The Essential Phone was finally unveiled on Monday. The brainchild of Android co-creator Andy Rubin, Essential Phone is trying to trailblaze its own identity in a crowded market. But to do truly do that, it has to go head-to-head with many Android stalwarts, including the LG G6.

So how does it fair?

Let’s start with the G6. Donning its signature industrial design and build of glass and metal, it was the first phone to include a gigantic display that nearly covers the entire front of the device. A 5.7-inch QHD LCD display that dons a 18:9 aspect ratio is the crowning achievement of the G6 that’s rounded out by a durable and gorgeous frame.

Powering it is a Snapdragon 821, 4GB of RAM and 3,300mAh battery. It also sports dual 13MP cameras (regular and wide-angle lens), microSD expandability, fingerprint scanner, water-resistant build and Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.

A more comprehensive breakdown of the G6 can be found in our review here, but the quick grade for the G6 is overwhelmingly positive. If it wasn’t for the Galaxy S8, it would be without a doubt the best Android phone you could buy right now.

The Essential Phone makes sure you notice it in hurry. A stunning 5.71-inch QHD LCD display with a 19:10 captures your attention right away. It incorporates the camera into the display that results in an awkward bezel nip at the top. It might take while to get use to this design choice.

Internally, it rocks a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, 13MP dual cameras, 8MP front camera and 3,040mAh battery. But the feature that is most striking about the Essential Phone is its modularity. These modular accessories will work similarly to the Moto Z. During the introduction, a camera module was shown off which you can see in the gallery above.

It does miss out on two major features that most Android flagships offer, including the G6: microSD expandability and a headphone jack.

At this point, it’s too early to make a definitive answer as to which device is better. Both are great smartphones with impressive details. But it’s obvious to us the Essential Phone packs a punch and isn’t standing idle to be forgotten. Not even against the LG G6.

Essential Phone PH-1 Gallery

LG G6 Gallery

Essential - Essential PH-1 LG - G6
Display Size 5.71-inch, 1312 x 2560 pixel display (504 ppi) 5.7-inch, 2880 x 1440 pixel display (565 ppi)
Resolution X 1312 2880
Resolution Y 2560 1440
Display Type CGS / LTPS QHD+ FullVision
Operating System Android Android 7.0 (at launch)
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 2.35GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 Processor
RAM 4GB 4GB
Storage
  • 128GB
  • 32GB
External Storage No Yes
Main Camera (Back) 13MP 13MP
Secondary Camera (Front) 8MP 5MP
Networks
  • CDMA EV-DO Rev. A: 0, 1, 10
  • FDD-LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66
  • GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900
  • TD-SCDMA: 34, 39
  • TDD-LTE: 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43
  • UMTS/HSPA+: 1, 2, 4, 5 6, 8
Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.0 LE Bluetooth 4.2
Battery 3040mAh 3300mAh
NFC Yes Yes
Connectivity
  • USB Type-C
  • USB Type-C
Sensors
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Barometer
  • Gyroscope
  • Magnetometer
  • Proximity
GPS
  • GLONASS
  • GPS
Height 141.5 mm (5.57 inches) 148.9 mm (5.86 inches)
Width 71.1 mm (2.80 inches) 71.9 mm (2.83 inches)
Depth 7.8 mm (0.31 inches) 7.9 mm (0.31 inches)
Weight 185 g (6.53 oz) 163 g (5.75 oz)
Colors Black, Grey, Ocean Depths, White Black, Platinum, White
Supported Audio Formats N/A N/A
Supported Video Formats N/A N/A