2017 is coming to an end and all the companies have unveiled their flagships including Apple, Google, and Samsung.
2017 is coming to an end and all the companies have unveiled their flagships including Apple, Google, and Samsung. In this post, we will compare the three biggest flagships of the year, i.e. the iPhone X, the Google Pixel 2 XL, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
In our comparison, you will get to see set parameters upon which we have ranked these phones. We’ve talked here about the design, display, cameras, and much more that these phones have to offer. In this article, we will find out which flagship is the best among the year’s biggest releases.
Starting with the design, we can already say that the Google Pixel 2 XL is left behind by the iPhone X and the Galaxy Note 8. The iPhone X comes with an edge-to-edge display with a glass back. The notch on the front also adds to the overall styling of the phone.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 also gets an infinity display with no bezels on the sides. It also comes with a glass and metal frame. The Google Pixel, however, sticks to the traditional thick bezels but offers a sturdy and premium build.
The Apple iPhone X and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 both feature a vibrant display. The Google Pixel 2 XL also comes with a Quad HD panel but the colors don’t look as vibrant on the Pixel 2. To start with, the iPhone X packs a 5.8-inch Super Retina display, which is an AMOLED panel with 2436 x 1125p resolution.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 sports a 6.3-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display. Coming to the Pixel 2 XL, you get a 6-inch pOLED display with Quad HD resolution. Out of all three panels, Samsung features the most functional display. The iPhone X has a good display but the notch can sometimes distort content. Pixel 2 XL offers a good resolution but does not sport a fancy display.
In terms of cameras, the Pixel 2 XL gets a slight lead with the iPhone X closely following behind. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 also packs a great camera setup but lacks in terms of certain points when it is compared to the other two flagships.
The Pixel 2 XL is the highest rated smartphone camera so far. Coming to the iPhone X, you get portrait lighting option in the front camera. The Galaxy Note 8, despite coming with a good camera setup, needs certain distance for an accurate bokeh effect. Hence, we uphold the Pixel 2 XL as the winner of this parameter.
This is where the comparison on these phones becomes slightly harder. While the Apple iPhone X features an A11 Bionic chip, the Pixel features a Snapdragon 835 processor. Galaxy Note 8, features Samsung’s in-house Exynos 8895 processor. In terms of RAM too, the Galaxy Note 8 packs 6GB RAM and the Pixel 2 XL comes with 4GB RAM.
In terms of storage, you get the iPhone X only in 64GB and 256GB models. The Pixel 2 XL is also limited to 64GB and 128GB variants. Here, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 offers the maximum options as it comes in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage variants.
The Google Pixel takes a huge lead when it comes to optimization and performance. iOS updates tend to slow down the iPhone after a certain time, the Galaxy Note 8 also has some UI disappointments.
Here, the Pixel 2 XL runs the latest Stock Android 8.0 Oreo and will also get the first beta version when Android P comes out. Hence, the Google Pixel 2 XL is leading when it comes to a clean OS experience in the long run. After the Pixel, the iPhone X also offers a premium experience via the iOS.
One of the major functionality points here is regarding the 3.5mm earphone jack. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is the only phone among the three to feature a 3.5mm headphone jack. Both the Google Pixel 2 XL and the iPhone X miss out on it.
In terms of battery life, the Google Pixel 2 XL comes with the biggest battery among the three, i.e. 3,520 mAh. It is followed by the 3,300 mAh battery on the Note 8 and a 2,700 mAh unit on the iPhone X. The iPhone X and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 offer only up to a full day of usage while the Pixel 2 XL lasts longer.
In our comparison, we have found that these flagships have their own unique offerings, pros, and cons. While the iPhone X comes with a fancy new look, the Galaxy Note 8 is functional in terms of memory and hardware. The Google Pixel 2 XL is the crowned ‘King of Android’, thanks to the Stock Android experience.
However, the iPhone X misses out on most things here. It already came without the headphone jack and now got rid of the fingerprint sensor too. The Pixel also did away with the headphone jack while there are still very few replacements available for the same.
