LG Optimus Black (P970) vs Samsung Galaxy S II
A spec-by-spec comparison of the LG Optimus Black (P970) and the Samsung Galaxy S II, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| LG Optimus Black (P970) | Samsung Galaxy S II |
|---|
| Our rating | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Battery | 1,500 mAh | 1,650 mAh |
| RAM (max) | — | 1 GB |
| Storage (max) | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Screen size | 4 in | 4.3 in |
| Main camera | 5 MP | 8 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 109 g | 116 g |
| Released | May 2011 | May 2011 |
Summary: LG Optimus Black (P970) is ahead on weight (lower is lighter). Samsung Galaxy S II is ahead on our rating, battery, screen size, main camera.
★ Which should you buy? Samsung Galaxy S II is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| LG Optimus Black (P970) | Samsung Galaxy S II |
|---|
| Type | IPS LCD (NOVA display) | Super AMOLED Plus |
| Size | 4.0 inches, 45.5 cm2 (~58.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 4.3 inches |
| Resolution | 480 x 800 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~233 ppi density) | 480 x 800 pixels |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Features | Optimus UI 2.0, Gesture UI 2.0, 700 nits brightness (advertised, measured up to 749 nits) | — |
Platform
| LG Optimus Black (P970) | Samsung Galaxy S II |
|---|
| OS | Android 2.2 (Froyo), upgradable to 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), up to 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) | Android 2.3 Gingerbread, upgradable to 4.1.2 Jelly Bean |
| Chipset | TI OMAP 3630 | Exynos 4 Dual (Exynos 4210) |
| CPU | 1.0 GHz Cortex-A8 | 1.2 GHz dual-core Cortex-A9 |
| GPU | PowerVR SGX530 | Mali-400MP4 |
Memory
| LG Optimus Black (P970) | Samsung Galaxy S II |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot), up to 32 GB (2GB card included) | microSDHC (dedicated slot), up to 32GB |
| Internal | 2GB (1GB user available), 512MB RAM | 16GB 1GB RAM, 32GB 1GB RAM |
Main Camera
| LG Optimus Black (P970) | Samsung Galaxy S II |
|---|
| Single | 5 MP, AF | — |
| Features | LED flash | LED flash |
| Video | 720p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Modules | — | 8 MP, AF |
Selfie Camera
| LG Optimus Black (P970) | Samsung Galaxy S II |
|---|
| Single | 2 MP | — |
| Video | Capable of video telephony | Yes |
| Modules | — | 2 MP |
Battery
| LG Optimus Black (P970) | Samsung Galaxy S II |
|---|
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery | Removable Li-Ion 1650 mAh battery |
| Stand-by | Up to 375 h | Up to 710 h (2G) / Up to 610 h (3G) |
| Talk time | Up to 6 h | Up to 18 h 20 min (2G) / Up to 8 h 40 min (3G) |
Body
| LG Optimus Black (P970) | Samsung Galaxy S II |
|---|
| Dimensions | 122 x 64 x 9.2 mm (4.80 x 2.52 x 0.36 in) | 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49 mm |
| Weight | 109 g (3.84 oz) | 116 g |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Mini-SIM |
Comms
| LG Optimus Black (P970) | Samsung Galaxy S II |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 2.1, A2DP, EDR | 2.1, A2DP, EDR |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS | — |
| Radio | Stereo FM radio, RDS | Stereo FM radio, RDS |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | microUSB 2.0 (MHL TV-out) |
| GPS | — | Yes, with A-GPS |
| NFC | — | Optional |
Launch
| LG Optimus Black (P970) | Samsung Galaxy S II |
|---|
| Announced | 2011, January | February 2011 |
| Released | 2011, May | — |
| Status | Discontinued | Released May 2011 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, LG Optimus Black (P970) or Samsung Galaxy S II?
Samsung Galaxy S II — 1,500 mAh for the LG Optimus Black (P970) versus 1,650 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy S II.
Which is lighter, LG Optimus Black (P970) or Samsung Galaxy S II?
LG Optimus Black (P970) — 109 g for the LG Optimus Black (P970) versus 116 g for the Samsung Galaxy S II.
Is the LG Optimus Black (P970) or the Samsung Galaxy S II rated higher?
We rate the LG Optimus Black (P970) 5/10 and the Samsung Galaxy S II 8/10.
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