Using Apple app developer recommendations, the X in landscape mode has less vertical viewing area than the 8 much less the 8 plus. Wait until they are in Apple stores and go see for yourself.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Is the iPhone X screen bigger than the iPhone 8 Plus screen?
- Thread starter AyeKay15
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Taken from another thread here, this shows the differences of the X and the 8+ screens. I've gone with the 8+ because I view a lot of photography on my phone, which is in 4:3 format and the 8+ gives me a 10% larger viewing size over the X for this. I've never been able to se any pixels on a 5.5" screen and both the 8+ and the X have the exact same wide gamut colour display.
By the time you take out the two unusable areas top and bottom of the X, its usable length is basically the same as the 8+, but the 8+ is wider.
Your choice will obviously be driven by what you primarily use your phone for, and what sort of screen ratio you need for that. Long and skinny, go the X. Viewing photos and movies, most of which are in 16:9 format, go the 8+.
I've never really been a fan of the long and narrow screen ratios. The X falls into that category. The ratio on the plus is about perfect for my taste. It seems to be more useful for landscape.
I don't know if this is of use to any one.
forgot to ad the source
https://www.paintcodeapp.com/news/ultimate-guide-to-iphone-resolutions
https://www.paintcodeapp.com/news/iphone-x-screen-demystified
forgot to ad the source
https://www.paintcodeapp.com/news/ultimate-guide-to-iphone-resolutions
https://www.paintcodeapp.com/news/iphone-x-screen-demystified
Attachments
Last edited:
Comparing "apples to apples" (useable, 16:9 area), the iPhone 8 Plus has a 5.5 inch screen and the iPhone X has a 5.15 inch screen. That is a significant difference.
However, it does not tell the entire story. There will be situations, in which more of the iPhone X's screen becomes "useable" (e.g., movies wider than 16:9). People will have to decide for themselves which one is better for them, including their tolerance for the notch.
Some may find out that they made the "wrong" choice decide to make a switch. They'll live.
However, it does not tell the entire story. There will be situations, in which more of the iPhone X's screen becomes "useable" (e.g., movies wider than 16:9). People will have to decide for themselves which one is better for them, including their tolerance for the notch.
Some may find out that they made the "wrong" choice decide to make a switch. They'll live.
Last edited:
The iPhone X is going to be about the same size as the iPhone 7 and have almost 5.8" of usable screen space. In my opinion, that is a big accomplishment, especially with the features involved.
- The term "usable" is contentious. I hold that the top and bottom portions of the iPhone X are usable. For instance, the bottom has the homescreen bar; the dock animates right from the bottom of the screen... When it comes to the top, it does push the status bar up (it's lower on the iPhone 8 Plus et al). And Apps do bleed into the top.
- When it comes to the screens overall, the iPhone X is a narrower phone than the Plus sized iPhones. However, it's showing a greater number of pixels, meaning more content can be fit into a smaller physical screen (Plus phones downsample at 1080 pixels wide; iPhone X displays at 1125). This may mean that things may render slightly smaller on the iPhone X screen.
Last edited:
I agree with your first point. I think when people say "useable" they are referring to the Apple Developer recommended safe zone. / Safe Margins ETC.
This video goes into good detail if anyone is curious
https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/fall2017/801/
Your 2nd point is actually technically wrong though correct. The iPhone X (x 1125x2436) has more physical pixels however, the iPhone Plus (p 1080 × 1920) series has more 'rendered' (1242 × 2208 ) pixels.
On a side note the iPhone X: In developing apps the iPhone has similar logical points (on the narrow end) as the iPhone 8 (375)
Let’s take a YouTube vid...
5.5” iPhone 8+ = all 5.5” is usable. All content displayed in the frame. Good to go, no concerns.
5.8” iPhone X = Video is about the same size as what as displayed on the 4.7” iPhone with wasted space on a the left and right of the display. The only way to use the entire display is to zoom the video which crops it on all 4 sides which hides usable content. Go full screen also has a notch which hides content on top of that and makes it worse.
So no, the X display is not as usable so it’s smaller in a Practical sense.
A close approximation is go to Best Buy and compare the S8 to the 7+. You’ll see...
5.5” iPhone 8+ = all 5.5” is usable. All content displayed in the frame. Good to go, no concerns.
5.8” iPhone X = Video is about the same size as what as displayed on the 4.7” iPhone with wasted space on a the left and right of the display. The only way to use the entire display is to zoom the video which crops it on all 4 sides which hides usable content. Go full screen also has a notch which hides content on top of that and makes it worse.
So no, the X display is not as usable so it’s smaller in a Practical sense.
A close approximation is go to Best Buy and compare the S8 to the 7+. You’ll see...
Inconceivable!
That screen CAN be used... In apps, games, whatever... In Fact, there is nothing saying you must adhere to Apple Design Recommendations or adhere to 'safe areas.' The whole screen is at your disposal. Your example only illustrates the differences in screen vs. video aspect ratios. Nothing more.
Attachments
Posted this in another thread, but this is more relevant.
https://www.iphonetricks.org/iphone-x-iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-screen-comparison/
https://www.iphonetricks.org/iphone-x-iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-screen-comparison/
Correct, my mistake, I meant that the iPhone X is, in the end, displaying a greater number of pixels wide than the iPhone Pluses because these latter downsample to 1080.
So basically the X is the new iPhone 5.
Tall and skinny.
Tall and skinny.
LOL, k, good luck with that theory.
In about 3 to 4 months we should start seeing threads like "The OLED display is nice but"...
...cropped video
...squished UI
...window blind effect
...cramped keyboard
...unused screen space
...word wrapping
...cropped pics
...notch in the way
...Plus display seems bigger
...annoying black bars
...too narrow
I agree.. At the same time, those comments are readily posted about every phone. No matter what Apple does, some people will be happy and others won't. And no matter what, there will be people here unhappy about everything, making thread after thread because they want attention.
Apple is not the first company to try odd aspect ratios to get more screen printed on their marketing material.
Again, go play with an Galaxy S8 with a 5.8" display and tell me it "feels" as large and usable as a 5.5" iPhone 8 Plus.
That's exactly why I opted for the Galaxy S8+ with its huge 6.2" display. It was the only way to keep the usability of my iPhone 7+.
If I end up not liking the iPhone X, I will return it. I can hang onto my iPhone 7 plus, wait till next year, or get the iPhone 8 plus.
Read my comment again. I simply pointed out that what you said is complained about every year by people. And that isn't going to change with the iPhone X. I wasn't excusing that people won't be happy with the screen size of the iPhone X after it is in hand. I don't know why you felt a need to post this.
So wait the S8 with a 6.2 inch screen feels like a 5.5 inch IPhone Plus? I was considering the Note 8 so it will still feel like a iPhone 7 Plus Phone?
The S8 has a 5.8" display.
The S8+ has a 6.2" display.
The 5.8" S8 display is technically bigger than the iPhone Plus, but the display feels very cramped and less practical compared to the iPhone Plus.
The S8 aspect ratio requires a MUCH larger display to be as usable as the smaller 5.5" iPhone display.
Hence me getting the S8+.
Playing with the numbers on these two pages, I've created an illustration of the different display sizes. I must admit that I find this a bit confusing, but if I understand this correctly, the iPhone 8 Plus has a larger display area than the X, both when measured in square cm/square inches and in "square points". However, the pixel count is greater for the X than for the 8 Plus, and I assume that means that the X will show more detailed photos?
Note that these numbers are for full-screen, not for the safe areas – I've not subtracted the status bar or the home bar area of the X. Taking these areas into account, the numbers for the X would all be worse.
EDIT: illustration updated due to typo in iPhone X points
Last edited: