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Apple iPhone 8 Smartphone Review

Step by step. We already suspected that Apple would only show a slightly improved version of its smartphone this year. The eighth-generation iPhone from Cupertino gets a revised chassis and more performance, which is at least more than in the previous years.

Autumn is traditionally the time for new iPhones, and Apple once again launched its latest smartphone generation this September. It was the first product announcement from Apple's own Steve Jobs Theater, and it was the first time we get three new models. That the actual high-end model, the iPhone X (don't call it "X", it's "10") will be launched a couple of weeks later was already assumed. The new iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus models have been available recently, while the iPhone X can be preordered starting October 27th with the release on November 3rd – at least if you are amongst the first customers. Right now, it looks like Apple cannot ship sufficient amounts since we expect a huge demand.

However, this article is about the two "classic" models with the familiar home button operating concept including fingerprint-scanner as well as a rather mediocre screen-to-body ratio. Apple also reduced the number of storage options, perhaps because of the iPhone X. The two eighth-generation iPhones are only available in two storage sizes and three colors: 64 and 256 GB in Gold, Silver, and Space Gray. The color option Rose Gold, which was just introduced two years ago, is not available anymore. The same applies for the Jet Black option, which was exclusive to the iPhone 7 & iPhone 7 Plus. The new Gold color is at least very similar to the previous Rose Gold.

Good news – at least for people willing to pay for a flagship smartphone – is the price: The new entry-level model ships at $699 and is therefore $50 more expensive, but you also get twice the storage at 64 GB. The 256 GB iPhone 8 is, similar to the iPhone 7, still available for $849. The Plus model with the larger 5.5-inch screen adds another $100. The new iPhone X easily beats that with a starting price of $999 (64 GB).

Our test model was purchased in Apple's online store. It is the Space Gray model with 256 GB of storage.

Apple iPhone 8 (iPhone 8 Series)
Processor
Apple A11 Bionic 6 x - 2.4 GHz, Monsoon / Mistral
Graphics adapter
Memory
2048 MB 
, Samsung LPDDR4x
Display
4.70 inch 16:9, 1334 x 750 pixel 326 PPI, Multi-touch, Apple Retina HD Display, IPS True Tone, glossy: yes
Storage
Apple 256 GB (iPhone 8 / Plus), 256 GB 
, 250 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: Lightning port, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: 3-axis gyrosensor, acceleration sensor, proximity sensor, digital compass, barometer, Galileo, QZSS, Lightning
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0, GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900 and 2100 MHz), LTE (FDD-Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30 and 66; TDD: 34, 38, 39, 40 and 41), LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.3 x 138.4 x 67.3 ( = 0.29 x 5.45 x 2.65 in)
Battery
6.96 Wh, 1821 mAh Lithium-Ion, 3.82 V, Talk time 3G (according to manufacturer): 14 h
Operating System
Apple iOS 11
Camera
Primary Camera: 12 MPix Wide-angle lens, aperture f/1.8, 5x digital zoom, optic image stabilization
Secondary Camera: 7 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo speakers, Keyboard: virtual, Power supply (5 watt), lightning cable, lightning headset, adapter (lightning on jack), 12 Months Warranty, Wireless charging (Qi), IP67 certified, head SAR: 1.32 W / kg), fanless
Released
09/22/2017
Weight
148 g ( = 5.22 oz / 0.33 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
969 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

After three generations of minor chassis changes with a rear panel almost completely made of aluminum, Apple now returns to the material we know from the iPhone 4: glass, both at the front and rear. This was necessary for wireless-charging (Qi standard), which is now finally supported. A quick test with a charging pod from a third-party manufacturer did not reveal any issues during charging.

All dimensions of the new iPhone generation are slightly bigger than before, but this does not affect the design or the tactile feeling. The same applies for the additional weight of 10 or 14 grams, respectively, for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Thanks to the glass rear panel, the iPhone 8 feels even slightly more sophisticated compared to its aluminum predecessor. The stability is impressive as well, but the whole body was already covered with fingerprints after a couple of minutes. The glass surface is also more slippery than the aluminum, so the risk of dropping is certainly not smaller. The covers and cases for the predecessor also work with the iPhone 8.

The case is still protected against water and dust according to the IP67 standard, so you can submerge the smartphone for up to 30 minutes up to a depth of one meter. Apple also once again states that this only applies for water and "normal" temperatures. You must not charge a wet device, either.

162.5 mm / 6.4 inch 74.8 mm / 2.94 inch 8.6 mm / 0.3386 inch 195 g0.4299 lbs159.5 mm / 6.28 inch 73.4 mm / 2.89 inch 8.1 mm / 0.3189 inch 172 g0.3792 lbs158.4 mm / 6.24 inch 78.1 mm / 3.07 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 202 g0.4453 lbs158.2 mm / 6.23 inch 77.9 mm / 3.07 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 188 g0.4145 lbs156.9 mm / 6.18 inch 78.9 mm / 3.11 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 192 g0.4233 lbs138.4 mm / 5.45 inch 67.3 mm / 2.65 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 148 g0.3263 lbs138.3 mm / 5.44 inch 67.1 mm / 2.64 inch 7.1 mm / 0.2795 inch 138 g0.3042 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

Apple already removed the 3.5 mm stereo jack on last year's iPhone 7 models and obviously sticks to the Lightning port for the iPhone 8. However, the port is still limited to USB 2.0 in 2017. Apple obviously thinks most data is transferred via Wi-Fi, and Lightning is only used to charge the device or attach headphones.

The smallest storage option was once again cancelled. While the iPhone 6S started at 16 GB, the smallest capacity on the iPhone 7 was 32 GB. Apple equips the latest generation with at least 64 GB, and there are just two versions to choose from: 64 and 256 GB.

The NFC technology on the Apple iPhone 8 is now usable for third-party apps for the first time and is not limited to Apple Pay anymore. However, Apple still only grants read access to the module. It still makes new application methods possible.

The sensor equipment is similar to the previous model: Touch ID fingerprint-scanner, barometer, three-axis gyroscope, accelerometer, proximity sensor, and ambient light sensor. The facial recognition Face ID will be introduced with the iPhone X.

Top: no ports
Top: no ports
Bottom: microphone, Lightning, speaker
Bottom: microphone, Lightning, speaker
Left: mute, volume buttons
Left: mute, volume buttons
Right: SIM, power
Right: SIM, power

Software

It is common that Apple launches an update for its own mobile operating system a couple of days ahead of the new iPhone launch. iOS 11 is already installed on the iPhone 8 models. There was no minor update so far, even though some users started complaining about some bugs. Bluetooth supposedly does not work reliably with all accessories, and the battery runtimes are lower...but these complaints are typical for every major update. One simple reason is that users just use their phones more often after an update. We did not encounter any errors or unusual behavior during our review, except for the changes and new features obviously.

iOS 11 is the same for the two new iPhones, so the content in the two articles is identical. You can skip the following part if you have already read the article about the sibling.

Let's start with the design. Many fonts are now bigger and sometimes bold, which makes it easier to differentiate between headings/categories and options/items. The better readability applies for the whole system, but there is sometimes less space for the content. All in all, iOS 11 is easier to read compared to previous versions.

The lock screen and the notification center are now combined, while the Control Center was reduced to one page with smaller individual symbols. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth cannot be disabled via Control Center anymore. It only terminates active connections, but the wireless modules stay active. Apple says the connections should be kept turned on for important functions, like the contact with the Apple Watch or Apple Pencil. You can still deactivate the wireless connections, either via settings or by activating airplane mode. You can also see the difference in the Control Center. The symbols will be gray when you only terminate active connections, and the icon will be crossed out when the modules are turned off.

iPhone users have had to wait for a long time before getting a full file manager. iOS 11 now introduces the app "Files", which gives you comfortable access to different file sources like iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive etc. Copying files from and to a source works. You still can't access the file system, but we did not really expect that in the first place.

The App Store got a complete visual overhaul. It does not look so crowded anymore, but Apple still manages to include all important information. The store is also faster than before. Apple also improved many more aspects of iOS. You can now edit Live Photos like videos; screenshots can be edited directly and forwarded without saving them first. iOS also shows a small preview in the lower left corner of the display after you take the shot. A tap on the thumbnail within three seconds will open the Edit menu. Otherwise, the preview will disappear and the screenshot is saved as usual.

It is now possible – also automatically if you want – to activate the option "Do not disturb while driving" when you drive. The iPhone will not light up the display when you get a message, and the sender can get a message that the recipient is driving right now.

The automatic configuration of new devices or the transfer of Wi-Fi passwords to devices nearby work well, and both features are realized via NFC. Setting up a new device is now much faster, and you only need a working iOS device close by the new device. You then have to scan a kind of bar code on the display and the automatic configuration starts. The activation of the function unfortunately did not work all the time in our case.

Apple's iOS 11 includes many useful features and the design was improved as well. However, the user loses a bit of control if they want to turn off the wireless connections via Control Center, but you should get used to it. All in all, we think iOS 11 is a successful update.

The storage requirements are a big advantage of iOS 11, especially for buyers of the 64 GB version. Only ~6 GB of the internal storage is occupied ex-works, which is roughly half of that from the predecessor.

App Store with a new design
App Store with a new design
Notification Center is the lock screen
Notification Center is the lock screen
The wireless modules are turned off
The wireless modules are turned off
The wireless connections are only terminated
The wireless connections are only terminated
Calculator now with round buttons
Calculator now with round buttons
Settings "Do not disturb"
Settings "Do not disturb"

Communication and GPS

The iPhone 8 uses powerful wireless modules. You either get wireless radios from Qualcomm or Intel depending on the region. Both modules support Gigabit LTE and therefore probably the Cat. 16 standard, but Apple does not specify it. The manufacturer from California does not make any compromises in terms of wireless bands and supports numerous bands for FDD and an above-average number of bands for TDD-LTE, so there should not be any connectivity issues, even in Asia.

Wireless connections are handled by a Wi-Fi module according to IEEE-802.11 a/b/g/n/ac in 2.4 as well as 5 GHz networks. The new ad-standard is not supported, but the ZenFone 4 Pro, which has already been announced for this year, can transfer data at up to 4.6 Gbps via Wi-Fi with the according peripherals. In theory, the iPhone 8 can transfer files at up to 1 Gbps via MIMO technology, but we cannot quite reach this level in practice. The transfer rate in combination with our reference router Linksys EA8500 is really good when the smartphone receives data. The iPhone manages 915 Mbps on average and can secure the top spot among the smartphone competition. It is not so fast when you send data, and the result is pretty average. The range of the connection is good and is also strong through a basement ceiling.

NFC for near-field communications is also included, but there are still limitations. The iPhone 8 is also the first smartphone that can actually use Bluetooth 5.0, while the Android competition still awaits the Oreo update. Connecting multiple Bluetooth devices is no problem for the iPhone 8, but it cannot play music on more than one audio peripheral simultaneously, unlike the Galaxy S8.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy S8
651 MBit/s +84%
Apple iPhone 8
354 MBit/s
Huawei P10
343 (154min) MBit/s -3%
LG G6
220 MBit/s -38%
iperf3 receive AX12
Apple iPhone 8
915 MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy S8
329 MBit/s -64%
LG G6
325 MBit/s -64%
Huawei P10
308 (48.8min) MBit/s -66%

All smartphones from Cupertino (except for the iPhone 7) performed really well in our GPS measurements. The predecessor of our test model had an issue in the forest section, but we have to admit that the weather was really bad. The situation was better for the iPhone 8. Compared to our reference navigation device, the Garmin Edge 500, the iPhone actually records a slightly longer distance. This was also the case for the iPhone 7, but the screenshots clearly showed some additional routes we did not ride. The iPhone 8 does not do that, and the recorded track is very close to the actual track. However, we are sometimes slightly next to the trail or road, respectively. The Garmin device is a bit more precise, but the iPhone 8 is still a great device for navigation purposes – both on- as well as off-road.

Apple iPhone 8: overview
Apple iPhone 8: overview
Apple iPhone 8: forest section
Apple iPhone 8: forest section
Apple iPhone 8: bridge crossing
Apple iPhone 8: bridge crossing
Garmin Edge 500: overview
Garmin Edge 500: overview
Garmin Edge 500: forest section
Garmin Edge 500: forest section
Garmin Edge 500: bridge crossing
Garmin Edge 500: bridge crossing

Telephone Functions and Voice Quality

The functionality of the phone app in iOS 11 did not change, but it also got the visual update like the rest of the system. This improves the overview a bit.

However, these changes do not affect the voice quality – unfortunately. The eighth generation of the Apple iPhone is once again not fully convincing during calls. We called a land line from the T-Mobile network (multiple times) for this test, both with 3G and LTE connections.

The situation is actually pretty good at the earpiece of the iPhone 8. You can clearly hear the other person, and it can also be really loud. We could not determine annoying background noises, which are currently discussed on different forums. The quality drops noticeably when you switch to the stereo speakers. The voice will sound a bit tinny, and there is some static. Also: You can only use the speakers for the hands-free feature in quiet environments. It is otherwise really hard to hear the voice in a car, for example, even at the maximum volume.

There is a noticeable difference on the other side of the call between 3G and LTE calls. The voice quality is very good with LTE, but the voice is tinny over 3G and we also noticed short dropouts.

The noise suppression worked well. Chirping birds or common street noises are suppressed reliably. However, some louder noises will be audible on the other side, but the short dropouts are much more annoying.

All in all, the Apple iPhone 8 is a good device for calls, but we still expected more from a high-end smartphone. You might want to use a headset when you make a lot of calls.

Cameras

Picture with the front camera of the iPhone 8
Picture with the front camera of the iPhone 8

The front camera of the Apple iPhone 8 has a 7 MP sensor with an aperture of f/2.2. It supports an automatic HDR mode, electronic image stabilizer, Full HD video and all the other features we already know from the iPhone 7. However, the manufacturer tweaked the software a bit, so the results are noticeably better. Low-light pictures could benefit from higher light sensitivity, and some Android competitors perform much better in this scenario.

The main camera at the back takes pictures at 12 MP (f/1.8) and the specs are similar to the previous model, but Apple ships the iPhone 8 with a completely new in-house developed ISP (Image Signal Processor), and you notice the difference. Pictures taken with the iPhone 8 have comparatively natural colors, high dynamic range and they are conveniently sharp. There is no criticism in daylight, especially since the trigger is even quicker and there is an automatic HDR mode. Details are shown even more accurately by the Galaxy Note 8 though. The iPhone also performs well in low-light situations and the results show a higher contrast compared to the Galaxy Note 8, but the sensor does not capture as much light in the short time, and you can also see picture noise.

Supported video resolutions iPhone 8
Supported video resolutions iPhone 8

The video feature is a highlight since the iPhone 8 camera can record Ultra HD videos at 60 frames per second. None of the rivals managed this so far, and this feature is usually reserved for professional video cameras or high-end DSLRs as well as system cameras priced north of 2,000 Euros (~$2349). The compression rate is also very high, so one minute of 4K video at 60 FPS "only" needs about 400 MB. The result is really good, despite the high compression. You can also select different resolutions, which is handy.

The handling is not perfect, because Apple is traditionally very light on settings. RAW pictures can only be taken with third-party apps and there is no manual mode. There is currently no other smartphone that can offer such a high quality for pictures and videos in one device.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images
ColorChecker Passport: The reference color is displayed in the lower half of each patch.
ColorChecker Passport: The reference color is displayed in the lower half of each patch.

We took another look at the camera performance of the iPhone 8 under controlled lighting conditions. The ColorChecker Passport shows some colors are a bit brighter compared to the reference. This is the case for green, orange, yellow, and red. Blue, purple, and cyan, however, are pretty rich.

This is also noticeable on the test chart, but color gradients are very convenient and even dark letters on dark backgrounds are extremely sharp. However, the fine rings in the middle of the chart show that very fine details can be too challenging for the iPhone 8. The sharpness drops a bit towards the edges, but it is not too bad.

Warranty and Accessories

Apple did not change its warranty regulations compared to the previous model, which means Apple still ships the iPhone 8 with a 12-month warranty. You can purchase the optional Apple Care+ for $129. It includes phone support and additional hardware coverage for a total of two years. The latter is limited to two accidental damages, but you will still have to pay a service fee. Screen damage is $29 and any other damage is $99. Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

The box contains a meager 5-Watt power adapter, a Lightning headset, an adapter from Lightning to stereo jack, a small SIM tool as well as some brochures for the set-up, warranty and safety information.

Apple offers a huge number of accessories in its shop, even from third-party vendors. There is a new category for wireless-charging products. Apple sells corresponding charging stations at prices starting at 65 Euros (~$76). The Californian manufacturer uses the popular Qi standard though, so you can also use any other inexpensive solution.

Input Devices & Handling

There are no changes in this section between the Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 8, at least nothing that would change the operation of the smartphone. Apple claims to use the most resistant glass you will find on any smartphone for its latest generation, but this does not change the gliding capabilities or the precision of the touchscreen. At least we did not notice any differences. This is also the case for the dedicated buttons. Both the volume and the power buttons are perfectly integrated into the metal frame and convince with good tactile feeling and well-defined pressure points.

You still get the mute button and the pressure-sensitive Home button, which might have reached its final chapter. The new iPhone X does not use it anymore. It works well; only moist fingers are still a problem for the fingerprint-scanner. The tactile feedback is pretty strong and we do not miss the mechanical button.

Display

Neither the size nor the resolution of the display changed since the iPhone 6, but Apple still promises the best display for the latest smartphone generation. The key feature is the True-Tone technology, which was reserved for the iPads so far. Ambient light sensors adjust the color temperature according to the environment, which is supposed to create a much more convenient user experience. Our own experiences with the iPad show that True-Tone has the biggest advantage in darker environments, where content is displayed much warmer, which is easier on the eyes. True Tone basically works like a blue-light filter, but it is controlled via sensor.

The display of the Apple iPhone 8 is anything but a sensation or even a revolution. It is still an – admittedly – very good LCD IPS display with an average resolution.

We can assess the display pretty well based on the measurements without a further analysis. The screen is bright at about 600 nits, but it is not the brightest smartphone panel. This is – once again – also the case for the black value: 0.44 cd/m², which results in a contrast ratio of 1373:1 – good, but not spectacular. Except for the luminance, the iPhone 8 display is not better than before. We are already eager to see the first OLED screen in a smartphone from Apple.

There is no criticism for the iPhone 8 in terms of grayscale and color performance. The results compared to the sRGB reference are almost perfect, which was already the case for the iPhone 7. However, the new generation even manages slightly better results for the color accuracy and color temperature.

Almost perfect grayscale performance
Almost perfect grayscale performance
Almost full sRGB gamut
Almost full sRGB gamut
No problems for the saturation
No problems for the saturation
High color accuracy
High color accuracy
577
cd/m²
573
cd/m²
550
cd/m²
585
cd/m²
604
cd/m²
569
cd/m²
597
cd/m²
592
cd/m²
574
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Apple Retina HD Display tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 604 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 580.1 cd/m² Minimum: 3.25 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 604 cd/m²
Contrast: 1373:1 (Black: 0.44 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.25
Apple iPhone 8
A11 Bionic GPU, A11 Bionic, Apple 256 GB (iPhone 8 / Plus)
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
A11 Bionic GPU, A11 Bionic, Apple 256 GB (iPhone 8 / Plus)
Apple iPhone 7
A10 Fusion GPU, A10 Fusion, 128 GB NVMe
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
Mali-G71 MP20, Exynos 8895, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
Huawei Mate 9
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
Screen
-4%
-2%
-16%
-88%
Brightness middle
604
559
-7%
556
-8%
560
-7%
696
15%
Brightness
580
538
-7%
519
-11%
562
-3%
680
17%
Brightness Distribution
91
90
-1%
90
-1%
93
2%
93
2%
Black Level *
0.44
0.38
14%
0.34
23%
0.42
5%
Contrast
1373
1471
7%
1635
19%
1657
21%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.2
1.3
-8%
1.3
-8%
1.7
-42%
4.3
-258%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
2.3
2.7
-17%
2.6
-13%
3.4
-48%
9.4
-309%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.6
1.8
-13%
1.9
-19%
1.6
-0%
4.8
-200%
Gamma
2.25 98%
2.25 98%
2.26 97%
2.13 103%
2.33 94%
CCT
6688 97%
6797 96%
6818 95%
6435 101%
7255 90%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
63.15
81.57
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99.71
99.87

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18071 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
26 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 13 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 57 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
38 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19 ms rise
↘ 19 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 49 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Apple's iPhone 8 is not among the brightest high-end smartphones anymore, but it still fares more than just well outdoors. The touchscreen is not as glossy as many rivals, and the ambient light sensor acts very quickly and sensitively. Direct sunlight on the display still transforms the iPhone 8 into a very expensive make-up mirror though. Working in the shade or an overcast sky, however, is convenient with the new iPhone.

In the shade
In the shade
Sunlight from the side
Sunlight from the side
Viewing angles Apple iPhone 8
Viewing angles Apple iPhone 8

Apple still uses an IPS panel, but the viewing-angle stability of the iPhone 8 is excellent. Colors remain stable even from extreme angles. You can only notice a slight brightness drop, which also results in a lower contrast, from vertical viewing angles. Our camera pictures enhance this effect a bit, but the viewing-angle stability is very good in practice.

Performance

Apple advertises another big performance gain for the new A11 Bionic, especially in multithreaded scenarios. Phil Schiller talked about performance advantages of 25% compared to the A10 performance cores during the keynote. The four efficient Mistral cores are even 70% faster than before according to Apple, which was limited to two efficient cores. Apple uses 4.3 billion transistors for the die. This is particularly impressive since the AMD Ryzen 7, a modern desktop processor, only has 500,000 transistors more.

Apple's first in-house GPU is supposed to be very powerful as well. Not only should it be up to 30% faster than the PowerVR from the iPhone 7, but Apple also reduced the power consumption by 50%.

The SoC in the iPhone 8 is supported by 2 GB RAM, while the bigger sibling gets 3 GB. Our initial benchmarks already show that the iPhone 8 beats all the other flagship devices. Only the larger sibling is usually slightly ahead thanks to more memory. The two new iPhones are the first devices to score more than 10,000 points in the Geekbench 4.1 Multi test. The closest rival is the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, but it is still 35% slower. The performance is even another 50% higher in the test version optimized for the Metal engine. The Single-Core result, which has always been a strong suit for iOS devices, is also impressive. The result for the iPhone 8 is more than twice as high compared to the Android competition. This is supported by the AnTuTu benchmark, where the iPhone 8 scores slightly more than 200,000 points and is just behind its bigger sibling. The Android competition is beaten by 15-35%.

Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
4162 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
4263 Points +2%
Apple iPhone 7
3527 Points -15%
Huawei Mate 9
1866 Points -55%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
2015 Points -52%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
2028 Points -51%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
10380 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
10558 Points +2%
Apple iPhone 7
5922 Points -43%
Huawei Mate 9
6445 Points -38%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
6695 Points -36%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
6744 Points -35%
Compute Metal Score 4.1 (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
14962 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
15295 Points +2%
Apple iPhone 7
12425 Points -17%
AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
204270 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
218158 Points +7%
Apple iPhone 7
142532 Points -30%
Huawei Mate 9
124087 Points -39%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
165382 Points -19%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
173997 Points -15%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
34163 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
35209 Points +3%
Apple iPhone 7
24875 Points -27%
Huawei Mate 9
11897 Points -65%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
14050 Points -59%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
13265 Points -61%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
731 ms *
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
720 ms * +2%
Apple iPhone 7
1113 ms * -52%
Huawei Mate 9
2734 ms * -274%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
2237 ms * -206%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
1877 ms * -157%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
359 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
362 Points +1%
Apple iPhone 7
202 Points -44%
Huawei Mate 9
152 Points -58%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
154 Points -57%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
159 Points -56%

Legend

 
Apple iPhone 8 Apple A11 Bionic, Apple A11 Bionic GPU, Apple 256 GB (iPhone 8 / Plus)
 
Apple iPhone 8 Plus Apple A11 Bionic, Apple A11 Bionic GPU, Apple 256 GB (iPhone 8 / Plus)
 
Apple iPhone 7 Apple A10 Fusion, Apple A10 Fusion GPU / PowerVR, 128 GB NVMe
 
Huawei Mate 9 HiSilicon Kirin 960, ARM Mali-G71 MP8, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa, ARM Mali-G71 MP20, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa, ARM Mali-G71 MP20, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash

* ... smaller is better

The graphics performance of the Apple iPhone 8 is also excellent. Apple's first in-house developed three-core GPU is unrivaled in the GFX benchmark and none of the non-iOS competitors stands a chance. However, at least the two high-end models from Samsung can keep up or even slightly beat the iPhone in individual 3DMark tests.

GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
119.8 fps
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
119.4 fps 0%
Apple iPhone 7
57.7 fps -52%
Huawei Mate 9
60 fps -50%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
58 fps -52%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
59 fps -51%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
161.3 fps
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
166.9 fps +3%
Apple iPhone 7
110.3 fps -32%
Huawei Mate 9
80 fps -50%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
104 fps -36%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
105 fps -35%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
114.5 fps
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
79.2 fps -31%
Apple iPhone 7
58.5 fps -49%
Huawei Mate 9
37 fps -68%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
38 fps -67%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
38 fps -67%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
70.8 fps
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
71 fps 0%
Apple iPhone 7
60.7 fps -14%
Huawei Mate 9
34 fps -52%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
50 fps -29%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
51 fps -28%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
109.7 fps
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
56.4 fps -49%
Apple iPhone 7
59.4 fps -46%
Huawei Mate 9
28 fps -74%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
23 fps -79%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
23 fps -79%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
54 fps
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
49 fps -9%
Apple iPhone 7
42.2 fps -22%
Huawei Mate 9
24 fps -56%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
42 fps -22%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
42 fps -22%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
62006 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
64405 Points +4%
Apple iPhone 7
37676 Points -39%
Huawei Mate 9
27364 Points -56%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
29282 Points -53%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
32399 Points -48%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
112424 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
113380 Points +1%
Apple iPhone 7
63974 Points -43%
Huawei Mate 9
35626 Points -68%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
33077 Points -71%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
36807 Points -67%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
24131 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
25641 Points +6%
Apple iPhone 7
15450 Points -36%
Huawei Mate 9
15104 Points -37%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
20892 Points -13%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
22829 Points -5%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
2421 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
2781 Points +15%
Huawei Mate 9
2240 Points -7%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
3188 Points +32%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
2584 Points +7%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
2581 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
3069 Points +19%
Huawei Mate 9
2294 Points -11%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
3479 Points +35%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
2661 Points +3%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
1989 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
2109 Points +6%
Huawei Mate 9
2117 Points +6%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
2466 Points +24%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
2346 Points +18%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
2505 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
2981 Points +19%
Apple iPhone 7
2379 Points -5%
Huawei Mate 9
2108 Points -16%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
3265 Points +30%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
2648 Points +6%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
2783 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
3325 Points +19%
Apple iPhone 7
3201 Points +15%
Huawei Mate 9
2142 Points -23%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
3571 Points +28%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
2723 Points -2%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
1854 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
2187 Points +18%
Apple iPhone 7
1252 Points -32%
Huawei Mate 9
1997 Points +8%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
2512 Points +35%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
2417 Points +30%

iOS devices have always been the benchmark in terms of web performance, and this does not change with the new model. But the dominance is even more impressive with the new A11 chip. The Apple iPhone 8 is "only" about 50% faster in Google's Octane V2 and WebXPRT 2015 compared to the Android competition, it only needs about a fourth up to a third of the time in Mozilla's Kraken 1.1. JetStream 1.1 (JavaScript) also shows a big advantage for the new iPhone, being the only device with more than 200 points, followed by the iPhone 7 (-20%). Android smartphones are currently still having problems getting more than 70 points. However, you won't notice the performance gains of the new model when you browse the web. The old iPhone 7 was already extremely fast in this respect, so the loading times are actually more important than the performance of the smartphone.

Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
34163 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
35209 Points +3%
Apple iPhone 7
24875 Points -27%
Huawei Mate 9
11897 Points -65%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
14050 Points -59%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
13265 Points -61%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
206.7 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
223.5 Points +8%
Apple iPhone 7
165.9 Points -20%
Huawei Mate 9
68.6 Points -67%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
62.2 Points -70%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
69.6 Points -66%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
731 ms *
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
720 ms * +2%
Apple iPhone 7
1113 ms * -52%
Huawei Mate 9
2734 ms * -274%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
2237 ms * -206%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
1877 ms * -157%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall (sort by value)
Apple iPhone 8
359 Points
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
362 Points +1%
Apple iPhone 7
202 Points -44%
Huawei Mate 9
152 Points -58%
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
154 Points -57%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
159 Points -56%

* ... smaller is better

Apple only sells two storage versions of the iPhone 8: 64 GB and 256 GB. Apple does not specify any details except for the capacity. Teardowns only speak of NAND-storage, but we are probably once again dealing with NVMe storage due to the high transfer rates. The 64 GB version still had 55 GB free after the set-up; the bigger version had around 244 GB.

Similar to the previous iPhone 7, we can see performance advantages for the bigger model, sometimes even significant ones. The 256 GB model is about twice as fast in the Passmark Write test, while the read performance is almost identical. DiskBench shows even bigger differences, and the 256 GB model is around 150% faster in all disciplines. This is not perceptible in day-to-day situations, only if you copy large amounts of data onto the smartphone.

DiskBench: 64 GB version
DiskBench: 64 GB version
DiskBench: 256 GB version
DiskBench: 256 GB version
Passmark: 64 GB version
Passmark: 64 GB version
Passmark: 256 GB version
Passmark: 256 GB version
DiskBench 64 GB DiskBench 256 GB Passmark 64 GB Passmark 256 GB
Read 409.7 MB/s 1.07 GB/s 1237 MB/s 1222 MB/s
Write 92.1 MB/s 233.3 MB/s 178 MB/s 336 MB/s

Games

Gaming is not quite as enjoyable as on the bigger sibling due to the smaller display. It still works pretty well on the iPhone 8, mainly thanks to the good controls via touchscreen and position sensor. One aspect is identical on both versions: All games from the App Store, even very demanding ones, run without any stutters. We tested the racing game Asphalt 8: Airborne, the action game Warhammer 40,000: Freeblade, and the shooter Modern Combat 5 – no problems at all.

The iPhone 8 can also handle all new VR titles, but they would really benefit from a larger screen. The number of games with AR support is still small and there are also many titles that just place animals or mythical creatures in the environment. However, even more complex titles like The Machines AR or Zombie Gunship Revenant AR run well and show the possibilities of the technology, even though the iPhone lacks a depth camera for more accurate positioning in the environment.

Zombie Gunship Revenant AR
Zombie Gunship Revenant AR
Warhammer 40.000: Freeblade
Warhammer 40.000: Freeblade

Emissions

Temperature

The surface temperatures of the Apple iPhone 8 are exemplary while idling and only one measurement spot surpasses 30 °C. This changes under sustained workloads, and we can measure up to 43.9 °C, but many areas stay below the 40 °C mark.

We check the long-term performance with the GFXBench Battery Test. The slightly less-challenging T-Rex Test, which can be executed with Metal API as well as OpenGL ES 2.0, does not show any performance losses for the iPhone 8. The recorded frame rates are still interesting. The smartphone can reach twice the frame rate with the Metal API but also draws more power for the same test. The iPhone 8 lost 18% battery with the Metal API but only lost 10% with OpenGL. The more demanding Manhattan Test (Metal) does not reveal a perfect performance, but we can see a steady decline up to a maximum deficit of ~23%. However, this should not be perceptible in practice, even when you play demanding games.

iPhone 8: GFXBench T-Rex (OpenGL ES 2.0)
GFXBench: T-Rex (OpenGL ES 2.0)
iPhone 8: GFXBench T-Rex (Metal)
GFXBench: T-Rex (Metal)
iPhone 8: GFXBench Manhattan (Metal)
GFXBench: Manhattan (Metal)
Max. Load
 41 °C
106 F
41 °C
106 F
37.8 °C
100 F
 
 39.4 °C
103 F
38.4 °C
101 F
36 °C
97 F
 
 37.7 °C
100 F
37.3 °C
99 F
35.3 °C
96 F
 
Maximum: 41 °C = 106 F
Average: 38.2 °C = 101 F
38.1 °C
101 F
42.8 °C
109 F
43.9 °C
111 F
36 °C
97 F
39 °C
102 F
39.1 °C
102 F
35.7 °C
96 F
35.7 °C
96 F
36.6 °C
98 F
Maximum: 43.9 °C = 111 F
Average: 38.5 °C = 101 F
Power Supply (max.)  41.8 °C = 107 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.2 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43.9 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.8 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

Apple iPhone 8: Pink Noise diagram of the stereo speakers
Pink Noise

The speakers of the Apple iPhone 8 did not change compared to last year's model. You still get a dual-speaker setup, one at the bottom of the case and the other one inside the earpiece. The calibration is a bit better than before with more balanced mids, but real bass is not perceptible. The speakers still provide a comparatively good sound experience, although the maximum volume could have been higher.

The stereo jack is still missing, but the box includes a Lightning headset as well as an adapter from Lightning to 3.5 mm stereo jack, so you can still use conventional headphones. The performance of the connector is unchanged and decent in general, but it cannot compete with the HTC U11 or other high-quality alternatives.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.639.12525.437.63125.336.94032.940.85033.635.26331.633.38028.433.81002733.512520.842.81602250.820021.351.525020.849.831521.253.940019.45650019.558.763017.761.680017.962.9100017.866.2125017.368.2160017.468.4200016.768.5250017.267.3315018.268400017.969.8500017.668.8630017.767.5800017.861.71000017.959.11250018.160.61600018.256.2SPL3078.4N1.343.6median 17.9median 61.6Delta1.4831.635.125.433.525.334.832.93433.629.431.629.628.424.92731.220.834.72239.821.348.320.855.321.259.519.462.219.567.117.77017.973.617.874.217.373.217.472.716.773.217.272.118.269.717.96917.666.317.766.917.86717.951.618.145.218.247.73082.41.354.8median 17.9median 66.91.411.131.639.925.439.825.339.732.934.733.634.731.632.728.427.82726.420.828.62241.521.350.520.855.921.260.319.46519.568.617.766.817.964.417.866.917.371.517.473.516.774.517.273.718.272.217.970.517.670.717.764.817.860.417.95918.148.418.232.83082.71.352.3median 17.9median 64.81.410.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseApple iPhone 8Samsung Galaxy S8Huawei P10
Apple iPhone 8 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 14.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.1% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 12% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 33% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 59% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Samsung Galaxy S8 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.7% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 37% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 57% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 36% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei P10 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 47% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 45% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 66% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 27% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency comparison (checkboxes select/deselectable!)

Energy and Battery Runtime

Power Consumption

Thanks to the lack of a stereo jack, the iPhone 7 was shipped with a bigger battery compared to the iPhone 6S. The new technology inside the iPhone 8, however, obviously forced Apple to go back to a smaller battery. The capacity dropped by ~6% to 6.96 Wh compared to the predecessor. Apple still advertises "similar" battery runtimes for the iPhone 8, since the new SoC is supposed to be more efficient. The calculation is pretty simple in the end: The smartphone has to consume less power for similar runtimes with a smaller battery.

There is actually a change compared to the previous generation – but hardly in favor of the current test model. The idle consumption of the iPhone 8 is usually slightly higher compared to the iPhone 7, only the result at the lowest luminance and airplane mode is identical. No advantage for the new model here. This changes under load. While the maximum consumption at almost 8 W is much higher than before, the iPhone 8 is more efficient under medium workloads at just 2.74 W or 1 W less compared to the iPhone 7, respectively. We tested both scenarios with the Relative Benchmark (maximum load) and Asphalt 8: Airborne (medium load). The values for standby (0.14 W) and a turned-off device (0.06 W) are not too high.

The provided power adapter is once again insufficient. The iPhone 8 pulls up to 6 W from the PSU. You need the power adapter from the iPad to charge the battery under maximum load. Apple should really change that, especially with the announced quick-charge functionality in mind.

A full charge of the iPhone 8 takes 2:17 hours with the provided 5 W adapter (5 V, 1 A) while idling. This is not much longer compared to the rivals, but the battery capacity is much lower in return. You can reduce the charging time with a more powerful power adapter. Apple advertises a charge to 50% within 30 minutes with a corresponding power adapter.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.06 / 0.14 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.54 / 1.63 / 1.67 Watt
Load midlight 2.74 / 7.78 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

Before the iOS 11.0.1 update we wrote: "Apple says the new device lasts about as long as the iPhone 7". Not very specific and pretty unambiguous: The battery is a bit smaller, but the new A11 chip should compensate for that with better efficiency. So far, this does not work. The iPhone 8 falls behind its predecessor and the Android competition, especially in the practical tests. 8:19 hours in our Wi-Fi test is just 4% shorter than the iPhone 7, but the difference is bigger in the test with an H.264 FHD video. The loop only runs for 9:34 hours on the iPhone 8, while the previous model lasted 26% longer. The small iPhone cannot keep up with the bigger sibling, either. It is on par in the Wi-Fi test but has less stamina when you watch videos. The Plus model manages one additional movie. Both practical tests are performed at 150 nits and the airplane mode, but the wireless connection is obviously active for the Wi-Fi test.

We also check the runtime under sustained workloads, maximum luminance and active wireless modules. The A11 Bionic can proof its efficiency: The iPhone 8 lasts almost three-and-a-half hours and clearly beats its predecessor, but it is still beaten by the Android competition.

This begs the question, what does Apple mean with "about as long as the iPhone 7"? Will the next minor update improve the situation? We will repeat the practical tests after the launch of the first iOS update.

Update: The situation for the Apple iPhone 8 is much better with iOS 11.0.1. The Wi-Fi test now runs for almost 10 hours, which is much better than the iPhone 7. It seems that the user complaints about the high power consumption of iOS 11 were correct. The video test confirms the improved stamina after the update at 11:38 hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
27h 9min
WiFi Websurfing (Mobile Safari iOS 11)
9h 45min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
11h 38min
Load (maximum brightness)
3h 22min
Apple iPhone 8
A11 Bionic GPU, A11 Bionic, Apple 256 GB (iPhone 8 / Plus)
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
A11 Bionic GPU, A11 Bionic, Apple 256 GB (iPhone 8 / Plus)
Apple iPhone 7
A10 Fusion GPU, A10 Fusion, 128 GB NVMe
Samsung Galaxy S8
Mali-G71 MP20, Exynos 8895, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
Huawei P10
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
Sony Xperia XZ
Adreno 530, 820 MSM8996, 32 GB eMMC Flash
LG G6
Adreno 530, SD 821, 32 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
Battery Runtime
12%
-10%
17%
8%
-23%
16%
Reader / Idle
1629
2085
28%
1770
9%
1667
2%
1540
-5%
1125
-31%
1789
10%
H.264
698
733
5%
722
3%
771
10%
582
-17%
502
-28%
779
12%
WiFi v1.3
585
657
12%
517
-12%
719
23%
966
65%
438
-25%
692
18%
Load
202
211
4%
126
-38%
264
31%
176
-13%
187
-7%
252
25%

Verdict

Pros

+ high build quality
+ True-Tone display
+ fast SoC
+ great camera
+ accurate GPS
+ Bluetooth 5.0
+ high Wi-Fi performance
+ many LTE bands
+ water and dust protection

Cons

- storage cannot be expanded
- only 12 months warranty
- no stereo jack
- only average speakers
- display resolution could be higher
- heavier than the predecessor
- very limited NFC functionality
In review: Apple iPhone 8.
In review: Apple iPhone 8.

The iPhone 8 might be the last of its kind, the last Apple smartphone with a home button and IPS display. If this is the case, the Americans at least gave us a very good final chapter. We once again miss major new features or innovations, but the iPhone 8 still beats its predecessor in many regards. A major factor is the new A11 chip, which is once again much faster and – like many previous models – out of reach for the rivals. The case is now made of glass, which is great to touch, but it is unfortunately more slippery and prone to fingerprints than before (except for the Jet Black iPhone 7). It looks like the move back to a glass rear panel was necessary for wireless-charging.

The camera is a real highlight for video enthusiasts in particular since it is the first smartphone camera with Ultra HD video recording at 60 frames per second. Full HD videos can be recorded at up to 240 FPS, which is great for spectacular slow-motion recordings. The photo quality is on a very good level and does not have to hide behind the rivals. The iPhone 8 is certainly the best overall camera package you can currently get in a smartphone – if you like the essential settings menu.

The iPhone 8 is powerful, lasts long, and it has a great camera. An upgrade from the iPhone 7 is not necessary, but the differences are more noticeable when you come from an iPhone 6S or an even older model.  

You also get fast LTE, long battery runtimes, and a case with water and dust resistance. We cannot find any major flaws, but some things are annoying. This includes the limited warranty and the weak power adapter. The voice quality could be better in 3G networks and the sound is just average, despite stereo speakers.

Apple's move towards Augmented Reality is important and will certainly be successful thanks to the large platform and the enormous user potential for fast and profitable technology advancements. AR already works well, but it is still not as accurate or sophisticated compared to the Asus ZenFone AR, for example.

All in all, the iPhone 8 is a great product with high-end components, but both the smartphone and useful accessories are also very expensive.

Apple iPhone 8 - 09/27/2019 v7
Patrick Afschar Kaboli, Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
86%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 89%
Pointing Device
94%
Connectivity
45 / 70 → 64%
Weight
93%
Battery
88%
Display
91%
Games Performance
34 / 64 → 53%
Application Performance
75 / 86 → 87%
Temperature
89%
Noise
100%
Audio
77 / 90 → 86%
Camera
57%
Average
77%
83%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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Patrick Afschar Kaboli, Daniel Schmidt, 2017-09-23 (Update: 2019-04- 1)