Seriously, I very much doubted it to feel as good as it does now - but after owning it for a few weeks, I am convinced that there is no going back. Picking up an iPhone 8 feels heavily dated now. The screen is just so good. Face ID has worked flawlessly under nearly every condition for me thus far and is just more convenient and faster (for me) than Touch ID. True Tone is a true luxury. Blacks are actually black. Eliminating the home button just feels so natural now. Apple has always been the king of gestures, starting with MacBooks, so it just makes perfect sense. I never thought the notch would be a problem but I'd rather it be there than not if it meant having a taller phone or compromising in any other way. Plus I'm confident that it's size will shrink and eventually be eliminated. Either way, I don't care, it doesn't bother me as is.
I am not brand-loyal. If there was a better phone, I'd be using it. I gotta say, the (smaller) Pixel 2 is also a really great phone. If I cared about saving money but still getting an excellent phone, Pixel 2 all the way. But it's so plain and still feels like Android felt five years ago for the most part. And the XL variant has noticeable screen issues. The S8 is an impressive phone as well but it still just doesn't have the polished software experience that the Pixel has (and IMO the X trumps both of them by a long shot in the polish department). While the Pixel has come incredibly close in what it would take for me to switch from iOS to Android, it's just not there yet. The X just set the bar even higher for fluidity between hardware and software.
I don't know who or what this thread is for. Maybe it's for someone on the fence of whether $1K for a phone is worth it. If you're GOING to buy an 8 or 8 Plus and you plan on keeping it for 3-5 years, don't - get the X. The extra amount of $ is worth it for a phone you're going to keep a long time anyway. Obviously if you're in over your head already in consumer debt and are bad with money in general, don't be buying $500+ phones. But for those who were going for a "flagship" phone anyway and it makes sense for them - trust me, the X is that much better. I'm personally coming from a 6, and I keep my phones for 4+ years, so the 8 didn't feel like that much of an upgrade.
I am not brand-loyal. If there was a better phone, I'd be using it. I gotta say, the (smaller) Pixel 2 is also a really great phone. If I cared about saving money but still getting an excellent phone, Pixel 2 all the way. But it's so plain and still feels like Android felt five years ago for the most part. And the XL variant has noticeable screen issues. The S8 is an impressive phone as well but it still just doesn't have the polished software experience that the Pixel has (and IMO the X trumps both of them by a long shot in the polish department). While the Pixel has come incredibly close in what it would take for me to switch from iOS to Android, it's just not there yet. The X just set the bar even higher for fluidity between hardware and software.
I don't know who or what this thread is for. Maybe it's for someone on the fence of whether $1K for a phone is worth it. If you're GOING to buy an 8 or 8 Plus and you plan on keeping it for 3-5 years, don't - get the X. The extra amount of $ is worth it for a phone you're going to keep a long time anyway. Obviously if you're in over your head already in consumer debt and are bad with money in general, don't be buying $500+ phones. But for those who were going for a "flagship" phone anyway and it makes sense for them - trust me, the X is that much better. I'm personally coming from a 6, and I keep my phones for 4+ years, so the 8 didn't feel like that much of an upgrade.