iPhone 8 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8: Battle Of The Big Screens

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Apple had their big 10th anniversary iPhone launch event and, while we pretty much knew what to expect, it was still very exciting to see everything officially revealed. now, people are turning their attention to September 15th and September 22nd. The 15th is the day that you can start to pre-order the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus for delivery on release day: September 22nd. It’s a pretty quick turnaround for Apple which is one thing I have always loved about their product launches. You get hyped, you have a couple days to do some research and comparisons, then you pre-order and you have the device less than 2 weeks after it was officially revealed. Meanwhile, we’re still waiting on the LG V30 which was revealed last month. It just goes to show how much attention Apple puts into their product launches. Whether you love or hate their products, you have to admire their launch strategy.

With that said; we don’t have much time to admire! Pre-orders open on September 15th and you need to decide which model you want to pick up. In this piece we are comparing two devices with large displays. It’s the battle of the big screens! Let’s compare the iPhone 8 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8.

iPhone 8 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 specs sheet

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Display

If you’re looking for a device with a large display, these two are likely near the top of your list. Comparing the iPhone 8 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 when it comes to displays is not a really fair fight. The iPhone 8 Plus is now a sort of high mid-range offering while the Galaxy Note 8 is a true flagship device. Side by side, some people might think the bezel-less display on the Galaxy Note 8 makes the iPhone 8 Plus look dated. However, if you love that traditional iPhone design then you will certainly enjoy the iPhone 8 Plus display. The Galaxy Note 8 sports a 6.3-inch AMOLED display while the iPhone 8 Plus has a 5.5-inch display. The iPhone X was the only iPhone to get an OLED display this year. Side by side, you will definitely notice a quality difference between the iPhone 8 Plus and Galaxy Note 8. The Note 8 will have much better contrast and the actual display is much larger than the iPhone 8 Plus. The bezels can make the device size deceiving. Despite having a much larger display, the Galaxy Note 8 is only a little taller than the iPhone 8 Plus and it actually measures about 4mm less width-wise. If display is a major concern for you then the Galaxy Note 8 is the hands down winner.

Horsepower

After losing the display comparison in round one of the iPhone 8 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 comparison – the iPhone 8 plus comes back strong with its A11 processor. This is the same processor found in the iPhone X which is an awesome decision from Apple. If you don’t want to go to their high end flagship, you don’t have to give up any power under the hood. The benchmarks for the iPhone 8 Plus are impressive, to say the least. It outpaces the Snapdragon 835 and even shows up the A10X chip in the iPad Pro. The Galaxy Note 8 does ship with twice as much RAM as the iPhone 8 Plus but comparing iPhone RAM to other devices is never really a great comparison. Because Apple builds their own hardware and software they are often much better optimized than their Android counterparts. At the end of the day, you would probably not notice a difference in RAM between the two devices. The A11 chip makes this part of the iPhone 8 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 comparison a win for Apple.

Camera

Both of these devices come with impressive cameras. The iPhone 8 Plus and Galaxy Note 8 both ship with a dual 12-megapixel camera sensor on the rear of the device. This is Samsung’s first dual sensor smartphone camera. Apple, of course, hit a home run with the iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 8 Plus looks to be building on that success. Specs-wise, the two are very comparable. Both come with optical image stabilization. Both will offer great low-light performance. Software features will be what set the two apart. Since neither device is released yet, I’m hesitant to make a judgement call either way. We know both cameras will be great. Apple set the standard with the iPhone 7 Plus and Samsung has finally caught up. Either way, you are getting a great image shooter.

Operating System

The Android vs iOS debate has been done to death so I won’t rehash every little detail here. The Galaxy Note 8 is shipping with Android 7.1.1 and Android 8 should be coming soon. The iPhone 8 Plus will come out of the box with iOS 11. Both are fantastic operating systems and offer a ton of great features. My main concern is with updates. Apple is always great for supporting their devices with timely updates years after release. Samsung is usually good for a couple years of updates but they are never quick about it. When iOS 12 comes one day, your iPhone 8 Plus will get it on the day it’s released. When Android P comes your Galaxy Note 8 will probably get it… Eventually. I am an admitted Android fan but I envy Apple users that get timely updates to their devices long after they have purchased it. I won’t declare a winner in this section of the iPhone 8 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 battle because the two operating systems depend a lot on your own personal preference. With that said, when you buy an iPhone 8 Plus you can count on updates long after you have put down your hard earned money.

Price

The final comparison to consider is price. The iPhone 8 Plus is over $100 cheaper than an unlocked Galaxy Note 8 from the Samsung store. Neither is a budget friendly option but, clearly, the iPhone 8 Plus is a little nicer on the pocket book. The display is probably the biggest reason for the price difference between the two devices. AMOLED displays will cost more than LCD displays. Price wise, the Galaxy Note 8 is more of an iPhone X competitor. If you like iOS and the look of the iPhone 8 Plus then the decision to save some money should be easy. If you’re an Android fan or you want to make use of the S Pen then the Galaxy Note 8 will definitely be worth the extra cost. It all depends on how you look at it.

So, which device wins the iPhone 8 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 comparison? It’s hard to name a winner. They are both amazing devices from the top smartphone manufacturers. Either way, you are getting an awesome smartphone.

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