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

Michael Grothaus 18/09/2017 - 10:26am

Is there any difference besides the screen size? Mike takes a detailed look at the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus

Apple used to make it easy for you when considering to buy an iPhone. You only needed to decide on the color and the storage size you wanted.

But Apple threw all that to the wind with the introduction of the “Plus” model iPhone a few years ago. And as expected, when Apple introduced the iPhone 8 this year, it also released its larger sibling, the iPhone 8 Plus.

The obvious difference between the two is the screen sizes, but they do have a few other differences you should know about when deciding which to buy. Here’s how both compare.

iPhone 8 vs iPhone 8 Plus: Specs

Here’s 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 8 Plus:

Display: 5.5-inch Retina HD display with 1920x1080 resolution at 401 pixels per inch (ppi)
Dimensions: 158.4mm x 78.1 mm x 7.5 mm
Weight: 202 grams
Storage: 64 or 256GB
Processors: A11 Bionic chip
Front camera: 7 MP photos and 1080p HD video
Rear camera: Dual lens 12MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras
Battery: 2675 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

iPhone 8 vs iPhone 8 Plus: Display & Design

Of course, the biggest difference between the two new iPhones are in the display department. The iPhone 8 features a 4.7-inch display with a 1334x750-pixel resolution at 326 ppi and the iPhone 8 Plus features a 5.5-inch display with a 1920x1080-pixel resolution at 401 ppi.

Technically speaking, the iPhone 8 Plus’ display is superior on the resolution front. Not only does it have more pixels, it’s got a higher pixel per inch (ppi) density at 401ppi versus the iPhone 8’ 326 ppi. that being said, the smaller iPhone 8 actually has a slightly better contrast ratio of 1400:1 compared to the iPhone 8 Plus’ 1300:1. That means the smaller iPhone’s display can display just a bit more difference between the brightest whites and the darkest blacks. But both phones feature True Tone displays and 3D Touch.

As for the design, both feature aluminum bodies with rounded corners and while their physical length and height dimensions are of course different (due to screen size) the smaller iPhone 8 wins on thinness being just 7.3mm thick versus the iPhone 8 Plus’s 7.5mm thickness.

The iPhone 8 is also noticeably lighter than the iPhone 8 Plus. The iPhone 8 weighs just 148 grams versus the iPhone 8 Plus’ 202 grams.

iPhone 8 vs iPhone 8 Plus: Battery

Another major difference between the two new iPhones is in battery life. As can be expected, the iPhone 8 Plus packs a much larger battery because it needs it to power its larger screen. It has a 2675 mAh battery versus the iPhone 8’s 1821 mAh battery. But that larger battery in the iPhone 8 Plus doesn’t just go to powering the bigger display. It also leads to longer battery life in individual tasks. 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 8 Plus – 21 hours.
Internet use: iPhone 8 – Up to 12 hours. iPhone 8 Plus – Up to 13 hours.
Video playback: iPhone 8 – Up to 13 hours. iPhone 8 Plus – Up to 14 hours.
Audio playback: iPhone 8 – Up to 40 hours. iPhone 8 Plus – Up to 60 hours.

iPhone 8 vs iPhone 8 Plus: Camera

The final difference between the two new iPhones is in the rear camera department. No doubt about it, the iPhone 8 Plus wins it here. The Plus features the dual lens 12MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras and also offers optical zoom, thanks to that second sensor. The Plus also offers Portrait mode and Portrait lighting, while the regular 8 does not. As for the front camera, they are exactly the same in both phones.

iPhone 8 vs iPhone 8 Plus: Cost & Verdict

And then there is the cost. Both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus comes in Silver, Gold and Space Gray and in 64 GB or 256 GB storage capacities. Unlocked the 4.7-inch iPhone 8 will cost £699 (64GB) and £849 (256GB). The iPhone 8 Plus will cost £799 (64GB) and £949 (256GB).

While the longer battery life for select tasks and the dual lens camera will be the only things needed to sway some people to the larger iPhone 8 Plus, the majority of people will make their decision on one simple thing: screen size. If that’s the case for you the deciding question is do you want a smaller 4.7-inch phone that easily fits in any pocket or do you want a larger phablet device?