LG just announced the global rollout of its newest smartphone, the LG Zero, in a bid for smartphone consumers in Asia, Europe, and Latin America that are looking for a high-quality build, good hardware specs, and a premium look for a low price. So how will LG's latest mid-premium handset do against the competition?

Here's how the LG Zero stacks up against Samsung's long-running play for the same market, the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, which was released in August of last year.

Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs LG Zero

Design

First and foremost, both the LG Zero and the Samsung Galaxy Alpha offer premium iPhone-like aesthetics and build quality for less than the cost of an iPhone.

The Galaxy Alpha has a metal frame with nicely curved corners. But the back of this device is still plastic, and roughly looks like a modified version of the chicken-skin texture that made the Samsung Galaxy S5 a pariah in the premium smartphone market.

LG ups the ante against Samsung with an all-metal construction and the company is touting the "Arc Glass" design of the edges, which isn't exactly like a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, but comes close, while also complimenting the slim profile of the LG Zero.

However, the LG Zero has a decidedly boxy look, so if you're looking for something with a sleek face, LG doesn't have it on offer here.

Hardware Specs

The LG Zero has the hardware advantage over the Samsung Galaxy Alpha since it's a just-released 2015 smartphone. It comes with a 5-inch 720p HD display, which yields just under 300 pixels per inch.

The LG Zero runs a 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 1.5GB of RAM, and is LTE capable. Another important feature is the 13MP camera, with LG's acclaimed camera software features, and the LG Zero also throws in an 8MP front-facing shooter. There's also Bluetooth 4.1 LE and a 2050mAh batter, which is not removable and seemingly sized down in favor of the LG Zero's slim design.

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha comes with a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with the same 720p resolution. Instead of the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on the LG Zero, the Alpha sports the forth generation for better protection.

The Galaxy Alpha, despite being a year older, comes with an octa-core Samsung Exynos 5 at 1.8GHz and 1.3GHz on its two quad cores, along with 2GB of RAM. It's LTE capable as well, and comes with a fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor, which the LG Zero doesn't have.

The Galaxy Alpha's camera is close to the LG Zero's at 12-megapixels, while its secondary shooter is a meager 2.1-megapixels. Also weaker, the Galaxy Alpha has a 1860mAh battery.

When it comes to storing your photos, the LG Zero's 16GB of internal memory may seem weak against the Samsung Galaxy Alpha's standard 32GB, but LG's offering comes with a microSD slot for up to 128GB of additional space.

Price, Availability, and Extras

First of all, the Samsung Galaxy Alpha has one other disadvantage due to its age: It comes with the Android 4.4.4 Lollipop, though it is upgradable to Android 5.0.2, while the LG Zero runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop right out of the box. It's unclear at this time, though, whether either device will be eligible for the Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgrade.

Available in an attractive brushed-metal Silver or Gold, the LG Zero was announced by LG as a smartphone with "premium features at a competitive price point," but LG hasn't announced prices yet. However, there have been rumors that the LG Zero might carry a price point of between $300 and $400, depending on location.

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha, meanwhile, was released at an incredibly high $600 price point a mid-ranger, but that sticker price has come down dramatically over the year. You can get the Galaxy Alpha from many places online for under $300 now, though your mileage may vary depending on the deals available, and whether you're okay with buying a pre-owned phone or not.

Both phones are intended for global markets, so the Samsung Galaxy Alpha is available in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, and the LG Zero will be soon, as it rolls out. The LG Zero is also available on AT&T in the U.S., as is the Galaxy Alpha.