MP, f/1.5, f/1.9 and f/2.4 Dual 8 MP + TOF sensor f/1.7 front camera |
Triple 48 + 20 + 8 MP, f/1.8 20 MP front camera |
| BATTERY | 3300 mAh, fast charging with Quick Charge 4+, wireless charging | 3500 mAh, fast charging and wireless charging | 4000 mAh, fast charging with Quick Charge 4+, wireless charging |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot, MIL-STD-810G, waterproof | Dual SIM slot, waterproof (IP68), 5G support |
Design
Xiaomi Mi 9 is one of the most stylish phones that you can actually get at a modest price. And it is also the most beautiful one of this trio. Its wonderful glass back and its high screen-to-body ratio are the main elements making it so impressive. The second place, in my opinion, goes to ZTE Axon 10 Pro for a cleaner look thanks to its in-display fingerprint reader and its narrow bezels. Even though I think LG V8 ThinQ has a more outdated design, there is to award it for the best build quality. While Xiaomi Mi 9 does not offer any kind of certification and ZTE Axon 10 Pro has just the IP68 certification, LG G8 ThinQ has both the IP68 standard and the military-grade certification, so it is fully waterproof and drop resistant.
Display
While it is not the best flagship you can find when it comes to the design, LG G8 ThinQ has one of the most outstanding displays and it is way better than Xiaomi Mi 9 and ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G. Indeed, it offers more detail and even a more accurate color reproduction with a wide color gamut and a high brightness. Some may just not like that its display is smaller: just 6.1 inches against 6.39 and 6.49 inches of its rivals (19.5:9 aspect ratio). But hey, there is always a compromise to face. LG G8 ThinQ supports an innovative air gesture system that allows controlling the phone without even touching the screen. That looks very comfortable.
Hardware/Software
It is worth focusing on connectivity while talking about the hardware side because ZTE Axon 10 Pro is one of the first 5G-enabled phones. That is why I would choose it without thinking twice. All these devices are equipped with a Snapdragon 855 chipset, but the Axon 10 Pro also has the Snapdragon X50 which enables the support to 5G networks and blazing speeds in download and upload. On the other hand, Xiaomi Mi 9 comes with more RAM in its most expensive version: up to 8 GB. But it has no expandable storage, unlike LG G8 ThinQ and ZTE Axon 10 Pro.
Camera
On the paper, Xiaomi Mi 9 seems to have the triple rear camera that will deliver the best photo quality, but we can not give a definitive verdict until we tested all of these devices thoroughly. Note that all these devices come with a triple camera composed of a main sensor, a telephoto lens, and an ultrawide lens. But LG G8 ThinQ may be able to shoot better selfies with its dual selfie camera sporting a very bright focal aperture and a TOF 3D sensor that will be used for AR appliances and authentication.
Battery
With its huge 4000 mAh battery, ZTE Axon 10 Pro should deliver a very long battery life, way longer than both Xiaomi Mi 9 and LG G8 ThinQ. It should have no problems lasting a full day even with stressed usage patterns. On the other hand, LG G8 ThinQ will not be disappointing with its above-average 3500 mAh battery. Xiaomi Mi 9 should be the less convincing one as its battery is even smaller. A great thing of all these flagships is the fact that all of them support a fast charging technology as well as Qi wireless charging, thanks to their glass backs.
Price
Unfortunately, Xiaomi Mi 9 is the only device of this trio that is already in the market. It recently debuted with a starting price tag of just €449 for the configuration with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. Given that they did not hit the shelves yet (and do not expect the ZTE Axon 10 Pro anytime soon as it is a 5G device), we do not know how much they will cost. Without knowing the prices, I would go for the ZTE Axon 10 Pro because of its bigger battery and the support to 5G connectivity, as well as its cool camera department, stereo speakers and wide display.
Xiaomi Mi 9 vs LG G8 ThinQ vs ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G: PRO and CONS
LG G8 ThinQ
PROS
- Best build quality
- Great display
- Advanced audio
- Fast and wireless charging
CONS
- Uglier design
Xiaomi Mi 9
PROS
- Wireless charging
- Great build quality
- Amazing cameras
- Affordable price
CONS
- No micro SD
ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G
PROS
- Bigger battery
- 5G
- Wireless charging
- Waterproof
CONS
- Pricey
