iPhone 8 or iPhone X? What’s perfect for you?

Co-authored by: Ralph Panganiban (TechGizmoPhilippines) and Gian Viterbo (Gadget Pilipinas)

iPhone X has taken the spot of the best Apple phone as pre-order from other countries sold-out within minutes, and some YouTube personalities released their hands-on experience ahead of the November 3 release.

iPhone X has just taken the spotlight as one of the most pre-ordered Apple smartphones in the company’s history. YouTube personalities who published their hands-on experience expressed their satisfaction and awe with Apple most celebrated device. While this may be the case for some people, where is iPhone 8 in the consumer space and mindshare?

Surprisingly, there are plenty of reasons why people are still getting gaga over the iPhone 8 or the iPhone 8 plus versus the screen-clad and glass-laden iPhone X

iPhone X is a vision of the smartphone future, while the iPhone 8 is more stuck in the present, with minute differences from last year’s iPhone 7. Our focus here is the difference between iPhone X and iPhone 8, so let’s get on to the details.

Design

iPhone X (143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7mm) vs iPhone 8 (138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm)

The iPhone X and iPhone 8 have some design similarities, as both devices have glass back panels, a huge change from their metal predecessors. They also both have internal metal frame and are IP67 dust and water resistant under IEC standard 60529.

From the front, the differences are enormous with the iPhone X having almost no bezel around its screen and that infamous notch at the top, which houses sensors and the front-facing camera.

The iPhone 8 has the more familiar Apple design. I’d like to say “move along; there’s nothing new to see here compared to iPhone 7”, but it’s good to recognize the the new iPhone 8 is more polished and elegant. The capactivite home button, which also houses the fingerprint sensor underneath separates the iPhone 8 from the iPhone X by a mile in the design department.

There is also huge differences in dimension and weight as well. The iPhone X is 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7mm and 174g, while the iPhone 8 is 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm and 148g. The iPhone X is a bigger and heavier phone despite the lack of bezel. We’ve got no problems here, but if you’re used to the classic iPhone home button, the gesture controls, which are the new norms in navigating the UI of the iPhone X is a significant change of pace.

Processing Power

iPhone X (hexa-core A11 Bionic 3GB RAM) vs iPhone 8 (hexa-core A11 Bionic 2GB RAM)

Both the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 have a hexa-core A11 Bionic chipset. That’s Apple’s latest mobile chip and is enormously powerful – vastly outpowering the iPhone 7.  Both phones are very speedy handsets and can outperform most flagship phones of 2017.

The iPhone X has 3GB of RAM, while the iPhone 8 only has 2GB, giving the iPhone X an edge especially for multitasking. Trust us when I say that RAM is never an issue on the highly optimized iOS unlike Android.

Display

iPhone X (5.8-inch 1125 x 2436) vs iPhone 8 (4.7-inch 750 x 1334).

The iPhone X has the biggest screen Apple has ever put on a phone, specifically a 5.8-inch one. It’s also the highest resolution at 1125 x 2436 and the sharpest at 458 pixels per inch.

The iPhone 8 meanwhile has a far more compact 4.7-inch 750 x 1334 screen with a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch.

The iPhone X utilizes Super AMOLED display, which delivers over the top contrast and superior vibrant visuals compared to iPhone 8 OLED display. iPhone X, in relation to screen, is definitely better in terms of performance and battery management. However, do note that Super AMOLED displays cost more, so if there’s one thing that makes the iPhone X expensive, the it would be its screen (apart from the logic board and other components housed inside its frail body). Drop this thing, but prepare $550 for repairs. Ouch.

And despite the iPhone X having a far bigger screen than the iPhone 8, the dimensions aren’t vastly larger, thanks to the lack of bezels around it.

There are some things both phones have though, such as True Tone, which automatically adjusts the white balance of the display based on your surroundings.

Camera

iPhone X (Dual 12MP rear 7MP front-facing) vs iPhone 8 (12MP rear 7MP front-facing). The iPhone 8 Plus has almost the same configuration with the iPhone X sans the over the top sensors.

This is another area where there’s a big difference between the phones. While they both have 12MP cameras, the iPhone X has two, while the iPhone 8 only has one.

That extra lens on the iPhone X optically zooms to subjects without losing any quality and can also use ‘Portrait Mode’ to create a bokeh effect in images – blurring the background to emphasize the subject the process.

However, both phones have optical image stabilization and a quad-LED flash. They’re also both capable video cameras, able to shoot in 4K at up to 60fps and in 1080p at up to 240fps.

There’s also a big difference in their front-facing cameras, as while they both have 7MP ones the iPhone X is also capable of scanning your face and identifying you that way, so you can unlock your phone and authorize purchases just by looking at it.

The iPhone 8 has no such skills – though remember it does have a fingerprint scanner, which the iPhone X doesn’t.

• iPhone 8 (64GB) – PhP44,990
• iPhone 8 (256GB) – PhP54,490
• iPhone X (64GB) – PhP64,490
• iPhone X (256GB) – PhP73,990

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Founded in 2009 by Gian Viterbo, Gadget Pilipinas is one of Philippines’ top sources for news, tutorials, reviews and tips about the latest trends in technology, gadgets, games, social and digital media and cyber culture.