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Consumer Reports found Apple's new flagship
phone, the $1,000 glass front and back iPhone X, is one of the
best smartphones you can buy. But it scored slightly lower
than the less expensive iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
mainly because it is more susceptible to breakage. The final test scores of the
iPhone 8 and X are very close. So which phone is right for you? It really comes down
to personal preference.
A closer look at
our test results and a side-by-side comparison of
the phones can help you decide. Simply put-- performance
in the tumble test made the biggest difference
between the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 scores. We've tested several iPhone
X's in our tumbling drum. One phone suffered major
glass damage on the back after 100 drops.
After 50, two others had
defects in their screens. The front glass did
not crack on any of the iPhone X's we tested. Bottom line-- we
highly recommend using a case since repairs
without AppleCare insurance can cost hundreds of dollars. Both the iPhone 8 models-- also made with glass
on the front and back-- passed the tumble test
with only a few scrapes.
The iPhone X's aren't the first
phones to fail our tumble test. The Samsung Galaxy Note
8's and S8's failed with broken backs and displays. In our other durability
tests, the iPhone X. Did just fine when scratched and
checked for water resistance.
The same goes for
the iPhone 8's. Our tests show iPhones have
shorter battery life when compared to other phones
like the Samsung Galaxy S8 which has 26 hours of battery. In our tests, the
iPhone X's battery lasted 19 and 1/2 hours
when this robotic arm made calls, surfed the
web, took pictures, and simulated using
GPS navigation. The iPhone 8's battery
lasted 19 hours.
Both phones offer
wireless charging. The dual camera on the
back of the iPhone X. Is the best we've tested
and is the top scoring camera in our ratings. The wide angle and
telephoto cameras both have optical
image stabilization improving test shots compared
to previous iPhones including the 8.
Even though the 8 has
only a single back camera, it's the second camera
of the smartphones currently in our ratings. The iPhone X includes facial
recognition technology called Face ID which replaces
Apple's fingerprint technology Touch ID still on the iPhone 8. In our tests, we found
Face ID works very quickly and was not fooled by
tests meant to confuse it. Both phones can also be
unlocked using a six-digit code.
The X is slightly larger
than the 8 and has a 5.8-Inch display. The 8 is 4.7 Inches. The 8 plus-- 5.5 Inches. Because there's no
home button, the X.
Has a new set of swipes
and gesture commands that you'll have to learn
while the 8's retain the once familiar to Apple users. And finally, there's the cost. The iPhone X starts at $1,000. The 8 starts at $700.
In response to our
tumble test results, Apple confirms the iPhone
X's durability based on the company's quote
"rigorous real world testing" and said the phone is quote,
"made from the most durable glass ever in a smartphone." Subscribers can see our
full smartphone ratings at ConsumerReports.Org..