Great Options Beyond Apple's Flagship
If spending $999 on a smartphone makes your head spin, you're probably not eyeing the iPhone X, no matter how cool its features may be. In fact, a recent report says that Apple is cutting production levels in half in response to slower-than-expected sales.
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iPhone 8 Plus
The iPhone 8 Plus is a close runner-up for people who want to stick with Apple's ecosystem without paying a grand for the iPhone X. (Some people might even argue that the iPhone 8 Plus is a better choice than the iPhone X.)
Starting at $799, the iPhone 8 Plus is the speediest smartphone we've ever tested, thanks to the same A11 Bionic chip found in the iPhone X. The 8 Plus also features an improved 5.5-inch LCD display with a wider color gamut. The phone includes versatile 12-megapixel dual cameras, along with new Portrait Lighting effects added to its 2x optical zoom. You can also expect 11-plus hours of battery life, loud speakers and wireless charging.
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Galaxy Note 8
Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 is a stellar recovery from the infamous Note 7 fail. Though the $930 to $950 Note 8 approaches the iPhone X's price tag, Samsung's latest flagship comes with the iconic and improved S Pen. Writing memos and sketching doodles are a breeze, especially with the Note 8's new Live Messages feature, but the standout feature is the S Pen's ability to translate text into different languages.
Pen aside, the Galaxy Note 8 is highlighted by a stunning 6.3-inch, OLED Infinity Display. Add in its 12-MP dual cameras with adjustable Live Focus that can produce bokeh effects just like the iPhone X can, as well as 11-plus hours of battery life, and you've got a phone that holds its own against anything Apple has to offer.
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OnePlus 5T
The OnePlus 5T packs a practically bezel-free 6-inch display, dual-lens camera and facial recognition in a package that costs $500 less than an iPhone X. In addition to those flagship features, the 5T is the fastest charging smartphone on the market. A 30-minute charge takes the device from 0 to 59 percent battery life.
With a Snapdragon 835 chip and 6GB of RAM (or 8GB for an extra $50), the 5T easily matches the speed and power of more expensive Android handsets and can handle any task thrown its way. If you don’t feel like paying $1,000 for a top-of-the-line iPhone, you can still get this year’s most advanced features in the much more affordable OnePlus 5T.
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Galaxy S8+
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ is one of the most well-rounded Android phones, even though the Galaxy S9 is on the horizon. Starting at $825, the Galaxy S8+ isn't the cheapest smartphone, but it's an investment worth every penny. Featuring a 6.2-inch AMOLED Infinity Display, a sleek design and lightning performance with its Snapdragon 835 processor, the Galaxy S8+ is large and in charge.
The Galaxy S8+ has a 3,500-mAh battery that provided more than 11 hours of battery life when we put it to the test. It also has a 12-MP rear camera that goes head-to-head with Apple's. Other notable features include the Edge tab and the built-in AI assistant Bixby.
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Pixel 2 XL
Google's Pixel 2 XL offers bang for your buck with snappy performance that tops that of the Galaxy S8, a stylish design and augmented-reality capabilities. Starting at $849, the Google Pixel 2 XL comes sports a 6-inch display with slimmer bezels to complement its sharp OLED screen. (Just be aware that there have been some color-accuracy issues found with that display.)
Though the Pixel 2 lacks the dual cameras you'd get with the iPhone X, the lone 12-MP rear camera on Google's phone shoots excellent photos, and its 8-MP front camera captures impressive selfies. Most important, both cameras can pull off Portrait Mode effects, thanks to computational photography. Not only is Google Assistant smarter than Siri, you can summon it just by squeezing the Pixel 2 XL's sides.
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LG V30
The LG V30 (and the higher-capacity V30+) is a great choice for media producers because of its vibrant, 6-inch OLED display and excellent audio from its quad digital-to-analog converter. Starting at $800, the LG V30 is slim, stylish and has superb dual rear cameras for capturing wide-angle shots. While battery life on the LG V30 wasn't impressive in our testing, videographers will enjoy the phone’s 4K video capture at 30 frames per second and a suite of effects that help create more cinematic video clips.
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Moto G5S Plus
Motorola's Moto G5S Plus is a budget-friendly smartphone that can be had for less than $300. That's impressive, considering it includes dual cameras, which were once reserved for premium flagships. The Moto G5S Plus sports a super-bright, 5.5-inch LCD screen and a long-lasting battery that endures for nearly 12 hours. In addition, the Moto G5S Plus offers a premium design and zippy performance for a midrange phone. While Apple currently makes the best camera phone, the 13-MP dual rear cameras on Motorola's device captured sharp photos in low light and striking details with a shallow depth of field.
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Asus ZenFone 3 Zoom
The Asus ZenFone 3 Zoom is a notable budget smartphone that provides highly sought specs for only $329 — roughly a third of what the iPhone X commands. The focus here is on cameras: The ZenFone 3 Zoom features a pair of 12-MP lenses on its back that support a 2.3x optical zoom. But we were really impressed with the phone's battery life: It endured 16 hours and 49 minutes in our battery test, making it the longest-lasting smartphone by some distance.
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HTC U11
HTC's U11 deserves more attention than it's getting, thanks to a bright 5.5-inch QHD display, punchy BoomSound stereo speakers, speedy performance and a sleek design. The HTC U11's battery isn't the longest-lasting, but it provides 9-plus hours of juice on a single charge. It also supports quick charging via Qualcomm's Quick Charge 3.0 technology.
The HTC U11 has a sharp 12-MP rear camera that performs better than the rear camera on the Galaxy S8+ in low-light settings, while the U11's 16-MP front camera has twice the megapixels of many flagship-phone cameras. All in all, it's a capable camera phone that saves you more than $300 off the iPhone X's price tag.
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LG G6
The LG G6 is a reasonably priced smartphone that offers a big screen in a one-hand-friendly design. Available for around $500, the LG G6 has a super-bright 5.7-inch LCD panel that has minimal bezels and supports Dolby Vision HDR. In addition, the 18:9 aspect ratio allows for immersive wide-screen viewing.
The LG G6 doesn't incorporate the latest Qualcomm chip, but its Snapdragon 821 processor provides adequate performance. You won't get the Portrait Mode effects and optical zoom you'd enjoy with the iPhone X, but the G6's dual cameras excel at capturing details in wide-angle shots.
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Essential Phone
A $200 price cut makes the Essential Phone more appealing than ever as an alternative to pricey flagships like the iPhone X. Now available for $499, the Essential Phone features an exquisite titanium-and-ceramic design with a 5.7-inch edge-to-edge LCD screen. We were disappointed with the performance of the 13-MP dual rear cameras when we tested this phone, but a software update improved the results. The modular design also lets you attach accessories such as a 360-degree camera to extend the Essential Phone's powers.
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