Apple iPhone 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone 8 represents an older flagship with competent fundamentals, delivering solid performance through the A11 Bionic chip and reliable iOS experience. However, it suffers from severely dated specs: a modest 4.7-inch 1334x750 IPS display, minimal 2GB RAM, and a cramped 1821mAh battery requiring frequent charging. Samsung's Galaxy Note 10+ operates in a completely different league at $1099, featuring a stunning 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with 1440p resolution and 1200 nits brightness, paired with 12GB RAM and a substantial 4300mAh battery. Its quad camera system with telephoto, ultrawide, and ToF depth sensor vastly outclasses the iPhone 8's single lens setup. The Note 10+ also offers faster charging (45W versus the iPhone's 18W adapter sold separately), better connectivity including Wi-Fi 6, and USB-C convenience. While the iPhone 8 remains adequately functional for basic tasks, the Galaxy Note 10+ delivers superior display quality, processing power, camera versatility, and battery longevity. For the price difference, Samsung's flagship provides substantially better value and capability.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 8 if…
- →Compact and lightweight at 148 g
- →Wireless charging support
- →Powerful A11 Bionic chip
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ if…
- →S Pen with air gesture controls and Bluetooth LE
- →Gorgeous 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display
- →45W super fast charging for rapid top-ups
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 8
Pros
- Compact and lightweight at 148 g
- Wireless charging support
- Powerful A11 Bionic chip
- True Tone display
- Reliable Touch ID fingerprint sensor
Cons
- Very small 1821 mAh battery
- Dated home button design with large bezels
- Single rear camera only
- 750p resolution on 4.7-inch display
- Only 2 GB RAM
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
Pros
- S Pen with air gesture controls and Bluetooth LE
- Gorgeous 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display
- 45W super fast charging for rapid top-ups
- 12 GB RAM handles multitasking effortlessly
- Versatile quad-camera system with ToF depth sensor
Cons
- 60Hz display when competitors were moving to high refresh rates
- No headphone jack — a first for the Note series
- Exynos variant has weaker GPU performance than Snapdragon
- Glass back is slippery and fragile without a case
- Samsung software updates have ended
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 8 | Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 11 | Android 9 (One UI 1.5) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 148 g | 196 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, glass back | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass front and back |
| IP rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm | 162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Front camera | 7 MP, f/2.2 | 10 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 4K@60fps, Super Steady |
| Depth | — | VGA ToF 3D sensor |
| Telephoto | — | 12 MP, f/2.1, 2x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide | — | 16 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 2 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 256 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 1821 mAh | 4300 mAh |
| Charging | 18W wired (adapter sold separately) | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | 7.5W Qi | 15W, Wireless PowerShare |
| Display | ||
| Size | 4.7 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Type | Retina IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1334 x 750 | 3040 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 625 | 1200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x2.39 GHz + 4x1.7 GHz) | Octa-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (3-core) | Adreno 640 / Mali-G76 MP12 |
| Chipset | Apple A11 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9825 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.1 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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