The competition
We can't talk about the competition without bringing up Samsung's 2017 lineup: the S8, S8 Plus and Note 8. All of them pack gorgeous, nearly bezel-less "Infinity" displays, great cameras (or dual cameras, in the Note's case) and some of the best performance you'll find on an Android device. Of course, there's a decent chance that if you're reading this, you've already decided on an iPhone. That's fine -- just know that Samsung is Apple's biggest competitor for a reason.
The Essential PH-1 is also an option if you want to see what a truly bezel-free phone looks like. Essential and Android founder Andy Rubin specifically built his new phone with Apple's iPhone business model in mind, and it shows: It's a beautifully crafted machine that just oozes style. It's a reliable performer, too, though the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus definitely have the edge when it comes to cameras.
While we're talking about cameras, I have to bring up the LG V30. It's by far the most attractive phone the company has made in a long time, and though it packs a bigger screen than the 8 Plus, it still manages to feel sleek and light. Most important is the dual camera; while I think the iPhones are still better all-around shooters, the V30's camera interface is second to none, especially if you're trying to shoot video on the go.
And then there's the iPhone X. A $999 phone is a tough sell by any stretch, but it's barely more expensive than a top-of-the-line iPhone 8 Plus. It's also a physically smaller machine than the 8 Plus, but it still packs the same impressive camera and A11 chipset. That said, you're getting only 64GB of storage for that price, while the $949 8 Plus nets you 256GB of storage and many of the same features. Oh, and you won't have to wait around for your new iPhone either -- according to the Apple Store at the time of this writing, there are still plenty of 8 Pluses in stock for launch day, but demand for the X is crazy right now.
Wrap-up
When I first picked up the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, I immediately decided they were actually just the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus. I was wrong: They're definitely much more than that. They're just saddled with a less exciting design. If you subscribe to the maxim that it's what's inside that really counts, the 8 and 8 Plus are big improvements. They pack more storage, great cameras, improved software and absolutely first-rate performance into some highly familiar packages. The iPhone X will continue to suck the air out of the room for the foreseeable future, but one thing has become clear after my week of testing: They might not have the X's style, but the 8 and 8 Plus are truly excellent phones that won't let Apple die-hards and new customers down.
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