If You're Wondering If iPhone X Is Better Than iPhone 8, Check Out These Cool Features

It's here! The highly-anticipated, super futuristic iPhone X officially hit stores on Friday, Nov. 3. People camped out in lengthy lines ahead of Apple's latest release, and when you consider the iPhone X's insane load of never-before-seen features, it's easy to see why the compact device is worthy of a night outdoors for first dibs. However, is iPhone X better than iPhone 8? Well, that depends on how much you value those techie features and a brand new look and feel.

It's sort of unfair to compare the iPhone X and the iPhone 8. They're so different, and from a technology standpoint, the iPhone X is the clear winner. But for the sake of knowing which iPhone is worthy of your precious upgrade, let's delve into what sets the two phones apart: Their features. (And, you know, the fact that the iPhone X costs as much as a Macbook Air.)

The Displays

iPhone X contains Apple's first-ever edge-to-edge display. The 5.8-inch Super Retina display gives users the clearest picture yet, but the iPhone 8 isn't too far behind with its 4.7-inch Retina HD display.

The Home Button

Aesthetically, one thing that's super different about the iPhone X is its all-glass look and feel — sans home button. Apple bid the familiar button adieu to make room for the phone's powerful new interface, but the tech company kept it in place for the iPhone 8. On the iPhone X, a series of "fluid gestures" replaces traditional home button taps.

The Cameras

Unlike the iPhone 8, the iPhone X has Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting enabled on the front-facing camera in addition to the rear-facing one. This means that selfies taken on the iPhone X have the potential to look professional AF. The iPhone 8 has Portrait Mode on its 12-megapixel rear-facing camera, but its front-facing camera isn't as feature-packed.

The Face ID Technology

Because the iPhone X has such a powerful front-facing camera with True Depth technology, it's the only Face ID-enabled device. Sorry iPhone 8! Apple's much-talked-about facial recognition feature adds a layer of security and personalization to the device (though some people are a little creeped out it, understandably). Here's how Face ID works, according to a press release posted to the Apple Newsroom:

Face ID projects more than 30,000 invisible IR dots. The IR image and dot pattern are pushed through neural networks to create a mathematical model of your face and send the data to the secure enclave to confirm a match, while adapting to physical changes in appearance over time. All saved facial information is protected by the secure enclave to keep data extremely secure, while all of the processing is done on-device and not in the cloud to protect user privacy.

The Animojis

Just like Face ID, Apple's brand new interactive emojis — known as Animojis —work on the iPhone X thanks to its True Depth front-facing camera. Animojis mimic your facial movements and bring emojis as we know them to life. There are 12 to choose from on the iPhone X, and though the iPhone 8 isn't compatible to make them, it can receive the 10-second clips in the form of iMessage. Phones that aren't iOS or Mac devices can receive Animojis via MMS or by a .MOV file.

The Wireless Charging

Good news if you're still on the fence about which device is right for you: Both the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 can be charged wirelessly. Apple plans to release its very own charging pad, Air Power, sometime in 2018, but for now, their newest phones are compatible with similar mats from Belkin and mophie.

So, are you Team iPhone X or Team iPhone 8? (No matter which phone you choose, the dedicated people who camped out for the iPhone X deserve a round of applause from all of us.) Cheers to a phone that's costlier than some people's monthly rent!