“Ring” in the New Year With a Brand New Smartphone!

It’s that time of the year again–the holiday season. Filled with lots of gift giving and sharing, you’ll want only the best and brightest smartphone on the market to ensure that you can keep in touch with friends, family, and even your clients should an emergency drag you back to the office suddenly. We’ll break down the specs of each major smartphone on the market so that you can make an educated decision about which one you would like to buy.

The New iPhones: 8, 8 Plus, and X

We know what you’re probably thinking. With three major iPhones on the market, how can you know which one meets your specific needs? The iPhone 8 and 8 plus opt for a glass case backing rather than aluminum, which lends itself to more overall bulk and weight (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as anyone who has dropped their phone knows). If you’re familiar with the iPhone 6 series of smartphones, you’ll notice a lot is familiar. You still have the Touch ID, which isn’t available on the iPhone X in favor of the more recent implementation of Face ID facial recognition.

Basically, the main difference between the iPhone 8/8 Plus and the iPhone X are the display, camera, and the internal specs–however, the iPhone X is much more expensive than its predecessors, whereas the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus will likely yield a similar experience at a more affordable cost compared to the iPhone X.

Model: iPhone 8 Construction: Front/back glass & aluminum frame Screen Size: 4.7-inch Display: LED-backlit IPS LCD, 16M Colors, 1,334 x 759 (~326 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: Apple A11 Bionic CPU-GPU: Hexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) – Apple GPU Operating System: iOS 11 Memory Internal: 64GB or 246 GB models; 2GB of RAM Expandable: None Cameras Primary: 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm, phase detection autofocus, OIS, quad-LED flash Front-Facing: 7 MP, f/2.2, face detection Audio: Built-in stereo speakers, No 3.5mm headphone jack Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Features: Fast charging, Qi Wireless charging, Siri commands and dictation, iCloud integration Battery size-life: 1,821 mAh battery – 66 hours Available Colors: Silver, Space Grey, Gold Price: $699.99-to-$899.99 Model: iPhone 8 Plus Construction: Front/back glass & aluminum frame Screen Size: 5.5-inch Display: LED-backlit IPS LCD, 16M Colors, 1920×1080 (~401 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: A11 Bionic CPU-GPU: Hexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) – Apple GPU Operating System: iOS 11 Memory Internal: 64GB or 246 GB models; 3GB of RAM Expandable: None Cameras Primary: Dual 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm and f/2.8, 56mm) phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, quad-LED flash Front-Facing: 7 MP, f/2.2, face detection Audio: Built-in stereo speakers, No 3.5mm headphone jack Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Features: Fast charging, Qi Wireless charging, Siri commands and dictation, iCloud integration Battery size-life: 2,691 mAh battery – 81 hours Available Colors: Silver, Space Grey, Gold Price: $799.99-to-$999.99 Model: Apple iPhone X Construction: Front/back glass & stainless steel frame Screen Size: 5.8-inch Display: Super AMOLED, 16M Colors, 2,436×1,125 ( ~458 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: Apple A11 Bionic CPU-GPU: Hexa-core 2.39 Ghz (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) – Apple GPU Operating System: iOS 11.1 Memory Internal: 64 and 256 GB models; 3GB RAM Expandable: None Cameras Primary: Dual 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm and f/2.4, 52mm) phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, quad-LED flash Front-Facing: 7 MP, f/2.2, face detection Audio: Built-in stereo speakers, No 3.5mm headphone jack Sensors: FaceID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Features: Fast charging, Qi Wireless charging, Siri commands and dictation, iCloud integration Battery size-life: 2,716 mAh battery – 74 hours Available Colors: Silver, Space Grey Price: $999.99-to-$1,149.99

Samsung Galaxy s8 and Note 8

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between the Samsung Galaxy line of smartphones and the Note line? Hopefully we can give you some tips to pick the one that works best for your needs. Compared to past Galaxy and Note devices, the screen sizes are larger and more technically detailed, which could allow for greater user experience and more enjoyable media consumption. However, the increased screen size on the Note 8 is certainly noticeable for any smartphone aficionado, and with a larger screen size comes a larger build in general. Similar to the iPhones, the Galaxy and Note line of devices sport a aluminum base with glass casings on the back with water resistance. Both of these devices have a front and rear camera, but the Note’s comes equipped with optical image stabilization, which is a considerable improvement. The most important consideration for your smartphone purchase will include a look at performance and price. While the Note 8 has 50% more RAM than the Galaxy s8, this increase in performance comes at a much higher price. It’s up to you whether or not this is a worthy investment. Model: Samsung Galaxy s8 Construction: Front/back glass (Gorilla Glass 5) & aluminum frame. Screen Size: 5.8-inch Display: Super AMOLED, 16M Colors, 2,960 x 1,440 (~570 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.35 GHz & 4 x 1.9 GHz Kyro) – Adreno 540 Operating System: Android 7.0, Touchwiz Memory Internal: 64 GB, 4 GB RAM Expandable: microSD (up to 256) Cameras Primary: 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm, OIS, LED flash Front-Facing: 8 MP, f/1.7 Audio: Dual stereo speakers, 3.5 mm headphone jack Sensors: Iris scanner, fingerprint reader, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 Features: Samsung DeX, Fast battery charging, Qi/PMA wireless charging Battery size-life: 3,000 mAh – 84 hours Available Colors: Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold Price: $725.99-to-$825.99 Model: Samsung Galaxy s8 Plus Construction: Front/back glass (Gorilla Glass 5) & aluminum frame. Screen Size: 6.2-inch Display: Super AMOLED, 16M Colors, 2,960 x 1,440 (~529 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.35 GHz & 4 x 1.9 GHz Kryo) – Adreno 540 Operating System: Android 7.0 Memory Internal: 64 GB, 4 GB RAM or 128 GB, 6 GB RAM Expandable: microSD (up to 256) Cameras Primary: 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm, OIS, LED flash Front-Facing: 8 MP, f/1.7 Audio: Dual stereo speakers, 3.5 mm headphone jack Sensors: Iris scanner, fingerprint reader, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 Features: Samsung DeX, Fast battery charging, Qi/PMA wireless charging Battery size-life: 3,000 mAh – 84 hours Available Colors: Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold Price: $799.99-to-$899.99 Model: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Construction: Front/back glass (Gorilla Glass 5) & aluminum frame Screen Size: 6.3-inch Display: Super AMOLED, 16m colors, 2,960 x 1,440 (~521 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.34 GHz Kryo & 4 x 1.9 GHz Kryo) Operating System: Android 7.1.1 Memory Internal: 64, 128, 256 GB options, 6GB RAM Expandable: microSD (up to 256GB) Cameras Primary: Dual 12 MP (26mm, f/1.7, PDAF & 52mm, f/2.4, AF) OIS, autofocus, 2x options zoom, LED flash. Front-Facing: 8 MP, f/1.7, face detection Audio: Dual stereo speakers, 3.5 mm Sensors: Iris scanner, fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 Features: Samsung Desktop Experience, Fast battery charging, Qi/PMA wireless charging, s-Pen integration Battery size-life: 3,500 mAh battery – 88 hours Available Colors: Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Grey, Deep Sea Blue Price: $ 949.99-to-$1149.99

Google Pixel and Pixel XL 2

A relative newcomer to the smartphone holiday gauntlet, Google’s Pixel line of smartphones are easily a contender for your holiday shopping consideration. The Pixel line of smartphones runs a Snapdragon processor which boasts impressive functionality. The original Pixel runs Snapdragon 821 while the Pixel 2 takes advantage of Snapdragon 835, which offers a considerable increase in both power and versatility that cannot be ignored. Long story short, the biggest differences between the Pixel and the Pixel 2 are the minor ones. For example, the Pixel 2 doesn’t come equipped with a headphone jack, which means you need to purchase an adapter to use your device for music. Of course, you could just use the two front-loaded speakers exclusive to the Pixel 2, but this isn’t always an option. Furthermore, Google has promised three full years of operating system support for the Pixel 2, which might be good enough to get original Pixel users to jump on board for the new device. Model: Google Pixel 2 Construction: Aluminum unibody with hybrid coating, Gorilla Glass 5 Screen Size: 5.0-inches Display: AMOLED, 16m, 1,920 x 1.080 (~441 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.35 GHz Kryo, 4 x 1.9 GHZ Kryo) – Adreno 540 Operating System: Android 8.0 Memory Internal: 64 and 128 GB options, 4GB RAM Expandable: None Cameras Primary: 12.2 MP, f/1.8, laser autofocus, dual-LED flash Front-Facing: 8 MP, f/2.4 Audio: Dual stereo speakers, no 3.5mm headphone jack Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Features: Fast charging Battery size-life: 2,700 mAh – 75 hours Available Colors: Kinda Blue, Just Back, Clearly White Price: $649.99-to-$749.99 Model: Google Pixel 2 Plus Construction: Aluminum unibody with hybrid coating, Gorilla Glass 5 Screen Size: 6.0-inch Display: P-OLED, 16m colors, 2,880 x 1,440 (~538 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 CPU-GPU: Octa-core *4 x 2.35 GHz Kryo & 4 x 1.9 GHz Kryo) – Adreno 540 Operating System: Android 8.0 Memory Internal: 64GB and 128 GB options, 4GB RAM Expandable: None Cameras Primary: 12.2 MP, f/1.8, OIS, phase detection & laser autofocus, dual-LED flash Front-Facing: 8 MP, f/2.4 Audio: Dual stereo speakers, no 3.5 mm headphone jack Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Features: Fast charging Battery size-life: 3,520 mAh battery – 88 hours Available Colors: Just Black, Black & White Price: $849.99-to- $949.99 As much as we would love to talk about every single smartphone on the market in 2017, there are just too many good options. Here are the specs for some of the other major brands on sale this holiday season: Model: Motorola Z2 Force Construction: front plastic w/ Moto Shattershield, back plastic Screen Size: 5.5-inch Display: P-OLED, 16M colors, 2,560 x 1,440 (~534 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.35 MHz Kyro & 4 x 1.9 GHz Kryo) – Adreno 540 Operating System: Android 7.1.1 Memory Internal: 128 GB, 6 GB RAM Expandable: microSD (up to 256 GB) Cameras Primary: Dual 12 MP, f/2.0, laser autofocus, dual-LED flash Front-Facing: 5 MP, f/2.2, dual LED flash Audio: One front-facing speaker, no 3.5mm headphone jack Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Features: Fast charging, Motorola Mods (insta-share projector, 360 camera, gamepad, JBL SoundBoost 2, turbopower pack, style shell w/ wireless charging, power pack, Hasselblad True Zoom, vehicle dock) Battery size-life: 2,730 mAh battery – 69 hours Available Colors: Super Black, Fine Gold, Lunar Grey Price: $720.00 Model: LG V30 Construction: front/back glass, aluminum frame Screen Size: 6.0-inch Display: P-OLED, 16M colors, 2,880 x 1,440 (~537 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.45 GHz Kyro & 4 1.9 GHz Kyro) – Adreno 540 Operating System: Android 7.1.2 Memory Internal: 64 or 128 GB options, 4 GB RAM Expandable: microsSD (Up to 256 GB) Cameras Primary: Dual 16 MP (f/1.6, OIS, 3-axis, laser & phase detection autofocus) _ 13 MP (g/1.9) LED flash Front-Facing: 5 MP, f/2.2 Audio: Dual speaker stereo, 3.5mm headphone jack Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, color spectrum Features: Fast charging, wireless charging Battery size-life: 3,300 mAh – 87 hours Available Colors: Aurora Black, Cloud Silver, Moroccan Blue, Lavender Violet Price: $819.99-to-$929.99 Model: BlackBerry KEYone Construction: Aluminum, Gorilla Glass 4, with soft-touch plastic, physical keyboard Screen Size: 4.5-inch Display: IPS LCD, 16m colors, 1,620 x 1,080 (~433 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 CPU-GPU: Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 Operating System: Android 7.1 Memory Internal: 32 GB with 3 GB RAM or 64 GB with 4 GB RAM Expandable: microSD (up to 256 GB) Cameras Primary: 12 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED flash Front-Facing:8 MP, f/2.2 Audio: Dual speaker stereo Sensors: Fingerprint, Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass Features: Full programmable keyboard, fast charging Battery size-life: 3,505 mAh – 107 hours Available Colors: Black & Silver, Black Price: $499.99-to-$559.99 Model: Nokia 8 Construction: Glass Aluminum Screen Size: 5.3-inch Display: IPS LCD, 16m colors, 2,560 x 1,440 (~554 ppi) SIM: Nano-SIM Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 CPU-GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.5 GHz Kyro & 4 x 1.8 GHz Kyro) – Adreno 540 Operating System: Android 7.1.1 Memory Internal: 64 GB, 4 GB RAM or 128 GB, 6 GB RAM Expandable: microSD (up to 256 GB) Cameras Primary: Dual 13 MP, f/2/0, laser and phase detection autofocus, Carl Zeiss optics, OIS, LED flash Front-Facing: 13 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus Audio: Two-speaker stereo, 3.5mm headphone jack Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Features: Fast charging Battery size-life: 3,090 mAh – 78 hours Available Colors:Tempered Blue, Polished Blue, Steel, Polished Copper Price: $479.99-to-$559.99 Here are some great Black Friday Deals from Best Buy. Are you having trouble picking a smartphone this holiday season? Hopefully we were able to help. For more great tips and tricks on how to pick the best smartphone for your needs, reach out to Succurri at (206) 340-1616.