The Value Proposition of Apple's iPhone 8 Plus: A Budget-Friendly Option with Strong Resale Value

When it comes to purchasing a smartphone, one of the most important factors to consider is the value proposition. In this article, we'll examine the design, features, and resale value of Apple's iPhone 8 Plus, a budget-friendly option that offers a lot of bang for your buck.

Design: A Dated but Functional Aesthetic

The iPhone 8 Plus' design is definitely a bit dated, with bezels that are reminiscent of phones from two to three years ago. The phone mostly shares its design with the iPhone 6, which was released in 2014. While this may not be ideal for those who prioritize aesthetics, the rest of the design has held up relatively well, particularly with the glass back on the phone.

One aspect of the design that we don't like is the bezels - they're just not as slim and modern as some of the newer iPhones. However, when it comes to functionality, the iPhone 8 Plus has proven itself to be a solid choice. The display is a crisp 5.5-inch 1080p retina LCD with a pixel density of 400 pixels per inch. While this may not be as high as some of the newer iPhones (such as the iPhone 10, 10S, 11Pro, and their max counterparts), which boast 458 PPI, it's still more than the also-LCD iPhone 11, which has a pixel density of just 326 PPI.

In terms of features, the iPhone 8 Plus checks all the right boxes. It comes with wireless charging, dual cameras, Portrait mode, and Touch ID - all essential features that make it a solid choice for those looking for a budget-friendly smartphone without sacrificing too much functionality. The phone is powered by Apple's A11 chip, which still feels snappy and powerful even after two years.

A Study in Resale Value

One of the most compelling aspects of the iPhone 8 Plus is its resale value. When new, an iPhone 10S costs around $575 on average on eBay, which means it depreciates by approximately $424 over the last year. This puts it at a significant advantage compared to other smartphones. In contrast, a contemporary Google Pixel 3, which cost $800 a year ago, is now worth only $320 - that's a depreciation of $480 over the past year.

The math isn't perfect, and resale value can vary depending on a range of factors such as location, condition, and demand. However, for those who purchase their phones outright, resale value should be taken into consideration. The iPhone 8 Plus offers strong midlife resale value, typically depreciating by only $100 to $200 between year two and year five of its life. This makes it an attractive option for those looking to buy a used iPhone.

The Verdict: A Budget-Friendly Option with Strong Resale Value

In conclusion, the Apple iPhone 8 Plus offers an impressive value proposition that combines strong features, a functional design, and exceptional resale value. At $377, this budget-friendly smartphone is an attractive option for those who want the best of both worlds - performance and affordability.

With its long list of essential features, crisp display, snappy Touch ID, and A11 chip powering it all, there's little to complain about with this phone. Even though it may not be as modern or cutting-edge as some newer iPhones, the iPhone 8 Plus still feels like a solid daily driver - and that's exactly what matters.

When considering resale value, buying a used iPhone is no longer just about saving money upfront. It also means that you'll have access to a wide range of essential features for years to come, with Apple typically providing three more years of software support after the initial purchase. This makes it an attractive option for those looking to buy a smartphone without sacrificing too much functionality.

Overall, the iPhone 8 Plus is a strong contender in the budget-friendly market, offering a compelling combination of performance, features, and resale value.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enI talk a lot about used Mac's on this channel and I am a big believer in buying used and keeping older machines going as long as possible but for today's video I want to talk about iPhones and why for many of the same reasons these things make great smartphones even several years on currently under iOS 13 Apple supports the iPhone 6s and newer now the iPhone 6s came out all the way back in 2015 and Apple has been known to support phones for as long as six years that's a far cry from a lot of Android phones including Google's own pixel line that only guarantees the latest operating systems and updates for three years after it's announced the long support life of iPhones mean that even though they're expensive they can last you a long time and buying used can save you big money without sacrificing speed or longevity take this iPhone 8 plus for example this one was provided to me by energy it shop which you can check out at the link below it's a refurbished used model which means it's an absolutely flawless condition and it only costs three hundred and seventy seven dollars now if you shop from individual sellers on eBay or Facebook marketplace rather than a larger retailer or a large eBay store you can actually save even more money you can get them for as low as like 300 bucks but even so setting that aside let's take that 377 dollar price tag and examine the value proposition of this phone starting with the design the 8 plus is definitely looking a little dated the bezels are of a bygone era of two to three years ago and this thing mostly shares its design with the iPhone 6 which came out in 2014 the bezels are honestly the only part of this design that I don't like I think the rest of it has held up very well especially with the glass back that you'll find on the 8 and 8 plus the display is a very crisp five and a half inch 1080p retina LCD with a pixel density of 400 pixels per inch now that's less than the 458 PPI you'll get on the iPhone 10 10s 11pro and their max counterparts but it's actually more than the also LCD iPhone 11 which has 326 pixels per inch the display is definitely crisp enough and for 377 dollars there's really nothing to complain about here even though the 8 plus came out 2 years ago it doesn't feel lacking for features we've got wireless charging we've also got dual cameras portrait mode all those features that feel very crisp and very fully featured for a budget device such as this it's got quick and snappy touch ID and the whole thing is powered by Apple's a 11 chip that feels as snappy as ever seriously these Apple trips are so far ahead of the rest of the industry in Geekbench this two-year old smartphone squirts nearly identical to the two month old Google pixel for amazing so for this video I switched from my 10s max to the 8 plus for about two weeks or so and honestly apart from these slightly dated aesthetics and the smaller display this thing is really daily drivable and arguably just as functional the 8 plus has everything that you would need albeit without some of the frills you'll get on the newer devices the newer iPhones might have more screen real estate more cameras and smaller bezels but the 8 plus is more than capable of doing everything iPhone and doing it well do you remember back in the quote-unquote olden days of iPhones with like the 3G through the iPhone 5 where most people kept their phones for about two years and after those two years you could definitely feel the age of the phone software updates slowed it down I started to feel more lethargic that stuff doesn't really happen as much anymore it takes four or five six years for an iPhone to start really feeling and meemic and even then there are plenty of people I know that use 2014 iPhones and have no problem now we also have to consider something else when talking about iPhones sure they're undoubtedly expensive when new but because they hold their value some of that cost is absorbed for example an iPhone 10s costs about five hundred and seventy five dollars on average on eBay that means it lost approximately four hundred and twenty four dollars in value over the last year if we compare that to a contemporary Google pixel three which cost eight hundred dollars a year ago they're worth about three hundred and twenty dollars now that's about four hundred and eighty dollars in depreciation over the past year so that means that even though the Google pixel 3 was $200 less expensive when it was new the iPhone costs less it's an interesting idea and obviously the math isn't perfect it doesn't account for inflation and it's not going to work out perfectly in every situation compared to other phones and over different periods of time but it's definitely something that's worth considering when you're purchasing a smartphone resale value is a part of this smartphone experience especially if you purchase your phones outright and it shouldn't be overlooked where iPhones really excel is it midlife resale value basically between year 2 and year 5 of life they have a very low cost of ownership usually they'll only depreciate one or two hundred dollars so buying a used iPhone such as this 8 plus is not only cheaper than buying a new one but gives you a lot of the same essential features you'd expect from iOS has strong resale value and is going to be fully supported for at least three more years that is a lot of value for 377 dollars and it makes a used iPhone a very strong contender for the budget-conscious shopper so that's gonna do it for today's video let me know down in the comments below how old is the iPhone that you're currently using if you're using an iPhone is it older than the iPhone 8 let me know down in the comments below and as usual don't forget to Like and subscribe please consider following me on Twitter at loopy honey and don't forget to join my subreddit if you get the chance and with that I'll see you all in the next video OhI talk a lot about used Mac's on this channel and I am a big believer in buying used and keeping older machines going as long as possible but for today's video I want to talk about iPhones and why for many of the same reasons these things make great smartphones even several years on currently under iOS 13 Apple supports the iPhone 6s and newer now the iPhone 6s came out all the way back in 2015 and Apple has been known to support phones for as long as six years that's a far cry from a lot of Android phones including Google's own pixel line that only guarantees the latest operating systems and updates for three years after it's announced the long support life of iPhones mean that even though they're expensive they can last you a long time and buying used can save you big money without sacrificing speed or longevity take this iPhone 8 plus for example this one was provided to me by energy it shop which you can check out at the link below it's a refurbished used model which means it's an absolutely flawless condition and it only costs three hundred and seventy seven dollars now if you shop from individual sellers on eBay or Facebook marketplace rather than a larger retailer or a large eBay store you can actually save even more money you can get them for as low as like 300 bucks but even so setting that aside let's take that 377 dollar price tag and examine the value proposition of this phone starting with the design the 8 plus is definitely looking a little dated the bezels are of a bygone era of two to three years ago and this thing mostly shares its design with the iPhone 6 which came out in 2014 the bezels are honestly the only part of this design that I don't like I think the rest of it has held up very well especially with the glass back that you'll find on the 8 and 8 plus the display is a very crisp five and a half inch 1080p retina LCD with a pixel density of 400 pixels per inch now that's less than the 458 PPI you'll get on the iPhone 10 10s 11pro and their max counterparts but it's actually more than the also LCD iPhone 11 which has 326 pixels per inch the display is definitely crisp enough and for 377 dollars there's really nothing to complain about here even though the 8 plus came out 2 years ago it doesn't feel lacking for features we've got wireless charging we've also got dual cameras portrait mode all those features that feel very crisp and very fully featured for a budget device such as this it's got quick and snappy touch ID and the whole thing is powered by Apple's a 11 chip that feels as snappy as ever seriously these Apple trips are so far ahead of the rest of the industry in Geekbench this two-year old smartphone squirts nearly identical to the two month old Google pixel for amazing so for this video I switched from my 10s max to the 8 plus for about two weeks or so and honestly apart from these slightly dated aesthetics and the smaller display this thing is really daily drivable and arguably just as functional the 8 plus has everything that you would need albeit without some of the frills you'll get on the newer devices the newer iPhones might have more screen real estate more cameras and smaller bezels but the 8 plus is more than capable of doing everything iPhone and doing it well do you remember back in the quote-unquote olden days of iPhones with like the 3G through the iPhone 5 where most people kept their phones for about two years and after those two years you could definitely feel the age of the phone software updates slowed it down I started to feel more lethargic that stuff doesn't really happen as much anymore it takes four or five six years for an iPhone to start really feeling and meemic and even then there are plenty of people I know that use 2014 iPhones and have no problem now we also have to consider something else when talking about iPhones sure they're undoubtedly expensive when new but because they hold their value some of that cost is absorbed for example an iPhone 10s costs about five hundred and seventy five dollars on average on eBay that means it lost approximately four hundred and twenty four dollars in value over the last year if we compare that to a contemporary Google pixel three which cost eight hundred dollars a year ago they're worth about three hundred and twenty dollars now that's about four hundred and eighty dollars in depreciation over the past year so that means that even though the Google pixel 3 was $200 less expensive when it was new the iPhone costs less it's an interesting idea and obviously the math isn't perfect it doesn't account for inflation and it's not going to work out perfectly in every situation compared to other phones and over different periods of time but it's definitely something that's worth considering when you're purchasing a smartphone resale value is a part of this smartphone experience especially if you purchase your phones outright and it shouldn't be overlooked where iPhones really excel is it midlife resale value basically between year 2 and year 5 of life they have a very low cost of ownership usually they'll only depreciate one or two hundred dollars so buying a used iPhone such as this 8 plus is not only cheaper than buying a new one but gives you a lot of the same essential features you'd expect from iOS has strong resale value and is going to be fully supported for at least three more years that is a lot of value for 377 dollars and it makes a used iPhone a very strong contender for the budget-conscious shopper so that's gonna do it for today's video let me know down in the comments below how old is the iPhone that you're currently using if you're using an iPhone is it older than the iPhone 8 let me know down in the comments below and as usual don't forget to Like and subscribe please consider following me on Twitter at loopy honey and don't forget to join my subreddit if you get the chance and with that I'll see you all in the next video Oh\n"