The iPhone X goes up for pre-sale later this week and that’s where the focus of a lot of Apple fans is squarely focused. However, not everyone has $999 to drop on an iPhone X. Or, more accurately, there may be people who have $999 but that money is not earmarked for a smartphone. So what do these people do? Wait for next year’s launch? Sock away their pennies and nickels? Or, perhaps, do they look at upgrading to the iPhone 8 Plus? Let’s take a look at the iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 7 Plus and see if the jump to this year’s “Plus” model is worth the upgrade for users.
iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 7 Plus: Display
For users that are considering the “Plus” sized devices, the display is likely one of the biggest considerations when choosing a smartphone. With users consuming more and more media on their smartphones, a good display is essential. Plus, if you’re like me and you have big, fat fingers then a larger display is much more comfortable to use. So, is there a big difference between the display in the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus? Simply put: no. Both devices feature 5.5-inch IPS LCD displays with 401 ppi. Literally, the two devices are the exact same when it comes to the display. If you own an iPhone 7 Plus and you are thinking of making the jump to the iPhone 8 Plus simply because of display: save your money. If you want an upgrade to your display then you should be looking at the iPhone X which features an OLED display and should be a noticeable step up from the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus. Of course, you will have to find that extra cash.
iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 7 Plus: Chipset
This is arguably the biggest difference when comparing the iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 7 Plus. The iPhone 8 Plus features Apple’s new A11 Bionic chip – the same one found in the iPhone X. Needless to say, this is a blazing fast chip and puts pretty much every other mobile chipset to shame. Is the jump worth it for those who own the iPhone 7 Plus? This really comes down to a personal use question. There is no debate that the iPhone 8 Plus has a much better chip but that doesn’t mean the iPhone 7 Plus is bad. If you are a power user and you see yourself using the latest, most powerful applications and games on your device then it may be worth it for you to pay up for the newer iPhone 8 Plus. However, if you are the typical smartphone user and you like to use your device for social media, basic media streaming, and other typical uses then you probably won’t notice much difference or even use the extra power offered by the A11 chip. The other consideration here is future-proofing. A new chip will get a little more support from Apple as new versions of iOS are pushed out. I find this is not a huge concern for iOS devices, however. Apple is still supporting old devices for years after release. Chances are you will upgrade your device before Apple stops supporting it. If you are the type to keep a device for as long as possible then the iPhone 8 Plus will give you an extra year of use. If you upgrade every 2 or 3 years then future support likely isn’t a concern for you.
iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 7 Plus: Design
The iPhone 8 Plus pretty much sticks to the design principles we see in the iPhone 7 Plus. However, there is one noticeable difference on the back side of the device. The iPhone 8 Plus uses glass where the iPhone 7 Plus had metal. Everyone has different opinions on design and style so I won’t jump into that debate and, frankly, they both look great. However, the glass design of the iPhone 8 Plus also serves a functional purpose. Apple used the glass design in order to allow the device to use wireless charging. This feature is new to Apple smartphones in 2017 and it may come in handy for some people while others may not care. The slow proliferation of public wireless charging stations should speed up now that Apple has adopted the feature which could mean that charging your smartphone at your favorite coffee shop is as easy as ordering the coffee you need to charge yourself up. This is obviously much more preferable to crawling around on the floor and looking for an available outlet. If you are the type of person who would never use the wireless charging feature then it’s probably not worth the extra cost. However, if you greatly prefer the glass design to the metal design then you may just get wireless charging as an added bonus. Who knows, you might love it!
iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 7 Plus: Other Features
Since both of these devices follow a similar design plan, there really aren’t too many differences to note. Both devices use the same camera module and users won’t notice a difference when taking shots. The death of the 3.5mm headphone port was announced with the iPhone 7 Plus and that has not changed with the iPhone 8 Plus. You will notice that the base model iPhone 8 Plus comes with 64GB of storage while the iPhone 7 Plus base model only has 32GB. Double the storage is nice but, of course, it will cost you more if you opt for the iPhone 8 Plus. Beyond that, these devices have way more similarities than differences.
iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 7 Plus: Verdict
So, what’s my advice when choosing between these devices? Well, if you have the money then you might as well opt for the newer version of the Plus model iPhones. With that said, if you are looking to save some money in order to buy a nice case or maybe put toward a cool accessory like an Apple Watch then I think you should opt for the iPhone 7 Plus. The changes made in the iPhone 8 Plus do not justify the price difference if budget is a major focus for you. Would it be nice to have the newest processor and wireless charging? Yes, of course it would. However, if you are trying to take it easy on your wallet and the price of the iPhone 8 Plus stresses you out then there’s no reason you can’t buy the iPhone 7 Plus and enjoy it to its fullest potential. Sometimes we get caught up on having the latest and greatest thing. Don’t let keeping up with the Jones’ force you to spend more money than you feel comfortable with.
What do you think about my assessment of these devices? Did I get it right or do you think one option is clearly better than the other? I want to hear your thoughts! Hit up the comments section below!
