Two phones face off: the good, the bad and the ugly

Because getting a new phone is such a rare event for most people, choosing which phone to get can be quite a dilemma. Many simply get the upgraded model of the phone they have been using for years, but should you consider a change? The two largest players in the smartphone market, Samsung and Apple, have released their new phones, but which one is better?

In April of 2017, Samsung released their new line of phones: the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Note 8. Despite the blemish to Samsung’s reputation because of the Note 7’s occasional combustion, these phones were considered to be the phones to end all phones until Apple released their new line of phones a bit later the same year.

These phones were the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and the phone that surprised everyone: the iPhone X, which targets a consumer base willing and able to pay more to have all the bells and whistles that Apple can offer.

Starting at $699 and $724.99 (unlocked) respectively, the base models of the iPhone 8 and Galaxy S8 come out with comparable prices.

The larger models of the phones, the Galaxy S8+ and the iPhone 8 Plus, have generally comparable prices. However, the iPhone has greater choice in storage capacity, allowing the buyer to choose between 64 and 256 gigabytes, while the Galaxy S8+ only comes in 128 gigabytes.

As far as size goes, the S8 models are much larger. The base version of the S8 is 5.8 inches diagonally and is larger than the iPhone 8 Plus, the larger of the iPhones, which is only 5.5 inches. The iPhone 8 is the runt of the group at 4.7 inches while the S8+ measures in at a whopping 6.2 inches, being the largest of these phones.

A touch beloved by many Samsung users is the edge-to-edge screen offered in the S8, something not yet offered in the iPhone outside of the iPhone X.

As far as color selection goes, the S8 is a definite winner over the iPhone 8. Samsung offers a choice between five different colors with their new phone, nearly doubling Apple’s three. While Samsung has a larger color selection, some would say that Apple’s colors are better than Samsung’s, with beloved classics offered by Apple for years such as the popular “Space Gray”.

Along with the iPhone 8, Apple also released the iPhone X, to compete with the Samsung Note series. With the release of this new phone, Apple has stepped up and given those with a bit more money to spend more options than just a bigger phone.

This new version of the iPhone features something that, up to this point, has never before been seen on an iPhone: an edge to edge screen. While this may be an upgrade to some, others complain about the fact that the top of the screen has a blank section where the front-facing camera is, creating small, somewhat awkward pieces of screen on either side.

Another complaint many have of the iPhone X is the lack of a home button. While Apple meant for this to make the phone slicker, many say removing the home button is overkill and the digital replacement for the home button makes operating the phone more complicated.

Something that the Note 8 comes with that the iPhone X does not is a stylus with which to write or draw on the screen. While the stylus may seem to be a pointless addition, those who have the Note attest that the stylus is much more helpful than it first appears.

The cameras of these phones are comparable in megapixels, while the quality of their     cameras compared to each other are mostly based on preference.

The Note 8 weighs 193 grams while the iPhone X is 174 grams. The weight difference between these is mostly due to the size difference between the phones, the Note being half an inch larger than the iPhone diagonally. However, this does not account for all of the Note’s extra weight; even when size of the phone’s screen is taken into account, the Note 8 is heavier.

All of that being said, the decision on which phone one gets is ultimately up to the buyer’s preferences. It is important to choose the phone you buy carefully, since it will likely be a decision you must live with for the years to come.