Is it worth buying the iPhone X in 2021? Let’s investigate, shall we?
The iPhone X is already a few years old (almost four). And in years on the phone, several years is an eternity. But, like most things related to the iPhone, the iPhone X has aged well. It looks more or less like the iPhone 11, will receive iOS updates until the end of the 2020s, and still has a great performance.
If you’re after a bargain, iPhone X is now very cheap to buy, so this may well be the phone you should be buying. You’ll have all the latest / most modern styles of the iPhone, like FACE ID and a still very powerful CPU in the form of Apple’s A11 which, despite its years, will still be more than enough for most users (ie 99.9% of people)
Add the fact that the phone can now be picked up for about $ 300 refurbished and you are looking for a great deal if you are in the market for a solid and reliable phone that will have years of software updates and support. It doesn’t have 5G and the A11 isn’t as fast as the A13 or the new A14, but it will be more than enough for the kind of thing most people use their phones for.
In that regard, I would say, yes, the iPhone X is still well worth a look in 2021, as long as you understand that he is four years old and that his camera, while adequate, is nowhere near as good as the one you have. have on the iPhone 11 or iPhone 12.
If you can live with that, the iPhone X – for less than $ 300 – is a rip-off.
Full iPhone X review (original 2017 review)
Design
The iPhone X was the iPhone that broke the mold. It was the first iPhone to NOT have a Home button, marking the trend in the coming years. Also, it was the first iPhone to charge an OLED panel; in this case, a beautiful plate of 5.8 in 1125 × 2436 of grandeur
Physically, the iPhone X is unlike anything that came before it. The Home button is gone, so the entire front of the phone, except for the notch on the top, is fully visible. This means that Apple can fit a larger screen in a smaller space. And that makes iPhone X great for users who don’t want a huge phone.
Physically, the iPhone X makes its presence felt with its bright OLED panel and smooth lines. The size of the device – 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm – and its weight (174g) will take you by surprise; it is smaller and lighter than the iPhone 8 Plus. Again, this is what you can do when you get rid of the buttons
Available in black or white, unlike the myriad color options of the iPhone 8, the iPhone X looks almost more like Apple’s first iPhone. By limiting color options, Apple kept things simple; he had a vision for this device’s aesthetics and didn’t want anything to mess with it. I respect this. And I love the look of the two color options.
Most of the iPhone X’s chassis is made of glass to improve the efficiency of its integrated Qi wireless charging. Also, the glass finish gives the iPhone X a truly supernatural appearance when compared to older iPhone models, which used metals such as aluminum in its construction.
Also, you have total resistance to water and dust, which means that the iPhone X can survive underwater. Having IP67 resistance to water and dust is big business. How Apple did it with this design, however, I have no idea. I also love the fact that the power and volume rockers stay in the same place. Even Apple Pay and Siri can still be accessed via a physical button on iPhone X; there is a dedicated button located on the side.
Many critics criticized the iPhone X when it first came out, but I think they were too harsh. As a new design language for Apple, the appearance of the iPhone X is almost perfect from a visual and ergonomic point of view. It’s the ideal size for hands of all sizes, there’s a ton of screen space to work with, and the fit and finish are similar to a Swiss watch.
Display & ID FACE
As noted earlier, iPhone X was Apple’s first OLED iPhone. It is more the initial iPhone to not have a house button. Instead, you have the FACE ID, which is inside the notch located at the top of the screen. Much was said about this notch when the iPhone X first landed, but its usefulness is brilliant in everyday use.
FACE ID is also faster. Apple’s technology is very, very impressive. Even more so when you consider that it is the first iteration of the FACE ID. Once you get used to it after a few tries, you will never understand how you lived without it. Even adding your face to the Face ID is simple; just a few seconds and you’re done. Compared to the TouchID configuration, which can take up to three minutes, it is very easy.
The FACE ID is not perfect. Unlocking the phone when it is lying on a table is complicated and occasionally does not work in extremely dark conditions. Also, I have no real complaints about FACE ID or the fact that it has replaced TouchID. And as a bonus, the technology that powers FACE ID can create animated emoji versions of your face as well. Apple calls this Emojis.
As for the performance of Apple’s OLED display? It’s fantastic. This makes the output iPhone 8’s LCD screen look archaic. The brightness and details are incredible. And the blacks? They are similar to voids, which further improves the screen contrast and you will notice this when watching movies and/or playing games.
DisplayMate, an independent phone screen tester, said the iPhone X has the best screen it has ever tested, surpassing even Samsung’s OLED panels. My own experiences with the phone correspond to these statements; the colors are vivid and realistic, the viewing angles are brilliant, unlike the Google Pixel 2 XL, and the colors are natural and engaging. Essentially, it’s the perfect canvas.
Specifications and features (compared to iPhone XS)
| iPhone XS | iPhone X |
| Display: 5.8 inch OLED display with 2436×1125 pixel resolution at 458ppi | Screen: 5.8 inch screen with a resolution of 2436×1125 pixels at 458ppi |
| Dimensions: 143.6 mm x 70.9 mm x 7.7 mm (177g) | Dimensions: 143.6 mm x 70.9 mm x 7.7 mm (174g) |
| Storage options: 64, 256 or 512 GB | Storage options: 64 or 256 GB |
| RAM: 3GB | RAM: 4GB |
| Camera: 12 MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras with dual lens, dual optical image stabilization, optical zoom, 4K video | Camera: 12 MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras with dual lens, dual optical image stabilization, optical zoom |
| Battery size: 2658mAh | Battery size: 2716 mAh |
| CPU: A12 Bionic | CPU: A11 Bionic chip |
| Wireless charging: Yes | Wireless charging: Yes |
| Water resistant: Yes – IP68 | Water resistant: Yes – IP68 |
Acting
Apple’s A-series SoCs have dominated the mobile space for years, and the A11 Bionic chip is no different. Paired with 3 GB of RAM, Apple’s incredible A11 chipset offers incredible performance in all areas. At the time we initially reviewed this phone, it was the fastest on the market – by a considerable margin.
Today, that title goes to the iPhone 11 line. But the iPhone X is still as powerful as the latest and greatest Android phones. Like this? Simple: Apple has its A11 and iPhone chipset perfectly optimized to work together. Nothing was left to chance. It’s the result? Perfect performance that not only rocks but is also extremely energy efficient.
If you are concerned that the iPhone X is older than the current generation iPhones and that it will affect its performance, DO NOT worry – this phone will still provide energy about energy for many years to come. That’s how Apple designs phones: they are built to last and function for a long time. And the iPhone X will be able to go for ages to come.
Cameras
The iPhone X camera is a very capable beast. Apple has been making solid, reliable cameras for a few years. But with the iPhone X, hit the market with something really impressive. And the photos you can capture with it have never looked better.
You have two 12 MP rear cameras with OIS (optical image stabilization) and phase detection autofocus. One is an f / 1.8 wide-angle camera and the other is a 2x telephoto camera. The big idea here is a better perception of depth, better performance in low light conditions, and more details in your photos.
The iPhone X camera is not as good as Google’s Pixel 2 or Pixel 3, but it is very close and easily equal to Huawei’s Samsung Galaxy S10 and Mate 10. For most maximum users, the iPhone X camera will be higher than just to capture beautifully intricate images that look expert and polished.
You also have things like Portrait mode to capture photos in frames of people and objects, where the background is out of focus. At the front, you have a 7 MP camera that can be used for selfies and video calls. The performance here is decent, although I would have preferred to see a higher resolution camera upfront, given how much the iPhone X cost at launch.
Verdict – Should You Buy iPhone X?
If you are looking for a new iPhone in 2021 and after, and want to save some money, I can wholeheartedly recommend iPhone X. For me, iPhone X is the best value iPhone you can buy today – it’s MUCH cheaper now than when it was released. And you’re still getting a LOT of phones.
I love the iPhone XR, but the iPhone X has a better screen and almost the same overall performance. I think if you’re split between the two, iPhone X is the best – it’s cheaper, it has a better OLED screen and it’s just as powerful. Also, Apple will support the iPhone X for many years, so you’ll be covered by updates until, well … probably the mid-2020s!
And then, of course, there’s the iPhone XS, which came with the iPhone XOR. You can check the full details of how the iPhone X compares to the iPhone XS here.
