Samsung has overcome a lot in the last year. This time in 2016 the company was dealing with the exploding Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, which might have brought a smaller company down entirely.

But Samsung stuck its nose to the grindstone and engineered the beautiful Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, which were unveiled earlier this year. Both were well received and did well in terms of sales.

The true stress test came with the unveiling of the Note 7’s successor, however, the Galaxy Note 8.

Knock on wood, but so far there have been no widespread issues with the device and it looks fantastic. Reviews have been highly favorable too.

But the Galaxy Note 8 has some stiff competition from a few of Apple’s new devices, the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus. In this article, we’ll look at how the Note 8 compares to the latter.

iPhone 8 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Specs

Here are the specs for the iPhone 8 Plus:

• Display: 5.5in Retina HD display with 1920x1080 resolution at 401ppi, 3D Touch enabled
• Dimensions: 158.4mm x 78.1 mm x 7.5 mm
• Weight: 202 grams
• Storage: 64 or 256GB
• Memory: 3 GB RAM
• Processors: A11 Bionic
• Front camera: 7 MP
• Rear camera: 12 MP Duel Lens telephoto and wide-angle
• Battery: 2675 mAh, Wireless charging

And here’s the specs for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8:

• Display: 6.3in 2960×1440 P-OLED at 521 ppi
• Dimensions: 162.5mm x 74.8 mm x 8.6 mm
• Weight: 195 grams
• Storage: 64, 128, or 256GB + microSDXC up to 256GB
• Memory: 6 GB RAM
• Processors: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895
• Front camera: 8 MP
• Rear camera: 12 MP Duel Lens telephoto and wide-angle
• Battery: 3300 mAh, Wireless charging

If we’re talking “bigger is better” then the Galaxy Note 8 has a major leg up on the iPhone 8 Plus, considering its screen is a massive 6.3in versus the 8 Plus’ 5.5in display. The Note 8 also features a much higher resolution at 2960×1440 P-OLED at 521 ppi versus the 8 Plus’ 1920x1080 resolution at 401ppi.

The Galaxy Note 8 also kills it in the RAM department. It features a massive 6GB of memory, versus the 3GB four in the 8 Plus’. However, while many see the RAM as the main factor in determining how fast a smartphone is, it’s actually not as clear-cut as that. What really matters is how well the RAM and CPU combined work with the software. And on the front, the iPhone 8 Plus with its A11 Bionic chip with neural engine DESTROYS the Snapdragon 835 and Exynos 8895 found in versions of the Note 8, in my opinion.

Both phones also come in 64GB and 256GB storage models (depending on your region), but only the Galaxy Note 8 also offers that mid-tier 128GB storage sweet spot. It also supports microSDXC cards up to 256GB, which, as always, Apple doesn't bother with.

iPhone 8 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Display & Design

I already mentioned the superior resolution of the Galaxy Note 8’s display, but it also offers another aesthetic benefit over the iPhone 8 Plus. That’s because its display is a near bezel-less, edge-to-edge screen. The iPhone 8 Plus still has those massive forehead and chin bezels. There’s no denying that because of its display implementation, the Galaxy Note 8 looks much sexier than the iPhone 8 Plus.

It’s also thanks to that edge-to-edge screen that the Galaxy Note 8 doesn’t take up much bigger a footprint than the iPhone 8 Plus. Matter of fact, it even comes in at a few grams lighter than the iPhone 8 Plus on the weight side of things.

iPhone 8 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Battery

The Galaxy Note 8 has the bigger battery at 3300 mAh, but both phones should last around the same amount of time in average daily use. Both phones also feature wireless charging, which is nice as the tech gains more adoption and wireless charging pads can be found in more places.

iPhone 8 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Cameras

As far as front cameras go, the Galaxy Note 8 beats the iPhone 8 Plus with its 8MP front camera (the iPhone 8 Plus’ is 7MP). Things get more similar when we talk about the rear cameras. Both feature dual camera systems with 12 MP telephoto and wide-angle lenses. Both also shoot 4K video.

iPhone 8 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Cost

Unlocked the iPhone 8 Plus will cost £799 (64GB) and £949 (256GB). The Galaxy Note 8 will cost £869 for the 64GB model. It’s a tough choice to be sure. The display of the Galaxy Note 8 is jaw-dropping. However, thanks to the iPhone 8 Plus’ A11 Bionic chip, the power the phone possesses is second to none.

Which device you go after may just come down to this: do you prefer Android or iOS?