Getting to grips with all the options when deciding on a new phone can be hard. Just how do the different models compare? Here’s the lowdown on the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone XS to help you decide which is the phone for you.

The iPhone 8 range was Apple’s last release to have the classic home button style. (Unless you count the iPhone SE 2020). It may have a slightly less modern appearance these days, but this phone still has plenty to offer. A lot of people really like the home button, and although you do lose out on screen size, the iPhone 8 Plus still has a 5.5-inch screen. In comparison, the iPhone XS, which is a very similar size (there’s about 1 mm in it) offers a 5.8-inch screen, because there’s no home button or bezels. The iPhone 8 has the edge over the iPhone XS when it comes to battery life, and you’ll get about an extra hour of whatever you are doing with the iPhone 8.

The iPhone XS was released about a year after the iPhone 8 Plus, and inevitably that means improved tech and a more modern appearance. It has an A12 processor, compared to the A11 on the iPhone 8 Plus, so it’s faster. Camera-wise, there isn’t much in it, both phones have a 12 MP dual rear camera, and a 7 MP front camera, but the newer iPhone XS takes slightly better pictures in portrait mode because of newer software. We’ve already mentioned the screen size, but it also offers higher resolution and more realistic colors than the iPhone 8 plus. The iPhone XS has a stunning OLED screen compared to the older style LCD screen on the iPhone 8 plus.

The iPhone XS is the more modern phone with a larger, sharper screen and slightly more modern camera, and faster processor– the main compromises are battery life and the price. The iPhone XS cost €1,179 on release compared to €829 for the iPhone 8 plus. If you want to make savings then the iPhone 8 is a great phone with excellent cameras and battery life. Of course, you can get both these phones at a much better price when you buy refurbished.