iPhone 8 vs iPhone 7 – What's The Difference?

Michael Grothaus 19/09/2017 - 9:58am

A small number change, but a huge spec bump! Mike takes a look at how the new iPhone 8 compares to the iPhone 7

This year everyone thought Apple was going to unveil the iPhone X and then an updated iPhone 7 called the “iPhone 7s”.

However, Apple surprised us with the naming convention, foregoing the “S” moniker and straight up upping the number to an “8”. What’s more, Apple not only didn’t discontinue the iPhone 7, it still offers it on sale alongside the iPhone X, iPhone, 8, and even the iPhone 6s.

But just how does the iPhone 7 compare to the iPhone 8? We took a look to find out.

iPhone 8 vs iPhone 7: Specs

Here are the specs for the iPhone 8:

Display: 4.7-inch display with a 1334x750-pixel resolution at 326ppi
Dimensions: 138.4mm x 67.3mm x 7.3mm
Weight: 148 grams
Storage: 64 or 256GB
Processors: A11 Bionic chip
Front camera: 7 MP photos and 1080p HD video
Rear camera: 12MP camera
Battery: 1821 mAh. Up to 12 hours battery life mixed usage
Other: Touch ID, NFC, Wireless charging, 3D Touch; Splash, Water and Dust Resistant
Color options: Silver, Gold and Space Gray

And here’s the specs for the iPhone 7:

Display: 4.7-inch Retina HD display with 1334x750 resolution at 326 pixels per inch (ppi)
Dimensions: 138.3mm x 67.1mm x 7.1 mm
Weight: 138 grams
Storage: 32 or 128GB
Processors: A10 Fusion chip with 64-bit architecture
Front camera: 7 MP photos and 1080p HD video
Rear camera: 12MP camera
Battery: 1960 mAh. Up to 12 hours battery life mixed usage
Other: Touch ID, NFC, 3D Touch; Splash, Water and Dust Resistant
Color options: Rose Gold, Gold, Silver, Black, Jet Black

iPhone 8 vs iPhone 7: Display & Design

There’s absolutely no difference in the displays of both models. Each offers a 4.7-inch display with a 1334x750-pixel resolution at 326 ppi. Both phones also offer 3D Touch. However, the iPhone 8 features a True Tone display, which matches the ambient light of the room you are using it in, and you’ll notice a difference because of that.

Another place the phones differ is in storage options. The iPhone 7 comes in either 32 or 128GB while the iPhone 8 comes in either 64 or 256GB. And then, of course, there is the CPU inside. Apple says the A11 is a whopping 70% faster than the A10 found in the iPhone 7!

As for the design, both feature aluminum bodies with rounded corners, but the iPhone 8 adds a nice glass back paneling to it (for wireless charging capabilities). This gives it a shine like the iPhone 4 used to have. Because of the glass back, the iPhone 8 is just a tad thicker and heavier than the iPhone 7–but not by much. As far as color options go, the iPhone 7 offers five options, while the newer iPhone 8 only offers three.

iPhone 8 vs iPhone 7: Battery

The iPhone 7 actually has a bit of a larger battery than the iPhone 8, at 1960 mAh versus 1821 mAh. However, Apple says both phones basically have the same battery life for most things (thanks to the A11 being a bit more power efficient than the A10). Here’s how the battery life compares between the two in Talk Time, Standby Time, Internet Use, Video Playback, and Audio Playback:

Talk time: iPhone 8 – 14 hours. iPhone 7 – 14 hours.
Internet use: iPhone 8 – Up to 12 hours. iPhone 7 – Up to 13 hours.
Video playback: iPhone 8 – Up to 13 hours. iPhone 7 – Up to 13 hours.
Audio playback: iPhone 8 – Up to 40 hours. iPhone 7 – Up to 40 hours.

And don’t forget, the iPhone 8 offers wireless charging, whereas the iPhone 7 does not.

iPhone 8 vs iPhone 7: Camera

Both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 have the same megapixels in the front and rear cameras, however, the sensors in the iPhone 8 have been greatly improved. Apple says the all-new sensor in the iPhone 8 features a new color filter and deeper pixels. Oh, and it also offers optical image stabilization for photos and videos.

iPhone 8 vs iPhone 7: Cost & Verdict

And then there is the cost. Unlocked the 4.7-inch iPhone 8 will cost £699 (64GB) and £849 (256GB). The iPhone 7 will cost £549 (32GB) and £649 (128GB). That £150 and £200 premium for the iPhone 8 does get you a heck of a lot more: a better CPU, better camera, wireless charging, and more storage.