Google just unveiled its new Pixel 2 smartphones, which include a more sophisticated camera, improved screen and more features that take advantage of Google Assistant, the company’s virtual helper. But the space is getting awfully crowded: Apple unveiled three new iPhones in September, and just before that, Samsung debuted its Galaxy Note 8.
With so many new choices, it’s both the best and most perplexing time of year to pick a new phone. Here’s a helpful guide to the latest ones, and how their salient features stack up at a glance.
Screen
Google Pixel 2/Pixel 2XL
5-inch AMOLED display, 1920 x 1080 resolution and 441 pixels per inch (Pixel)
6-inch pOLED display with slim bezels, 2880 x 1440 resolution and 538 pixels per inch (Pixel XL)
iPhone X
5.8-inch OLED display with slim bezels, 2436 x 1125 resolution and 458 pixels per inch
iPhone 8/8Plus
4.7-inch LCD display, 1334 x 750 resolution and 326 pixels per inch (iPhone 8)
5.5-inch LCD display, 1920 x 1080 resolution and 401 pixels per inch (iPhone 8 Plus)
Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+/Note 8
5.8 inch Super AMOLED screen with slim bezels, 2960 x 1440 resolution and 570 pixels per inch (Galaxy S8)
6.2 inch Super AMOLED screen with slim bezels, 2960 x 1440 resolution and 529 pixels per inch
6.3-inch Super AMOLED screen with slim bezels, 2960 x 1440 resolution and 521 pixels per inch
Essential phone
5.7-inch LCD display with slim bezels, 2560 x 1312 resolution
Camera
Google Pixel 2/Pixel 2XL
12.2-megapixel main camera, optical and electronic image stabilization, f/1.8 aperture
8-megapixel front camera
Portrait mode for both front and rear cameras
Motion photos
iPhone X
12-megapixel dual camera with wide angle and telephoto lenses, Optical image stabilization on both lenses, f/1.8 (wide angle) and f/2.4 (telephoto) aperture, Optical zoom up to 10x
7-megapixel front camera with facial recognition, Retina Flash
Portrait Mode with Portrait Lighting for both front and rear cameras
Live Photos
iPhone 8/8Plus
12-megapixel main camera with f/1.8 aperture, digital zoom up to 5x (iPhone 8)
12-megapixel wide angle and telephoto cameras, f/1.8 (wide angle) and f/2.4 (telephoto) aperture, Optical zoom and digital zoom up to 10x, Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting on rear camera only (iPhone 8 Plus)
Live Photos, optical image stabilization (both models)
7-megapixel front camera with Retina Flash (both models)
Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+/Note 8
12-megapixel main camera, f/1.7 aperture, optical image stabilization, 8x digital zoom, motion photos (Galaxy S8, S8+)
12-megapixel wide angle and telephoto cameras, f/1.7 (wide angle) and f/2.4 (telephoto) aperture, optical image stabilization on both cameras, Digital zoom up to 10x, motion photos, Live Focus (like Portrait mode but with the ability to adjust the level of blur) (Galaxy Note 8)
8-megapixel front camera (all models)
Essential Phone
13-megapixel dual color and monochrome camera with image fusion, f/1.85 aperture
8-megapixel front camera
Processor
Google Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (octa-core)
iPhone X
Apple A11 Bionic (six cores)
iPhone 8/8Plus
Apple A11 Bionic (six cores)
Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+/Note 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Samsung Exynos 8895 (varies by market, both octa-core)
Essential Phone
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (octa-core)
Storage Options
Google Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL
64GB, 128GB
iPhone X
64GB, 256GB
iPhone 8/8Plus
64GB, 256GB
Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+/Note 8
64GB with option to expand to 256GB via microSD card slot
Essential Phone
128GB
Ports
Google Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL
USB Type-C
iPhone X
Lightning connector
iPhone 8/8Plus
Lightning connector
Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+/Note 8
USB Type-C, Headphone jack
Essential Phone
USB Type-C
Other Special Features
Google Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL
Always-on display
Google Lens
Fingerprint scanner
Deeper integration with Google Assistant
iPhone X
Facial recognition for unlocking phone, making payments and animating emoji with your facial expressions
True tone display that automatically adjusts the screen’s white balance based on your surroundings
Wireless charging
iPhone 8/8Plus
True tone display that automatically adjusts the screen’s white balance based on your surroundings
Fingerprint scanner
Wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+/Note 8
Always-on display
Bixby virtual assistant for navigating your phone hands-free
Facial recognition and iris scanning for unlocking the phone
Fingerprint scanner
Wireless charging
S Pen stylus (Note 8)
Essential Phone
Magnetic connector for attaching accessories designed for the phone