The iPhone X has been officially revealed and the question on everyone’s mind is whether they should start lining up to buy Apple’s hot new device. Of course, Apple still has other devices on the market including last year’s flagship, the iPhone 7 Plus. Although a year has passed, the iPhone 7 Plus is still a solid device and, now that it has received a price drop, it may be a good option to compare with the iPhone X. Here is a basic chart of the two devices and their major features. Let’s dive in and do an in-depth comparison:
iPhone X vs iPhone 7 Plus specs
Display
The display is arguably the biggest difference between these two devices. It’s hard not to take notice of the difference when comparing the iPhone X vs iPhone 7 Plus. The iPhone X sports a bezel-less OLED display that marks a completely new change in iPhone design while the iPhone 7 Plus is the trusty iPhone design we have come to know and love. Next to the iPhone X, the iPhone 7 Plus may look a little dated but it’s still very good in its own right. If you don’t mind those bezels then you could certainly make due with the iPhone 7 Plus. The advantage of sticking with the “old” iPhone 7 Plus display is that you have the dependable home button with TouchID. Of course, the iPhone X has dropped the home button and TouchID in order to accommodate the bezel-less display. Users will make use of gestures to navigate iOS on the iPhone X. This may appeal to some and it may be cumbersome for others. There is no debate that the iPhone X has a much better quality display but there are some tradeoffs between the two that may overshadow the boost in specs for the iPhone X.
Camera
Although both devices have dual 12-megapixel camera sensors on the back, that’s where the similarities in the iPhone X vs iPhone 7 Plus battle end. The video shooting capabilities of the iPhone X are pretty incredible to say the least. With the iPhone X you will be able to shoot 4K video at 60fps. The different camera sensor alignment between the two devices also makes the iPhone X a much better choice if you were intrigued by the augmented reality demonstrations during the Apple keynote. With that said, the iPhone 7 Plus is still a great camera that hangs with the best cameras in the smartphone world. If you don’t need an absolute, top of the line smartphone camera then the iPhone 7 Plus will definitely do the trick.
Horsepower
Both devices pack 3GB of RAM but I always hate bringing up RAM in Apple devices because they are usually so well-optimized that RAM doesn’t play as much of a role as it does in a flagship Android device. For example, the Galaxy Note 8 packs in 6GB of RAM. On paper, it looks like the iPhone X and iPhone 7 Plus have fallen way behind but in actual usage you really can’t notice the difference in RAM. The big difference in the iPhone X vs iPhone 7 Plus processor comparison is the A10 vs A11 processor. Obviously a new processor is going to be step ahead of last year’s processor but the A11 is a huge leap forward. The benchmarks that have been shown are staggering. The iPhone X outpaces other mobile devices including the iPad Pro thanks to the A11 processor inside. Basically, the iPhone X absolutely flies.
Other Features
These two devices share a lot of similarities but there are some big feature differences. FaceID was a major focus for Apple during the iPhone X launch. The animated emojis are a cool application of FaceID but the feature is so much more than turning yourself into a panda, fox, or poop. The front-facing infrared sensor is able to scan your face and unlock the iPhone X. The addition of FaceID has allowed Apple to remove TouchID from the iPhone X. This might be a downside for some people. If you don’t like the idea of losing a fingerprint sensor then the iPhone 7 Plus might be a great option.
Price
The price tags might be one of the ultimate deciding factors when comparing the iPhone X vs iPhone 7 Plus. The iPhone X starts at $999 for the 64GB model. The iPhone 7 Plus is now $669 for the base 32GB model. That’s a huge difference of over $300. Yes, the iPhone X is a stunning device but some people may not see $300 worth of value in the iPhone X when compared to the iPhone 7 Plus. If you want the hottest new device then you better be ready to pony up some serious cash. If you want a great deal on a smartphone that’s still very good; the iPhone 7 Plus has received a price cut to make it more attractive.
Conclusion
These are both great devices. Comparing the iPhone X vs iPhone 7 Plus on specs alone is not really a fair comparison. However, the price changes things a lot. The iPhone X is a brand new design with top-of-the-line specs. The iPhone 7 Plus is a one year old flagship device that can still hold its own among many other smartphones on the market. Both a great options when considering a smartphone. The only question you need to answer is if you want “good” or “great.”
