When you suggest that screen real estate of the X is comparable to the 8 Plus, I am curious, did you look at the screenshots in the very beginning of this thread? It is not comparable at all. The X is relatively an elongated 4.7" device that has ears at the top surrounding the notch. It is not nearly as wide as the 8 Plus. I totally understand the desire for an overall smaller device. I was craving the X to come out until I saw what the viewing experience will be. In landscape, because of the screen ratio, videos by default will be letter-boxed on a wider, and much less heightened screen. On the plus, that video will fill the entire 5.5" screen. If you choose to zoom on the X, you are now watching video that is hidden behind that notch and potentially cropped. I imagine most don't use safari in landscape, but have you seen how the each side of the content is letter-boxed with white wasted space? And how the home bar in instances actually blocks out text? The home bar is also capable of doing that in portrait use as well.
I imagine if someone is coming from an SE or a 4.7" phone, these things won't matter as much. But to suggest the real estate is comparable to the Plus model simply would not be accurate. The proof is in the screen shots (not the ones where the X is compared to the regular 8).