What a month it’s been for phone fans. Apple’s iPhone X hit stores at pretty much the same time as Google’s new Pixel 2 handsets, the Samsung Galaxy Note8 came earlier a few weeks earlier, and let’s not overlook the new LG V30+ or the Mate 10, probably Huawei’s best phone to date.
While this makes for a formidable list of great smartphones, all eyes are on the iPhone X and the Pixel 2. Both phones are a window into how two of the world’s biggest tech companies see smartphones today, and are two of the best phones of the year.
But, neither is cheap. In fact, the top storage variants for the iPhone X and Pixel 2 XL are among the most expensive phones to ever hit our credit statements. Never has it been more difficult to convince our significant others that we really, really need to upgrade our phone.
With so much money to consider, which is the best bang for your hard-earned bucks?
Apple iPhone X 64GB (plans with at least 10GB)
There’s no way of buying the world’s most expensive phone ‘cheaply’, but the iPhone X does make a case for Vodafone’s 36-month repayment options. For some, spreading the cost of the iPhone X out over the extra year will make the monthly payments manageable.
If you don’t like the idea of a three-year commitment, expect to pay well over a hundred dollars per month for an iPhone X and a decent chunk of data.
If you’re looking for the 256GB storage option, add between $10 and $15 to the monthly price of the plans above.
Google Pixel 2 64GB (plans with at least 10GB)
As a Telstra exclusive, you don’t have moneysaving alternatives from Virgin and Vodafone available to you, but the Pixel 2 is a much cheaper phone all the same.
Comparing Telstra’s $99 Go Mobile Plan, you will save $32 per month choosing Google’s phone, or $768 over 24-months. That’s a big difference for phones that are comparable in so many ways.
Google Pixel 2 XL 64GB (plans with at least 10GB)
The savings are smaller with the Pixel 2 XL, but still significant. It is not a cheap phone by any stretch of the imagination, but it is $15 per month cheaper than the iPhone X on a Telstra $99 plan.
It’s easy to get caught up in the hype, and the iPhone X is an eye-catching phone, but we are talking about a lot of money. It’s definitely worth taking a look at the Pixels before committing to the iPhone.
And while you’re at it, take a look at some of the lesser-known brands. Huawei earned one of DxOMark’s top scores for the camera in the Mate 10 recently, matching the score of the iPhone X, and is a phone that sells for about $600 less than both the iPhone X and the Pixel XL.
Joe Hanlon is Publisher at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website. He’s been writing about phones and plans for far too long.
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