iPhone 7 Plus vs iPhone 8 Plus - Which Apple iOS is Better ?

Adding a bigger number at the end of the Apple product usually means better performance, advanced features, and superior design, as well as - of course - a higher price tag. So, is the price increase worth it? Is the iPhone 8 Plus that better than its forerunner? We’ll answer those questions and more in this iPhone 7 Plus vs iPhone 8 Plus comprehensive guide.

Things that Have Stayed the Same

Once a new model reaches the market, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all of its features are new or upgraded. Some things the users have already got used to and didn’t need to be improved are simply left as they were. With that in mind, let’s see what similarities these two models have.

• Memory - both the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus have 3 GB of RAM.
• Water resistance - both models are water- and dust-resistant, and they have an IP67-rated splash connector.
• Touch ID authentication - this is a home button feature you get with both the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus.
• Front camera - the front facing camera has a 7 megapixel sensor, but the front-facing portrait mode and Animoji aren't supported.
• Battery life - according to Apple’s testing, the battery life is the same for both models.
• Lightning connector - this is included with both models, however neither has a 3.5 mm headphone jack. 

Even though there are many features the two models have in common, there are also some ways in which the difference between iPhone 7 Plus vs iPhone 8 Plus is apparent, so let’s move on to that. 

What’s New?

Is the iPhone 8 Plus a Better Choice?

We’ve already mentioned some assets that were good enough to be featured as part of both the iPhone 8 Plus version and the previous one. But Apple also had to come up with some new attributes in order to tempt customers into purchasing the newer model. If you’re interested in buying one for yourself, here is what you should know about iPhone 7 Plus vs iPhone 8 Plus features.

The Overall Design

The first thing you’ll notice while comparing these two phones is the difference in design and size. The iPhone 8 Plus is definitely heavier, as well as longer, wider, and thicker than the iPhone 7 Plus. To break it down, here are the dimensions for both of the models: 

• iPhone 7 Plus size - 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm (6.23 x 3.07 x 0.29 in) and 188 g (6.63 oz)
• iPhone 8 Plus size - 158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 mm (6.28 x 3.07 x 0.32 in) and 202 g (7.13 oz)

When talking about the iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 7 Plus, weight gain is one of the major concerns to take into account. The main reason for this gain in weight is the fact that Apple has brought back the glass. Glass backs, unlike aluminium ones, can support wireless charging. If you don’t care about that, you mightn’t consider this change to be worthwhile, as we all know glass cracks while aluminium doesn’t. 

Display Size

If you’re used to watching movies on an older iPhone model or enjoying your favorite sports events on the go, not much will change when it comes to iPhone 7 Plus vs iPhone 8 Plus specs in terms of iPhone screen sizes. The iPhone 8 Plus model comes with an LCD panel and resolution to match its predecessor, which means:

• 5.5-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD, 1,920 x 1,080 pixels (401 ppi), 67.7% screen-to-body ratio.

There are however two upgrades, which is why this section is still worth discussing. Unlike the iPhone 7 Plus, the iPhone 8 Plus supports True Tone technology. This technology balances the display against environmental lightning and makes sure the colours are always on point. 

Other than that, the latter version has HDR support for HDR10 standards and Dolby Vision, which is great news for anyone who loves to stream content on their mobile device. HDR10 works with Netflix, iTunes, and Amazon Video.

iPhone 7 Plus vs iPhone 8 Plus: Performance

These are the main specifications when it comes to performance and this is what helps the iPhone 8 Plus outshine the previous model.

• iPhone 7 Plus - Apple A10 Fusion chipset: Quad Core CPU, Six Core GPU, M10 motion coprocessor, 3 GB RAM
• iPhone 8 Plus - Apple A11 Bionic chipset: Six Core CPU, Six Core GPU, M11 motion coprocessor, 3 GB RAM

Apple claims that the iPhone 8 Plus is 70% faster than the iPhone 7 Plus while in low power mode. And to compare these smartphones, the company also says that the usage of the A11 chip makes multitasking faster by 70% and graphics by 30%, which marks a significant improvement. 

iPhone 7 Plus vs iPhone 8 Plus: Camera

At first sight it might look like there’s no difference if you compare the iPhone 8 Plus camera with the one on the iPhone 7 Plus, but that’s not really the case. 

Despite the fact that both of these models have the same 12 megapixel dual cameras on the back with an f/1.8 wide-angle sensor plus a 7 megapixel, f/2.2 sensor on the front, the iPhone 8 Plus takes higher-quality pictures and videos. How is that possible? It’s thanks to the fact that the newer model offers better-quality image processing, even though it uses the same hardware.

Throughout this iPhone 7 Plus vs iPhone 8 Plus review, we’ve mentioned some of the main purposes of the newly designed A11 chip, but we’re yet to mention that it also has an Apple-designed image signal processor, which improves pixel processing and helps with noise reduction. This comes in handy for all photography devotees who want to be able to take great pictures wherever they are.

Storage and Pricing

When purchasing a new phone, most people are particularly interested in how they can get more storage space for a reasonable price. If you wish to compare iPhone 7 Plus vs iPhone 8 Plus in this specific category, here are the options on offer:

• iPhone 7 Plus - 32 GB and 128 GB 
• iPhone 8 Plus - 64 GB and 256 GB 

The iPhone 7 Plus can now be found on the market for around $170 depending on the storage space, while the iPhone 8 Plus can be yours from $295 with 64 GB of storage space.

Final Thoughts

Whether you decide to go with the older or newer of the two Apple smartphones we’ve compared in this article, you won’t be disappointed with the performance and the variety of useful tools on offer. Now it’s up to you to measure all the strengths and weaknesses of the iPhone 7 Plus specs vs the iPhone 8 Plus and pick the one that best fits your needs.