iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 6s Plus – What’s The Difference?

Welcome to the iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 6s Plus! In 2017 Apple introduced its newest “Plus” model of the iPhone: the iPhone 8 Plus.

The 8 Plus joined the iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 6s Plus in the big boy lineup. But while differences between the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus do exist, they are relatively minor compared to the differences between the iPhone 8 Plus and the 2015 iPhone 6s Plus.

This original comparison is back from 2017, so note that there are much newer iPhones out now, like the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. But if you are still interested in seeing how the iPhone 8 Plus compares iPhone 6s Plus you can check out our original VS below.

iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 6s Plus: Quick Comparison

The iPhone 8 Plus looks more or less identical to the iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 6s Plus. Apple says this is a new phone, and in most respects it is, but the look and feel to those running iPhone 6 Plus and up handsets will be remarkably similar.

I honestly do not know of another company that could get away with what Apple has done these past few years. I mean, it literally hasn’t touched the design of its iPhone since 2014. That’s a long time. Even more so when you look at how much Android flagships have changed in the interim.

Matter of fact, it was a bit of a shock that Apple was even keeping the iPhone 6s Plus around another year. However, it looks like they are trying to offer an iPhone with as big a screen size as possible for as cheaply as possible. So just how do the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone 6s Plus differ? We took look to find out.

You can pick up a 128GB iPhone X via Gazelle for a very attractive price right now. And this phone, which is still relatively new, is one of the best handsets around still (only at Gazelle, it’s 40% cheaper).

And you’re going to have more luck getting hold of an iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone 6s Plus any time soon than you would get hold of an iPhone X, at least according to the latest reports. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said that although he expects record-breaking pre-order sales of the iPhone X in the region of 40-50 million units, he is concerned that Apple will struggle to meet that demand until some time in 2018, due to a component supply bottleneck on the Face ID 3D scanning camera.

A report from the WSJ cites two unnamed sources that corroborate this idea, saying that there are two key components that work together to allow the scanner to do what it does. However, one of these components is currently only being produced in the tens of thousands per day, while everything else for the iPhone X is being produced in much larger numbers than could feasibly meet the high demand. That one component is causing a bottleneck which means many buyers will not see their iPhone X handsets for some time to come.

So just how do the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone 6s Plus differ? We took look to find out.

iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 6s Plus: Design

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As for the design, while both phones look roughly the same, the iPhone 8 Plus features a glass back, which gives it a shinier look akin to the iPhone 4. Because of its new glass paneling, the iPhone 8 Plus is just a bit thicker than the iPhone 6s Plus–but only by a few tenths of a millimeter. The iPhone 8 Plus also lacks the antenna lines on the back of the device, making it look sleeker. Oh, and the 8 Plus is Splash, Water and Dust Resistant.

• iPhone 6s Plus – The iPhone 6s Plus, from a design perspective, looks outdated. It’s got a big forehead and chin and sports the old school Touch ID biometric fingerprint reader. Then again, it did originally come out all the way back in 2015.
• iPhone 8 Plus – The iPhone 8 Plus looks a little better than the iPhone 6s Plus. It’s got a big forehead and chin, too, and sports the old school Touch ID biometric fingerprint reader. However, it features a glass back, which gives it a bit of a sleeker look than the iPhone 6s Plus.

Winner? iPhone 8 Plus – Thanks to its glass back, it looks better than the iPhone 6s Plus.

iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 6s Plus: Display

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All “Plus” model iPhones have the exact same 5.5in Retina HD display with 1920×1080 resolution at 401ppi and all are 3D Touch-enabled. However, the iPhone 8 Plus sports a True Tone display, which adjusts its color warmth to match that of the room you are in. This gives the iPhone 8 Plus’s screen a more natural, easier on the eyes look–and as a result, it looks a lot better than the display on the iPhone 6s Plus.

• iPhone 6s Plus – The iPhone 6s Plus features a 5.5in display with bezels that has a 1920×1080 resolution at 401ppi.It also used 3D Touch technology for pressure-sensitive touch.
• iPhone 8 Plus –The iPhone 8 Plus features a 5.5in display with bezels that has a 1920×1080 resolution at 401ppi, too. It also supports 3D Touch. But it one-ups the iPhone 6s Plus thanks to the addition of a True Tone display.

Winner? iPhone 8 Plus – The True Tone display means it’s better-looking than the display in the iPhone 6s Plus.

iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 6s Plus: CPU

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No question about it, iPhone 8 Plus destroys the iPhone 6s Plus in the CPU department. The iPhone 8 Plus’s A11 Bionic chip and its neural engine easily surpass the A9 chip found in the iPhone Plus 6s. Expect performance gains of over 100% in the A11. The iPhone 8 Plus also offers 50% more RAM, at 3GB, over the iPhone 6s Plus’ 2GBs. And when it comes to storage, the iPhone 8 Plus starts at higher tiers, offering 64GB or 256GB. The iPhone 6s Plus is limited to either 32GB or 128GB options.

• iPhone 6s Plus – the 6s Plus features the A9 chipset. Though this was fast in 2015, it pales in comparison to the A11.
• iPhone 8 Plus –  the iPhone 8 Plus features Apple’s A11 Bionic chipset. The A11 isn’t any slouch, it’s virtually twice as fast as the A9.

Winner? iPhone 8 Plus – It’s Much More Powerful Than iPhone 6s Plus.

iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 6s Plus: Battery

As for the battery, the iPhone 8 Plus has a smaller battery at 2675 mAh versus the iPhone 6s Plus’s 2750 mAh battery. But that makes no difference at all. The more power-efficient A11 chip means the iPhone 8 Plus can last just as long with the smaller battery. One other thing about the difference between the 8 Plus and 6s Plus in the power department: the 8 Plus now offers wireless charging. If that’s of interest to you, it’s clear the iPhone 8 Plus is the way to go.

• iPhone 6s Plus – The iPhone 6s Plus’s battery will get you about 12 hours of battery life with mixed usage.
• iPhone 8 Plus – The iPhone 8 Plus uses a slightly smaller battery than the iPhone 6s Plus, but you’ll still get around 12 hours of battery life mixed usage. But do note that the iPhone 8 Plus also features wireless charging, unlike the 6s Plus.

Winner? iPhone 8 Plus – The wireless charging is a must.

iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 6s Plus: Cameras

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The iPhone 8 Plus completely destroys the iPhone 6s Plus in the camera department. It features a larger 7MP front-facing camera (versus the 6s Plus’s 5MP front camera). But the real benefit is in the rear camera. The iPhone 8 Plus features a dual-lens 12MP rear camera complete with a wide-angle and telephoto lens and optical zoom. The 6s Plus is limited to a single lens 12 MP camera.

• iPhone 6s Plus – The main camera on the iPhone 6s Plus is a single-lens 12MP wide-angle camera. On the front, you have a 5MP camera for selfies and video calling.
• iPhone 8 Plus – The front camera is a 7MP setup. But where things get really interesting with the phone’s camera technology is on the rear of the iPhone 8 Plus. It features a dual-lens 12MP system with wide-angle and telephoto cameras, optical image stabilization, 2x optical zoom, and 4K video recording.

Winner? iPhone 8 Plus – That Dual-Lens Camera Can’t Be Beat By The Single-Lens Found On The iPhone 6s Plus.

iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 6s Plus: Cost & Verdict

In 2021, Apple no longer sells either the iPhone 6s Plus or the iPhone 8 Plus. But for the record, the iPhone 8 Plus did get you a lot more: a better CPU, better camera, wireless charging, and more storage.

If you’re looking at picking up an iPhone AND you want to save some money in the process, you should definitely check out Gazelle, as you can pick up some truly AWESOME deals there.

The devices – iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone XS, and all the Plus models, as well as iPads – are all certified reconditioned, but they look good as new, and function just like a new phone. They’re also around 40-50% less than buying new.

So, yeah… if you’re savvy with your money, you might want to check out what Gazelle has to offer.

Want to see how far the iPhone has come? Check out this iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus.

iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 6s Plus: Full Specs Comparison

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Here are the specs for the iPhone 8 Plus:

• Display: 5.5in Retina HD display with 1920×1080 resolution at 401ppi, 3D Touch enabled
• Dimensions: 158.4mm x 78.1 mm x 7.5 mm
• Weight: 202 grams
• Storage: 64 or 256GB
• Memory: 3 GB RAM
• Processors: A11 Bionic
• Front camera: 7 MP
• Rear camera: 12 MP Dual Lens telephoto and wide-angle
• Battery: 2675 mAh, Wireless charging

And here are the specs for the iPhone 6s Plus:

• Display: 5.5in Retina HD display with 1920×1080 resolution at 401ppi, 3D Touch enabled
• Dimensions: 158.2mm x 77.9 mm x 7.3 mm
• Weight: 188 grams
• Storage: 32 or 128GB
• Memory: 2 GB RAM
• Processors: A9
• Front camera: 5 MP
• Rear camera: 12 MP single lens
• Battery: 2750mAh

Michael Grothaus

Apple expert and novelist, Michael Grothaus has been covering tech on KnowYourMobile for the best part of 10 years. Prior to this, he worked at Apple. And before that, he was a film journalist. Michael is a published author; his book Epiphany Jones was voted as one of the best novels about Hollywood by Entertainment Weekly. Michael is also a writer at other publications including VICE and Fast Company.

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