Strengths
➕ LCD screen with excellent colorimetry
➕ Very powerful A11 chip
➕ 12 megapixel camera and 4K video quality
Weaknesses
➖ Slightly dated design
➖ No 3.5 mm jack port
➖ Fast charger not supplied
The iPhone 8 in a nutshell
- Dimensions: 138,4 x 67,3 x 7,3 mm
- Screen size: 4,7 inches
- Resolution: 750 x 1334 px
- Display: LCD
- Battery capacity: 1821 mAh
- SIM card: Nano
- Chip: Apple A11 Bionic
- RAM: 2 GB
- Storage: 64 GB
- Rear camera: 12 Mpx
- Front camera: 7 Mpx
Performance and battery life
3.5/5
Super graphic architecture
Even two years after its launch, it’s hard not to be impressed with the configuration of the iPhone 8. The excellent A11 Bionic chip combined with the M11 motion coprocessor and the homemade iGPU still kicks it today. Whether in classic, gaming or augmented reality use, you will have a heck of a time catching this beast off guard, despite the modest 2 GB of RAM on board.
It largely owes this good performance to the high-end architecture of the 6-core processor. 4 of them are used for low-consumption applications, such as web browsing or emailing, while 2 others are dedicated entirely to intensive use.
In terms of temperature rise, the shell of the iPhone 8 rarely exceeds the 40° C mark, which is cool with us. So no discomfort during use.
Small battery, long battery life?
Despite its small 2000 mAh battery, the smartphone offers respectable autonomy, but the report card still says, could do better. In normal use, the device will last approximately 8 hours before running out of steam. This figure drops of course when you launch power hungry applications. The observant will have noted that compatibility with Qi wireless charging makes its grand entrance.
Ergonomics and design
3/5
A quality but dated design
While not a complete letdown, the design of the iPhone 8 was not particularly seductive when it came out. Of course this has not improved 48 months later… At a time when screens are cropping edges more and more, the 66% occupancy rate of the iPhone 8 belongs to a distant past. You just have to put it side by side with its predecessor, the iPhone 7, to realize its design didn’t change. The dimensions of the two devices are therefore rather similar, as is the location of the volume and power buttons, the Touch ID and the central camera.
The iPhone 8 is perfectly suited for small hands 🖐️
A delight for smaller hands
While not innovative, the ergonomics of the smartphone remains perfectly satisfactory. The 4.7 inch format helps grip and limits the risk for those with butter fingers. The glass back cover slides a lot less in the hand than the metal version used in previous models, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. The picture is therefore not entirely negative.
Screen and display
4/5
Unlike its direct competitors, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Google Pixel 2, the iPhone 8 is unfortunately not fitted with an OLED screen, but with a simple IPS screen with LCD technology. So don’t expect exceptional contrast ratios. But not enough to sound the alarm. With a resolution of 326 ppi, the smartphone offers satisfactory detail quality, in particular due to the small 4.7-inch diagonal of the screen. The screen also has excellent colorimetry (delta E at 2.7) and optimal maximum brightness, even in direct sunlight.
Photo, video and audio
4/5
A sharp, clear and precise photo
In terms of photos, the iPhone 8 changes very little in relation to its predecessor. The main camera thus incorporates a stabilized 12 Mpx sensor that can open at f/1.8 and offers rapid focusing. If you aren’t a photographic expert, don’t panic! That just means the phone is capable of picking out a lot of details, even in low light conditions. The great novelty of the camera is the integration of new image processing software that provides greater clarity by increasing the micro-contrasts.
A smartphone for the budding videographer
For video enthusiasts, the iPhone 8 clearly ranks at the top of the range for high-end smartphones, although some recent models now offer higher performance (the iPhone 11 Pro, and the Google Pixel 3). Exposure measurements are therefore extremely effective, as is focus tracking. The device is capable of recording 4K videos at 60 fps without showing any noticeable slowdown. The 240fps slowmotion in 1080p is also an undeniable asset, although particularly demanding in terms of storage.
Environmental impact
3/5
Despite the efforts made by apple, let’s face it, the smartphone sector remains extremely polluting. However, it is worth noting Apple’s position in that it uses renewable energies as much as possible to limit its greenhouse gas emissions. With 57 kg of CO2 produced from the extraction of resources until the end of the phone’s life, the iPhone 8 remains kinder to the environment than the iPhone X (79 kg) and the iPhone 8 Plus (68 kg) for example.
It can be seen that there is a clear intention on the part of Apple to reduce the energy consumption of the smartphone, mainly in terms of the chip and the battery. In this respect, the iPhone 8 marks a step forward compared to its predecessors.
The integration of an arsenic-free glass and a mercury-free lit screen, two extremely polluting elements, is definitely welcome. The use of aluminum also ticks a box. It should be noted, however, that stainless steel is less common than on more recent models.
The repairable battery and screen of the iPhone 8 cannot hide the main problem : repairers need special equipment to take apart the device. Not great for the environment. Even more so since for several years Greenpeace has been denouncing the lack of sustainable product design, citing Apple as one of the champions of planned obsolescence.
Strengths
➕ LCD screen with excellent colorimetry
➕ Very powerful A11 chip
➕ 12 megapixel camera and 4K video quality
Weaknesses
➖ Slightly dated design
➖ No 3.5 mm jack port
➖ Fast charger not supplied
Without a doubt, the iPhone 8 will appeal to consumers looking for a high-performance smartphone with a lower cost than those of the latest models from apple. Provided of course you are happy with a somewhat outdated design.
And our older tests here:
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