Everything you need to know about the iPhone X
The Technical Details
- 5.8-inch super AMOLED display
- 1125 x 2436 resolution
- Dual 12-megapixel rear camera
- 7-megapixel True Depth front camera
- 64/256GB storage
- 3GB RAM
- Battery TBA
Read on to learn more about the iPhone X, or compare deals above - including deals with no upfront cost and mobile deals for those with a poor credit rating.
Brand New Design
The rumours were true - Apple’s brand new smartphone brought about a revolution in terms of design. Gone is the home button, allowing for a much larger, edge-to-edge screen similar to the one found on the Samsung Galaxy S8.
The iPhone X looks nothing like what we’re used to, in the best way possible. By putting this much emphasis on a wider, longer screen, Apple is showcasing the true quality of their new AMOLED display. The colours and contrasts are bright, deep and rich, and features ultra-HD definition for the ultimate viewing experience.
But let’s talk about the elephant in the room - or rather, the elephant that left the room. What’s a home-button-less iPhone like? Pretty amazing, it turns out. It makes the whole front of the phone look much smoother and minimalist.
The edge-to-edge screen on the iPhone X gives you a full 5.8-inches of viewing pleasure. This is a full 0.3 inches larger than the iPhone 8 Plus, yet the physical size of the X is smaller than the 8 Plus - it's actually closer in size to the iPhone 8. That's how much extra screen you're getting on your X without making your hands ache.
It's also the first iPhone with an OLED screen. Organic Light Emitting Diods (OLED) screens use a series of thin, light emitting films, rather than an array of LED bulbs. This allows OLED screens to be much brighter yet use less energy, which saves your battery life.
Facial Recognition
Now that Samsung has done it, it only made sense for Apple to follow suit and introduce facial recognition to their devices. Introduced as one of the most secure forms of technology on the market, Face ID allows users to unlock their phone just by looking at it.
Much like Touch ID, Face ID first needs to be set up by entering your facial details into the phone. This is done by taking a number of selfies from different angles (just like you have to move your finger around when setting up Touch ID.)
To unlock the handset, simply raise the phone up to your face - and the software will do the rest. It’s also designed to get smarter the more you use it, and learn to recognise your face from more angles, distances, and light.
Those animated emojis
You may or may not have seen the iPhone X launch event with Apple's Craig Federighi demonstrating the animated emojis live on stage. If not, you may have seen one of the memes that quickly flooded the internet in the hours that followed.
Using the handset's Face ID to track your movement and facial expressions, these Animojis can mimic your every laugh, head nod or sad face. Using Apple's Message App in iOS 11, you can make and share your own Animoji amongst your friends. There are 12 animojis to begin with, including, you'll be pleased to hear, the Poop emoji. This means that with the iPhone X, you will be able to send your mum an animated emoji of yourself as a poop.
Cameras
The iPhone X comes with not one, but two cameras on its rear, which stack vertically, in order to encourage users to hold their phone in landscape mode when recording video... among other reasons. The main sensor is 12-Megapixels, with an aperture of f/1.8, while the secondary sensor shares the number of Megapixels and offers f/2.4, which means it enables a factor of two optical zoom over the main sensor.
This all means that you can take some neat photos that focuses on a central image and blurs the background. It also enables the central image to be illuminated.
The camera on the iPhone X also features optical image stabilisation on both of its sensors; something that the iPhone 8 doesn't support. This enables much sharper images to be shot in low level light, meaning your snaps at gigs or parties are likely to pick out every blemish and embarrassing moment.
Two Realities For The Price Of One
Is normal life boring you? Have you always dreamed of watching dinosaurs walking around your city? Then you’re in luck, because the iPhone X is all about Augmented Reality (AR).
AR, the Luigi to VR’s Mario, is featured on the X, , and - and it’s pretty entertaining. Using the phone’s camera, and a brand new AR platform known as ARKit, users can superimpose videos onto the real world - like shown during the Apple Event.
So what can you do with AR? Play games, mostly - which is great news for anyone who’s a big fan of mobile games. But it’s also great news for the future of AR. If anyone can help bring this often forgotten form of technology to the mainstream, it’s Apple - so we can expect to see more people than ever playing on their phones soon.
Is the iPhone X still worth it in 2023?
Released back in 2017, you may be wondering if the iPhone X is now outdated compared to newer models, or if it’s still worth considering as your next phone. Read on to find out.
Although no longer new, the iPhone X’s all-screen design means it still looks every inch the modern smartphone. In fact, you need a very trained eye to tell it apart from the XS, XS Max and iPhone 11 range.
The iPhone X’s camera is still one of the best around, with a second lens that lets you take striking ‘depth-of-field’ shots. And although the newer iPhone 11 range boasts triple-lens cameras providing even better quality, there’s a premium to pay for that extra technology.
The iPhone X will continue to receive software updates for the foreseeable future. So, if you buy now, you’ll still receive performance and security enhancements, as well as a selection of the latest features and apps that new iOS software brings.
Although not cheap, the iPhone X costs a lot less than Apple’s newer iPhone models whilst still offering fantastic features.
iPhone X contracts
Once you’ve decided you want the iPhone X, it’s time to find a contract that suits your needs. Use the filters on the comparison table at the top of this page to track down our pick of the best deals. Whether you’re looking to keep costs low or want a deal with lots of data and great customer rewards, we’ll show you some of the best options.
No upfront cost iPhone X deals
There are plenty of iPhone X contracts with nothing to pay upfront, which is good news if you don’t want to pay out a lump sum. But be mindful that when you choose a contract with no upfront charge, you’ll generally pay a higher monthly premium.
Unlimited data iPhone X deals
Unlimited data contracts let you stream video and browse the internet as much as you like, without having to worry about running out of data or incurring charges for excess usage. If you’re a heavy data user, it’s probably a good idea to consider an unlimited data deal.
Cheap iPhone X deals
The iPhone X is now a mid-price phone and if you shop around you can get what we’d consider a pretty good deal. It’s important to ensure you’re signing up for a plan with enough data though, because although a deal may look cheap, if you’re going to run up excess usage charges it might not be in the long run. It’s a good idea to look at your current contract to see how much data you typically use.
More iPhone handsets
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11 Pro
Is the iPhone X waterproof?
The iPhone X is water-resistant and comes with an IP 67 rating, meaning it will survive submersion in up to one metre of water for up to half an hour. The iPhone 11 range betters slightly, being able to survive for up to half an hour in up to one and a half metres of water.
Does the iPhone X have wireless charging?
Yes, you can charge the iPhone X wirelessly at cafés, airports and other public places where wireless charging pads are available. You can also charge it wirelessly at home with a wireless charging pad (sold separately).
What are the best iPhone X deals?
The best iPhone X deals will depend on your buying criteria and what’s most important to you. If price is your principal consideration, take a look at deals from the likes of Tesco Mobile and giffgaff. Both of which offer keen prices because you don’t get value-adding incentives that some other networks offer, such as subscriptions to streaming services.
Which headphones come with the iPhone X?
The iPhone X comes with standard wired Apple headphones, rather than the wireless Apple Airpods or Airpods Pro that are sold separately. If you’re serious about listening to music or are going to be using your headphones in noisy environments, you could invest in better headphones with fuller sound and noise-cancelling technology.
Can I upgrade to the iPhone X?
You’ll have to check your current contract status. If you’re out of contract, you’ll be able to upgrade to the iPhone X and won’t incur an additional charge.
If your contract is ongoing, you’ll still be able to upgrade if you’re on a flexible upgrade contract, such as Tesco Mobile’s Early Upgrade or O2 Refresh. But you’ll be liable to pay off anything remaining on the handset as part of your contract.
How long is the iPhone X battery life?
Tests indicate that you should expect to get about nine and a half to ten hours of usage on a full charge. That’s fairly standard for a modern smartphone. If you need an iPhone with better battery life, we’d suggest you look at the iPhone XR or the iPhone 11 Pro.
How good is the iPhone X camera?
The iPhone X has a dual lens camera that pairs a 12-megapixel telephoto lens with a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens. It’s a set-up that works well and enables you to capture detail-packed shots in a range of shooting conditions.
The front camera features a portrait mode for selfies, allowing you to fade out background details for more striking images.
iPhone X specs
Manufacturer | Apple |
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Operating System | iOS |
Sim Card Type | Nano |
Accelerometer | Yes |
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Proximity | Yes |
Compass | Yes |
Barometer | Yes |
Gyroscope | Yes |
GPS | Yes |
Form Factor | Candy Bar |
---|---|
Thickness | 7.7 mm |
Size | 70.9mm x 7.7mm x 143.6mm |
Weight | 174 g |
Battery Type | Lithium Ion |
---|---|
Capacity | mah |
Standby | hours |
Talktime | 21 hours |
Display Size | 5.8 inches |
---|---|
Screen Type | Super AMOLED |
Resolution | 1125 x 2436 inches |
Pixels Per Inch | 458 ppi |
Touch Screen Type | Capacitive |
CPU | 2390 mhz |
---|---|
Processor Cores | 6 Cores Cores |
Memory | 3000 MB |
Internal Storage | 64, 256 |
---|---|
External Storage | No |
Primary Camera | 12 MP |
---|---|
Flash | Yes |
LED Flash | |
GEO Tagging | Yes |
Auto Focus | Yes |
Fixed Focus | Yes |
Touch Focus | |
Face Detection | Yes |
Smile Detection | |
Image Stabilisation | Yes |
Video Quality | 4K |
2nd Camera | 7 MP |
Generation | 4G |
---|---|
Frequency | Dual-band |
NFC | Yes |
Wi-Fi | Yes |
Wi-Fi Hotspot | Yes |
Wi-Fi Direct | No |
Bluetooth | Yes |
USB | Yes |
Loudspeaker | Yes |
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