Apple’s new iPhone X matched—and in some cases, exceeded—our lofty expectations, offering a gorgeous design, advanced facial recognition technology, and a screen that stretches from left-to-right, top-to-bottom. Apple says it’s the future of smartphones, and the company might be right.
But there are a few significant shortcomings when matched against some of Apple’s most high-profile competition. The Galaxy S8 may be several months old, but it still offers a more complete package. And the recently announced LG V30 could arguably become this year’s best device. In other words, the iPhone X, like any phone, has its share of flaws.
The new Galaxy Note 8 is the most intriguing alternative to the iPhone X. Not only is Samsung’s handset more affordable (though only slightly), but it’s readily available at retail and carrier stores everywhere. Remember, the iPhone X doesn’t ship until November 3, and even then it may be very difficult to find.
Here are five reasons why you might want to consider the Galaxy Note 8 over the iPhone X.
Stylus
The Galaxy Note 8’s most defining feature is its stylus (called S Pen), which essentially acts as the device’s magic wand. Pop it out from its small enclave, and the Note 8 can do some amazing things. The S Pen is paramount to the Note 8’s productivity features, allowing users to jot down notes, doodle, navigate the software, and translate entire sentences with just a tap.
In a market where most smartphones look and act alike, the Note 8’s S Pen stands out as a unique and critical element, extending the device’s capabilities in ways Apple’s iPhone X can’t touch.

Software
Samsung used to have a terrible reputation for butchering Android. But the Korean company has turned that around, and offers arguably the best take on Android today.
In addition to the Note 8’s convenient Edge Panel features, the device offers App Pair, Samsung Pay, Bixby, support for DeX, Knox security, and pro-level camera settings. Thanks to the elegance and polish of Samsung’s Android skin, the Note 8 provides users with the most powerful software experience you can find.
Screen
The Note 8’s 6.3-inch Infinity Display has already been declared the market’s most impressive screen, but even hearing that doesn’t prepare you for the first time you see it in person. With a screen-to-body ratio of 83-percent and no unsightly notches, it looks absolutely incredible. And with brightness up to 1,200 nits, it looks amazing even in bright daylight.
Headphone jack
The jury’s still out on whether or not Apple was right to ditch the headphone jack. Some people don’t mind it, while others say it’s user hostile. Whatever side of the fence you fall on, the simple fact is the iPhone X doesn’t feature a headphone jack while the Galaxy Note 8 does. With so many other companies ditching the port, however, one has to wonder how much longer Samsung will hold out.


Fingerprint sensor
Say what you will about the location of the Note 8’s fingerprint sensor, but at least the device has one. Fingerprint sensors have become a crucial element of smartphones today, offering a convenient solution for security and mobile payments. The iPhone X ditched TouchID in favor of a new facial recognition system, dubbed FaceID, that has yet to be proven as a worthy replacement. If a fingerprint sensor is important to you, the Note 8 is bests the iPhone X by default.
Since the iPhone X doesn’t come out for another month and a half, now’s the right opportunity to start considering your options. We have no doubts the iPhone X will be a fantastic device, but there are plenty of worthy alternatives out there. The Galaxy Note 8 offers great competition, and there are plenty of reasons to choose it over Apple’s latest flagship.

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