Apple iPhone X vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 8

If you've got a lot of cash to spend on a high-end device and want the best, you'll soon have two options - and they're both very special. p>

Apple's iPhone X

is the biggest leap the company has taken in smartphone design since, well, it designed the modern smartphone. Meanwhile,

Samsung's Galaxy Note 8

is a return to form for our favorite giant phablet.

There's so much to love about these two flagships, but they're also very different. The iPhone X does not have a fingerprint sensor, but can be unlocked with three-dimensional facial recognition. The Galaxy Note 8 has one on the back, and even though it has face unlock technology, its front camera can't match Apple's depth-sensing tricks. Conversely, the Note 8 has its signature multifunctional S Pen stylus, and the iPhone has nothing like it. You get the idea.

In this spec comparison, we'll go over all the strengths and weaknesses to determine an overall winner. For a deeper dive into both phones, check out our

iPhone X hands-on review

and

Galaxy Note 8 review

.

Specifications

iPhone X

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Cut

143.6 × 70.9 × 7.7 mm ( 5.65 × 2.79 × 0.30 in)

162.5 × 74.8 × 8.6 mm (6.40 × 2.95 × 0.34 inches)

Weight

174 grams (6.14 ounces)< /p>

195grams (6.88 ounces)

Screen

5.8-inch Super Retina HD OLED display

6.3-inch Super AMOLED

Resolution

2436 × 1125 pixels (458 ppi)

2960 × 1440 (522 dpi)

BONE

iOS11

Android 7.1.1 Nougat

Storage

64GB, 256GB

64GB (US) 128, 256GB (international) p>

MicroSD card slot

Nope

Yes

NFC support

Yes (Apple Pay only)

Yes

Processor

A11 Bionic with 64-bit architecture, M10 motion coprocessor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (US), Samsung Exynos 8895 (international)

RAM

Coming soon

6 GB

Connectivity

4G LTE, GSM, C DMA, HSPA+, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

LTE, GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

Camera

Dual 12MP rear (both with OIS), 7MP True Depth front

Dual 12MP rear (both with OIS), 8MP front

Video

Up to 4K at 60fps, 1080p at 240fps

Up to 4K at 30fps, 720p at 240fps

Bluetooth

Yes, version 5.0

Yes, version 5.0

Fingerprint sensor

No, Face ID

Yes

Other sensors

Barometer, 3-axis gyroscope, accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor

Accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, geomagnetic, heart rate, proximity, iris, pressure

Waterproof

Yes, IP67 rated

Yes, IP68 rated

Battery

Ability to come

Fast charging offers up to 50% charge in 30 minutes, wireless charging (Qi standard)

3300mAh

22 hours of talk time, 13 hours of Internet, 16 hours of video playback and up to 74 hours of audio playback

Fast charging, wireless charging (Qi standard)

Loading port

Lightning

USB-C

Marketplace

Apple AppStore

Google Play Store

Colors

Silver, space gray

Midnight Black, Orchid Gray

Availablity

AT&T

,

Verizon

, Sprint, T-Mobile,

Apple

AT&T

,

Verizon p>

,

Sprint

,

T Mobile

,

Unlocked p>

Price

$1000

$930

DT Revision

Practical review

4 out of 5 stars

Apple calls the A11 Bionic chipset inside the iPhone X "the most powerful and intelligent" ever placed in a smartphone. While we can't quantify this claim at this time, there's no doubt that it ranks high on the list. The A11 Bionic packs six cores - two for high performance and four for high efficiency - along with a graphics processing unit that's 30% faster than the iPhone7.

A10 Fusion chip.

All that extra muscle is sure to help the iPhone X deliver cutting-edge augmented reality features, and powers Apple's Face ID technology and TrueDepth camera system. When it comes to RAM, Apple traditionally doesn't reveal these numbers and is used to getting more performance out of less onboard memory than its Android counterparts.

The Galaxy Note 8, on the other hand, uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 processor, with an impressive 6GB of RAM. It's a chip that delivers smooth and consistent performance across a variety of flagship Android phones, from

HTC U11

to

One Plus 5

, and works wonders here too. Having all that memory available to the system certainly helps, and makes the Galaxy Note 8 one of the most powerful devices running Google's platform sold in the United States.

But Apple's A10 Fusion chip in the iPhone 7 has already beaten the Snapdragon 835 in several benchmark tests - chances are the A11 Bionic will outperform it completely. You won't see any performance issues on the Note 8, but Apple is the clear winner here. Another advantage is that since it is an Apple-designed chip, it works perfectly and optimized with iOS. You won't find this kind of optimization with a Qualcomm processor on many Android phones.

The iPhone X and Note 8 both come with 64GB of storage as standard, but only the Note 8 has an extra room MicroSD slot. Both also offer 256GB for more money, although Samsung only sells larger capacity models outside the US. Whichever device you choose, you'll get Bluetooth 5.0 - the latest version of the wireless protocol offering improved range - as well as NFC and-pay transactions. The Note 8 is also compatible with existing terminals via

Samsung Pay's exclusive MST technology

.

Winner: iPhone X

Display, design and durability

These phones couldn't look or feel more different, and it's immediately apparent the second you first encounter them. The iPhone X display follows the contours of the device. To call it bezel-less would be stretchy - there's actually a fairly pronounced black border to the screen, plus that controversial notch housing the camera system and earpiece - but there's no doubting that's the one of the most futuristic smartphones we've seen in a while.

On the back, the new iPhone is covered in glass to allow wireless charging, and it has two vertically stacked cameras. The sides are made from stainless steel and look remarkably shiny compared to the matte aluminum of previous generations. Plus, unlike those older iPhones, you won't find a home button or Touch ID anywhere on the handset. It's a big change for sure, and while it makes the phone so much better overall, we can't help but be disappointed that fingerprint recognition doesn't quite reach the gorgeous 5 inch OLED display. 8 inches 2436 × 1125 of the iPhone X.< /p>

Again, Samsung's solution isn't perfect. With no room for the sensor on the front of the phone, it's been moved to the right of the two cameras on the back, just like the Galaxy S8. Not everyone likes rear-mounted fingerprint sensors, but a more central placement would have been unquestionably better than what Samsung has been doing lately. Reaching for the lenses is a great way to smudge them, and the Note 8's larger form factor only makes the experience trickier.

In terms of overall design, thankfully, the story is a bit more positive. The Note 8 has been called a super-sized Galaxy S8 in terms of looks, and that's not a totally unfair claim. That said, the Galaxy S8 is a great piece of kit – with a headphone jack, no less – and if it were up against another device, it would likely win. The Note 8 packs a 6.3-inch 2960×1440 AMOLED panel in a package that's compact for its size, but just can't compare to the slimmer configuration of the iPhone.

In terms of durability, both phones are mostly glass and water resistant. The iPhone X is rated IP67 - good at withstanding a meter depth for 30 minutes - while the Note 8 fare a little better at IP68, which provides an extra half meter of immersion.

Winner: iPhone X

Battery life and charging

While we don't have exact numbers on the battery capacity of the iPhone X, Apple says you can expect up to 21 hours of talk time (the

rumor is a battery capacity of 2,675 mAh

). That's two hours longer than the iPhone 7 Plus offered. Moreover, you will be able to charge it wirelessly, as the iPhone X supports the open standard

Qi

used by many other phone manufacturers. Apple says the iPhone X will also charge faster. A high-speed wall adapter that comes with the device will get you up to 50% in 30 minutes.

The Galaxy Note 8 also offers wireless and fast charging, and because we've tested it, we know exactly what to expect. When reviewing the Note 8, we managed to use around 60% of the juice from the morning unplug to around 7pm, with moderate usage. That's the longevity of a 3300mAh battery, and if you're careful you could even manage a day and a half.

We won't know for sure how the iPhone X compares until we have it in our hands; for this reason, this one ends in a tie.

Winner: tie

Cameras

Jeremy Kaplan/Digital Trends

Jeremy Kaplan /Digital Trends

The camera setups on these phones are surprisingly similar. The iPhone X and Galaxy Note 8 both feature dual 12-megapixel sensors, combining wide-angle and telephoto lenses. The iPhone Xs are rated at f/1.8 and f/2.4, respectively, while the Note 8s are f/1.7 and f/2.4. Every lens on these phones is supported with optical image stabilization, to help reduce blurry shots.

Both allow you to take portrait-style photos with bokeh in the background, although the iPhone allows you to manipulate the light source of these. shots too, with a new feature called

Portrait Lighting

. The iPhone X can also achieve this through its front-facing cameras, thanks to Apple's new True Depth system. Meanwhile, the Note 8 has an 8-megapixel shooter for selfies.

When taking photos, you'll likely get fantastic results with either camera. But the iPhone X can do a little more once you start filming. While the Note 8 can only handle 4K recording at 30fps and 240fps slow motion at 720p, Apple's flagship can handle 4K at 60fps and 240fps at 1080p.

But there's one camera-related feature in the iPhone X that we haven't talked about yet, and everyone's talking about it: Face ID. You can unlock your iPhone X just by looking at it - it's designed to be that simple. And while Samsung uses iris and face scanning for authentication in the Note 8, it's a system that's simply easier to trick and less secure. We're not sure we'll support either using our thumbs just yet, but going forward the depth-aware imaging numbers will be a major breakthrough. You can even use iPhone X to turn your words and phrases into animated emoji in real time, with an Apple Calls feature.

Animoji

.

Winner: iPhone X

Software

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Out of the box, the iPhone X will come with

iOS11

. It's the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system, and it features an all-new App Store, a redesigned Notification Center and Control Center, and lots of other small improvements. The Galaxy Note 8 comes with Android 7.1.1 Nougat, and while it's not the latest version,

8.0 Oreo

should arrive in early 2018.

There's no point in comparing iOS and Android - both platforms are great on their own, and the choice is really just a matter of preference. However, there are a few tools and features you'll only find in one or the other, and the most obvious is Samsung's S Pen.

The Note 8's stylus makes it a powerful tool for jotting down ideas, and some quick scribbles. It is, however, more advanced than expected, capable of recording 4,096 levels of pressure. The phablet's always-on display also means you can take notes without having to wake the phone first - a very useful software tweak. Hold the pen over the text you're reading, and it'll even translate on the fly or magnify that area of ​​the screen, if you want.

Another new feature in the Note 8, called App Pair, lets you join certain apps so you can launch them both at the same time. Open a pair and both apps will immediately show up in split-window mode. If you find yourself multitasking often, this could be a useful addition. There's also the DeX Station, an optional docking station that turns your Note 8 into a desktop computer.

When you step away from the camera innovations of the iPhone, there isn't much that's radically new software-wise. Access to many tools, like the Control Center or the home button, is a bit different, but the interface remains the same. The Note 8 offers a completely unique input method that isn't available on most other phones, so here's where it wins.

Winner: Galaxy Note 8

Rates and availability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The iPhone X will launch on November 3, with pre-orders starting a week earlier on October 27. The Galaxy Note 8 is available for pre-order now and starts shipping on September 15.

Either way, you're spending a lot of money. But at a starting price of $1,000, the iPhone 8 crosses a threshold that most high-end smartphones have been able to comfortably avoid until now. The Galaxy Note 8 starts at $930 – just $70 less – although Samsung is much more generous with add-ons and promotions. If you buy a Note 8 directly from the company now, you can get a Gear 360 camera or a 128GB memory card and wireless charging support. To get an iPhone X with a similar amount of storage, you'll have to spend over $200 more.

Samsung will offer you up to $300 in credit if you

exchange

p>

an eligible Galaxy S, iPhone, Google Pixel or LG device. Many carriers offer users deals to upgrade from older iPhones to the X, but if you currently own an Android phone, it may not be eligible for the terms.

Curiously, Apple's website doesn't list the option of an unlocked model without a SIM card - while Samsung offers exactly that for customers who want to stay out of contract. The Note 8 offers so many more purchase and exchange options, as well as savings opportunities, which makes it much easier to buy.

Winner: Galaxy Note 8

Overall Winner: iPhone X

It's a close call, but we think the iPhone X is the one to buy. At the same time, you will need to consider the operating system. Switching to Android or iOS is a big decision.

The result of this comparison hardly means that the Galaxy Note 8 is a bad smartphone - it is excellent. We think the iPhone X's camera specs, both front and back, surpass those of the Note 8. The X is also likely a more powerful device all around.

The Note 8 is great if you're looking for the most versatility, need to multitask, and have a penchant for writing. If you want to be on the cutting edge of design, imaging and augmented reality, Apple's latest is probably your bag. Remember, whichever way you lean, our iPhone X buying guides

and the

Galaxy Note 8

will show you the cheapest way to get your hands on one.

Editors' Recommendations

Amazon discounts iPads by almost $100

The Best To-Do Apps for Android and iOS

The best iPhone tripods for 2021

How to Listen to Apple Music in Hi-Fi on iPhone and Android

Best cheap smartwatch deals for July 2021 p>