Apple has been practicing one simple marketing move for the fourth generation: first they release a regular version of their phone, after which 2-3 months later they announce its improved version. “Plus” should distract buyers before the next generation, and close all the shortcomings if they did not have time to patch them up in the main version, as well as bring interim profit to the company. Because of this, many buyers are waiting for the announcement of the improved version and are already buying plus. But starting with the seventh generation, they stopped allocating the necessary time for “waiting”, and this year they again announced the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus at the same time, without caring about the sales of the first and immediately revealing its shortcomings to the public.
So what to choose, 8 or 8 plus, what are the differences between 8 and the add-on, and why should you give your preference to it and not the iPhone 8 in the basic configuration? To do this, we will conduct a kind of review of the devices and analyze their differences, technical characteristics, find out how the plus differs from a regular iPhone, and which is better. Having created a confrontation “iphone 8 vs iPhone 8 plus” and figured out what is better and how the improved gadget differs from the basic configuration, it is easy to compare an iPhone with another brand, but doing this within the same series, carefully analyzing the technical characteristics, is already more difficult.
Comparison Features
The appearance of the front panels of the two iPhones is practically the same, if you do not pay attention to the difference in size.
There are few differences when considering the gadgets from the back (except for the camera, which is double in the “older” version, and single in the “younger” version) - the same protective glass, the same flashes, logo and brand name.
This feature is typical for Apple products - most models with the “Plus” prefix have an almost identical design to previously released versions from the same generation.
The similarities between the phones that were considered flagships in 2022 continue with the same processors and software.
However, in order to choose one of them, you should pay attention not to similar, but to different characteristics.
Smartphone sizes
Comparing the characteristics of iPhones should start with the most obvious differences - sizes.
The enlarged screen of the Plus version also led to a noticeable increase in its dimensions.
Thanks to this, the “older” model better meets the requirements of modern users – while the compactness of the iPhone 8 makes it more similar to the smartphones of 2015-2016.
Table 1. Dimensions and weight
| Parameter | Parameter values | |
| iPhone 8 | iPhone 8 Plus | |
| Length, cm | 13,84 | 15,84 |
| Width, cm | 6,73 | 7,81 |
| Thickness, cm | 0,73 | 0,75 |
| Weight, g | 148 | 202 |
As you can see from the size of the phones, the 8 Plus version turned out to be larger in all respects – even in thickness.
At the same time, the mass of gadgets differs even more noticeably - the “older” iPhone turned out to be heavier than most modern models on Android OS with similar screen sizes.
Rice. 2. Comparison of case sizes.
Screen characteristics
Another noticeable difference between the Apple 8 and 8 Plus models is the diagonal size of their displays.
The first smartphone received only a 4.7-inch Retina HD matrix, the second is equipped with its 5.5-inch version. The screen form factor is standard – 16:9.
iPhone displays differ not only in size, but also in other characteristics.
Thus, the parameters of the “younger” version do not allow it to play video in FullHD format, while the iPhone 8 Plus provides this opportunity to its owners.
This feature is caused by different pixel densities, while the difference in contrast is almost invisible.
Table 2. Display options
| Characteristic | Meaning | |
| for iPhone 8 | for iPhone 8 Plus | |
| Screen diagonal | 4,7» | 5,5» |
| Resolution, pixels | 1334 x 750 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Pixel density, ppi | 326 | 401 |
| Contrast | 1400:1 | 1300:1 |
| Brightness, cd/m2 | 625 | |
The remaining screen parameters of both last year's Apple flagships are completely the same.
Each iPhone received good brightness, allowing it to be used in the sun, and support for True Tone technology, which adjusts the display glow to the lighting. Both screens have excellent viewing angles and are protected from dirt and fingerprints with an effective oleophobic coating.
Price
The iPhone SE 2022 was announced on April 15, 2022. Pre-orders in Russia started on April 23. You can get your smartphone in your hands as early as May.
Photo of the updated SE 2nd generation
Apple offers three versions of the 2nd generation SE. In Russia their price is as follows:
- 64 GB version - 39,990 rubles.
- 128 GB version - 44,990 rubles.
- 256 GB version - 53,990 rubles.
After the announcement of the new smartphone, the iPhone 8 was discontinued and is sold through authorized Apple resellers at the prices of the updated SE.
Comparison of prices of iPhone 8 and SE 2022 in the form of a table:
| Price | SE 2nd generation | iPhone 8 | 8Plus |
| 64 GB, rubles | 39990 | 39990 | 41990 |
| 128 GB, rubles | 44990 | 44990 | 44990 |
| 256 GB, rubles | 53990 | 65990 | 49990 |
Despite being discontinued, the G8 can still be found on sale, since warehouse stocks have not yet been sold out. You can even try looking for sales and discounts to save a little on your purchase.
It is convenient to view prices through the Yandex.Market service. By selecting the smartphone model you are interested in below, you will be taken to the Yandex.Market website, where store prices, terms of payment, delivery and return are collected:
Hardware and test results
Each new generation of Apple smartphones is equipped with more and more powerful processors - in fact, the best on the market among the models released at the same time by the company's competitors.
The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus were no exception, receiving a 6-core A11 Bionic CPU from the manufacturer.
Testing shows that the new chip is faster than the processors found in high-end MacBook Pro laptops.
The list of advantages of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus CPU compared to the parameters of the previous model, the A10 Fusion, which was installed on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, includes:
- increased productivity by 50-70%;
- acceleration of the built-in graphics processor by 30%;
- using 10 nm process technology instead of 14 nm.
On the other hand, all this performance increase applies to both models.
The difference lies in the amount of RAM, which the iPhone 8 has only 2 GB, while the 8 Plus has 3.
A one and a half increase in RAM does not provide any noticeable advantages - the differences will only be noticeable when running resource-intensive applications and games that completely load the memory, and during testing in benchmarks.
Testing in AnTuTu shows that the speed advantage of the “older” version does not exceed 1.5%.
And in the tests of 3DMark's, Geekbench 4 and Webxprt, the “younger” model is not inferior to the iPhone 8 Plus - and even slightly superior to it.
Based on this, we can conclude that an extra gigabyte of RAM does not have much significance in the operation of new Apple models - at least, the impact of the amount of RAM in this case is smaller compared to phones running Android OS.
Rice. 3. Indicators in benchmarks.
It is worth noting that the increase in performance that the iPhone 8 Plus should have compared to the “younger” version is noticeable mainly when running resource-intensive games.
However, the impressive processor power and good optimization of the iOS 11 operating system have led to the fact that such gaming applications do not yet exist.
iPhone games released before 2018 are not able to load the A11 processor to 100%.
Rice. 4. In modern games, both new generation iPhones perform equally well.
iPhone 8 plus - disadvantages
In addition to what has already been said, almost everyone attacked the smartphone for its controversial design and placement of the earpiece and front camera. The “black” fields on the display were almost completely removed from the device, albeit without the 2.5 D technology presented by their main competitor. But at the same time, they left one giant stripe on top, and not on the entire display, but in the center. It fits well into the design of the system itself, but only when the elements are arranged vertically.
When you launch any software or game, you will immediately feel discomfort. It is clear that the creators tried to “beautifully” disguise the necessary elements and give their arrangement some kind of feature, but this could have been done more elegantly, or simply left a full-fledged dark stripe. And don’t leave one giant black island that catches your eye for the sake of a marketing ploy with beautiful display size numbers.
Shooting quality
The quality of shooting with the main camera is one of the main differences between the two smartphones.
The reason for the different characteristics was the use in the “older” version of not a single 12-megapixel module with an f/1.8 aperture, but two at once.
The second camera of the iPhone 8 Plus is equipped not only with a wide-angle lens, but also with an additional long-focus lens (12 MP, f/2.8).
The second camera of the more expensive model provides it with other improvements:
- 2x optical and 10x digital zoom;
- a unique “Portrait” mode with a sharpening effect that allows you to highlight the subject by naturally blurring the background;
- special portrait lighting, regardless of shooting conditions (day or night, indoors or outdoors).
Rice. 5. Photos from iPhone 8 and iPhone 8+ (with background blur).
The quality of shooting at night, if you do not apply any effects, is approximately the same.
And, if you compare it with the photo performance that can be obtained using most smartphones with Android OS, the advantages of both iPhones become obvious.
Rice. 6. Photos at night.
The front cameras of the compared mobile devices do not differ from each other.
Therefore, the brightness and clarity of selfies obtained with their help will depend not on the model, but on the lighting and the selected settings.
When compared with camera phones such as the Google Pixel 2, we can draw conclusions about softer colors, but slightly inferior shooting quality to the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.
Rice. 7. Photo quality with selfie camera.
At first glance, the video recording characteristics are the same.
Each iPhone shoots videos with a resolution of 4K (24, 30 and 60 fps), FullHD (30 or 60 fps) and HD.
The only difference is the ability for the “older” iPhone to use optical and 6x digital zoom directly during recording.
Cameras
iPhone 8 is equipped with a new type of wide-angle camera, but with the same 12 megapixel resolution, along with improved other characteristics.
This:
- 6-lens lens ƒ/1.8;
- picture stabilization;
- accelerated 12 MP matrix;
- unique technology for recognizing faces, movements, light brightness and other little things from Apple that affect the quality of pictures;
- pixel processing technology with automatic focusing of accelerated type;
- improved images when shooting in HDR mode;
- extended color range.
Paired with the A11 Bionic processor, iPhone 8 captures high-quality videos and photos out of the box.
Level of autonomy
The batteries of Apple smartphones also differ - the “younger” model received a 1821 mAh battery, the “older” one is equipped with a battery with a capacity of 2675 mAh.
For models with 4.7" and 5.5" diagonals, these figures are quite modest. However, energy-efficient processors partially compensate for the lack of capacity, allowing the level of autonomy of iPhones to be compared with that of modern flagships on the Android OS.
The operating time of smartphones depends on the selected operating mode, screen brightness and operating modules.
The differences between gadgets in autonomy are most noticeable during normal telephone conversations and playing audio files.
While browsing the Internet or watching a movie, the user will hardly notice the difference.
Table 3. Operating time in different modes
| Mode | Operating time for different versions | |
| iPhone 8 | iPhone 8 Plus | |
| Testing indicators | 8,5 | 10,5 |
| Internet surfing | 12 | 13 |
| Playing videos | 13 | 14 |
| Talking on the phone | 14 | 21 |
| Playing music | 40 | 60 |
Such autonomy cannot be called either great or, conversely, insufficient for a good phone.
The level is rather average – although it could have been higher if Apple had kept the same batteries as the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus (1960 mAh and 2900 mAh, respectively).
Rice. 8. Results of battery life testing.
Internal "stuffing"
The iPhone is based on a unique 6-core A11 Bionic processor with 43 billion transistors, 2 cores of which are responsible for performance, and 4 for efficiency. A11 cores are 25% faster and 75% more efficient than the cores found in the iPhone 7 Plus.
The performance controller is a II generation device. This means that the processor power is increased, but at the same time, the charges are used with maximum economy, and the 3-core chip for graphics support works 1/3 faster.
The device has surpassed all competitors, producing indicators that are:
- 17.9% higher than iPhone 7;
- 54% more than Galaxy S8;
- 53% higher than Galaxy Note8.
Price category
When reviewing Apple smartphones, it is difficult to ignore such a sensitive topic for many users as price.
Moreover, a domestic buyer will have to pay for any modification of the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus an amount exceeding the average salary in the country.
The cost of the “younger” versions with 64 and 256 GB of permanent memory is in October 2018 about 46 thousand and 57 thousand rubles, respectively.
Model 8 Plus with the same amount of ROM will cost 55 and 68 thousand.
This means that the difference in the cost of phones of similar storage size is in the range of 9-11 thousand rubles. or about 19%.
Rice. 9. Prices for devices with 256 GB ROM in 2018.
Price
In Russia, the most favorable price for iPhone 8 will be the price in:
- 39,990 rubles for iPhone 8 64 GB;
- 41,990 rubles for iPhone 8 256 GB.
The iPhone 8 is truly a very high-quality smartphone, the best product from Apple. Many functions have been modified in it, the most important characteristics have been increased, but at the same time, the initial feeling of “newness” disappears after 5-10 minutes of using the gadget. And, no matter what the manufacturers say, you can’t call the iPhone 8 a new gadget; it’s just a restyled model of the familiar “Seven”.
Buying this smartphone is worth it for those who are satisfied with their smartphone, but would like to slightly improve its basic characteristics; if you already have an iPhone 7, then you are unlikely to need a modified copy of it. It’s better to wait a little and turn your attention to other Apple X-scale gadgets – iPhone X, XS, XS Max and XR
Pros and cons of the “older” model
Positive:
- improved shooting quality and the availability of additional modes – primarily portrait photography;
- the ability to work without recharging 7-50% longer, depending on the mode;
- more RAM (which does not yet bring tangible benefits, but may come in handy after the release of new games for iOS);
- large screen sizes and good resolution.
Negative:
- The first is the cost of the device, due to which the buyer will have to overpay from 9 to 11 thousand rubles, the second is the significant weight.
- Although for some users who are accustomed to the small size of gadgets, the large body may also seem like a disadvantage, which, taking into account the 16:9 form factor and large frames at the top and bottom of the display, is wider than some 6-inch models.
Users' opinions
When making a purchase decision, it is worth getting acquainted with the opinions of consumers who bought one of the 2017 iPhones.
Of course, information from those customers who used two phones at once would be even more useful.
But due to the similarity of some characteristics, it is unlikely to find people who would buy both options at once.
Vasily M .: My new iPhone 8 Plus suits me quite well in terms of operating time and speed, screen and sound quality. The support for fast charging and the quality of the cameras are both impressive. There are just two “buts”. There is no charger included that could charge the phone within half an hour. You will have to buy a charger separately, spending from 60 to 100 dollars. It also weighs a lot - I had to get used to the feeling of heaviness in my hands. Despite the fact that a heavy case does not mean in this case that the iPhone is protected from falls - perhaps it will withstand more compared to other flagships, but it is still advisable to carry the 8 Plus in a case. Perhaps it was worth buying a lighter iPhone 8 - I haven’t used any of the advantages of the improved version yet.
Alina K .: When I look at my iPhone 8 and its “colleague” 8 Plus, it seems that Apple has a lot of extra cases left from versions 6 and 6 Plus. Almost the same dimensions - the difference is literally a fraction of a millimeter, even the covers fit. The only difference is that the bull's-eye is located a little differently - but this is not noticeable in the case. The only good thing is that the price has dropped a little. I bought a smartphone already in 2018, so I saved both due to decreased demand and the fact that I chose the cheaper version, the eighth with 64 GB of memory - and I think that I did the right thing, because, in my opinion, there are no noticeable advantages of the 8 Plus gives.
Andrey N .: I don’t see much point in buying the 8th iPhone model. I was looking at 8 Plus, but then I decided to wait for the release of new versions in 2022. Even if the price is higher, the benefits are already visible. And the “eight” simply has absolutely nothing to please - there is only one camera, there is no portrait mode, and there is 2 gigabytes of memory, like some “state employee”. Not to mention a completely crappy battery of less than 2000 mAh - you won’t find this anymore even on inexpensive Androids. Not this model myself, and I don’t recommend it to others.
Charger
Both iPhones support wireless charging. This mode allows you to charge the device up to 50% in just half an hour. The wireless charging function will please everyone who works non-stop and does not want to be left without communication at the most crucial moment. But for fast charging you need to purchase an additional device.
Summarizing
Having become acquainted with the information about each of the two Apple smartphones with the number 8 in the name, we can conclude that, despite certain similarities, they are intended for different categories of buyers.
So, the iPhone 8 will be a good option to buy if you want to save a little by giving up not the most necessary functions and parameters - portrait modes, an extra couple of hours of work per day, a large diagonal.
The iPhone 8 Plus is worth choosing and buying for those fans of the Apple brand for whom increasing the quality of shooting and screen size is more important than reducing costs.
Equipment
Regular packaging includes the standard equipment for this brand:
- smartphone model iPhone 8;
- charger;
- cable for USB/Lightning connector;
- EarPods headphones and Lightning connector;
- key clip – a functional accessory for extending the container for a SIM card;
- technical and operational documentation and instructions.
This kit complies with GOST, developed by the brand itself; no new or unnecessary elements are included in the kit.
