LG G2 vs. HTC One Comparison

LG G2 vs. HTC One: Flagship Smartphone Comparison

In 2013, the LG G2 and the HTC One were two of the most exciting flagship Android smartphones. While both devices offered premium build quality, excellent displays, and powerful performance, they had distinct strengths and features that catered to different user preferences. Here’s how they compare:

Design & Build

  • LG G2: The LG G2 featured a plastic body with thin bezels and an innovative design choice: rear-mounted power and volume buttons located just below the camera. This design aimed to make one-handed use easier. The G2 was 143g and had curved edges, making it comfortable to hold, but its plastic build didn’t feel as premium as metal or glass designs.
  • HTC One: The HTC One was widely praised for its all-metal unibody design, which gave it a premium, high-end feel. The phone had a sleek, curved back and dual front-facing BoomSound speakers, making it not only stylish but also practical for multimedia consumption. Weighing 143g, the HTC One felt solid and durable in hand, and its design was considered one of the best of its time.

Winner: The HTC One wins for its premium metal build and BoomSound speakers, while the LG G2 offered a more unique and ergonomic rear-button design.

Display

  • LG G2: The LG G2 had a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display with a 1920×1080 resolution and 424 ppi. The display was bright, sharp, and offered excellent color accuracy and viewing angles. The thin bezels made the screen feel even larger, providing an immersive experience, especially for watching videos or gaming.
  • HTC One: The HTC One came with a slightly smaller 4.7-inch Super LCD3 display, also with a 1080p resolution and 469 ppi. While the screen was smaller, it was incredibly sharp, with vivid colors and great viewing angles. The display was ideal for media consumption, though the smaller screen size compared to the G2 may feel limiting to some users.

Winner: The LG G2 wins for its larger display with thin bezels, while the HTC One offers slightly sharper pixel density but in a smaller form.

Performance

  • LG G2: Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.26GHz, along with 2GB of RAM, the LG G2 was one of the most powerful smartphones of its time. It handled gaming, multitasking, and performance-heavy applications with ease, delivering smooth and fast performance.
  • HTC One: The HTC One was powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, clocked at 1.7GHz, also paired with 2GB of RAM. While it wasn’t as powerful as the Snapdragon 800 in the G2, the HTC One still delivered excellent performance for everyday tasks, gaming, and multitasking, but it lagged slightly behind the G2 in raw power.

Winner: The LG G2 wins for having a more powerful Snapdragon 800 processor, making it faster in handling more demanding apps and tasks.

Camera

  • LG G2: The LG G2 featured a 13MP rear camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), which helped reduce blur and improve low-light performance. The camera delivered excellent photos in well-lit conditions, with vibrant colors and good dynamic range. The front camera was 2.1MP and performed decently for video calls and selfies.
  • HTC One: The HTC One had a 4MP UltraPixel camera, which used larger pixels to capture more light. While the lower megapixel count led to less detailed images, the camera performed well in low-light situations, thanks to the UltraPixel technology. However, in daylight or well-lit conditions, the camera’s lower resolution meant photos lacked the sharpness of higher-megapixel competitors. The front camera was 2.1MP, similar to the G2.

Winner: The LG G2 wins for overall camera quality and better detail in well-lit conditions, while the HTC One performed better in low-light scenarios.

Battery Life

  • LG G2: The LG G2 came with a 3000mAh non-removable battery, offering excellent battery life. It could easily last a full day of heavy use, and with moderate usage, it could stretch to two days. The energy-efficient Snapdragon 800 chip and LG’s software optimizations contributed to its long-lasting battery.
  • HTC One: The HTC One had a 2300mAh non-removable battery, which provided decent battery life but wasn’t as strong as the G2’s. It lasted about a day of moderate use, but power users might find themselves needing a charge by the end of the day.

Winner: The LG G2 wins for its larger battery and superior battery life.

Software & Features

  • LG G2: The LG G2 ran Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with LG’s custom UI on top. While the UI added several features, it wasn’t as clean or minimal as stock Android. Key features included:
    • KnockOn: Double-tap to wake the phone.
    • Guest Mode: A secondary profile for limited access.
    • Slide Aside: Multitasking functionality to swipe apps aside for later use.
  • HTC One: The HTC One also ran Android 4.2.2 with HTC’s Sense UI on top. Sense 5 brought a clean, polished interface with BlinkFeed, a content aggregator that displayed news, social media updates, and more on the home screen. Sense UI was lightweight and user-friendly, with minimal bloatware compared to other Android skins.

Winner: The HTC One wins for its sleeker software experience with Sense 5 UI, while the LG G2 offered more unique features but a heavier interface.

Audio

  • LG G2: The LG G2 had a rear-facing speaker, which provided decent sound quality but wasn’t particularly impressive compared to front-facing speakers. It also included support for 24-bit/192kHz audio, offering a high-quality audio experience when paired with good headphones.
  • HTC One: The HTC One’s BoomSound speakers were one of its standout features. The dual front-facing speakers with built-in amplifiers delivered loud, clear sound with impressive depth. This made the HTC One the best phone for audio and media consumption in 2013.

Winner: The HTC One wins hands down for superior audio with its BoomSound speakers.

Storage

  • LG G2: The LG G2 was available with 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, but it lacked a microSD card slot for expandable storage, which limited users to the built-in storage.
  • HTC One: The HTC One was available with 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, but like the G2, it did not have expandable storage via microSD.

Winner: Tie – Both phones lacked expandable storage, though the HTC One offered a 64GB variant for those needing more space.

Conclusion

  • LG G2: Best for users who prioritize performance, battery life, and a larger display. The innovative rear-button design and KnockOn feature were unique, and the phone’s camera performance in daylight conditions and battery life were superior.
  • HTC One: Best for users who want premium design, excellent audio quality, and a cleaner software experience. The metal unibody and BoomSound speakers made the HTC One a standout for design and multimedia, while its low-light camera performance was also a strong point.

Both phones were excellent flagships, with the LG G2 excelling in performance, battery life, and camera quality, while the HTC One was the clear winner for design, audio, and low-light photography.