Essential Phone specs vs. Galaxy S8, Google Pixel XL and iPhone 7 Plus
Compare the new Essential Phone spec by spec with the big beasts of the phone market right now.
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Remember Andy Rubin, the creator of Android? Since leaving Google, he's been busy creating a new company, Essential. It's making an entirely new phone called the Essential Phone -- its model name is PH-1. The Essential Phone has some slick features like being made out of titanium and ceramic, dual rear cameras and a bezel-less display. But how does it stack up with what's already out there?
The Essential Phone's long display (19:10 ratio) is similar to the Samsung Galaxy S8, its back cover fingerprint sensor looks just like the one on the Google Pixel XL and its dual-camera system puts it toe-to-toe with the iPhone 7 Plus. Is it missing anything? It doesn't appear to have wireless charging, there's no regular headphone jack and there's no mention of waterproofing.
But specs only tell half of the story. We still don't know much about its software. Will it run a custom version of Android? Or did Essential create something entirely new? The company is also working on a smart home platform called Ambient OS, and has a smart speaker called the Essential Home.
Check back here for updates as we learn more about the Essential Phone. Take a look at the chart below to see how the Essential Phone stack up against the competition.
Essential Phone specs vs. Galaxy S8, Google Pixel XL and iPhone 7 Plus
| Essential Phone | Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S8 | Apple iPhone 7 Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 5.7-inch; 2,560x1,312 pixels | 5.5-inch; 2,560x1,440 pixels | 5.8-inch; 2,960x1,440 pixels | 5.5-inch; 1,920x1,080 pixels |
| Pixel density | 504 ppi | 534 ppi | 570 ppi | 401 ppi |
| Dimensions (Inches) | 5.57x2.8x0.31 in | 6.1x3x0.34 in (at its thickest) | 5.86 x 2.68 x 0.32 in | 6.2x 3.1x0.29 in |
| Dimensions (Millimeters) | 142x71x7.8 mm | 154.7x75.7x8.6 mm (at its thickest) | 148.9x68.1x8 mm | 158.2x77.9x7.3 mm |
| Weight (Ounces, Grams) | 6.53 oz; 185 g | 5.92 oz; 168 g | 5.5 oz; 155 g | 6.63 oz; 188 g |
| Mobile software | TBA | Android 7.1 Nougat | Android 7.0 Nougat | Apple iOS 10 |
| Camera | 13-megapixel (RGB), 13-megapixel (monochrome) | 12.3-megapixel | 12-megapixel | 12-megapixel (telephoto), 12-megapixel (wide) |
| Front-facing camera | 8-megapixel | 8-megapixel | 8-megapixel | 7-megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | 2.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 | 2.15GHz + 1.6GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 | Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (2.35GHz + 1.9GHz) or octa-core Samsung Exynos 8895 (2.35GHz + 1.7GHz) | Apple A10 chip (64-bit) |
| Storage | 128GB | 32GB, 128GB | 64GB | 32GB, 128GB, 256GB |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB | N/A |
| Expandable storage | TBA | None | Up to 2TB | None |
| Battery | 3,040mAh | 3,450mAh | 3,000mAh | 2,900mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | Back | Back | Back | Home button |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C | Lightning |
| Special features | Dual-camera | Google Assistant; unlimited cloud storage; Daydream VR-ready | Water-resistant (IP68), wireless charging, Gigabit LTE-ready | Water and dust-resistant, dual camera, portrait mode mode |
| Price off-contract (USD) | $699 | $769 (32GB); $869 (128GB) | AT&T: $750; Verizon: $720; T-Mobile: $750; Sprint: $750; US Cellular: $675 | $769 (32GB); $869 (128GB); $969 (256GB) |
| Price (GBP) | Converts to £545 | £719 (32GB); £819 (128GB) | £689 | £719 (32GB); £819 (128GB); £919 (256GB) |
| Price (AUD) | Converts to $AU940 | AU$1,269 (32GB); AU$1,419 (128GB) | AU$1,199 | AU$1269 (32GB); AU$1419 (128GB); AU$1569 (256GB) |