Here's How the iPhone 8 Measures Up to the Note 8

While we got our first real look at the Galaxy Note 8 this week, we're still a few weeks away from seeing what Apple has planned for the iPhone 8. But thanks to a dummy unit of Apple's upcoming phone, we can get a pretty good sense of how the two flagship devices compare in size.

Galaxy Note 8 (left) vs. an iPhone 8 prototype (right). Credit: MacRumors/YouTube

(Image credit: Galaxy Note 8 (left) vs. an iPhone 8 prototype (right). Credit: MacRumors/YouTube)

MacRumors took an iPhone 8 dummy — basically a prototype typically used by accessory makers to get a feel for the size and dimensions of an upcoming phone — and stacked up it next to the Galaxy Note 8 just after Samsung's launch event this week. The result? The Note 8 looms over the iPhone 8, like a 7-foot center menacing a smaller forward in an NBA game.

While it's a visually striking comparison, the Note 8's bigger size isn't that surprising when you consider the numbers. Samsung's new phone has a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Meanwhile, the iPhone 8 is widely expected to have a 5.8-inch screen — thus, the vastly different visual look between the two phones.

MORE: Galaxy Note 8 vs iPhone 8: How Will They Compare?

And we were already expecting the iPhone 8 to be relatively compact, even with its longer screen. Early comparisons have compared iPhone 8 prototypes to Apple's current iPhone lineup. The iPhone 8 is only slightly taller than the iPhone 7, while being noticeably smaller than the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus.

That's because the iPhone 8 is expected to all but do away with bezels at the top and bottom of the screen. The Note 8 has an edge-to-edge display, though its bezels at the top and bottom aren't as thin as what the iPhone 8 will reportedly offer. For that reason, the MacRumors video speculates the new iPhone have a larger screen-to-body ratio compared to the latest Note.

It's also striking to see the rear camera layouts of the two phones side by side. The Note 8 features dual rear cameras, and the iPhone 8 is expected to retain that feature first introduced to Apple phones with last year's 7 Plus.

However, on the Note 8, the lenses are positioned next to each other, with a fingerprint sensor just off to the right. On the iPhone 8 dummy unit, the lenses are stacked vertically — a design switch Apple could be making to support anticipated augmented reality features being added to its new phone.

We'll find out for certain if this visual comparison holds up when Apple unveils its new phone. A report this week suggested the iPhone 8 makes its debut on Sept. 12.

Philip Michaels

Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.