iPhone 8 plus article reviews.

Until recently, it was difficult to imagine such an announcement that would excite the entire population of planet Earth. But for ten years now we have seen how one gadget gathers literally all people around it, regardless of their age and social status. The announcement of the iPhone is watched by millions to discuss it the next day, take out a loan or save money for a purchase. There are people who keep repeating year after year that Apple is “no longer a cake.”

Today we have an Apple iPhone 8 Plus on the test, and we need to understand - is it a “cake” or is it still a “cake”? After all, most likely, the “cake” is a fresh iPhone X.

In the iPhone 8 Plus, the sensor has been updated, but the resolution remains the same - 12 megapixels in both cameras. The equivalent focal length of the two lenses has also not changed: 28mm and F1.8 for the main camera and 56mm and F2.8 for the zoom lens. Optical image stabilization has not gone anywhere, which performs well when shooting videos.

Let's take a quick look at the video. Here you can record videos in 4K resolution at 24, 30 and 60 frames per second. It also became possible to shoot slow motion videos at 240 frames per second in Full HD resolution.

But the main feature of the iPhone 8 Plus camera is not in the lenses or sensors. Paradoxically, the heart of the new camera is the A11 Bionic processor with machine learning technology. The fact is that a dedicated image processor was placed in the chip. This made it possible to improve the quality of images in low light conditions, since additional noise reduction algorithms began to be used.

Another "photographic" addition is associated with iOS 11: the new version of the operating system has the ability to save files with high compression efficiency. There is a new HEIC format for photos and HEVC for videos. The HEIC extension allows you to make files about half the size of JPEG. At the same time, in the iPhone 8/8 Plus, memory sizes have grown to 64 and 256 GB. And to be honest, we don't think such a compression method is very justified. If you use files only on your smartphone, then everything is fine. If you need to throw them into the computer's memory, problems arise. Moreover, high compression efficiency is enabled by default in the new version of the OS - be careful.

Another significant event is connected with the new version of the system: the portrait mode has left the beta testing stage and is now fully present in the camera. And in the beta version there is a new feature - portrait lighting, which allows you to emulate different light options.

The iPhone 8 Plus is, as always, the perfect Point-and-Shoot camera where all you have to do is press a button to capture the moment. Manual settings and RAW are again available only with the help of third-party software.

The front camera has remained unchanged. Its resolution is 12 megapixels, and the aperture of the wide-angle lens is F2.2.

What else is important to know about the new iPhone 8 Plus

Powerful new A11 Bionic processor with machine learning technology

3 GB RAM and 64 or 256 GB internal storage

5.5" Full HD IPS display with True Tone technology

Support for all modern communications, including Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.0

The 3.5mm headphone jack is gone again and apparently never will be.

2691 mAh battery with support for fast (with a special adapter) and wireless charging

Reinforced glass on both sides and metal

The weight of the iPhone 8 Plus is 202 grams and 230 grams in a branded case

Last year, the iPhone X was in the spotlight, and we did not ignore it: read our articles and. In addition, we told you about the compact model. But next to these two new products, the iPhone 8 Plus faded into the background, which seems to be not quite a flagship, but at the same time cannot boast of the compactness and attractive price of the iPhone 8. However, it would be wrong to discount it altogether. Therefore, we decided to use the iPhone 8 Plus in real life and talk about our impressions of it - both in comparison with the iPhone X, and with. But, of course, you will find traditional test results in the article.

Let's take a look at the characteristics of the novelty.

Specifications for Apple iPhone 8 Plus

SoC Apple A11 Bionic (6 cores, 2 of which are high-performance and operate at a frequency of 2.1 GHz, and 4 are energy efficient)
Apple A11 Bionic GPU
Apple M11 motion co-processor including barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope and compass
RAM 3 GB
Flash memory 64 / 256 GB
No memory card support
Operating system iOS 11
IPS touch display, 5.5″, 1920×1080 (401 ppi), capacitive, multi-touch, support for 3D Touch technologies and Taptic Engine response
Cameras: front (7 MP, video 1080p 30 fps, 720p 240 fps) and rear with two lenses (12 MP, optical zoom 2×, video shooting 4K 60 fps)
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz; MIMO support)
Cellular: UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, LTE Advanced support
Bluetooth 5.0 A2DPLE
Fingerprint scanner Touch ID version 3
NFC (Apple Pay only)
Universal Lightning Connector
Qi wireless charging support
Lithium polymer battery 2675 mAh, non-removable
GPS / A-GPS, Glonass
Dimensions 158×78×7.5 mm
Weight 202 g

For clarity, let's compare them with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 Plus to understand, firstly, how the two generations of larger Apple smartphones differ, and secondly, is there any difference between the two new generation models (besides the size, of course).

	Apple iPhone 8 Plus	Apple iPhone 7 Plus	Apple iPhone 8
Screen		5.5″, IPS, 1920×1080, 401 ppi	4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi
SoC (processor)		Apple A10 Fusion (4 cores, 2+2)	SoC Apple A11 Bionic (6 cores, 2+4)
Flash memory	64/256 GB	32/128/256 GB	64/256 GB
Connectors		Universal Lightning Connector	Universal Lightning Connector
Memory card support	No	No	No
RAM	3 GB	3 GB	2 GB
cameras	main (12 MP; video 4K 60 fps) with two lenses and front (7 MP; shooting and transmission of Full HD video)	main (12 MP; video 4K 30 fps) with two lenses and front (7 MP; shooting and transmission of Full HD video)	main (12 MP; video 4K 60 fps) and front (7 MP; shooting and transmission of Full HD video)
User identification sensors	Fingerprint's scanner	Fingerprint's scanner	Fingerprint's scanner
Hull protection	IP67 (water and dust proof)	IP67 (water and dust proof)	IP67 (water and dust proof)
Battery capacity (mAh)	2675	2900	1821
Operating system	Apple iOS 11	Apple iOS 10 (update to iOS 11 available)	Apple iOS 11
Dimensions (mm)	158×78×7.5	158×78×7.3	138×67×7.3
Weight (g)	202	189	148
Average price (for version with minimum flash memory)
Apple iPhone 8 Plus Retail Deals (64 GB)
Apple iPhone 8 Plus Retail Deals (256 GB)

The main difference between the larger new iPhone and the younger brother (in addition to the size and display area, of course) is 3 GB of RAM instead of 2 GB. How this affects performance will be discussed later. As for the comparison with the iPhone 7 Plus, here you should pay attention to the appeared 4K 60 fps video shooting mode (the "seven" had only 4K 30 fps), as well as a slightly reduced battery capacity. However, it is too early to draw any conclusions from this - we must look at practice.

Well, let's get acquainted with the smartphone live.

Packaging and equipment

According to the set, the iPhone 8 Plus is completely identical to its younger brother, the difference is only in size. And in terms of size, it, in turn, is completely identical to the iPhone 7 Plus - so much so that even cases will fit.

However, using a case with an iPhone 8 Plus is a dubious idea because you never feel like you've upgraded to a new iPhone if you previously had an iPhone 7 Plus. Of course, the main innovation in terms of design is the glass back surface.

I must say that in addition to the obvious aesthetic advantages, it also has an important practical plus: it scratches much less than the Jet Black coating on the iPhone 7 Plus. In less than a year of use, our iPhone 7 Plus Jet Black is already riddled with scratches, although the smartphone has been in a case for the vast majority of this period. In the case of the iPhone 8 Plus, for a month of equally active use in everyday life, no visible damage appeared - not a single tiniest scratch, although it was far from always in a case.

At the same time, it is quite obvious that the cover reduces the likelihood of breaking the smartphone and allows it to retain its "trademark" appearance longer. So the question of whether to use a cover or not remains open. By the way, for the new iPhone, Apple has also released new cases: in the photo below - iPhone 8 Plus in a charcoal gray leather case.

As for the colors of the smartphone itself, as you know, the iPhone 8/8 Plus are sold in three colors - silver, gold and space gray. Pink is no longer in the range, as well as Jet Black. But the gold version that we used just gives a noticeable pinkish tint. This is an amateur effect, although a very curious one. The other two colors are more versatile.

The glass back also has another plus (at least Apple claims it does): the new iPhones support wireless charging. We mentioned this in the iPhone 8 review, but now we decided to check how this is in practice.

Wireless charging iPhone 8 Plus

Unfortunately, Apple has not yet released a branded AirPower charging station, so you have to use third-party solutions.

iPhone 8 Plus (as well as iPhone 8 and iPhone X) support the Qi standard. This is the most popular wireless charging standard, so if you see wireless charging in the store, it will most likely be the right option.

As it turned out, finding inexpensive wireless chargers in retail is not easy. The author went to a number of large chain stores near the central stations of the Moscow metro and everywhere he came across bewildered sellers. At first they didn’t understand what wireless charging was in principle, then some of them recalled that “it seems we have it, but only for Samsung phones” (I had to explain that it would also work for the iPhone), but in the end it turned out that the only option costs about 4,000 rubles, and the desire to buy it immediately disappeared.

However, if you go to the websites of the same stores, we will easily find many more attractive offers. Prices start from 1000 rubles. True, charging really needs to be ordered - either with delivery by courier, or for pickup from some store. Apparently, they are not in sufficient demand to put them on the shelves.

So, we decided to try one of the cheapest options - Buro Q5 - and measured how long it takes to charge the iPhone 8 Plus.

The result was not very happy: in half an hour, a heavily discharged iPhone is charged by about 12%. In total, the process will take at least four hours. Here, however, it should be noted that the Buro Q5 current strength is 1 A. Of course, there are 2 A wireless chargers on sale, but there are much fewer of them than single-ampere ones, and their price is from 2000 rubles.

In general, if you want to use third-party wireless charging, this can be done, and there should be no problems, but be prepared for slow recharging, or look for two-amp charging and pay much more for it.

Screen

The screen parameters of the iPhone 8 Plus do not differ from those of the iPhone 7 Plus: 5.5-inch diagonal, IPS-matrix with a resolution of 1920 × 1080. By today's standards - far from record parameters. However, as we know, the quality of the screen is determined not only by the resolution. On top of that, the manufacturer has introduced a number of interesting technologies into the new generation screens.

The editor of the "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" sections will tell you about the quality of the display Alexey Kudryavtsev .

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - Apple iPhone 8 Plus, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen on the Apple iPhone 8 Plus is slightly darker (brightness in photos is 104 versus 113 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the screen of the Apple iPhone 8 Plus is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS type screen - One Glass Solution). Due to the smaller number of borders (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be changed. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, approximately like the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.

With manual brightness control and with a white field displayed in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 580 cd / m², the minimum was 2.7 cd / m². The maximum brightness is very high, and given the excellent anti-glare properties, the readability of the screen even on a sunny day outdoors will be at a good level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. In the presence of automatic brightness control by light sensor (it is located above the front speaker slot), which is enabled by default. In automatic mode, when the ambient light conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness slider - the user sets the desired brightness level for the current conditions. If nothing is changed, then in complete darkness the brightness drops to 3.0 cd / m² (very dark), in an artificially lit office (about 550 lux), the screen brightness is set to 100-160 cd / m² (acceptable), and in in a very bright environment (corresponding to a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or slightly more) rises to 670 cd/m² (even higher than with manual adjustment). The result did not quite suit us, so in the dark we slightly moved the brightness slider to the right and for the above three conditions we got 15, 120 and 670 cd / m² (ideal). It turns out that the auto-brightness function works adequately, and it is possible to adjust the nature of the brightness change to the user's requirements. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.

This smartphone uses an IPS type matrix. Micrographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

For comparison, you can familiarize yourself with those used in mobile technology.

The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even at large deviations of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Apple iPhone 8 Plus and Nexus 7, while the brightness of the screens is initially set to about 200 cd / m² (white field in full screen), and the color balance on the camera is forcibly switched to 6500 TO.

White field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field.

And a test picture:

The color balance is slightly different, the color saturation is normal. Recall that a photograph cannot serve as a reliable source of information about the quality of color reproduction and is provided only for a conditional visual illustration. In this case, apparently due to the characteristics of the screen emission spectrum, the color balance and brightness of colors in the Apple iPhone 8 Plus screen photographs are somewhat different from what is visible to the eye and determined by the spectrophotometer.

Now at an angle of about 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens and the contrast remained at a high level.

And the white box:

The brightness at an angle at the screens decreased (at least 4 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Apple iPhone 8 Plus, the brightness drop is less. The black field, when deviated diagonally, is highlighted to an average degree and acquires a purple hue. The photos below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is approximately the same!):

And from another angle:

When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is good:

Contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 1270:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 26 ms (14 ms on + 12 ms off). The transition between 25% and 75% grayscale (according to the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 34 ms. The gamma curve constructed from 32 points with an equal interval according to the numerical value of the shade of gray did not reveal a blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows. The approximate exponent is 1.81, which is lower than the standard value of 2.2, so the image is slightly washed out. In this case, the real gamma curve noticeably deviates from the power dependence:

The color gamut is sRGB:

Let's look at the spectra:

Such spectra are found in top mobile devices from Sony and other manufacturers. Apparently, this screen uses LEDs with a blue emitter and a green and red phosphor (usually a blue emitter and a yellow phosphor), which, in combination with special matrix filters, allows you to get a wide color gamut. Yes, and in the red phosphor, apparently, the so-called quantum dots are used. For a consumer device, a wide color gamut is not an advantage, but a significant drawback, because as a result, the colors of images - drawings, photos and films - oriented to the sRGB space (and the vast majority of them) have an unnatural saturation. This is especially noticeable on recognizable shades, such as skin tones. However, in this case, the color gamut is carefully adjusted to the sRGB borders, and as a result, visually, the colors have a natural saturation.

This applies to images that have an sRGB profile or no profile at all. However, native to today's top-of-the-line Apple devices is the Display P3 color space, with slightly more saturated greens and reds. The Display P3 space is based on SMPTE DCI-P3 but has a D65 white point and a gamma curve of approximately 2.2. In addition, the manufacturer claims that starting with iOS 9.3, color management is supported at the system level, which makes it easier for iOS applications to correctly display images with a prescribed color profile. Indeed, by supplementing the test images (JPG and PNG files) with a Display P3 profile, we got a color gamut wider than sRGB (output in Safari):

Note that the coordinates of the primary colors almost exactly matched those prescribed for the DCI-P3 standard. We look at the spectra in the case of test images with the Display P3 profile:

It can be seen that in this case, no cross-mixing of components occurs, that is, this color space is native to the Apple iPhone 8 Plus screen.

The balance of shades on the gray scale is good, since the color temperature is close to the standard 6500 K, and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered acceptable for a consumer device. At the same time, the color temperature and ΔE change little from shade to shade - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. The nature of the change in values from hue to hue indirectly shows that software color correction is used. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since the color balance does not matter much there, and the measurement error of color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

This Apple device has a function night shift, which makes the picture warmer at night (how much warmer the user specifies). A description of why such a correction might be useful is given in . In any case, when entertaining with a tablet or smartphone at night, it is better to reduce the screen brightness to a minimum, but still comfortable level, and only then, to calm your own paranoia, turn the screen yellow with the Night Shift setting.

The smartphone also has a function true tone, which, when enabled, adjusts the color balance to the environment. For example, we activated it by placing a smartphone under cool white LED lights and ended up with 6.6 for ΔE and 6900K for color temperature. Under a halogen incandescent lamp (warm light), the same parameters turned out to be 4.0 and 6100 K, that is, the color temperature became lower. The function works as expected. Note that now the current standard is to calibrate display devices to a white point of 6500 K, but in principle, correction for the color temperature of external light can be useful if you want to achieve a better match between the image on the screen and what is seen on paper (or on any media , on which colors are formed by reflecting incident light) under current conditions.

Let's summarize. The screen has a very high maximum brightness and has excellent anti-glare properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable level. It is permissible to use the mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating, the absence of an air gap in the layers of the screen and flicker, good black stability to deviation of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen plane, high contrast, as well as support for the sRGB color gamut (with the participation of the OS) and good color balance. There are no significant shortcomings. At the moment, this is perhaps one of the best displays among all smartphones.

Performance

Like the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, the iPhone 8 Plus runs on the Apple A11 Bionic. This is a 64-bit SoC that includes 6 cores, of which two are high-performance, and the other four are energy efficient. Moreover, at maximum load, all six cores can work simultaneously.

As before, the difference between the iPhone with the Plus prefix in the name is 3 GB of RAM instead of 2 GB for the younger brother. How this affected performance - let's see!

Let's start with browser benchmarks: SunSpider 1.0.2, Octane Benchmark, Kraken Benchmark and . The Safari browser was used. Especially for a more visual comparison, we ran new performance tests on the iPhone 7 Plus by updating the smartphone OS to the current version.

As you might expect, the iPhone 8 Plus outperforms the iPhone 7 Plus, and quite confidently. But there is no superiority over the iPhone 8, in these browser tests the difference in the total amount of memory does not affect.

Now let's see how the iPhone 8 Plus performs in the comprehensive AnTuTu and Geekbench 4 benchmarks.

	Apple iPhone 8 Plus (Apple A11)	Apple iPhone 7 Plus (Apple A10)	Apple iPhone 8 (Apple A11)
AnTuTu (more is better)	191207 points	171329 points	211416 points
Geekbench 4 Single Core Score (more is better)	4245 points	3539 points	4266 points
Geekbench 4 Multi-Core Score (more is better)	10378 points	5995 points	10299 points
Geekbench 4 Metal Score (more is better)	15668 points	12712 points	—

Again, it confidently outperforms its predecessor, especially in Geekbench tests that measure CPU and RAM performance. But there is no tangible gap from the iPhone 8, and in AnTuTu the larger model even lost. Apparently, the increased amount of RAM does not give a clear win in these tests.

The last group of benchmarks is dedicated to testing GPU performance. We used 3DMark, GFXBenchmark Metal, and Basemark Metal Pro, which was created specifically for devices that support Metal technology.

Recall that Offscreen tests are a display of a 1080p image on the screen, regardless of the actual screen resolution. And Onscreen tests are the output of a picture in the resolution that corresponds to the screen resolution of the device. That is, off-screen tests are indicative in terms of the abstract performance of the SoC, and the rest of the tests are indicative of the comfort of playing on a specific device.

	Apple iPhone 8 Plus (Apple A11)	Apple iPhone 7 Plus (Apple A10)	Apple iPhone 8 (Apple A11)
GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.3.1 (1440r)	28.5 fps	24.2 fps	22.2 fps
GFX Benchmark Manhattan 3.1	45.1 fps	43.0 fps	75.9 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.1, offscreen	44.5 fps	41.0 fps	36.9 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan	64.7 fps	57.6 fps	94.9 fps
GFXBenchmark 1080p Manhattan, off screen	67.2 fps	58.3 fps	47.5 fps

According to GFXBenchmark, the iPhone 8 Plus does not have such a big advantage over the iPhone 7 Plus, and it lags behind the iPhone 8. But this is quite logical: the lower the screen resolution, the more frames per second the device can show. However, in all tests with a fixed resolution, the iPhone 8 Plus is just in the lead, and this is already strange - what provides such a clear victory over the iPhone 8?

Once again, the iPhone 8 Plus outperforms the iPhone 7 Plus, and far more so than in GFXBenchmark. But the difference with the iPhone 8 is already within the range of possible measurement errors.

Finally - Basemark Metal Pro.

And here the leader is already the iPhone 8, for the same reason as in the GFXBenchmark onscreen tests. However, the difference between the devices is not so great, and the advantage of new products over the iPhone 7 Plus is rather modest (although undeniable).

In general, the iPhone 8 Plus performed at about the same level as the iPhone 8, we did not record a significant effect from the increase in the amount of RAM in the tests. As for the difference with the iPhone 7 Plus, it certainly exists, but it manifests itself differently in different modes.

cameras

As before, the difference in cameras between the two iPhones of the same generation is that the Plus has a second lens that provides optical zoom capability. As for the comparison with a smartphone of the same size, but of the previous generation, here it is worth paying attention to the appearance of a 4K 60 fps video shooting mode (the “seven” had only 30 fps).

Editor of the "Digital Photo" section Anton Solovyov commented on the shots on the iPhone 8 Plus and tested the smartphone's camera on our test stand.

The camera copes well with shooting even in the evening on a cloudy day and in the wind. The program manages to adjust the exposure in such a way that the fluttering foliage is not smeared, and small details are not eaten away by noise.

The smartphone has two cameras, like the previous generation Plus. In fact, they differ not only in focal length. In addition, in the G8, Apple decided to remove the dubious zoom and give the cameras different functions: it is proposed to use the wide-angle camera for normal shooting, and the telephoto camera for portrait photography. It's hard not to agree with this move, but we'll still compare the two cameras under the same conditions.

29 mm	57 mm

It is noticeable that the portrait camera works a little worse: in some places it lathers a little, it makes a little more noise and generally creates a “soft portrait picture”. However, for a telephoto lens in this form factor, this is quite acceptable - for sure, they will someday be brought to a good level, as they have already done with wide-angle lenses.

Here's the portrait camera in action, albeit in difficult conditions:

With a lack of lighting, of course, it is difficult to reveal its advantages, but still the camera does a good job. And since a wide-angle lens won't give such good geometry at such a close-up, the camera will come in handy. By the way, many modes have been added to it for different portrait shooting scenarios. In particular, the program itself can clip the portrait, as in the third photo. For a smartphone, this result looks very worthy.

And a few more shots showing the possibilities and effects of portrait mode.

It cannot be unequivocally said that the “deep pixels” promised to us make a tangible contribution to the quality of the picture, so let's check it in the laboratory.

29 mm	57 mm

Lighting ≈3200 lux

Lighting ≈1400 lux

Lighting ≈130 lux

Illumination ≈130 lux + flash

Illumination ≈1 lux + flash

The maximum effective resolution of the sensor remained at the same level as a couple of years ago. But the programmers managed to tame the noise, and now even in very low light the camera practically does not lose detail, which is surprising. The camera is actually equally good at capturing the measuring world in different light conditions. And this can be extrapolated with good certainty to ordinary plots not in laboratory conditions. The portrait camera looks more modest - however, we could already notice this when comparing them and shooting portraits.

As a result, we can say that the wide-angle camera turned out to be excellent, it is well suited for various subjects. The portrait camera is rather ordinary, it does not reach wide-angle in terms of image quality (but I would like to), but it works well by itself and is quite suitable for creating avatars.

Autonomy and heating

As noted at the beginning of the article, we used the iPhone 8 Plus for a month in real life as the only smartphone. And these are calls on cellular communications and instant messengers (Telegram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp) for an average of one and a half hours a day, communication in instant messengers, regular updating of the FB feed, reading sites, mail with push notifications and a flow of letters in the region of 30-50 per day, less regularly - intensive use of the camera and voice recorder. Almost all the time, the iPhone was connected via Bluetooth to the Apple Watch and for about half an hour a day to Apple AirPods.

In the described mode, the smartphone lived for two days, that is, it had to be charged through the night. Let's say you use it on Monday and Tuesday, put it on charge at night; Wednesday morning you have 100% and you use without recharging until the night from Thursday to Friday ...

In general, this is a good result, roughly comparable to the iPhone 7 Plus, especially for very intensive use. Of course, if you play games or watch movies or online videos (we didn’t do any of this during our acquaintance with the device), then the result will be different. But, we believe, for most potential owners of the iPhone 8 Plus, our scenario is quite relevant.

Of the minuses, we note that the battery is discharged unevenly. So, at the end of the first day, you usually have about 65% of the charge left, and at the end of the second day, the charge is already running out (it is obvious that the smartphone almost does not lose charge overnight - a maximum of one or two percent).

Of course, we also carried out the traditional testing of battery life in several modes.

	YouTube video playback	Offline playback of an HD movie from the iTunes Store	3D Game Mode (GFX Benchmark Metal, Manhattan 3.1 battery test)
Apple iPhone 8 Plus	9 hours 5 minutes	10 hours	2 hours 24 minutes
Apple iPhone 7 Plus	—	12 hours	2 hours 13 minutes
Apple iPhone 8	6 hours 55 minutes	18 hours 15 minutes	2 hours 10 minutes

Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after two consecutive runs (approximately 10 minutes of operation) of the Basemark Metal test:

Heating is strongly localized in the upper right part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was 41 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees). The heating in this test is the same.

conclusions

Switching to the iPhone 8 Plus from the iPhone 7 Plus doesn't feel like a big step forward. The only thing that pleases is the back glass surface, if you use a smartphone without a case, and the possibility of using wireless charging (although the latter is relevant, rather, for those who are ready to wait for the release of Apple AirPower).

If we compare the feeling of using it with the iPhone X, then, of course, the iPhone 8 Plus is perceived as a more bulky and less impressive device, but it works a little longer on a single battery charge. In addition, having a home button is more comfortable for conservatives, although, as we have seen, the transition to Face ID and full gesture control in the iPhone X is very smooth and fast.

The above, however, does not mean that the iPhone 8 Plus is bad. On the contrary, the smartphone is good for absolutely everyone, it has no serious flaws. The screen, battery life, performance are all great. But there is still no “wow effect”. Why? Probably because the “wow effect” is reserved for the main novelty: the iPhone X. But, for a minute, it is 15 thousand rubles more expensive. Significant difference!

We can say that the iPhone 8 Plus is not an option for "show-offs" and not for technologists, but for real everyday use. Of course, there is no point in switching to it from the iPhone 7 Plus, the 2016 model remains more than relevant. And even owners of the iPhone 6s Plus can wait with the upgrade. But if you haven’t had an iPhone of the last two generations and the question arose of buying a model with a large screen, and you are not ready to overpay for the innovations of the iPhone X, then the iPhone 8 Plus is the most logical option. Moreover, the difference in price with the iPhone 7 Plus is 12 thousand rubles, but the minimum amount of memory is larger: 64 GB versus 32 GB.

Everything in the box as always

Apple completely scored on surprises for its fans. Inside the iPhone box, there is nothing unusual:

5 V and 1 A power supply (yes, you need to buy a separate charger for fast charging)
Lightning cable
adapter from Lightning to 3.5 mm
wired headphones with Lightning connector

Yes, new iPhones still can't be connected to new MacBooks. You need to buy a USB adapter<->USB C for 1500 rubles. Well, or just order a similar adapter from Aliexpress for a dollar and a half, which, in fact, I did.

Only the appearance of the packaging has changed. Now the box is completely painted in the color of the iPhone, which is hidden inside.

New-old design

front new iPhone 8 generally indistinguishable from the seven. Completely black glass panel, 2.5D glass, Touch ID (works great) - everything is as always.

Of course, the glass has an oleophobic coating and it is of very high quality. There is also an anti-fingerprint coating on the back, don't worry.

However, the Touch ID sensor does not have any "oleophobic". If the screen glass is clean, then the sensor catches prints very quickly. But it's not so scary.

The most important! iPhone 8 has become less slippery than all its predecessors.

Glass still clings to the palm better than matte, polished metal, and this is a fact. And Apple also claims that the glass in the new product has become 50% stronger (apparently relative to its predecessor), therefore, it will become more difficult to break an iPhone. And yet, for some reason, I am sure that he is still not as strong as.

The glass panel at the back is also needed so that the eight can be charged from wireless charging. Fortunately, Apple did not become wiser and the novelty is compatible with the very common Qi standard. I bought an adapter from Belkin, I'll try it in action and be sure to unsubscribe with the results.

Another small cosmetic change compared to the previous generation is that the antenna strips are now shorter and visible only on the side ends. There are four of them, they look neat, dignified, noble.

If you have any doubts about which iPhone to choose, I suggest looking at the photos below. The usual eight and a giant plus on its background.

Those expecting a truly black iPhone are in for a disappointment.

iPhone 8 is never black.

It looks black only at dusk or in a room with very poor lighting. In all other situations, it appears dark grey. The back seems to be made of smoothly polished stone.

Now for other colors. Be very careful when choosing a gold coloring. It is better to look at the handset live before buying, turn it in your hands. With not very good lighting, the back does not look white, but with a clear pinkish tint.

There is nothing to say about the silver model - the most boring option.

"TruTon" screen

What would I choose: 120 hertz refresh rate or some strange True Tone? Definitely the first.

The iPad Pro 10.5″, which received a display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, looks simply amazing. Any animation on it is perceived in a completely new way, and all other screens after it, including the iPhone 8, are perceived very painfully.

And with True Tone, the panel looks just interesting. Yes, the temperature of the colors is constantly changing according to the ambient light (the screen predominantly shines with a yellow tint). The display either “warms up”, then “cools” and this is cool, but there is no “wow” here. We lived without this chip, we felt good, but with it ... well, cool. No more.

Pictured below is an iPhone 8 Plus screen (top or left) and an iPhone 8 display (bottom or right).

Otherwise, these are completely identical screens from the 7th. The same brightness, contrast and resolution.

By the way, contrary to the evil grins of Android fans, on which smartphones with 4K resolution are also found, the iPhone 8 has enough dot density to head. At least for a diagonal of 4.7 inches. At the same time, Apple saves a pretty penny by not ordering expensive higher-resolution panels for its offspring.

3D Touch, incredibly cool Taptic Engine vibration feedback, maximum pressure sensitivity - all this is in place. However, if you remove all these goodies, then we have an ordinary IPS-matrix, which is covered with a lilac fog at extreme viewing angles.

iPhone 8 Specifications

The easiest way to compare the specifications of the iPhone 8 with the iPhone 7 is in a table. Green indicates improvement, and red indicates deterioration. Yes, there are some options.

	iPhone 7	iPhone 8
Display	4.7" IPS, 1334 x 750 (326 ppi), 1400:1 contrast ratio, 625 nits brightness	IPS, 4.7 inches, 1334 x 750 (326 ppi density), 1400:1 contrast ratio, 625 nits brightness, True Tone technology, support for HDR and Dolby Vision
CPU	A10 Fusion (2.34GHz, 4 cores, 16nm) + M10 motion co-processor	A11 Bionic (6 cores, 10nm) + M11 motion coprocessor
Graphic arts	Own graphics accelerator	Own tri-core processor (30% more powerful than its predecessor)
RAM	2 GB
Built-in memory	32, 64 or 128 GB	64 or 256 GB
Main camera	12 MP (f/1.8, 28mm, 1.22µm dot size, sapphire coating, OIS, 4-section True Tone flash, 4K recording 30 FPS, Slo-Mo 1080p at 120 FPS)	12 MP (f/1.8, 28mm, sapphire, OIS, 4-section True Tone Slow Sync flash, 4K 60 FPS recording, Slo-Mo 1080p at 240 FPS)
Front-camera	7 MP (f/2.2, HDR, EIS, 1080p recording)
Battery	1960 mAh	1821 mAh ( Qi fast and wireless charging)
Connectors	Lightning
Sensors	Light and proximity sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, Touch ID, digital compass, barometer
Water and dust protection	IP67
Wireless interfaces	Wi-Fi (802.11 ac, Dual Band), Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS, Glonass	Wi-Fi (802.11 ac, Dual Band), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS, Glonass, Galileo
Connection	LTE-A Cat. 12	LTE-A

Most will definitely like the fact that the smartphone began to sound a quarter louder. The sound is bass, clean and pleasant to the ear. Don't dig here. If anything, the conversational one also helps the main speaker from below.

The filling in the new smartphone is so interesting that there is a reason to break this matter into separate points.

A processor that is smarter than you

The new battery has decreased, but it works the same. And all thanks to the new A11 Bionic processor, which is made using a 10-nanometer process technology. The previous chipset (A10 Fusion) is based on the 16 nm process technology.

All this means that the 8-ka works faster, and consumes less energy. Plus and minus give the same autonomy, which we will talk about in more detail later.

Graphic performance has grown very noticeably - by 30 percent.

Although, it would seem, much more. And Apple has an answer why it is needed - for augmented reality or AR.

Tim Cook is optimistic that soon we will not be able to imagine our ordinary life without AR. And I completely agree with him. Weird and miserable VR is just a toy, and an expensive one at that. For normal virtual reality, you need the most powerful hardware, screens with a fierce pixel density (far beyond 600 ppi) and more or less compact dimensions of the end device. And so far no one has managed to combine all this in one device. Bad business.

But AR is the future. He pointed his smartphone at the urban landscape and saw everything he needed: where there is food and how far to get there, what kind of monument is in front of you, what are the reviews on the museum and what is it actually called. In general, we are waiting for the whole thing to grow into a mass phenomenon.

And A11 Bionic is a chipset that has dedicated resources for machine learning. Separate modules (I believe) are responsible for studying your habits and optimizing the smartphone for your specific tasks. So, if the processor has figured out that, say, it does not require a lot of resources to check your mail, it will not redirect powerful cores with increased operating frequencies to it in advance. This is how you save energy at the same time.

Does he slow down for an hour?

Of course not! iPhone 8 works very fast, the animation flies and does not lag a bit.

However, at one point I still managed to catch small, but still brakes. This happened when one of the times I took the device out of my pocket and unlocked it with a quite normal touch on the Touch ID sensor. The unlock animation worked with barely noticeable brakes. As if I caught the smartphone at the wrong time, when it was busy processing some processes. An isolated incident that never happened again.

Regarding the performance in applications and games, we can say that the safety margin of the iPhone 8 is still very long. Three or four years for sure.

And by the way, it is the usual eight that can rightfully be called the most powerful smartphone in the world. Below is a rating from Geekbench that confirms this.

We say thanks to the low screen resolution. The processor does not need to process extra pixels, because the 8 Plus and even the iPhone X are left a little behind their younger brother.

RAM test

In the new generation, we, as before, have 2 GB of RAM, and by the standards of the Android world, this is extremely small. But not for the iPhone 8. Here are the results of my test.

I did a dirty test: I used my smartphone as usual, with 26 apps open in the background. Launched Safari and opened five of my heavy reviews:

Switching between tabs was painless. Nothing was reloaded, YouTube inserts were launched without problems inside the texts, and so on.

Then I went out and opened a few more utilities: Photos, Camera, Instagram, and Google Maps. Went back to Safari and all open tabs started reloading. In other words…

2 GB of RAM is still not enough even for iOS.

Against the background of the standard eight, the Plus version looks like a monster, and here's why. The older model has already received 3 GB of "RAM" and this allows it to keep 46 applications in the background without any problems, as was the case in my case. I opened the same reviews, then launched a dozen other programs, including World of Tanks and the Night Shift AR utility, and only then did two of the tabs open in Safari begin to reload. What is called - feel the difference.

cameras

At the presentation, they assured that the new smartphone began to shoot even better. Well, let's see.

Front-camera

A common disease of many front cameras is exposure errors. The face is visible normally, and the entire background is overexposed. Well, or vice versa.

Here such a problem is also present, but it is very weakly expressed. The algorithms do their best to correctly determine the desired exposure, and at the same time not to make a mistake with the white balance, and not to make you a blue face, for example.

In general, HDR on the front camera works great. Yes, the face becomes slightly flat, but the background will not be overexposed.

In general, it seemed to me that the camera did not change at all. The 7 was able to take great selfies and the 8 certainly didn't ruin anything. But it didn't improve either.

Main camera

Pictures from an iPhone are very easy to recognize - they all have some kind of yellowish, sandy tint. The same Samsung Galaxy S8 shoots as is. Well, maybe it lifts the colors a little, but the photos do not swim with any extraneous colors.

Fortunately, in eights this problem is less pronounced than in the previous generation. Desert yellow is present, but not as noticeable.

HDR shots are as good as ever. The dynamic range draws out most situations, all objects are visible in the frame, without overexposure and other crime. Let's see how it looks.

Good job HDR

Once automatics fooled and painted the sky in an acid blue hue. Although nothing foreshadowed trouble.

Separately, a few words about the macro. It's fantastic!

Yes, now many smartphones shoot flowers so cool that you sway. However, after taking pictures, the iPhone 8 can be dropped. And here's the proof (better sit down)

During the day, the iPhone takes exceptionally cool pictures. But even at night, the device will not lose its face. There are practically no blurry frames, autofocus clings to objects very tightly and quickly. Well, the detail, of course, is very high.

In general, the camera in the iPhone is good because it is maximally adapted for the layman. Everything here is tailored to the “point and shoot” scenario. No need to invent anything with the white balance, turn the shutter speed or ISO. For advanced photographers, this is not very good, but for most, on the contrary, it is a plus. And with the new iPhone, everything becomes even easier, because it really shoots better.

By the way, this week I will release great comparison of iPhone 8 and iPhone 7. There we will push two generations head-on and see how much cooler the new product shoots. Keep your finger on the pulse, or better yet, add the site to your bookmarks.

By the way, we take all the original photos in one archive.

There is no second camera. It's a shame?

Against the background of the older model (Plus), our hero looks faded, because he cannot:

blur the background or bokeh
zoom in without quality loss ("optical" zoom 2x)
it doesn’t have the “Portrait Lighting” mode (a cool feature, which I’ll talk about in more detail in iPhone 8 Plus review)

In defense of those who stopped at the usual eight, I will say the following. Background blur is a thing that looks very impressive, but for those who do not bother with portrait photography, it is not needed.

Optical zoom is a useful thing when you can not get closer to the subject. There is a possibility? Consider saving ten thousand rubles when buying a smartphone.

Portrait lighting is just a software filter, and for sure all these effects will appear in third-party photo editors. Not a big loss.

Video recording

There are two innovations here. Let's go in order.

4K and 60 FPS

Yes, the iPhone 8 is the first smartphone to capture 4K video at 60fps. Videos look very smooth, all movements look very lively.

In addition, you can successfully work with such cool content in video editors. This is a definite plus for beginners and not so video bloggers. Like me, for example. Even though I won't start.

Slow-slow Motion

What I love and respect iPhones for is Slo-Mo. No device on the market shoots such high-quality slow-motion videos. Manufacturers of Android devices for inexplicable reasons score on this. But not Apple!

Eight shoots Full HD video at 240 frames per second. Almost as cool as advanced action cameras. It's just a phone.

And all this against the background of the fact that many, even top manufacturers, have not yet switched to Full HD resolution. So they put their rotten HD at 120 FPS. In 2017!

How long does the battery last?

Few! For active users, the smartphone will not survive until the evening. In general, all the same pain that was on the sevens.

One fact really upsets me. The iPhone 8 supports fast charging (finally!!!1), but I have no idea how to experience it for myself.

In the kit there is a dead 1 amp power supply, with it the smartphone will charge as always for a long time. To get fast charging, you need an adapter with increased output current, but where can I get one? Chargers from MacBooks are not suitable, because they have a USB Type-C plug, not Lightning. What to do then? Where to carry money, Apple?!

In general, the mythical 50 percent charge in 30 minutes remains a statement on the official website. No more.

But the fact that Apple did not release its own wireless charging with the release of the iPhone 8 is very strange. For a company of this magnitude! Still, Qi wireless charging is far from top space technology. Koreans have been churning out these accessories since 2014.

Yes, at the presentation we were shown AirPower, it will be released no one knows when (in 2018), no one knows how much it will cost, and not everyone needs a platform to charge everything at once. I would like something simpler, so for 50 bucks.

That is why I bought a white Belkin wireless charger (there is also Mophie in the Apple Store, but black) and I will tell you more about it.

From zero to one hundred percent of the iPhone 8 on such a wireless site is charged in ... 3 hours and 30 minutes!

And this despite the fact that a very weak 1821 mAh battery is installed in the phone. Unrealistically long! From here, a simple conclusion is that you need to put your smartphone on charge only at night. Quickly add interest in the morning while brushing your teeth, it won’t work. This is not Android!

A couple more moments. To the best of a thick plastic case, charging goes on, there are no problems. The smartphone does not heat up, it becomes slightly warm. Do not believe the contrary statements of some experts from the "Internet".

What is the result? Take?

If you are an ardent "Yapple", you have a MacBook, Apple Watch and all that from a proprietary eco-system, then buying an iPhone 8 is worth it. But not right now.

In three or four months it will be just right. The market will be saturated, prices for gray pipes will fall to an acceptable level, the first batches will go to service centers with all sorts of children's sores that were not examined during production. That's when you can take it. At the same time save some money. Do not take a loan!

Still, the iPhone 8 is the top device on the market. It is incredibly fast, has a chic headroom in terms of performance and can finally compete with top Android gadgets (, Google Pixel 2) in photo quality.

But with regard to video recording, the “apple” device has no equal. If this is critical, then take the eight. What other conversations can there be?

But if you compare the iPhone 8 with the same 8 Plus or with the tenth version, then an interesting thing comes out. Despite the fact that we will sell it for 56,990 rubles (!!!), it is never a flagship. The usual eight seems to be created in order to let you know that you paid a lot of money for an intermediate model. Do you want the best photo quality? Kindly fork out for Plus. If you want innovation, then you will have to pay two salaries for ten. And Apple does not care about all the disgrace.

Most recently, Apple held its own, which introduced three new iPhone models, an updated version of the Apple Watch Series 3 smartwatch, and the Apple TV 4K set-top box.

The price of the junior version with 64 GB of internal memory at the start of sales in the US - $799 . For a smartphone with 256 GB you have to pay $869 . It is expected that in the CIS countries - the iPhone 8 Plus will be sold at a significant markup for the first time ~$950 (64 GB)and ~$1330 (256 GB).

For our readers, we have chosen the best offer to buy, use the cashback LetyShops and return 30% from the cost of the gadget. With the help of this service, you can purchase any gadget in the best online stores: re:Store, M.Video, Svyaznoy, Eldorado, Citrus, Rozetka, Hello, Stylus and further 900+ others.

p.s. Letyshops.ru for each purchase made by you on the websites of partner stores, receives a cash reward. This is what the service shares with you, reimbursing part of your expenses.

Specifications:

Preinstalled OS	iOS 11
Screen	Screen: IPS, 5.5″, Retina HD, 1920×1080, 401 ppi, True Tone, capacitive, multi-touch, 3D Touch
CPU	6-core Apple A11 Bionic, M11 motion co-processor
graphics accelerator	Integrated Tri-Core Apple GPU
RAM	3 GB
Built-in memory	64 / 256 GB (Memory card not supported)
Main camera	Dual 12MP OIS, ƒ/1.8 wide-angle, ƒ/2.8 telephoto, flash, Focus Pixels
Front-camera	7 MP, ƒ/2.2, Retina Flash
Net	4G LTE
Wireless interfaces	WiFi 802.11 b/g/n/ac (MIMO), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC
Navigation:	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS
Protection against dust and moisture:	IP67
Sensors:	illumination, movement, microgyroscope, accelerometer, barometer, fingerprint
Battery	2675 mAh, non-removable, supports fast charging and Qi wireless charging
Dimensions	158.4x78.1x7.5 mm
Number of SIM cards	1, Nano SIM

There are not as many changes as expected, and some of them are quite controversial. The single-chip system has been updated, which now contains six cores, including still two "large" ones, as well as a new graphics subsystem of Apple's own design, about which there is nothing to say so far.

The hardware component for photo / video has remained the same, the battery capacity has decreased for some reason, the weight and dimensions, on the contrary, have increased. In general, there are not as many changes in the hardware as we would like.

Equipment

You can immediately complain about the packaging: for some reason, the cardboard and the dimensional accuracy have deteriorated. If earlier it was difficult to pull out a pallet made of dense material with sharp corners, now it “falls out” into hands without any problems.

The design has remained the same, on the reverse side is the same array of legal and commercial information.

The package hasn't changed much. It consists of the following accessories:

Charger;
Wired stereo headset;
Lightning cord;
Adapter Lightning -> 3.5 mm;
Documentation.

1 of 3

Those users who watched the presentation may have noticed that now new smartphone models support fast charging and wireless.

The only problem is that the kit provides a "classic" power supply with the usual 1A at 5V. You can take advantage of the fast charging capability of the new iPhones by purchasing the USB-C Power Adapter separately, available in 29W, 61W, or 87W versions. priced at $49, $69 and $79 respectively.

And, of course, there is no headphone jack, so an adapter is included. But he may soon disappear from the standard set, offered at inhumane prices.

Appearance

It's no secret that the iPhone 8 Plus received roughly the same design as its predecessor, the iPhone 7 Plus. Yes, the back panel is now glass, but this, firstly, was done to implement wireless charging, and secondly, it increased the thickness of the smartphone from 7.3 to 7.5 mm.

And it should be noted that from the front side it is very difficult to distinguish a new product from the previous three (!) Generations.

The rear glass made it possible to completely abandon plastic inserts for antennas, which undoubtedly benefited the gadget. However, it is now easier to break the device, especially since the rather fragile 2.5D glass is used, which is very vulnerable at the edges.

In addition to the gray version, there are also the usual golden and silver ones.

But the fragility of the glass does not mean the fragility of the whole structure. Indeed, when falling, the glasses break “at once”, but there are no complaints about the strength of the case for the Apple iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 8 at all.

Despite the matte paint, holding the device has become more difficult, when heated, the smartphone becomes more slippery than its counterparts, so it makes sense to get a case. As true, then let others know that you have the “eight” in your hands - an open question.

It’s even somehow boring to talk about the design, we have seen all this before, and apart from the glass on the back, there is nothing new here. All the same shape and size of the buttons, the same metal profile, the same arrangement of elements.

The volume buttons are on the left, the screen lock button is on the right, next to the SIM card tray.

On the bottom is one of the speakers, a Lightning connector, and a microphone. A classic layout that hasn't changed in a long time. The camera block has not changed compared to its predecessor. It's still the same two cameras with dual flash. Significant differences are promised only in .

The metal edging of the cameras looks foreign on the plane of the glass. Although she received a slight bevel, but on the iPhone 7/7 Plus, this was implemented more elegantly. In addition, now the protective glass protrudes noticeably beyond this edging, which unfavorably distinguishes the novelty from its predecessor. Why this was done is unclear.

Not surprisingly, when dropped, the glass either immediately breaks or crumbles, which was not observed in the case of models of previous generations.

Photo: iPhones.ru

Build quality is excellent overall. The only thing you can find fault with is plastic inserts for antennas on the sidewalls. Previously, they were soldered so skillfully that they were not felt tactile.

(!) If you pay your closest attention to the fact that visually we have the same design of the iPhone 6 Plus:

The same huge bezels around the screen, the same display proportions and front panels, the same uncomfortable slippery case profile and questionable aesthetics, which the manufacturer has been trying to sell for the fourth year in a row.

Back in 2014 design iPhone 6 Plus looked outdated compared to competitors, and even after so many years and even more so. Yes, not all Android smartphone manufacturers have switched to a “frameless” design in their flagships, but the price of the product is completely different there.

Screen

Speaking of the display, it is impossible to avoid another comparison with its predecessor (and not only last year, to be honest): the same IPS with Retina resolution, but in fact - Full HD 1920 × 1080. The picture is high-quality and juicy, the colors are saturated and natural, the viewing angles are maximum - in general, if the display has been improved, then quite a bit, “for show”.

There is only one fundamental innovation - the mode true tone, which slightly changes the color tone of the display depending on the ambient light. The function works, in different rooms the shade really gradually changes, but its usefulness remains in question.

With the exception of the True Tone switch, the screen settings remain the same.

Interface

iPhone 8 Plus "out of the box" is equipped with the latest version of the proprietary operating system -. The first start of the system is long - there are many windows with information and initial settings, twice you have to wait "a few minutes". But you can bring the iPhone 8 Plus to any old Apple device, and it will automatically sync: log in, connect to a Wi-Fi point, install the necessary applications.

The home screen differs little from the "tens", except that some icons have been updated: App Store, iTunes Store, calculator and a few more.

But the developers have seriously worked on the functionality. The control panel has become what it should have been from the very beginning - customizable.

It is impossible to go directly from the panel to its settings, as well as by long / strong pressing on any icon - to the settings of the corresponding function. However, a hard press (or a long press on displays without Force Touch) opens an extended menu, which is sometimes useful.

Disabling wireless interfaces through the control panel terminates the corresponding type of connection, but the operation of the chip can be completely interrupted only in the settings menu. Also in the control panel, you should look for a few more new features in iOS 11: screen recording and Do not disturb while driving.

The keyboard remains unchanged, but can now be pressed against the edges of the display for comfortable one-handed typing. There is a separate small panel at the bottom for stickers. "Dialer" also has not undergone significant changes - only slightly changed the appearance of the numeric keypad.

Finally, screen shots can now be edited as soon as they've been taken, add a handwritten note, and send - one at a time or in bulk.

More photos of IOS 11 interface:

1 of 15

Most people on the Internet talk about the poor performance of iOS 11 devices. This applies to both new products and updated models. The problem is that this is true:

After a while, the applications do not want to start, then they freeze during animation, then the application does not want to be installed from the store without rebooting ... it seems that this is not the latest build of the "apple" system, but the beta version of Android 2.3. We'll have to wait for an update for normal operation, what can you do.

Performance

Apple has traditionally updated its chipset, and now the six-core A11 Bionic with the M11 motion coprocessor and an integrated GPU of its own design serves as the heart of the company's top gadgets. It has been adapted to work with neural networks and machine learning, although, unlike the iPhone X, there is no separate chip for these purposes in 8 and 8 Plus.

The performance of two cores should increase by 25%, and four energy-efficient cores are 70% more productive than two cores in the Apple A10 Fusion.

RAM in iPhone 8 Plus - 3 GB, both versions come with 64 GB or 256 GB of internal storage to choose from. The system occupies ~ 10 GB, how to dispose of the rest is up to the user (there is nowhere to insert a memory card, as always).

Synthetic tests:

1 of 4

Any games can be easily launched at maximum settings:

1 of 2

World of Tanks Blitz: tanks “fly” at maximum speed, delivering stable 60 fps

Asphalt 8: Airborne: fast loading of locations, high detail, dynamic image

Indeed, productivity has increased significantly. True, the question remains of how much the level of autonomy has suffered and whether it has suffered at all.

Camera

The iPhone 8 Plus has a dual main camera, more functional than the single one in the iPhone 8, but at the same time a little simpler than the upcoming iPhone X.

The camera is equipped with two lenses with 12 megapixel matrices and optical stabilization, a wide-angle lens - ƒ / 1.8, a telephoto lens - ƒ / 2.8, flash, Focus Pixels autofocus. Only one of the two lenses was equipped with optical stabilization.

The camera plays daytime scenes at the highest level, as expected, excellent color reproduction can be noted separately.

Photo examples:

1 of 6

A special feature of the new generation Apple iPhone with dual cameras is portrait mode. Now it not only makes the bokeh effect, but also allows you to adjust the lighting features and completely remove the background.

This can be done both during the shooting and after the fact. The Portrait mode is far from perfect, and the main problem is with the hair. But let's not forget that it is still in beta status, and machine learning is responsible for processing photos, which needs a large amount of data to adjust the algorithms.

1 of 9

Daylight - focus on the face of the subject, blurred background

Stage light - the user's face is illuminated by a spotlight and the background is deep black

Daylight - the background is blurred and the focus is clearly on the face

Contour light - expressive midtones are used with light and dark areas Studio light - the subject's face is brightly lit, the image is as clear as possible.

The portrait modes in order are Daylight, Studio Light, Edge Light, Stage Light, and Stage Light - Mono. The main mode that makes bokeh is daytime, and for good reason: at night, detail drops sharply, the orange light behind the person makes it difficult to separate it from the background.

Photos on the front camera show that even if it has become better than in 7 Plus, it is imperceptible, and from this point of view, the new product loses the iPhone X in advance with all its sensors.

The camera app now supports scanning QR codes (can be disabled in settings). Now you can save the last shooting mode and the filter used - the program will remember how you shot the last time, and after restarting you won't need to set everything up again.

speaker, sound quality

The stereo speakers of the iPhone 8 Plus produce excellent sound, including bass - when playing music, the vibration of the case and especially the display is well felt. Headphones included - standard EarPods with a Lightning connector.

Separately, it is worth praising a wide range of vibration signals: from the minimum, indicating, for example, updating a page in Chrome or switching camera modes, to strong ones for a call. The Taptic Engine runs smoothly and efficiently.

Battery

iPhone 8 Plus has a non-removable battery with a capacity of 2675 mAh- even less than the iPhone 7 Plus (2900 mAh). Given the increased power consumption of the new operating system, which runs the smartphone, its autonomy is a serious concern.

In economical mode of use (an hour and a half of music, 40 minutes of photo and video shooting, some conversations, social networks and instant messengers, no games) battery lost 91% charge in 16 hours.

Neither one nor the other is included in the package, for fast charging you will have to buy a Macbook Pro power adapter and a USB cable with a higher bandwidth, for wireless - a Qi standard platform.

According to foreign sources of fast charging, the efficiency of Apple's fast charging is comparable to Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0, which is not bad.

Communication and Internet

iPhone 8 Plus is capable of working in Wi-Fi networks using b/g/n/ac protocols. Both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands are supported. In addition, the Bluetooth protocol has been updated from 4.2 to 5.0. Navigation: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS. Cellular connection is stable, including VoLTE, mobile Internet works as expected.

What's really nice is the introduction of USB 3.0 behind the Lightning mask. Surprisingly, until now, Apple's flagships have been content with just USB 2.0 speeds.

Competitors

Samsung has two competitors for the iPhone 8 Plus at once, this and. True, both of them are more likely to compete with the iPhone X.

The controversy around the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, the new versions of Apple's smartphone, does not subside. Prior to the release of the iPhone X, they received flagship status. Moreover, of the two new products, perhaps the iPhone 8 turns out to be more interesting - precisely because the iPhone X with a display diagonal of 5.8 ″ will clearly push the iPhone 8 Plus into the background, but the iPhone 8, even after the release of the iPhone X, will remain relevant as a compact model . So let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of the iPhone 8 and compare it to its immediate predecessor.

In general, the idea of releasing two flagships first, and then, just over a month later, an even cooler flagship seems to be controversial. After all, new iPhones are bought first of all by enthusiasts, those who want to get the most modern technologies, the most fashionable design; those who like to feel at the peak of progress. But it is for them that the iPhone X model is more interesting. And those who approach the choice of the device more rationally are obviously not interested in the latest iPhones, since the previous generation models that are not much inferior to them in terms of user qualities can be bought much cheaper.

However, this applies to the iPhone 8 model to a lesser extent than the iPhone 8 Plus, since the G8 will be the most advanced compact model in the Apple smartphone line for at least a year, and those who want to get the most advanced features, but at the same time prefers small devices, it is worth paying attention to the iPhone 8.

Let's take a look at the specifications of the device.

Specifications of Apple iPhone 8

SoC Apple A11 Bionic (6 cores, 2 of which are high-performance and operate at a frequency of 2.1 GHz, and 4 are energy efficient)
Apple A11 Bionic GPU
Apple M11 motion co-processor including barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope and compass
RAM 2 GB
Flash memory 64/256 GB
No memory card support
Operating system iOS 11
IPS touch display, 4.7″, 1334×750 (326 ppi), capacitive, multi-touch, support for 3D Touch technologies and Taptic Engine response
Cameras: front (7 MP, video 1080p 30 fps, 720p 240 fps) and rear (12 MP, video shooting 4K 60 fps and Full HD 240 fps)
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz; MIMO support)
Cellular: UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, LTE Advanced support
Bluetooth 5.0 A2DPLE
Fingerprint scanner Touch ID version 3
NFC (Apple Pay only)
Qi wireless charging support
Universal Lightning Connector
Lithium polymer battery 1821 mAh, non-removable
GPS/A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo and QZSS
Dimensions 138×67×7.3 mm
Weight 148 g

For clarity, let's compare the characteristics of new items with iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7.

		Apple iPhone 8 Plus	Apple iPhone 7
Screen	4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi	5.5″, IPS, 1920×1080, 401 ppi	4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi
SoC (processor)		Apple A11 Bionic (6 cores, 2+4)	Apple A10 Fusion (4 cores, 2/2)
Flash memory	64/256 GB	64/256 GB	32/128/256 GB
Connectors		Universal Lightning Connector	Universal Lightning Connector
Memory card support	No	No	No
RAM	2 GB	3 GB	2 GB
cameras	main (12 MP; video 4K 60 fps) and front (7 MP; shooting and transmission of Full HD video)	main (12 MP; video 4K 60 fps) with two lenses and front (7 MP; shooting and transmission of Full HD video)	main (12 MP; 4K video) and front (7 MP; shooting and transmission of Full HD video)
User identification sensors	Fingerprint's scanner	Fingerprint's scanner	Fingerprint's scanner
Hull protection	IP67 (water and dust proof)	IP67 (water and dust proof)	IP67 (water and dust proof)
Battery capacity (mAh)	1821	2675	1960
Wireless charger	yes, Qi standard	yes, Qi standard	No
Operating system	Apple iOS 11	Apple iOS 11	Apple iOS 10 (update to iOS 11 available)
Dimensions (mm)*	138×67×7.3	158×78×7.5	138×67×7.1
Weight (g)**	148	202	138
Average price (for version with minimum flash memory)	T-1732171388	T-1732171530	T-14206636
iPhone 8 Retail Deals (64 GB)	L-1732171388-10
iPhone 8 Retail Deals (256 GB)	L-1732187073-10

*according to the manufacturer
**our measurement

The differences, judging by the table, are relatively small. Firstly, both smartphones of the latest generation have a new SoC and wireless charging (in addition to the usual one), and secondly, the 32 and 128 GB flash memory options have given way to the 64 GB option (the maximum variant of 256 GB has remained unchanged). In addition, we can note the appearance of the shooting mode 4K 60 fps. However, many of the camera's hardware and software improvements were not included in our standard list of characteristics, and if we talk about them, then testing the devices in practice. To this we will move on.

Packaging and equipment

The design of the iPhone 8 box is similar to the previous model, except that the shadow on the image of the smartphone is designed to emphasize the main feature of the design: the back of the glass.

Nothing new inside: EarPods with a Lightning connector, an adapter from Lightning to a minijack, leaflets, a charger (5 V 1 A), a Lightning cable, stickers and a key to remove the SIM card cradle.

Design

How much has the iPhone itself changed in appearance? It must be admitted that it is minimal. If you look at the smartphone from the front, you can’t see at all that this is not an iPhone 7. The main innovation, as already noted, is the glass back cover.

As we remember, the last version of the iPhone with a glass back cover was the iPhone 4S (and before it, the iPhone 4). And until now, many users are nostalgic for this decision. Now the iPhone again has a glass back surface, and it's beautiful, we admit.

At the same time, it cannot be said that the device has become more slippery, it is quite comfortably held in the hand. And yes, it does make a good impression. And an important point: thanks to the glass cover, the smartphone now supports Qi wireless charging. Apple's own AirPower wireless charger won't be available until next year, but there's nothing stopping you from buying a third-party charger (prices start at around $1,000 at major chain stores).

Returning to the issue of changing the appearance, we have to admit that, alas, the glass surface is not enough to make the new iPhone feel like something really advanced. Yes, a beautiful smartphone. But, firstly, it is worth putting on a case - and all this splendor is hidden, and secondly, it is hardly possible to hit the glass rear surface in 2017. And everything else we have already seen in the iPhone 7.

The layout of connectors, buttons, camera, flash and other elements has not changed compared to the iPhone 7. The only new detail, in addition to the glass rear surface, is a mirror bullseye. Also, I must admit, it looks spectacular. But, again, the language does not turn to call it a serious innovation.

However, there is still one major design change, and it does not refer to the visual side, but to the sound side: we are talking about redesigned speakers. Apple says the speakers are 25% louder. It is difficult to say whether this figure is correct, but indeed, even in comparison with the iPhone 7 Plus, the increase in volume when playing music through the smartphone's speakers is felt.

But more important is not even the volume as such, but the improved sound quality. For comparison, we launched Massive Attack's The Spoils on iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 Plus. It is difficult for a smartphone for two reasons: firstly, because of the deep bass beat, and secondly, because of the bright female vocals. On the iPhone 7 Plus, listening to this composition at maximum volume is simply unpleasant: noises, wheezing, sound distortion are so strong that it cannot deliver pleasure. Moreover, not only the bit is distorted, but also the voice. Whereas on the iPhone 8, the voice already sounds much cleaner, and although the bass does not become richer, it still does not drown in the noise.

It is clear that the Massive Attack example is radical: after all, even on the iPhone 8, such tracks do not sound good enough to enjoy. But at least it's not as bad as it used to be, and the very fact of progress in this direction is very encouraging. The iPhone 8 can be used to play audiobooks, some quiet background music and, of course, speakerphone, and it will do it much better than its predecessor.

Summarizing our impressions of the design of the iPhone 8, let's say that the most interesting thing here is not even the glass cover and wireless charging (right, in the Android smartphone camp, these features have been found at every step for several years), but a significantly improved speaker that did not affect the this on the dimensions and other design qualities.

By the way, the fact that the iPhone 8 has almost the same dimensions as its predecessor, and a similar arrangement of all elements is a big plus for case lovers. You can not buy them again if you had an iPhone 7 before. But, on the other hand, this is a minus for those who like to accidentally demonstrate a new smartphone. In the iPhone 8 case, it will be completely impossible to distinguish even very well-versed people from the iPhone 7, and without the case, the difference lies only in the glass back surface and the mirror apple.

Screen

The screen parameters of the iPhone 8 do not differ from those of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7: 4.7-inch diagonal, IPS-matrix with a resolution of 1134 × 750. By modern standards - average parameters. However, in the iPhone 8 screen, the manufacturer has implemented a lot of interesting technologies, which will be discussed in more detail in the comments of the editor of the "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" sections. Alexey Kudryavtsev.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than the screen of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the off screens (on the left is the Nexus 7, on the right is the Apple iPhone 8, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen on the Apple iPhone 8 is slightly darker (brightness in photos is 105 versus 112 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the Apple iPhone 8 screen is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the screen layers (more specifically, between the outer glass and the LCD matrix surface) (OGS type screen - One Glass Solution). Due to the smaller number of borders (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be changed. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, approximately like the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.

With manual brightness control and with a white field displayed in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 540 cd / m², the minimum was 2.5 cd / m². The maximum brightness is very high, and given the excellent anti-reflective properties, readability even on a sunny day outdoors will be at a good level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. In the presence of automatic brightness control by light sensor (it is located above the slot of the front speaker). Note that solely for the convenience of the user, disabling and enabling this function is hidden deep in the smartphone settings. Apparently, in this way, Apple wants to keep automatic adjustment turned on, if possible, in order to extend battery life. In automatic mode, when the ambient light conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness slider - the user sets the desired brightness level for the current conditions. If nothing is changed, then in complete darkness the brightness drops to 3.2 cd / m² (very dark), in an artificially lit office (about 550 lux), the screen brightness is set to 100-125 cd / m² (acceptable), in a very bright environment (corresponds to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) rises to 610 cd/m² (even higher than with manual adjustment). The result did not quite suit us, so in the dark we slightly moved the brightness slider to the right, and for the above three conditions we got 12, 105 and 610 cd / m² (ideal). It turns out that the auto-brightness function works adequately, and it is possible to adjust the nature of the brightness change to the user's requirements. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.

This smartphone uses an IPS type matrix. Micrographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even at large deviations of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Apple iPhone 8 and Nexus 7, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to about 200 cd / m² (over the white field in full screen), and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K A white field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field.

And a test picture:

The color balance is slightly different, the color saturation is normal. Recall that a photograph cannot serve as a reliable source of information about the quality of color reproduction and is provided only for a conditional visual illustration. In this case, apparently due to the characteristics of the screen emission spectrum, the color balance and brightness of colors in the Apple iPhone 8 screen photographs are somewhat different from what is visible to the eye and is determined by the spectrophotometer.

Now at an angle of about 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens and the contrast remained at a high level.

And the white box:

The brightness at an angle at the screens has decreased (at least 4 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Apple iPhone 8, the brightness drop is less. The black field, when deviated diagonally, is highlighted to an average degree and acquires a purple hue. The photos below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is approximately the same!):

And from another angle:

With a perpendicular view, the uniformity of the black field is average:

Contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 1380:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 24 ms (13 ms on + 11 ms off). The transition between 25% and 75% grayscale (according to the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 37 ms. The gamma curve constructed from 32 points with an equal interval according to the numerical value of the shade of gray did not reveal a blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.12, which is slightly below the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve deviates little from the power dependence:

The color gamut is sRGB:

Let's look at the spectra:

Such spectra are found in top mobile devices from Sony and other manufacturers. Apparently, this screen uses LEDs with a blue emitter and a green and red phosphor (usually a blue emitter and a yellow phosphor), which, in combination with special matrix filters, allows you to get a wide color gamut. Yes, and in the red phosphor, apparently, the so-called quantum dots are used. For a consumer device, a wide color gamut is by no means an advantage, but a significant drawback, since as a result, the colors of images - drawings, photographs and films - oriented to the sRGB space (and the vast majority of them) have unnatural saturation. This is especially noticeable on recognizable shades, such as skin tones. However, in this case, the color gamut is carefully adjusted to the sRGB borders. As a result, visually the colors have a natural saturation.

Note that the coordinates of the primary colors almost exactly matched those prescribed for the DCI-P3 standard. We look at the spectra in the case of test images with the Display P3 profile:

It can be seen that in this case, no cross-mixing of components occurs, that is, this color space is native to the Apple iPhone 8 screen.

This Apple device has a function night shift, which makes the picture warmer at night (how much warmer the user specifies). For a description of why this correction might be useful, see the iPad Pro 9.7 article. In any case, when entertaining with a tablet or smartphone at night, it is better to reduce the screen brightness to a minimum, but still comfortable level, and only then, to calm your own paranoia, turn the screen yellow with the Night Shift setting.

There is a function true tone, which, when enabled, adjusts the color balance to the environment. For example, we activated it and placed the smartphone under LED lamps with cool white light, as a result we got values of 6.0 for ΔE and 7100 K for color temperature. Under a halogen incandescent lamp (warm light) - 3.7 and 6260 K, that is, the color temperature has become lower. The function works as expected. Note that the current standard is to calibrate display devices to a white point of 6500 K, but in principle, correction for the color temperature of external light can be useful if you want to achieve a better match between the image on the screen and what is seen on paper (or on any media on which colors are formed by reflecting incident light) under current conditions.

Performance

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are powered by the new Apple A11 Bionic SoC. This is a 64-bit SoC that includes 6 cores, of which two are high-performance, and the other four are energy efficient. Moreover, at maximum load, all six cores can work simultaneously, which was not the case before. Let's see how this affected performance in benchmarks!

Let's start with browser benchmarks: SunSpider 1.0.2, Octane Benchmark, Kraken Benchmark and . The Safari browser was used. In the case of the iPhone 7, testing was conducted a year ago on iOS 10. If you update the model to iOS 11, the results may be slightly different, but not much.

So, there is a significant (about one and a half times) superiority of the iPhone 8 over the iPhone 7. In practice, this will manifest itself in more comfortable web surfing. But in this case, it is also important for us as a demonstration of the capabilities of the new CPU.

Now let's see how the iPhone 8 performs in the AnTuTu and Geekbench 4 comprehensive benchmark, which measures CPU performance.

And here we see even more clear confirmation of the superiority of the new processor: the picture is especially expressive in the Geekbench multi-core subtest. Apparently, this is just the result of the simultaneous operation of all cores.

The last group of benchmarks is dedicated to testing GPU performance. We used 3DMark and GFXBench Metal.

Recall that off-screen tests are displaying a 1080p image on the screen, regardless of the actual screen resolution. And Onscreen tests are the output of a picture in the resolution that corresponds to the screen resolution of the device. That is, Offscreen tests are indicative in terms of the abstract performance of the SoC, and Onscreen tests are indicative of the comfort of playing on a specific device.

	(Apple A11)	Apple iPhone 7 (Apple A10)	Apple iPhone 7 Plus (Apple A10)
GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.3.1 (1440r)	22.2 fps	22.7 fps	24.2 fps
GFX Benchmark Manhattan 3.1	75.9 fps	59.4 fps	43.0 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.1 (Off Screen)	36.9 fps	38.8 fps	41.0 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan	94.9 fps	59.8 fps	57.6 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan (1080p Off Screen)	47.5 fps	58.3 fps	56.0 fps

The results are very strange. Therefore, we decided to add another iPhone 7 Plus to the comparison, and with iOS 11 installed. But even this did not allow us to determine the reason for this situation. We see that in some subtests, the iPhone 8 is not only not superior to its predecessors, but inferior to them (albeit slightly). In others, indeed, the separation of the novelty is undeniable.

Here the results are already much more logical: in the Ice Storm Unlimited mode, the superiority of the iPhone 8 over its predecessor is almost two times, and in the Sling Shot mode, by a third.

And the last test is Basemark Metal. Unfortunately, we did not test the iPhone 7 in it, so in order to make at least some comparison, we launched it not only on the G8, but also on the iPhone 7 Plus. And it turned out that in terms of scores, the iPhone 8 confidently overtook the iPhone 7 Plus, and the fps gap in the first scene turned out to be huge: for the iPhone 7 Plus, this value fluctuated around 30 fps, while for the iPhone 8 it kept at 60 fps .

In general, we can admit that the iPhone 8 is indeed significantly faster than its predecessors, both in terms of CPU and in operations involving the GPU. It cannot be said that this is some kind of breakthrough, but in general this is such an increase as it should be from generation to generation. By the way, we note that during the tests, the iPhone 8 heated up a little less than the iPhone 7 Plus. However, we will talk about heating later.

Operating system

Apple iPhone 8 is running iOS 11. You can read a detailed review of the new operating system in a separate article.

cameras

The iPhone 8, like its predecessor, does not have a second rear camera, and this is the main difference between a compact model and a larger brother. But otherwise they are identical. Let's see the camera in action.

Below are examples of shots on the rear camera of the iPhone 8 with comments from our expert Anton Solovyov.

	Good long-range sharpness.
	The camera does a good job of shadows.
	Car numbers are distinguishable. Good detail in the background.
	Sharping on the wires is almost invisible.
	Good sharpness in the field and according to the plans.
	Detail is good, but the image is noticeably noisy in the shadows.
	Macro photography is good for the camera.

With everyday shooting in not the most favorable conditions, the camera copes well. But it is difficult to find differences with the previous generation, so let's move on to the laboratory test to test the camera according to our method.

Our standard test did not show a significant increase in the maximum sensor resolution compared to previous generations. However, now the camera loses much less detail in noise in low light, which can be called a new breakthrough. Thus, in good light, there will be no noticeable difference with the same iPhone 7, but when the lighting deteriorates, it will be immediately felt. And even the flash works very effectively here: it does not work out the corners very well, but in the center of the frame it does not allow the resolution to fall. The camera copes well with everything else, as before: there is good detailing in the field of the frame and according to the plans, moderate noise in the shadows, not very aggressive software processing. As a result, of course, it will not replace a good camera, which the manufacturer is trying hard to convince us of, but it will become an excellent tool for documentary and artistic shooting of ordinary subjects.

Autonomy and heating

Despite a slight reduction in battery capacity, Apple has kept the battery life of the iPhone 8 similar to the previous generation. In real everyday use, this is about a day.

As for the benchmarks, unfortunately the App Store no longer has Epic Citadel, which we used for this purpose before, so we switched to a new benchmark - more precisely, a sub-benchmark that we have been using for performance tests for a long time: GFX Benchmark Metal. Manhattan 3.1 mode is the most heavily loaded GPU, therefore, this result demonstrates how long the smartphone will work on the most modern 3D games.

Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after two runs in a row (approximately 10 minutes of operation) of the Basemark Metal test:

Heating is strongly localized in the upper right part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was 43 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees). The Apple iPhone 7 has about the same heating in this test.

conclusions

iPhone 8 was not a revolution. However, no one expected this from him. It's just a very good compact smartphone, with a great camera, top performance, a great screen and a nice design. Of course, in comparison with the future iPhone X, it does not make much impression, and there is no radical step forward compared to the iPhone 7. However, if we abstract away from comparisons and look at the new product simply as an example of a compact smartphone, we will see that there is practically nothing to criticize it for.

The appearance of a glass back cover and support for wireless charging are nice innovations. Yes, in 2017 they are not amazing, but one can only be glad that they are now available in current Apple models. Of the less obvious, but no less valuable and useful - improving the sound quality from the speakers. In fact, there are a lot of these seemingly trifles here, and although individually they seem to be something cosmetic, not pulling on innovation, together they create the forward movement that is necessary for the new iPhone.