iPhone X vs Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy Note 8: Which One To Buy?

With all of the major smartphone releases for 2017 available, an iPhone X vs Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy Note 8 battle has been unleashed! But which device represents the best buy?

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Design

The iPhone X vs Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy Note 8 comparison is firstly informed by the design of the three units. While there are definite similarities, the reception for the iPhone X has been absolutely outstanding, and this means that the Apple handset has a clear advantage in this department.

The iPhone X is the smallest of these three devices, meaning that its compact nature is particularly appealing. This is despite the fact that it features a larger display then at the Galaxy S8. The 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7mm dimensions of this smartphone are smaller than either the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy Note 8, meaning that coupled with the virtually bezel-less design of the iPhone X it clearly comes out on top.

Advantage: iPhone X

Weight

However, the Galaxy S8 is the lightest of the three devices, perhaps slightly surprising considering that the iPhone X is smaller. Weighing in at 155 grams, the Galaxy S8 is over 10 percent lighter than the iPhone X, while the Galaxy Note 8 is significantly heavier. Certainly the smaller Samsung smartphone has the edge here.

Advantage: Galaxy S8

Display

Another key front in the iPhone X vs Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy Note 8 is display quality, with smartphones now at least partly judged on their screens. Both the iPhone X and Galaxy S8 feature 5.8-inch screens, so the Galaxy Note 8 has an instant advantage with a 6.3-inch display.

However, the wraparound screen of the iPhone X has been particularly well received, so it is reasonable to conclude that there are dual winners in this category.

Advantage: Galaxy Note 8 / iPhone X

Resolution

Resolution is also critical in the iPhone X vs Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy Note 8 comparison, and although the gap has closed here there is still a clear winner. The 1,440 x 2,960 pixels that the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 are both capable of displaying are clearly superior to the 1,125 x 2,436 pixels of the iPhone X.

But as the Galaxy S8 has a smaller display, the ~570 ppi pixel density of the smartphone means that it has a resolution average over the other two devices.

Advantage: Galaxy S8

Camera

Photographic capability is a key aspect of the iPhone X vs Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy Note 8 comparison, so let’s firstly look at the specs of the three cameras.

iPhone X – Dual: 12 MP (f/1.8, 28mm) + 12 MP (f/2.4, 52mm), OIS, phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, quad-LED dual-tone flash

Galaxy S8 – 12 MP (f/1.7, 26mm, 1/2.5″, 1.4 µm, Dual Pixel PDAF), phase detection autofocus, OIS, LED flash

Galaxy Note 8 – Dual 12 MP (26mm, f/1.7, PDAF & 52mm, f/2.4, AF), OIS, autofocus, 2x optical zoom, dual-LED (dual tone) flash

We can instantly rule out the Galaxy S8 in this department, due to its lack of a dual-lens camera. And it is interesting to note that credible testing of the iPhone X and Galaxy Note 8 cameras has found that the Apple unit outperforms the Samsung snapper. This clearly results in an advantage for the Apple device.

Advantage: iPhone X

Processor

Processing power is always important, and the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 both have an advantage over the iPhone X here. The hexa-core 2.39 GHz processor of the Apple unit is slightly inferior to the octa-core processors of the S8 and Note 8.

However, the fact that the Galaxy S8 is a smaller device, featuring an identical processor to the Galaxy Note 8, means that its performance can sometimes be better that its bigger brother.

Advantage: Galaxy S8

Image: Samsung / Flickr

Memory

There is a simple winner here, with the Galaxy Note 8 featuring 6GB of memory; 50% more than the Galaxy S8 and double that of the iPhone X.

Advantage: Galaxy Note 8

Storage

Again, the Galaxy Note 8 comes out on top here, offering a 256GB premium variant which is equal to that of the iPhone X, but also offering consumers a choice between 64GB and 128GB versions.

Advantage: Galaxy Note 8

?Battery

The 3,300 mAh Note 8 battery is larger than the cell included in either the iPhone X or Galaxy S8, so this is another area where the Samsung phablet comes out on top.

Advantage: Galaxy Note 8

Price

Pricing is obviously key in the iPhone X vs Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy Note 8 war, and it must be said that none of these devices is exactly bargain basement. The $999 price tag of the iPhone X is the heftiest of the three, with the Galaxy Note 8 is only marginally less expensive at $949.

The Galaxy S8 can be considered the winner in this department, with its $849 price tag likely to fall further still in February once the Galaxy S9 is unveiled.

Advantage: Galaxy S8

Conclusion

The iPhone X vs Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy Note 8 comparison is interesting. The Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy Note 8 are considered winners in four separate categories, while the iPhone X only delivers the best performance in three sections. This would suggest that the Samsung devices are superior, but the picture is more complex than this.

Apple’s iPhone X scores heavily in some major areas, delivering outstanding design, a superb camera, and a display that has been hugely praised. Combine this with the slickness associated with the iOS operating system and iconic Apple design, and this is both an aesthetically pleasing and extremely effective smartphone.

It is this which has resulted in the iPhone X receiving outstanding reviews since it was released, with many considering it to be the ultimate smartphone, and certainly the best Apple phone ever. Overall, it must be said that the iPhone X must be recommended above the other two, although the likely reduced price tag of the Galaxy S8 will make this an attractive proposition in February.