Sony Xperia XZ1 vs LG V30 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 8 vs Galaxy S8 Plus: Android flagship season is upon us

The beginning of this year was fairly quiet as far as flagship phone launches go, but the tail end of the year is more than making up for it. Stunning new Android flagships are set to hit the market soon, and with Apple's new iPhones right around the corner, the market for your monies is heating up.[caption id="attachment_3996695" align="alignleft" width="380"]

The latest flagships from LG and Sony slug it out with the best that Samsung has to offer[/caption]IFA 2017 has seen the launch of at least two new flagship smartphones so far, the LG V30 and the Sony Xperia XZ1.The V30 features a 6-inch screen with a near bezel-less design and a dual-camera setup on the rear. Its USP is the f/1.6 aperture wide-angle lens on the rear, which is claimed to be the widest aperture yet seen on a smartphone camera. That aperture means that the camera lets in about 10-15 percent more light than the competition, leading to images that will be that much cleaner and brighter. The phone also includes 15 preset cinematic modes for "cinematic" video capture. The phone will launch in South Korea on 21 September, a global launch will soon follow.Sony announced the XZ1 at the event as well. The full specifications of the phone you can find below, but the real star is the new 19 MP Exmor RS stacked sensor that can capture video footage at a staggering 960 fps. A compact version of the device bearing the same specifications, including the tiny 2,700 mAh battery, with a 4.6-inch display was also announced.Just before IFA, Samsung unveiled its own mid-year flagship, the Galaxy Note 8.How do these new phones stack against the reigning Android king, the Samsung Galaxy S8+? Let's find out:

Smartphone	Samsung Galaxy S8+	Samsung Galaxy Note 8	LG V30	Sony Xperia XZ1
Display Size (inch)	6.2	6.3	6	5.2
Resolution (pixels)	1,440x2,960	1,440x2,960	1,440x2,880	1,080x1,920
Pixel Density (PPI)	529	521	537	424
Display Type	Super AMOLED	Super AMOLED	P-OLED	IPS LCD
Dimensions (mm)	159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1	159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1	151.7x75.4x7.4	148 x 73.4 x 7.4
Weight (gm)	173	173	158	155
Dual SIM	Yes (Variant)	Yes (Variant)	Yes	Yes (Variant)
SIM Type	Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 / Exynos 8895	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 / Exynos 8895	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
CPU Cores	Octa-core / Octa-core	Octa-core / Octa-core	Octa-core	Octa-core
CPU Clock Speed (GHz)	4x Kryo 280 @ 2.35 & 4x Kryo 280 @ 1.9 / 4x Cortex A73 @ 2.3 & 4x Cortex A53 @ 1.7	4x Kryo 280 @ 2.35 & 4x Kryo 280 @ 1.9 / 4x Cortex A73 @ 2.3 & 4x Cortex A53 @ 1.7	4x Kryo @ 2.45 and 4x Kryo @1.9	4x Kryo @ 2.45 and 4x Kryo @1.9
GPU	Adreno 540 / Mali G71MP20	Adreno 540 / Mali G71MP20	Adreno 540	Adreno 540
RAM	4 GB, 6 GB	4 GB, 6 GB	4 GB	4 GB
Ruggedness	IP68	IP68	IP68	IP68
On-Board Memory	64 GB	64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB	64 GB, 128 GB	64 GB
Expandable Memory	Yes, upto 256 GB	Yes, upto 256 GB	Yes, upto 256 GB	Yes, upto 256 GB
Primary Camera	12 MP, f/1.7	12 MP, f/1.7	16 MP f/1.6 and 16 MP f/1.6 and 13 MP f/1.9	19 MP, f/2.0, EIS
Optical Image Stabilization	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Camera Array	Single Camera	Single Camera	Dual Camera	Single Camera
Secondary Camera	8 MP, f/1.7	8 MP, f/1.7	5 MP f/2.2	13 MP f/2.0
Video Capture	2160p@30 fps, 1080p@60 fps	2160p@30 fps, 720p@240 fps	2160p@30 fps, 720p@120 fps	2160p@30 fps, 720p@960 fps
OS Version	Android Nougat 7.0	Android Nougat 7.0	Android Nougat 7.1.2	Android Oreo 8.0
Default Smart Assistant	Bixby	Bixby	Google Assistant	Google Assistant
Bluetooth	5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX	5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX	5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD	5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fingerprint Scanner	Yes, rear	Yes, rear	Yes, rear	Yes, side
3.5 mm jack	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Connector	Type-C Reversible	Type-C Reversible	Type-C Reversible	Type-C Reversible
USB Standard	USB 3.1	USB 3.1	USB 3.1	USB 3.1
Battery (mAh)	3,500	3,300	3,300	2,700
Quick Charge	Quick Charge 2.0 / TBC	Quick Charge 2.0 / TBC	Quick Charge 3.0	Quick Charge 3.0
Colors	Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold	Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Deep Sea Blue, Maple Gold	Cloud Silver, Moroccan Blue	Moonlit Blue, Black, Warm Silver, Venus Pink
Misc Sensors	Iris scanner, Heart-rate, SpO2	Iris scanner, Heart-rate, SpO2	Color spectrum	NA
Prices in India	Rs 64,900	TBA	TBA	TBA

As can be seen from the list, the two Samsung's are certainly the most feature rich of the options out there. The Note 8 in particular is notable for the features it offers, including an HDR-compliant OLED display and S-Pen support.In this exalted company, the Sony Xperia XZ1 does, on paper at least, seem to be the odd one out. It offers a standard Snapdragon 835 / 4 GB RAM configuration with a single camera setup on the rear. That said, at least the camera setup appears to be a special one, but only thorough testing can tell us if the device is worthy of being a flagship. The ridiculous 2,700 mAh battery is also a negative. The battery capacity is just 81 percent of that offered by rivals.Overall, the lineup is certainly exciting. Most of the devices are expected in late September and of course, Apple's 10th anniversary iPhone is still to make its entrance.