iPhone X vs Samsung Galaxy S8: which one is better?

The iPhone X is technologically the best option, with more advanced facial recognition technology, an extra lens on the rear camera, and a faster processor.

However the Galaxy S8 is itself a quality handset, and is far and away the best Android smartphone. More importantly, it's £300 cheaper than the iPhone X.

So, while the iPhone X may win out in the features department, the Galaxy S8 represents better value for money.

©Apple

At a glance

Which is the best: the iPhone X or the Galaxy S8?

Winner: the iPhone X has dual rear cameras, a superfast processor and advanced facial recognition technology.

Although the two devices perform equally well in many areas, the iPhone X is just that much better. Here's why:

Rear camera: Both devices have a 12MP rear camera, but the iPhone X has another lens that enables digital zoom up to 10x (as opposed to the 2x offered by the S8), as well as optical (true) zoom.

Processor: The iPhone X's A11 Bionic processor is the fastest available on any smartphone and easily outperforms the S8's Exynos 8895 processor in the Antutu benchmark ranking.

Facial recognition: Both devices are capable of facial recognition, but the iPhone X is far better in that it creates a 3D mask of your face. This makes it secure and enables other neat features such as portrait mode for selfies and animated emojis.

For those who want the very latest in smartphone technology - and don't mind paying a premium for it - the iPhone X ticks all the boxes.

That said, the S8 does have plenty going for it. The wrap-around screen is arguably more impressive, and it doesn't have the notch taken out of the top like the iPhone X.

Most importantly, the device is cheaper and comes with a cheaper contract.

Price

Winner: The Samsung Galaxy S8 is £689, whereas the iPhone X is £999. The contract price for the S8 is also much better value.

The price difference between the two devices shouldn't be understated. The S8 is already expensive compared to other Android phones, yet it still costs £310 less than the iPhone X.

If we look at two-year contracts with no initial outlay, Three are offering both devices with unlimited data and minutes: £79 per month for the Galaxy S8, and £114 per month for the iPhone X.

In terms of contracts the S8 is a far better deal, as the total cost across the contract is £840 less.

Usability

Winner: The iPhone X is the more user-friendly of the two devices, primarily because of FaceID.

FaceID is the most exciting thing about the iPhone X. It enables you to quickly and securely unlock the phone by simply looking at it.

By comparison, the galaxy S8's facial recognition technology is amateurish. While the iPhone X projects some 30,000 dots onto your face to create a 3D representation of it, the S8 uses a photo.

In its defence, the S8 does have a competent iris scanner (though it's less secure than FaceID). It also has a fingerprint scanner - though this is badly placed next to the camera lens at the back of the phone.

Both phones have done away with a home button. In its place, the S8 has embedded a button in the screen, while the iPhone X relies on a system of swipes.

The iPhone X's facial recognition works even when the phone is held at an angle. © Apple.

Display

Winner: The iPhone X's True Tone display is easier on the eyes and better suited for day-to-day use.

Apple's True Tone display makes a huge difference to devices like the iPhone X. In essence, the technology automatically adjusts the white balance of the display to match the light around you.

This means the screen is always easy to see - a huge bonus for those who dislike constantly fiddling with brightness levels.

That's not to say the S8's screen is in any way bad though. In fact, it beats the iPhone X in several areas - including pixel density, resolution and brightness - but not by enough to trump True Tone.

Design

Winner: The Galaxy S8 is the more attractive of the two handsets, with a curved screen that wraps around the sides.

While both the iPhone X and the Galaxy S8 boast all-glass displays, the S8's Infinity screen gives it a futuristic feel unmatched by any other handset.

By contrast, the iPhone X's front - while innovative for an iPhone - is nothing new. It also has a notch taken out of the top of it, which interrupts the flow of the screen.

The Galaxy S8 has a larger range of colour options - four as opposed to the iPhone X's two. However, given that both devices have glass backs, they're likely to be kept in cases anyway.

The Galaxy S8 is more elegant than the iPhone X. © Samsung.

Camera

Winner: The iPhone X has a dual camera at the back and better image processing capabilities.

Back

The Galaxy S8 and the iPhone X both have 12 megapixel wide-angle primary rear cameras, which are excellent.

However, the iPhone X has an additional telephoto lens with Optical Image Stabilization and 2x optical zoom. The additional lens also means photos with depth-of-field are possible.

The S8, meanwhile, has a slightly faster aperture that lets in more light.

The iPhone X's dual camera is great for creating images with depth-of-field. © Apple.

Front

The Galaxy S8's front camera ostensibly seems better in that it's 8MP to the iPhone X's 7MP, and has an aperture of f/1.7 to the iPhone X's f/2.2.

However, the iPhone X's front camera can produce better selfies. This is because the camera exploits the Face ID tech to enable you to change the background and add lighting effects.

Battery

Winner: Though there's not much in it, the Galaxy S8 trumps the iPhone X in that it offers fast-charging wirelessly.

Both devices have glass backs to enable wireless charging. However, only the S8 currently offers wireless fast-charging. Apple say that the technology will be available to the iPhone X next year when they release the AirPower charging pad.

The S8 also betters the iPhone X in that it comes with a cable for fast-charging from a socket. The iPhone X ships with a standard charger, with the fast-charger being a seperate (and rather expensive) accessory.

In terms of battery life, both devices last approximately a day despite their batteries being different sizes: 3,000mAh for the S8 and 2,716mAh for the iPhone X.

The iPhone X can be charged wirelessly, though it's slower than the Galaxy S8. © Apple.

Performance

Winner: The iPhone X's new processor is far more powerful than the Galaxy S8's Exynos 8895.

Apple's A11 Bionic chip - found in the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus - is the fastest currently available in any smartphone.

It leads the way in the Antutu benchmark ranking, whereas the Galaxy S8 comes in at a relatively measly eleventh.

That's not to say the S8 is a particularly slow phone - it isn't. Nevertheless, it has its limits, and tasks such as editing 4K video can slow it a little.

By contrast, the iPhone X is seemingly future-proofed for the arrival of processor-heavy apps, most likely some form of augmented reality.

Summary

Overall winner: The iPhone X beats the Galaxy S8 by offering more features and more power.

The iPhone X and Galaxy S8 are broadly similar - for simple day-to-day use there's not a huge amount of difference between them. They both have fantastic screens, great cameras and good battery life.

But the iPhone X is the more advanced device. The hardware required for Face ID is cutting edge and has applications beyond just unlocking the phone.

The new processor is staggeringly fast too, and will stand the handset in good stead for future app developments.

Whether these differences are worth paying hundreds of pounds more for is questionable, and will likely depend on how attached you are to the Apple ecosystem. Those entrenched in Apple who are unwilling to shell out for an iPhone X could consider the iPhone 8.

For anyone sitting on the fence, it's probably worth bearing in mind that the next Galaxy, the S9, will be released in the summer.

This will reportedly better the Galaxy S8 by having a dual camera and repositioned fingerprint scanner at the back - but still cost less than a £1,000 iPhone X.

Have you got an iPhone X or Galaxy S8? Tell us what you think in the comments.