Apple iPhone Xr vs iPhone 8 Plus
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
Unlock your phone with the fingerprint scanner. Take sharp photos with the dual camera with optical image stabilization. The device is water-resistant, so calling in the rain is no problem at all. The camera provides a small bulge on the back. No Apple Lightning to 3.5 mm Jack Adapter is included to connect your mini jack headphones.
Apple iPhone Xr
Via Face ID you unlock the phone by simply looking at it. Thanks to the optical image stabilization you can take sharp photos even when you move. Thanks to the Qi support you can charge your phone wirelessly. The camera provides a small bulge on the back. No Apple Lightning to 3.5 mm Jack Adapter is included to connect your mini jack headphones.
In short
| iPhone Xr | iPhone 8 Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | 6.1 inch HD Ready (720p) | 5.5 inch Full HD (1080p) |
| Processor | A12 Bionic Chip | A11 Bionic Chip |
| Rear camera | 12 MP wide angle lens | Dual camera: 12 MP wide-angle lens and 12 MP telephoto lens |
| Front camera | 7 MP | 7 MP |
| Unlock | Face ID | Fingerprint scanner |
| Waterproofness | IP67: up to 30 minutes and 1 meter deep under water | IP67: up to 30 minutes and 1 meter deep under water |
| Weight | 194 grams | 202 grams |
| Casing | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Dimensions | 15.09x7.57x0.83 | 15.8 x 7.8 x 0.7 |
The design
iPhone Xr: new design
With the Apple iPhone Xr, Apple used a different design than the classic design. The iPhone Xr no longer has a home button. The screen also extends from edge to edge. The case is completely made of glass and aluminum, just like the iPhone 8 Plus. With the 6 colors in which Apple iPhone Xr is available, I make my choice for an iPhone even more personal.
iPhone 8 Plus: classic design
The appearance of the iPhone 8 Plus matches the classic design. For example, it has a functional home button and borders on the top and bottom of the screen. Apple iPhone 8 Plus is only available in the 3 standard colors. The materials for the housing are the same for both devices.
The screen
iPhone Xr: 6.1 inches
Apple iPhone Xr has a 6.1 inch Liquid Retina screen; the largest LCD screen ever made for iPhone. This screen is a lot bigger than the 5.5 inch screen of the iPhone 8 Plus. However, with HD Ready (720p), the resolution is lower than that of iPhone 8 Plus. With the lack of 3D Touch, I miss a bit of functionality with this device.
iPhone 8 Plus: 5.5 inches
The screen of Apple iPhone 8 Plus is a 5.5 inch Full HD screen. The screen is smaller than that of Apple iPhone Xr, but it has a better resolution (Full HD, 1080p). This makes the image on this iPhone sharper. The screen is also pressure sensitive (3D Touch). For example, I open a selection menu with my last edited files by pressing harder on the file app before opening it.
Unlock
iPhone Xr: Face ID
iPhone Xr has Face ID. I therefore unlock my iPhone Xr when my face is scanned. This is a substantial difference with the iPhone 8 Plus, where the fingerprint scanner on the home button gives me access to my iPhone. I see Face ID as the successor of the fingerprint scanner.
iPhone 8 Plus: fingerprint scanner
With iPhone 8 Plus I set a fingerprint to unlock my iPhone. I touch the home button with my finger and thus unlock my iPhone 8 Plus when it recognizes my fingerprint. Compared to face id, the fingerprint scanner is an older method.
Performance and battery life
iPhone Xr: A12 Bionic chip
Apple has equipped the iPhone Xr with an A12 Bionic chip. This is faster and more powerful than the chip in iPhone 8 Plus. You also need to charge the battery less quickly than with the iPhone 8 Plus. You can charge this model both wirelessly and wired.
iPhone 8 Plus: A11 Bionic chip
Just like iPhone Xr, you charge Apple iPhone 8 Plus both wired and wireless. Inside the Apple iPhone 8 Plus is an A11 Bionic chip. That is a lot less fast than the chip in the iPhone Xr, but still one of the fastest on the market.
Conclusion
Although Apple iPhone 8 Plus with the A11 Bionic chip is a very fast iPhone, iPhone Xr is just one step ahead with the newer A12 Bionic processor. The face ID function on Apple iPhone Xr is a future-oriented gadget that is missing on iPhone 8 Plus. With the front-filling screen of the iPhone Xr you can watch movies on a larger image, but lovers of the old iPhone design will still miss their beloved home button.
