The best smartphones for most people: iPhone 8 or Galaxy S8

This may seem like a cop-out, but we're legitimately torn: Samsung's Galaxy S8 and Apple's iPhone 8 are the best smartphones out there for most people. It really just boils down to where your platform loyalties lie.

Of the two, the Galaxy S8 ($725) is the more physically attractive device, with its 5.8-inch Infinity Display and its meticulously crafted, water-resistant body. It's plenty powerful, thanks to its Snapdragon 835 chipset, and Samsung managed to squeeze in a few features, like a headphone jack and expandable memory, that some of its rivals have given up on. While we've seen devices like the Pixel pull off amazing camera feats, the S8's 12-megapixel sensor is nearly as good.

When it comes to design, performance and features, you'd be hard-pressed to beat the Galaxy S8. The S8 also enjoys wide carrier support, and since it's been such a popular device this year, you can often find it for less than the usual asking price through sales and carrier promotions. Oh, and if you'd rather have some extra screen space, there's always the larger Galaxy S8 Plus. It's mostly identical to its little brother, so all the same praise applies, but its 6-inch screen is a pleasure to take in, and it has slightly longer battery life, to boot.

But some of you are already heavily invested in Apple's services, and that's fine too. If that's the case, your best bet is to check out the iPhone 8 series. These devices are both incredibly powerful, owing to their shared A11 Bionic chipset, and they offer access to Apple's huge catalog of polished apps. The iPhone 8 ($699) is a great machine on its own, and is well suited to people who don't like the idea of carrying around a bigger phone. It also just might be the last, best iPhone of its kind, so you'll benefit from years of refinement that the iPhone X simply doesn't have yet.

That said, the 8 Plus has some distinct advantages that make it the more powerful choice between the two. Its bigger battery means fewer trips to the power outlet (or the wireless charging puck, if you prefer). More important, the iPhone 8 Plus uses a 12-megapixel dual-camera setup that is simply superior to the iPhone 8's single sensor. We still prefer the Pixel 2 as an all-around shooter, but the 8 Plus's camera is nearly as good and benefits from true optical zoom.

Samsung and Apple have both done some impressive work this year, and we think you'll be satisfied with any of the devices we just mentioned. These phones are also great entry points if you've spent more time using one platform over another: We've seen plenty of people switch from iPhones to Galaxy S8s and enjoy the transition, and vice versa.