iPhone 8/Plus Is it Worth Getting an 8+?

[bryanc28]

I need a bigger phone due to my eyes. I have a regular 8 and love it, just need something bigger. I am at a toss between an 8+ and an XR. I just can't get past the notch on the XR. Leaning towards the 8+....is it worth it getting it at this point in it's life cycle?

 

[synonys]

The smart money is on the XR, you get accustomed to the notch.

 

[Dwood1970]

I need a bigger phone due to my eyes. I have a regular 8 and love it, just need something bigger. I am at a toss between an 8+ and an XR. I just can't get past the notch on the XR. Leaning towards the 8+....is it worth it getting it at this point in it's life cycle?

After a while you won’t even notice the notch. To me the 8+ is going backwards. Less years that it will be compatible with future iOS updates and the gestures on the phone with no button are just so much smoother. Just my 2 cents though.

 

[ruslan120]

+1 for the XR.

You'll get a better camera with a larger sensor for better quality video / photos (in case that's important to you). Faster chip.

W.r.t. the screen, the XR has a native 2:1 pixels to points ratio while the older "Plus" series has to first scale up by 3x (more taxing on the hardware) and then downsample by 15%.

https://www.paintcodeapp.com/news/ultimate-guide-to-iphone-resolutions

 

[blairh]

I need a bigger phone due to my eyes. I have a regular 8 and love it, just need something bigger. I am at a toss between an 8+ and an XR. I just can't get past the notch on the XR. Leaning towards the 8+....is it worth it getting it at this point in it's life cycle?

I’m planning on getting the 8 Plus post-keynote. It will most likely be $569 at that point. I prefer the wider screen of the Plus vs the XR. I also fully welcome a static battery percentage in my menu bar once again. I have no worries that the A11 chip will be great for the time that I own the 8 Plus.

 

[mtneer]

If you have to go for the 8+, look for a significant discount. That phone will have a shorter span of iOS updates and support compared to the XR and is also 2 - 5 years behind in hardware.

 

[ecschwarz]

I think if you can get it for a good price, it would be worthwhile. It's only a year older than the XR (despite many on this thread acting as though you're thinking of going for a 6 Plus), but will obviously be two years older than the XR's replacement that will probably be due out next month. Still I've run into instances where some decisions on the non-notchy iPhones feels out of place compared with the iPads and notchy phones, so the XR may provide a better experience if you care about that sort of stuff (the battery charging indicator is different for no reason).

If anything, try to wait until after the keynote and prices on the 8 Plus and XR will drop, or you can get the XR's replacement.

Regarding support, the 8 and 8 Plus should have quite a few years left, as the 6 will be dropped in the fall.

 

[internetrando]

The XR would be my choice. The notch is a non-issue once you use the phone for longer than two minutes.

Unless you need a new phone immediately, I would wait for another month or two to see what Apple has up its sleeve. Even if the new phone does not tempt you, you should be able to save some money on the current models as they move down a slot in the line-up.

 

[Reno Raines]

The 8 plus is good if you like Touch ID. I use it now as my daily phone. I had a XR but did not like the Face ID. I sold it and got the 8 plus. Plenty big and good battery but not as good as the battery in the XR.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I need a bigger phone due to my eyes. I have a regular 8 and love it, just need something bigger. I am at a toss between an 8+ and an XR. I just can't get past the notch on the XR. Leaning towards the 8+....is it worth it getting it at this point in it's life cycle?

If you love the 8 and want bigger then the 8+ is a good choice I would say. I am currently using an 8+ and it’s a great phone which holds its own against newer models and will do so for a while yet.

They are also very competitive on price right now and are proving popular in a market of £1k+ phones.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

If you have to go for the 8+, look for a significant discount. That phone will have a shorter span of iOS updates and support compared to the XR and is also 2 - 5 years behind in hardware.

The 8+ is essentially the same phone as the iPhone X in terms of processor and other internals. Is the iPhone X seriously that far behind in your eyes?

 

[Jim Lahey]

I have a space grey 8 Plus in showroom condition and still love it, but if I were buying new right now I would choose the XR between the two (I would get XS Max but that is irrelevant to the discussion). Notch is a non-event for me. In fact I like it. That said, I wouldn't buy either right now unless I had to, as the annual refresh is mere weeks away.

 

[Freakonomics101]

If you like the old design, it definitely is! I personally would go for either the X or Xʀ. I barely notice a screen size difference between the two.

There are a lot that have antenna issues with the Xs and Xs Max but YMMV.

 

[Dwood1970]

Btw the XR has a larger screen and that’s one of the things you said your were looking for.

 

[gigapocket1]

Definitely wait a month if you can for the new phones to drop so that all the current models go on sale.
I would snag the XR..

 

[DevinNj]

I'd personally wait a month and get an XR, which should see a discount, or even the new version of the XR, whatever they end up naming it.

 

[MisterSavage]

Get the XR. It feels like most of the time when I read about complaints about the notch it's from people who don't have a phone with one. I don't even notice it 95% of the time.

 

[mtneer]

The 8+ is essentially the same phone as the iPhone X in terms of processor and other internals. Is the iPhone X seriously that far behind in your eyes?

I based the lower range of my assessment on the processor (from 2017, since we are a month or two away from the A13) to the design case, which was largely inherited from the 6+ (from 2014). Hence 2-5 years...

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

Get the XR. It feels like most of the time when I read about complaints about the notch it's from people who don't have a phone with one. I don't even notice it 95% of the time.

I'll chip in to back this up. The notch is actually pretty great because you don't have a status bar taking up valuable screen real estate. Rather, your status bar icons are tucked away up in those little extra spaces. I use an 8 as my work phone and the gigantic top and bottom bezels bother me way more.

 

[44267547]

The iPhone 8 is probably one of the more underrated phones in Apple’s lineup. It literally competes with the iPhone XR on many levels, but the A11 processor is plenty capable with around three years of support I would imagine. For the discounted price point and being it’s still very much relevant, I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase one.

 

[Dkka1]

The iPhone 8 is a piece of tremendously outdated design, almost ridiculous. Even the XR is quite antiquated already

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I based the lower range of my assessment on the processor (from 2017, since we are a month or two away from the A13) to the design case, which was largely inherited from the 6+ (from 2014). Hence 2-5 years...

Ah right, not literally then.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

The iPhone 8 is a piece of tremendously outdated design, almost ridiculous. Even the XR is quite antiquated already

Why does it matter that a minority like yourself think that, if it’s still a really good phone though?

 

[jaybar]

OP

If you plan to keep the phone for a number of years, I would recommend the SX max. It has a larger screen than the XR. Granted it is significantly more costly, but it’s specifications are better. If you plan to upgrade frequently, or have other pressing financial issues, then the greater price of the SX Max may be more of an issue.

You need to factor in the total “package”. I had an X and like you, I needed a larger phone.

I made the purchase in July and got a great trade-in from Apple, I could not pass up.

Only you can assess your needs. If your visual impairment is such that you need a new phone now, then do what you need to do.

 

[Devyn89]

The 8 plus is a fantastic phone and will be for years to come I think. Sure the XR will last longer, but if you prefer Touch ID and the home button (and no notch) 8+ is the way to go imo.