iPhone 8 and 8 Plus Review: Record-Breaking Speed, Samsung-Beating Cameras
You have to be a little jealous. The new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are in the shadow of the next iPhone X, with a futuristic screen and a new front camera with depth detection, which allows you to unlock the phone with your face.
But the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are not mere consolation prizes for Apple's flagship. They contain a lot of improvements, including the fastest processor ever in a phone (seriously, many laptops are ashamed), better cameras (especially in the iPhone 8 Plus) and wireless charging (yes, it has expired).
Updated on May 21st
We've updated our review of iPhone 8 / iPhone 8 Plus based on our numerous smartphone case tests, including iPhone 8. See results below.
Design: Slicker and harder, but on these chamfers
I am torn apart by the appearance of new iPhones. On the one hand, the new glass bottom is smooth and less slippery than my matte black iPhone 7 Plus. The new Apple phones are also being built stronger, and the company claims that the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus have the toughest glass that exists in a smartphone. This is partly due to a deeper reinforcing layer. (See more on this.)
Durability: hardly hard
We tested the hardness of the iPhone 8 by placing it on the wood from a height of 4 feet and 6 feet on the face; then we drop it to its edge and look at the concrete of 4 feet; then drop it on its edge and face 6 feet on the concrete.
The iPhone 8 has survived 4 and 6 foot drops on the wood without causing any damage. A 4-foot drop on the edge of the concrete causes a small crack and scratches along the bottom, which grew with a 4-foot drop on the concrete.
Performance: A11 Bionic destroys everything (including laptops)
If there is already a correct name for a processor, A11 is Bionic. This chip absolutely smokes all Android phones on the planet. The A11 Bionic is a six-core processor with two power cores that promise a 25% performance increase over the A10, and four high-efficiency cores that promise up to 70% improvement. Last but not least, this is an Apple-designed GPU that's supposed to be 30% faster.
MORE: The 2018 Best Phones
Cameras: Meet and win sometimes the best of Samsung
With a larger and faster sensor, the 12-megapixel camera of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus picks up some of the most attractive images I've seen from a cell phone. In fact, some of the images I've taken have overshadowed the stellar Galaxy Note 8, which was previously our popular camera phone. Now the iPhone 8 Plus comes first, and you can see our camera face-to-face with the 8 note to see the results for yourself.
Augmented Reality: promising
With iOS 11, you can enjoy augmented reality applications with Apple's ARKit technology on any phone running the software on an A9 or later chip. This means that even the iPhone SE and the old iPhone 6s can use a growing number of really immersive apps that use the live view of the camera and dub everything, from games and home textiles to educational content. ,
But the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (as well as the next iPhone X) have been specially optimized for the AR with the Bionic A11 chip, calibrated cameras and a new gyroscope and accelerometer. I tried a few apps and was impressed, but I also wanted more, as there are not many options yet.
Poster: not great OLED, but very good
Since the iPhone X has a beautiful 5.8-inch OLED display with 2436 x 1125 pixels and the OLED Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus displays of 5.8 and 6.2 inches, there is no doubt that The LCD screen iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are one step backward. They simply do not have the sharpness, the wide viewing angles, and the perfect blacks that the OLED competition has.
Battery life: Plus lasts longer
Despite the strong increase in speed, the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus offer a slightly longer drag than its predecessors, which is remarkable as Apple has promised a similar lifespan to iPhone 7 and 7 Plus with their new phones.
Wireless charging and fast charging: good and bad news
The good news is that the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 finally need to support wireless charging and work with any loading platform that supports the Qi standard. With Belkin's $ 59 Boost Up platform, I found that the iPhone 8 Plus was about as fast as the Lightning cable.
iOS 11: for most improvements
In daily use with the iPhone 8, I would say that the key changes you'll notice in iOS 11 are the new Control Center, the effects of Live Photo in the camera, and a more immersive App Store. Siri also has a more natural voice.
The control center is now easier to use as it accumulates more controls in a smaller space. For example, wireless controls and music controls are now on the same screen. If you hold down any of the controls, additional options appear. B. Night service and real sound for the brightness. However, I'm still waiting for Apple to help switch Wi-Fi networks by clicking on the Wi-Fi icon.
Bottom line
The $ 699 iPhone 8 and the $ 799 iPhone 8 Plus represent a leap forward in camera performance and quality, but I want them to come in packages that look and feel "newer". That's why I personally expect the $ 999 X iPhone, which also adds Face ID and a more colorful OLED screen. However, both iPhones have 8 very good LCDs, better sound than their predecessors, wireless charging and long battery life, and at a lower cost to get started.
If you like Android, Samsung does not make you decide between a cutting-edge design and the passing of a great price. The $ 750 Galaxy S8 and $ 850 S8 + offer superb cameras and OLED displays from one edge to another for a bit more than the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. However, none of the Galaxy phones can handle the performance of the iPhone 8, and I hope they follow Apple on the front of the augmented reality app. Do you want two cameras? You have to spend $ 930 and drive for touch 8, which is near the territory of the iPhone X.
My choice between the two new iPhones is generally the iPhone 8 Plus. It gives you a much bigger screen than the iPhone 8, a longer battery and versatile dual cameras for only $ 100 more. The normal iPhone 8 is good, but 4.7 inches does not cut it anymore.
Also:
. OnePlus 6 Review: This Is the Best Phone for the Money
. The iPhone X Hands-on: The iPhone, Nearly Perfected
But the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are not mere consolation prizes for Apple's flagship. They contain a lot of improvements, including the fastest processor ever in a phone (seriously, many laptops are ashamed), better cameras (especially in the iPhone 8 Plus) and wireless charging (yes, it has expired).
Updated on May 21st
We've updated our review of iPhone 8 / iPhone 8 Plus based on our numerous smartphone case tests, including iPhone 8. See results below.
Design: Slicker and harder, but on these chamfers
I am torn apart by the appearance of new iPhones. On the one hand, the new glass bottom is smooth and less slippery than my matte black iPhone 7 Plus. The new Apple phones are also being built stronger, and the company claims that the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus have the toughest glass that exists in a smartphone. This is partly due to a deeper reinforcing layer. (See more on this.)
Durability: hardly hard
We tested the hardness of the iPhone 8 by placing it on the wood from a height of 4 feet and 6 feet on the face; then we drop it to its edge and look at the concrete of 4 feet; then drop it on its edge and face 6 feet on the concrete.
The iPhone 8 has survived 4 and 6 foot drops on the wood without causing any damage. A 4-foot drop on the edge of the concrete causes a small crack and scratches along the bottom, which grew with a 4-foot drop on the concrete.
Performance: A11 Bionic destroys everything (including laptops)
If there is already a correct name for a processor, A11 is Bionic. This chip absolutely smokes all Android phones on the planet. The A11 Bionic is a six-core processor with two power cores that promise a 25% performance increase over the A10, and four high-efficiency cores that promise up to 70% improvement. Last but not least, this is an Apple-designed GPU that's supposed to be 30% faster.
MORE: The 2018 Best Phones
Cameras: Meet and win sometimes the best of Samsung
With a larger and faster sensor, the 12-megapixel camera of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus picks up some of the most attractive images I've seen from a cell phone. In fact, some of the images I've taken have overshadowed the stellar Galaxy Note 8, which was previously our popular camera phone. Now the iPhone 8 Plus comes first, and you can see our camera face-to-face with the 8 note to see the results for yourself.
Augmented Reality: promising
With iOS 11, you can enjoy augmented reality applications with Apple's ARKit technology on any phone running the software on an A9 or later chip. This means that even the iPhone SE and the old iPhone 6s can use a growing number of really immersive apps that use the live view of the camera and dub everything, from games and home textiles to educational content. ,
But the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (as well as the next iPhone X) have been specially optimized for the AR with the Bionic A11 chip, calibrated cameras and a new gyroscope and accelerometer. I tried a few apps and was impressed, but I also wanted more, as there are not many options yet.
Poster: not great OLED, but very good
Since the iPhone X has a beautiful 5.8-inch OLED display with 2436 x 1125 pixels and the OLED Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus displays of 5.8 and 6.2 inches, there is no doubt that The LCD screen iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are one step backward. They simply do not have the sharpness, the wide viewing angles, and the perfect blacks that the OLED competition has.
Battery life: Plus lasts longer
Despite the strong increase in speed, the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus offer a slightly longer drag than its predecessors, which is remarkable as Apple has promised a similar lifespan to iPhone 7 and 7 Plus with their new phones.
Wireless charging and fast charging: good and bad news
The good news is that the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 finally need to support wireless charging and work with any loading platform that supports the Qi standard. With Belkin's $ 59 Boost Up platform, I found that the iPhone 8 Plus was about as fast as the Lightning cable.
iOS 11: for most improvements
In daily use with the iPhone 8, I would say that the key changes you'll notice in iOS 11 are the new Control Center, the effects of Live Photo in the camera, and a more immersive App Store. Siri also has a more natural voice.
The control center is now easier to use as it accumulates more controls in a smaller space. For example, wireless controls and music controls are now on the same screen. If you hold down any of the controls, additional options appear. B. Night service and real sound for the brightness. However, I'm still waiting for Apple to help switch Wi-Fi networks by clicking on the Wi-Fi icon.
Bottom line
The $ 699 iPhone 8 and the $ 799 iPhone 8 Plus represent a leap forward in camera performance and quality, but I want them to come in packages that look and feel "newer". That's why I personally expect the $ 999 X iPhone, which also adds Face ID and a more colorful OLED screen. However, both iPhones have 8 very good LCDs, better sound than their predecessors, wireless charging and long battery life, and at a lower cost to get started.
If you like Android, Samsung does not make you decide between a cutting-edge design and the passing of a great price. The $ 750 Galaxy S8 and $ 850 S8 + offer superb cameras and OLED displays from one edge to another for a bit more than the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. However, none of the Galaxy phones can handle the performance of the iPhone 8, and I hope they follow Apple on the front of the augmented reality app. Do you want two cameras? You have to spend $ 930 and drive for touch 8, which is near the territory of the iPhone X.
My choice between the two new iPhones is generally the iPhone 8 Plus. It gives you a much bigger screen than the iPhone 8, a longer battery and versatile dual cameras for only $ 100 more. The normal iPhone 8 is good, but 4.7 inches does not cut it anymore.
Also:
. OnePlus 6 Review: This Is the Best Phone for the Money
. The iPhone X Hands-on: The iPhone, Nearly Perfected
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