If Santa disappointed you or you were too naughty and didn’t find anything smart under the tree, there is still hope for you to get your hands on the latest crazes of the high-end phone world. The iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy Note 8 are not only eye-candy but two powerful pieces of machinery with a hefty price tag.
In the rink
The choice between the two is most difficult for those who are not already die-hard fans of either Apple products or the Android deluxe editions.
The specifications of the iPhone are slightly lower than those of the Samsung:
- 8-inch screen OLED compared to 6.3-inch (AMOLED);
- 3GB versus 6GB;
- 7-MP front camera compared to 8-MP;
- Battery life under 11 hours compared to more.
Yet, the price point if higher for the Apple product, starting at $999, but going as much as $1,149 for the 256 GB version, compared to $950 for the Android.
The reviewers motivate the difference by highlighting that the iPhone X scores additional points for design and camera quality, which Samsung is trying to imitate, but have not closed in just yet. The colors, contrast and portrait options of the Apple machine are almost matching semi-professional cameras, and even the selfie tool is impressive.
On the other hand, the Note 8 really shines in the recording mode and has impressive stabilization properties. In a head by head comparison with the iPhone X and other top smartphones like the Mate 10 Pro and Pixel 2, the tool from Samsung managed to produce crystal clear footage in a moving and shaking environment like the subway.
The A11 Bionic processor is both a powerhouse and an engineering masterpiece. It uses the same manufacturing process as the Snapdragon 835 found in Note 8, but is a hexa-core chip, compared to an octa-core and is capable of per-core scheduling. The tests show that the power of the A11 is almost double compared to the Snapdragon 835. Also, the price is considerably higher, but Apple affords to do this by cutting corners in other places where it matters less.
The Note series comes with its own tribe, usually from the corporate world. Its main attraction points include the versatile stylus, which can be used for notes or drawings, but also the duality offered by the App Pair system, a way to run two apps simultaneously.
On the other hand, the iPhone X tries to appeal to Millennials and Gen Z by turning your own facial expressions into animojis, a type of very personal emoticons, not really useful but fun.
Get your own
Probably by now, you have already made your mind, and our short review just helped you say once more that you need that new tool to start your year right. If you are more into productivity features and video quality you should go with the Android, while if you value more the static pictures and connecting with your friends in fun ways, the Apple would be more to your taste.
However, the price seems like a significant drawback, and we can’t confirm the rumors that the iPhone X prices will drop sharply in Q1 2018. There are a few options including monthly installments from each major carrier, but why not look here. This is great especially if you plan on getting more than one, for example for each of your kids or yourself and your significant other or if you want to expand the repayment term beyond the standard 24 months given by phone companies. The loan option is also a way to get squeeze into your budget one of these cool toys while attending more serious matters like consolidation or refinancing.