iPhone X iPhone X vs. Galaxy S9 vs Pixel 2

[sn0warmy]

I have a Pixel 2 XL and just recently (last week) picked up an iPhone X. In addition, my wife has the Galaxy S9, which she just recently swapped to from her S8.

For me...

- iPhone has the best hardware/overall feel. I can't get over how much better the vibration from receiving a call or notification is on the iPhone, compared to my wife's S9, my 2 XL. It's crazy how such a small thing can make a phone feel much more "premium". I also like that the iPhone is heavier in the hand than my 2 XL or my wife's S9.

- In my case, I currently find the iPhone to have the best OS, even though it has remained with the same overall feel since like 2006. I say this because even though pure Android on the 2 XL is great, and I do miss being able to keep my homescreens free of app clutter, on Android I kept finding myself running into issues with apps I use to communicate with my business clients on a daily basis. Slack, Newton Mail, Webex and Skype for Business all just seem to run much smoother and feel more polished on IOS. The Android versions of all these apps feel like more of an after-thought, in comparison. On my 2 XL, notifications from Slack and Skype would simply not come through occasionally, leading me to miss important messages. And Webex video conferencing crashed way more than it should. None of these issues have occured since getting my iPhone X.

- The camera on my 2 XL is on par with my wife's S9. The iPhone's camera is lackluster, in comparison. Refer to THIS THREAD, discussing this in more detail.

- The screen on my wife's S9 is the best of the 3. It gets the brightest and simply looks beautiful. The iPhone X screen (also made by Samsung) is a close second. Meanwhile, the screen on my 2 XL (made by LG) is a very distant 3rd.

- The Pixel 2 XL is the "ugliest" phone of the 3, for sure. The notch on the iPhone X is meh. It doesn't necessarily bother me but it's just strange. Even as a typically die hard Android fan, I can't help but laugh at the Android OEM's trying to mimic the notch. So strange.

 

[malikkamran]

how is battery life which has best battery life

 

[mib1800]

Good for you. Wife has the S6 and S7 edge which was great initially and started slowing down. She was constantly charging it in the car or at home. Finally got fed up and moved to iPhone. But now she got the s9+ despite my warning. But loves Samsung camera

I hope you’re right. But personally I just can’t stand their bloated OS. pixel is a great phone. But I just wasn’t satisfied with android. If I go back it will be if Microsoft comes up with the rumoured surface phone. I loved the W10 phones.

Think you may have the phones mixed up. iPhone is the one that's guaranteed to slow down over time. This feature is built-in into iPhone.
[doublepost=1523575452][/doublepost]

I have a Pixel 2 XL and just recently (last week) picked up an iPhone X. In addition, my wife has the Galaxy S9, which she just recently swapped to from her S8.

For me...

- iPhone has the best hardware/overall feel. I can't get over how much better the vibration from receiving a call or notification is on the iPhone, compared to my wife's S9, my 2 XL. It's crazy how such a small thing can make a phone feel much more "premium". I also like that the iPhone is heavier in the hand than my 2 XL or my wife's S9.

- In my case, I currently find the iPhone to have the best OS, even though it has remained with the same overall feel since like 2006. I say this because even though pure Android on the 2 XL is great, and I do miss being able to keep my homescreens free of app clutter, on Android I kept finding myself running into issues with apps I use to communicate with my business clients on a daily basis. Slack, Newton Mail, Webex and Skype for Business all just seem to run much smoother and feel more polished on IOS. The Android versions of all these apps feel like more of an after-thought, in comparison. On my 2 XL, notifications from Slack and Skype would simply not come through occasionally, leading me to miss important messages. And Webex video conferencing crashed way more than it should. None of these issues have occured since getting my iPhone X.

- The camera on my 2 XL is on par with my wife's S9. The iPhone's camera is lackluster, in comparison. Refer to THIS THREAD, discussing this in more detail.

- The screen on my wife's S9 is the best of the 3. It gets the brightest and simply looks beautiful. The iPhone X screen (also made by Samsung) is a close second. Meanwhile, the screen on my 2 XL (made by LG) is a very distant 3rd.

- The Pixel 2 XL is the "ugliest" phone of the 3, for sure. The notch on the iPhone X is meh. It doesn't necessarily bother me but it's just strange. Even as a typically die hard Android fan, I can't help but laugh at the Android OEM's trying to mimic the notch. So strange.

I have the opposite experience on promptness of notifications. iPhone always has delays.

WhatsApp notifications on iPhone lagged unless you have WhatsApp literally opened in foreground. Same with push email client like Gmail. No such issue with my S8+ where notifications come near instantaneous whether the app is running or not.

Also, 3rd party iOS apps that sync data are so unrefined that you need to literally sit and wait for the sync to finish (with the apps opened in foreground). Without background multitasking capability many iOS apps are just toys compared to android version.

 

[Dodgeman]

I switched from my 6s to the note 8. I actually went through hell to get all my stuff transferred. The device is not a bad phone at all, just a bit too big and I don’t use all the features.
I been playing around with a X for a week and half but the price holds me back. That and the fact Apple charges for everything! I want to switch though.

 

[DaRrePorter]

Recent reports were showing impressive numbers with A11. Its difficult to Compete against the ‘A’ Series architecture from Apple. Most users will never even come close to utilizing the true power of the A11 chip.

Most users might not realize that they are using it but they are. All of that power isn’t there for nothing.

 

[tonybarnaby]

how is battery life which has best battery life

For usage, I’d have to assume 2xl.

 

[m0sher]

Some S9 owners are complaining about black crush on that beautiful display now.

http://bgr.com/2018/04/12/galaxy-s9-plus-specs-display-problem-ruh-roh/amp/

Guess it’s luck of the draw due to quality control perhaps. If it’s due to QC then it isn’t something software can fix I presume.

Probably over adjusted color settings beyond the display capabilities to beat the X in the display shoot out this round.

I know Samsung wasn’t happy when the X beat the S8 with Samsung’s own display they gave Apple due to true color last year.

If this scenario sounds familiar, it’s because the same was done with Exynos architecture running top performance to beat the X. Now it’s battery life doesn’t keep up with Qualcomm’s snapdragon that was built with efficiency in mind.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.androidcentral.com/samsungs-galaxy-s9-battery-problems-explained?amp

In both cases knowing your limits is important because balance is key to the whole experience. Glad I didn’t choose S9 for even more reasons then I previously stated in this thread.

 

[44267547]

Between the comparison of the Pixel and the S9, I would opt for the S9. I think the S9 has more mature history with hardware, and android all together has improved much where that would be my preference if I were to consider an android Related device.

 

[IowaLynn]

Those mid range or less phones like Huawei Mate SE under $298 are all most users need yet blow away two year old phones from 2 years ago, no?

 

[m0sher]

Even more woes with android vs iOS for androids in recent news. Not sure if it is news because we know how updates work for androids aside from Googles Pixel.

https://www.wired.com/story/android-phones-hide-missed-security-updates-from-you/amp

Despite our woes with the iOS 11.0 and not being open source, I’d rather have an up-to-date secure phone and deal with minor sandbox issues rather than an OS with vulnerable security.

Another reason in this thread with these phones verse each other one might want to consider when choosing.

 

[nviz22]

Even more woes with android vs iOS for androids in recent news. Not sure if it is news because we know how updates work for androids aside from Googles Pixel.

https://www.wired.com/story/android-phones-hide-missed-security-updates-from-you/amp

Despite our woes with the iOS 11.0 and not being open source, I’d rather have an up-to-date secure phone and deal with minor sandbox issues rather than an OS with vulnerable security.

Another reason in this thread with these phones verse each other one might want to consider when choosing.

You do know Apple isn't saint like? And they also have had vulnerabilities with iOS 11? They also throttle devices. Samsung is still certified for its security use despite the lack of timely patches. Most phones are at risk to be intruded on by unauthorized parties.

 

[m0sher]

You do know Apple isn't saint like? And they also have had vulnerabilities with iOS 11? They also throttle devices. Samsung is still certified for its security use despite the lack of timely patches. Most phones are at risk to be intruded on by unauthorized parties.

That’s why I said despite our woes with iOS it’s still better than android OS IMO. Apple is transparent with their bugs and updates in comparison.

 

[nviz22]

That’s why I said despite our woes with iOS it’s still better than android OS IMO. Apple is transparent with their bugs and updates in comparison.

But those aren't just woes though. Those are bonafide consumer trust shattering aspects Apple had to address. Apple could've risked losing additional business, but they wanted to regain consumer trust. Other firms Apple works with, like Intel, had ties to Spectre and Meltdown. Apple is facing legal battles with the exploits and throttling.

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/01/15/apple-sued-in-us-over-meltdown-spectre/

Without the help of Geekbench and Reddit, perhaps many of us wouldn't have known about throttling. It would've been chalked up as planned obsolescence and people would've paid up.

 

[Harthag]

Owned the Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 2, S9 (current), and iPhone X (current). Pixel is pure trash in comparison and it's a shame because it runs so smooth and gets constant updates. I thought maybe the April update would resolve the black crush in the standard Pixel 2 and re-ordered. And packed it up for return within 45 minutes. Pure Android is awesome but it's so bare bones. The S9 is such a complete experience and has every feature I could ever need. The Pixel can't even manage auto-brightness properly because it uses a range for adaptive brightness and fluctuates way too often. Need to use a 3rd party app just to manage brightness which is ridiculous.

S9 screen is the same as iPhone X to me, with the nod going to iPhone considering Apple minimizes black crush almost completely. And because night mode actually works properly and doesn't become over saturated on the iPhone. Why Samsung hasn't fixed this is beyond me.

I love Samsung Pay. Much more than Apple Pay. I didn't realize how many places it works (everywhere) before. Never used Google Pay.

The S9 has minimal black crush which is mitigated even further by using the screen balance app. Apple pulls some magic with the iPhone X screen underneath the hood to almost totally eliminate black crush.

The stereo speakers on the S9 blow away the Pixel 2 and 2 XL and sound more full to me than the iPhone, but that's subjective. I tested the S9 and it can pick up bass down at 60-65 Hz which is good but apparently the iPhone can get down to 40Hz. Have not tried.

Love that with the S9 I can use face unlock and it takes me straight to the home screen. Also like that I can still use fingerprint ID. Both methods are quicker for me than the process of looking at the phone and then swiping up to go to home screen.

I need to run the S9 at default FHD+ instead of WQHD+ in order to eliminate stutter / frame drops. iOS has its own share of frame drops so this is a draw for me. Split screen ability on the S9 is fantastic.

Android Auto on both the Pixel and S9 blows away CarPlay. If Apple would just allow Google maps and Waze into the CarPlay interface I probably never would've ventured into Android again.

The only thing I really miss since promoting the S9 to daily driver is lack of video compression and iMessage on the iPhone. That's it. Ergonomically they both feel fantastic in the hand.

I'm not concerned about lack of security updates with the S9. I can't believe that the S series would not get legit updates. If I want Android P, I will just try the Pixel 3 in the fall.

Re: the Pixel 2 being complete trash, pictures say 1000 words. Below photos were taken yesterday at 100% brightness. The blotchy mess in the 2nd photo happens in every video regardless of resolution, downloaded vs. streaming. Have tried several Pixels, all the same. Sorry for the essay, hopped up on my morning espresso while I browse MR!

 

[mib1800]

That’s why I said despite our woes with iOS it’s still better than android OS IMO. Apple is transparent with their bugs and updates in comparison.

Like Apple is transparent about purposely slowing the iPhone down (after numerous times denying it). Such naivety.

 

[Macbook14in]

The S9 is the best smartphone on the market right now, but sadly, Samsung laptops are overpriced for what you get.

 

[macfacts]

And here’s an example of an iPhone 7+ easily outperforming the note 8. See how that works.... You can post YouTube videos all you want, real world performance is what counts. The X works fine for me.

Why are you showing the same workflow on the note 8 and iPhone 7+ (opening one app after another)? The note 8/s8 is able to use split screen and my work flow is faster and more enjoyable.
[doublepost=1523807211][/doublepost]

Even more woes with android vs iOS for androids in recent news. Not sure if it is news because we know how updates work for androids aside from Googles Pixel.

https://www.wired.com/story/android-phones-hide-missed-security-updates-from-you/amp

Despite our woes with the iOS 11.0 and not being open source, I’d rather have an up-to-date secure phone and deal with minor sandbox issues rather than an OS with vulnerable security.

Another reason in this thread with these phones verse each other one might want to consider when choosing.

Read the whole article and you find out the problems are mostly with brands and models I've never even heard of and at the end of the article, the researcher admits the flaws are impossible to take advantage of and need multiple exploits to create a possible attack. The researcher also admits that security features like ASLR that exist since android 4.0 make many exploits like Stage fright useless.

 

[nviz22]

The S9 is the best smartphone on the market right now, but sadly, Samsung laptops are overpriced for what you get.

Best is subjective. I like the S9+ outside of screen defects I had on three models. The defects shot my confidence in Samsung, so I'll stick with my iPhone.

 

[44267547]

Best is subjective. I like the S9+ outside of screen defects I had on three models. The defects shot my confidence in Samsung, so I'll stick with my iPhone.

One can make the same argument they have had multiple defects with various iPhone models also. The vast majority of smart phone owners likely don’t have defects with phones, some tend to look for problems and others strictly have unfortunate situations where they have multiple devices that are defective. But Samsungs quality control and Apples are fairly comparable, especially given they are the top two smart phone competitors with some of the highest quality standards in the smart phone industry.

 

[mib1800]

Best is subjective. I like the S9+ outside of screen defects I had on three models. The defects shot my confidence in Samsung, so I'll stick with my iPhone.

I saw many here reported poor quality X oled screen wrt piss yellowish tint, excessive color shift, uneven brightness, poor brightness etc. Many has swapped numerous times.

You don't have issue with your X screen or you just close your eyes and pretend it is ok when it comes to your iPhone?

 

[vhl71]

interesting artcile on battery life between X and S9+
https://www.valuewalk.com/2018/04/iphone-x-galaxy-s9-note-8-phone-battery-life/

 

[m0sher]

interesting artcile on battery life between X and S9+
https://www.valuewalk.com/2018/04/iphone-x-galaxy-s9-note-8-phone-battery-life/

The fact the iPhone smaller battery size outperforms the larger capacity S9 battery doesn’t surprise me, it’s all based on CPU efficiency.

Snapdragon 845 has better efficiency and battery life than the Exynos cousin, which is even more power hungry, but still doesn’t compete against apples A11 Chip in CPU vs CPU benchmarks across the board by a long run.

The app speed test gauging real world app usage shows S9 slightly ahead of X but at the expense of efficiency because their overclocked chips really can’t handle that type of speed which is proved in the benchmarks.

Just goes to show you that having a bigger battery doesn’t mean longer battery life when your comparing Apples to oranges.

 

[vhl71]

I’m still sticking to my original comment. My iPhone X has he best battery life of all phones with my usage pattern. No other phone comes even close to this.

 

[Dodgeman]

The S9 is the best smartphone on the market right now, but sadly, Samsung laptops are overpriced for what you get.

The S9 or the S9 Plus?
I have the note 8 and thought about moving to the s9 or s9+.
It feels like more of a down grade to the s9 vs. S9+

Best is subjective. I like the S9+ outside of screen defects I had on three models. The defects shot my confidence in Samsung, so I'll stick with my iPhone.

Yeah that is crazy.