What are the major differences between the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X? Are these older models still worth considering?

Please note that the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X have been discontinued. However, this Q&A has been updated with the latest iOS support and other details. It is quite helpful to anyone considering any of these models on the used market.

There are are at least eleven different iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X devices, but this EveryiPhone.com Q&A primarily covers collective differences for the sake of simplicity.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPhone X)

Some differences between the iPhone X -- above -- and the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus -- below -- like the lack of a Home button on the iPhone X are obvious, but there are other differences that are not immediately apparent. There are similarities that you would not assume, as well, and these also are important to understand.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus)

External Design & Functionality Differences

There are substantial external design and function differences between the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X.

The iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus use an aluminum alloy case reinforced by steel whereas the iPhone X uses a case forged primarily from "surgical-grade stainless steel."

All three have a glass front and back; are splash, water, and dust-resistant to the IP67 standard; have stereo speakers; and support "wireless" -- really inductive -- charging with an optional charging base.

However, the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus have a traditional iPhone Home button that supports "Touch ID" fingerprint identification whereas the iPhone X discards the Home button altogether in favor of gesture controls and replaces the fingerprint sensor with "Face ID" authentication:

	iPhone 8/8+	iPhone X
Material:	Al/Glass	Steel/Glass
Ion-X Glass:	Yes	Yes
Water Resistant:	IP67	IP67
Speakers:	Two	Two
Security:	Touch ID	Face ID
Inductive Charging:	Yes (Qi)	Yes (Qi)

Apple declares that these models have the "most durable glass in a smartphone," which very well may be true, but glass is more fragile than metal. Accordingly, it shouldn't be too surprising that these models all are delicate and have performed poorly in real-world drop tests.

Display Differences

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models have quality 4.7" (1334x750, 326 ppi, 1400:1) and 5.5" (1920x1080, 401 ppi, 1300:1) "Retina HD" displays, respectively; but the iPhone X has a truly beautiful 5.8" (2436x1125, 458 ppi, 1 million:1 contrast ratio) "Super Retina" display:

	iPhone 8	iPhone 8+	iPhone X
Dimensions:	4.7"	5.4"	5.8"
Resolution:	1334x750	1920x1080	2436x1125
Pixel Density:	326 ppi	401 ppi	458 ppi
Contrast Ratio:	1400:1	1300:1	1 million:1
Max Brightness:	625 cd/m2	625 cd/m2	625 cd/m2
Wide Color:	DCI-P3	DCI-P3	DCI-P3
True Tone:	Yes	Yes	Yes
3D Touch:	Yes	Yes	Yes

Not only is the OLED screen in the iPhone X much better, but it has more viewable area in a comparatively smaller housing.

Housing Color Differences

For the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus, Apple provides three color options. The company provides two for the iPhone X:

iPhone 8/8+	iPhone X
White Front/ Silver Back	Black Front/ Silver Back
White Front/ Gold Back	Black Front/ Space Gray Back
Black Front/ Space Gray Back
Black Front/ Red Back*

*From April 9, 2018 until September 12, 2018, Apple also sold a (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition option for both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

It is worth noting that the iPhone X only has a black front to better camouflage the awkward "notch" in the top of the display.

Camera Differences

The iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X all have front and rear cameras, but they are not of the same quality.

Front Cameras

The front-facing camera on the iPhone X -- which Apple refers to as "TrueDepth" -- is vastly more advanced than the camera on the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus models, which Apple refers to by its longstanding "FaceTime HD" moniker.

Perhaps most notably, the TrueDepth camera makes the "Face ID" authentication possible, and it also supports a new "Portrait lighting" effect:

	iPhone 8	iPhone 8 Plus	iPhone X
Megapixels:	7 MP	7 MP	7 MP
Aperture:	f/2.2	f/2.2	f/2.2
Video:	1080p	1080p	1080p
Portrait Mode:	No	Yes	Yes
Portrait Lighting:	No	No	Yes

Additionally, the TrueDepth camera opens the door for more significant augmented reality applications in the future.

Rear Cameras

The rear-mounted cameras on the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X are similar, but the iPhone X adds dual optical image stabilization:

	iPhone 8	iPhone 8 Plus	iPhone X
Megapixels:	12 MP	12 MP x2*	12 MP x2*
Aperture:	f/1.8	f/1.8/f/2.8*	f/1.8/f/2.8*
Pixel Size:	1.22µm	1.22µm	1.22µm
LED Flash:	Quad True Tone with Slow Sync	Quad True Tone with Slow Sync	Quad True Tone with Slow Sync
Lens:	Six-Element	Six-Element	Six-Element
Digital Zoom:	3x-5x	6x-10x	6x-10x
Video:	4K	4K	4K
Slo-Mo:	Yes	Yes	Yes
Focus Pixels:	Yes	Yes	Yes
AIS:	Yes	Yes	Yes
OIS (Photos):	Yes	Yes	Dual
OIS (Videos):	Yes	Yes	Dual

* The iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X models have dual rear cameras. There are two rear 12 megapixel cameras, one wide-angle with a f/1.8 aperture and another telephoto with a f/2.8 aperture. By combining an image from both cameras, these models emulate an optical zoom and provide a superior digital zoom.

Perhaps the most substantial improvements to the rear cameras in recent years is related to software rather than hardware, though. These software improvements have provided better HDR and substantially improved low light performance because of the "Slow Sync" flash. For more details about how these software improvements can be beneficial in the hands of a professional photographer, you also may find a pair of reviews from Austin Mann helpful.

Identification Differences

It is straightforward to distinguish between the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X when they are side-by-side. However, it is easy to mistake the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models for earlier ones and easy to mistake the iPhone X for later models.

Unfortunately, unlike previous iPhone models, these three devices cannot be uniquely identified by a Model Number on their respective backs. However, the model number is listed on the cardboard shipping box and within the iOS.

Consequently, for the purpose of this Q&A, it is sufficient to note that the following model numbers refer to these iPhone devices:

iPhone Model	Model No
iPhone 8 (Verizon/Sprint/China/India)	A1863
iPhone 8 (AT&T/T-Mobile/Global)	A1905
iPhone 8 (Japan)	A1906
iPhone 8 (China Mobile)	A1907
iPhone 8 Plus (Verizon/Sprint/China)	A1864
iPhone 8 Plus (AT&T/T-Mobile/Global)	A1897
iPhone 8 Plus (Japan)	A1898
iPhone 8 Plus (China Mobile)	A1899
iPhone X (Verizon/Sprint/China/India)	A1865
iPhone X (AT&T/T-Mobile/Global)	A1901
iPhone X (Japan)	A1902

EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iLookup feature also can precisely identify these iPhone models by Order Number (referred to as "Model" within the iOS "Settings" app under General > About), and their Serial Numbers, as well.

Battery Life Differences

The iPhone 8 Plus, which has a physically larger battery than the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, has the best battery life of the three:

	iPhone 8	iPhone 8 Plus	iPhone X
Talk Time:	14 Hours	21 Hours	21 Hours
Internet:	12 Hours	13 Hours	12 Hours
Video Playback:	13 Hours	14 Hours	13 Hours
Audio Playback:	40 Hours	60 Hours	60 Hours

Wireless Connectivity & Data Differences

There is different connectivity support for each of the three iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X models.

All of these iPhone models, regardless of other network connectivity, support GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) and UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz) as well as 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO and Bluetooth 5.

However, other supported cellular networks are quite different:

iPhone	Model Number	LTE	CDMA EV-DO	TD-SCDMA
8 (Verizon/Sprint) 8+ (Verizon/Sprint) X (Verizon/Sprint)	A1863 A1864 A1865	FDD-LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66; TD-LTE: 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	800, 1900, 2100 MHz	1900 (F), 2000 (A)
8 (AT&T/T-Mo) 8 (CN Mobile) 8+ (AT&T/T-Mo) 8+ (CN Mobile) X (AT&T/T-Mo)	A1905 A1907 A1897 A1899 A1901	FDD-LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66; TD-LTE: 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	None	None
8 (Japan) 8+ Plus (Japan) X (Japan)	A1906 A1898 A1902	FDD-LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66; TD-LTE: 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42	800, 1900, 2100 MHz	1900 (F), 2000 (A)

Note that the connectivity for the three iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X models essentially is shared, but there are three options for each model.

Internal Differences

Surprisingly, although the specific parts are different, the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X are practically identical internally in terms of underlying technology:

	iPhone 8	iPhone 8 Plus	iPhone X
Clockspeed:	2.4 GHz	2.4 GHz	2.4 GHz
Processor:	Apple A11 Bionic	Apple A11 Bionic	Apple A11 Bionic
Cores:	Six	Six	Six
RAM:	2 GB	3 GB	3 GB
Architecture:	64-Bit	64-Bit	64-Bit
Coprocessor:	M11 Motion	M11 Motion	M11 Motion
Neural Engine:	Yes	Yes	Yes
Storage:	64/256 GB	64/256 GB	64/256 GB
Apple Pay (NFC):	Yes	Yes	Yes

From a performance standpoint, the only notable internal difference is that the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X have 3 GB of RAM whereas the iPhone 8 only has 2 GB.

iOS Support Similarities

The iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X all originally shipped with iOS 11 and all are compatible with iOS 12, iOS 13, iOS 14, iOS 15, and the current version of the iOS -- iOS 16 -- as well.

However, running iOS 13, none of these models support the Adjust Portrait Lighting and High-Key Mono photgraphy features, Dolby Atmos playback, and modest AR features (Motion Capture and People Occlusion).

Running iOS 14, none of these models support the minor Car Keys, Location Anchors, Exposure Compensation, Burst Photos, QuickTake Video, and On-Device Dictation features.

Running iOS 15, none of these models support significant advanced features including Spatial Audio, Portrait Mode, Immersive Walking Instructions, Live Text in Photos, Live Text Translation, Visual Look Up, 3D Landmarks, Home Keys, and more.

Finally, running iOS 16, none of these models support many advanced features including Live Text, expanded Siri capabilities, improved Dictation, Adding medications via camera, Accessibility Detection, Live Captions, improved Depth of Field, and Visual Look Up. None of these models support Apple Music Sing (Karaoke), either.

iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus & iPhone X Comparison Chart

These differences as well as other details and pricing information is summarized below:

	iPhone 8	iPhone 8 Plus	iPhone X
Introduced:	Sep 2017	Sep 2017	Sep 2017
Discontinued:	April 2020	April 2020	Sep 2018
RAM:	2 GB	3 GB	3 GB
Orig. Storage:	64/256 GB	64/256 GB	64/256 GB
Curr. Storage:	64/128 GB	64/128 GB	Used Only
Battery Life (Hours):	14-40	13-60	12-60
Display Size:	4.7"	5.5"	5.8"
Resolution:	1334x750	1920x1080	2436x1125
Pixel Density:	326 ppi	401 ppi	458 ppi
Contrast Ratio:	1400:1	1300:1	1 million:1
Wide Color:	DCI-P3	DCI-P3	DCI-P3
Bluetooth:	5.0	5.0	5.0
Front Camera:	FaceTime HD	FaceTime HD	TrueDepth
Portrait Mode:	No	Yes	Yes
Portrait Lighting:	No	No	Yes
Rear Camera:	1 (12 MP)	2 (12 MP)	2 (12 MP)
OIS (Photos):	Yes	Yes	Dual
OIS (Video):	Yes	Yes	Dual
Material:	Al 7000/Glass	Al 7000/Glass	Steel/Glass
Colors:	Gold/Silver/Gray	Gold/Silver/Gray	Silver/Gray
Dimensions (In):	5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29	6.24 x 3.07 x 0.30	5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30
Home Button:	Yes	Yes	No
Security:	Touch ID	Touch ID	Face ID
Apple Pay (NFC):	Yes	Yes	Yes
SIM Card:	Nano	Nano	Nano
Original iOS:	iOS 11	iOS 11	iOS 11
Maximum iOS:	iOS 16	iOS 16	iOS 16
Orig. Price* (US):	US$699, US$849	US$799, US$849	US$999, US$1149
Orig. Price* (UK):	£699, £849	£799, £949	£999, £1149
Orig. Price* (CA):	C$929, C$1139	C$1059, C$1269	C$1319, C$1529
Orig. Price* (AU):	A$1079, A$1329	A$1229, A$1479	A$1579, A$1829
Orig. Price* (JP):	¥78,800, ¥95,800	¥89,800, ¥106,800	¥112,800, ¥129,800
Orig. Price* (CN):	RMB 5,888, 7,188	RMB 6,688, 7,988	RMB 8,388, 9,688

* Note that these prices are for devices unlocked and paid in full upfront. Carrier subsidized options also were available. On September 12, 2018, Apple cut the price in the US to US$599 and US$749 for the iPhone 8 and US$699 and US$849 for the iPhone 8 Plus. The company also discontinued the iPhone X. Finally, on September 10, 2019, Apple discontinued the 256 GB option for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus and introduced a new 128 GB option for each. With 64 GB or 128 GB of storage, the iPhone 8 finally was US$449 and US$499 and the iPhone 8 Plus finally was US$549 and US$599. Apple discontinued the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus entirely on April 15, 2020.

For pricing in dozens of countries, see the "Global Prices" on the specs page for each iPhone as well as the "By Global Original Prices" section of EveryiPhone.com.

So, which is for me? Should I buy an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or iPhone X? Are these older models still worth considering?

Although the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X each have been discontinued, all remain readily available on the used market and are well worth considering. For someone on a bit of a budget, it still can be worthwhile to compare these devices. They all support the current version of the iOS -- at least for one more year -- and still have plenty of life left.

Ignoring subsequent devices like the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR (and even newer devices), and only comparing these models, the main reason to buy an iPhone X over an iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus is the beautiful display on the iPhone X that is much higher resolution than the iPhone 8 Plus in a housing that only is modestly bigger than the iPhone 8. It was truly impressive at the time of its initial release.

The iPhone X front-facing TrueDepth camera eventually will be incredible, perhaps even world changing when paired with practical software that takes full advantage of augmented reality, but at the time the iPhone X first was released, it was largely unnecessary and gimmicky. The iPhone X rear cameras with dual optical image stabilization are better than the rear cameras in the iPhone 8 Plus, but less dramatically so than the improvement between the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus (subsequent iPhone models have better cameras entirely).

If you want the largest, highest resolution display possible in a relatively small iPhone and have the funds to do so, the iPhone X was the best choice when it was released (subsequent iPhone models are even better). If you are on a tighter budget and are willing to sacrifice display quality and resolution for a mobile that provides effectively the same performance and nearly all of the same features, an iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus would be a good choice, as well. Although it can be harder to handle for those with smaller hands, the iPhone 8 Plus even has a bit better battery life.

It's also worth noting that the iPhone X effectively represents an all new device whereas the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are more of a refinement of a well-tested design. When buying any product, whether a mobile or a dishwasher, it's always a good idea to wait for a later revision for any potential bugs or hardware failures to be addressed. Those who share this sentiment at the time the iPhone X was released might have preferred to buy an iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus and consider later models later. Now that later models have been released, later models could be a better choice than the iPhone X, but the iPhone X has proven itself in the marketplace to be reasonably reliable, too.

iPhone Purchase & Sale Options

There are no shortage of places to buy an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or iPhone X. However, buying your iPhone from a respected company with a solid track record will provide an ideal experience and save you money and time, also.

In the US, site sponsors Other World Computing and JemJem sell used and refurbished iPhone models with free shipping. On the other hand, if you need to sell an iPhone, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older iPhone with an instant quote and prompt payment.

In Australia, site sponsor Mac City likewise has a variety of used iPhone models sold at low prices and available with a free warranty and fast shipping across Australia.

Site sponsor OWC also sells high quality NuGuard KX cases for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. Because these models are glass and expensive, a protective case is a particularly good idea.

Please also see EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iComparison feature to dynamically compare any iPhone model to any other iPod, iPhone, or iPad.