BEST IPHONE 2018: WHICH APPLE PHONE IS THE BEST?

Damilare

6 years ago

Asking which iPhone you should buy? We have your answer

The best iPhone you can buy in 2018 isn’t an obvious choice for everyone because Apple launched three new iPhones late last year, including the pricey iPhone X.

Suddenly, there are a lot of options, from a 5.8-inch all-screen display to a 4-inch one-hand-friendly old-school screen size, and the prices vary wildly. No matter what, buying a top-rated iPhone is always an expensive decision, so we’re here to help.

The iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have all secured spots on our prestigious best phones list, but what happens when all the phones on a recommended list are iOS 11 devices? How do they rank in the lead up to iOS 12?

With a bewildering selection of different specs, screen sizes, and price points, each of these handsets has something to offer every type of Apple fan – so we’ve boiled down the choices for you in a simple-to-read format.

Best iPhone: which one should you buy

1. iPhone X

The iPhone you’ve been waiting for

The iPhone X is as impressive as it is expensive, but if you really want the best iPhone you’ll look beyond the latter characteristic. Millions of Apple fans already have since it launched in early November 2017.

It has a large all-screen display, except for a notch at the top that houses a new TrueDepth Camera. This takes selfies to another level and can also map your face to an iPhone X-exclusive Animoji. If you don’t know what that is by now you probably won’t care.

The iPhone X is Apple’s 10th anniversary smartphone and has just about everything iPhone users have been asking for, from a more forward-leaning design to faster specs and new features. You’ll just have to get used to Face ID instead of reaching for that non-existent fingerprint sensor.

2. iPhone 8 Plus

The best ‘normal’ iPhone available right now

While worse overall than the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 Plus is the best iPhone if you’re not willing to take the plunge into Apple’s proposed smartphone future and need that fingerprint sensor. It’s here.

It does have several key features you’ll like, however. It’s among the first iPhones to have both wireless charging and fast charging, and the camera has improved. Its dual-lens camera doesn’t have OIS in the telephoto lens (a feature saved for the X), but it’s still a great way to snap a photo at long distances.

It won’t turn nearly as many heads with its bezel-heavy design, but the iPhone 8 Plus is the iPhone built for big hands and slightly smaller wallets than the new iPhone X.

3. iPhone 8

The newest 4.7-inch iPhone is a phone lots of people still want

We get it, you refuse to budge from the 4.7-inch iPhone screen size and, frankly, we don’t blame you. Every time we go back to this iPhone with ‘normal’ dimensions, we feel like we just went on a smartphone vacation.

Just because the size is the same as iPhones of old, doesn’t mean the technology behind it is, though. The iPhone 8 features the same A11 Bionic chipset as the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X, and it too debuted wireless charging and fast charging on an Apple smartphone.

The camera is still fantastic, even if it doesn’t have the dual-lens capabilities that are exclusive to the X and Plus, and you’ll dig iOS 11 at this size more so than the even smaller iPhone SE.

4. iPhone 7 Plus

2016’s best iPhone, for a lower price

Back in 2016 the iPhone 7 Plus was the best phone Apple had ever made, and it remains a winner for its longevity and price. It’s larger than the iPhone X though despite its smaller display, so if you’re after a smaller phone with a bigger screen, this won’t be the best choice for you with its 5.5-inch 1080p display.

The big upgrades over older iPhones are the waterproof design and a new dual-lens camera that allows you to snap with two 12MP lenses at the same time. It allows for better optical zoom as well as a bokeh mode to blur the background of your photos and put the main focus on the foreground.

Battery life on the iPhone 7 Plus is much improved upon the iPhone 6S Plus, and while it’s still a costly option it’s much cheaper than it was at launch, making it one of the best iPhone choices in 2018 for people looking for a deal.

5. iPhone SE

Compact, relatively affordable and still quite powerful

Despite the iPhone SE’s small size and relatively modest price tag, it’s still an upper mid-range phone. It has the same boxy yet premium design as the metal-clad iPhone 5S and the same powerful Apple A9 chipset and rear camera as the iPhone 6S.

It lacks the 3D Touch features and higher-resolution front-facing camera of the iPhone 6S and beyond. The screen is also less impressive all round, thanks in large part to a lower contrast ratio. But it compares well to many mid-range handsets.

It’s also the most powerful 4-inch iPhone you can get, so for fans of compact form factors this is an obvious choice. But the best bit is its price, as it’s one of the cheapest iPhones you’ll find on the market and it’s something of a bargain by Apple standards.