Should I get the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X?

Nikesh, via email

Apple's unleashed three new smartphones upon the world: the iPhone 8, larger iPhone 8 Plus, and top-end iPhone X. They're all pretty similar inside but there are some definite differences, with each one suited to a slightly different kind of user. Let's take a closer look.

The iPhones 8 and iPhone X compared

Here's how they compare at a glance.

Should I get an iPhone X?

This is the big flagship of the bunch - packed with top specs, a stunning design, and the best screen we've ever seen on an iPhone.

The main draws here are:

• The screen. It's a whopper, covering the entire front of the phone right to the edges, and the quality is quite something. It's OLED, and has a resolution of 1125 x 2436 pixels.
• The camera. It's the best thing put on the back of an iPhone yet. It has two lenses, one telephoto and one wide-angle, both of which have OIS (optical image stabilisation) to focus them better.
• Face ID. The iPhone X has sensors at the top that use infrared to identify your face. This is to replace Touch ID, since there's no room for a fingerprint sensor on the handset - you can literally unlock your phone with your face.

The other thing that sets the iPhone X apart is the price. It's a whopping £999 or £1149, depending on storage - but thankfully there are contract deals available to make that more manageable.

Get the iPhone X if:

• You want the best of the best
• You love a giant HD screen
• You want to take the best possible photos
• You can afford the extra expense (though contracts are available, remember)
• You prefer Face ID over Touch ID
• You never really liked the home button anyway

Should I get an iPhone 8?

The iPhone 8 is more of an upgrade to the iPhone 7 than anything. The shape and design are basically the same as the 7, only with new materials, including a shiny glass back and 'aerospace-grade' aluminium around the sides.

Other upgrades include some new, extremely powerful processors - a hexa-core A11 Bionic chipset, the fastest yet - and wireless charging, allowed for by that glassy rear.

Besides those, most things are the same. It has the usual 4.7-inch screen, plus a home button - so it has the standard Touch ID and fingerprint sensor rather than facial recognition tech.

Get the iPhone 8 if:

• You like the standard iPhone shape
• You aren't made of money (it's the cheapest of the current batch)
• You don't want a huge screen
• You prefer Touch ID over Face ID
• You like to take good photos, but aren't fussed about optical zoom

Should I get an iPhone 8 Plus?

There's always a plus-sized version of the iPhone knocking around, and this time it's the iPhone 8 Plus - an upgrade on the 7 Plus model, and a bigger version of the regular 8. Specifically, it has a 5.5-inch screen with a Full HD resolution.

The camera on this one is better than on the standard iPhone 8 too - like the iPhone X, it's a dual-lens affair, though unlike on the X, you only get OIS on one lens.

It has a bigger battery than on the 8 and the 7 Plus too, and possibly more RAM, so it's a bit more high-powered.

Get the iPhone 8 Plus if:

• You want a big screen, but still want a home button
• You prefer Touch ID over Face ID
• You'll be using your phone for work or business
• You want to take great photos
• Compare iPhone 8 Plus deals