Tech enthusiasts and consumers now have a tough choice to make. Those who have their eyes on the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Apple iPhone X and Google Pixel 2 XL could be thinking about which one to buy. Needless to say, these days it is becoming extremely difficult to choose one top smartphone over another.

Still, a choice must be made. These handsets are frightfully expensive, and anyone who decides to invest money in them must be sure of his/her buying decision.

If price is not a factor, buyers often compare smartphones based on display size, camera features etc. Google has just released the Pixel 2 XL to add to those choices.

Screen-to-body ratio

Apart from the Galaxy Note 8, experts haven’t yet had the chance to test the Google and Apple smartphones. Therefore, it will be tough to compare the three top smartphones that are already all the rage. CNET recently used a screen-to-body ratio calculator to find out the phone that has the most screen in the smallest package.

Height, width, screen resolution and screen size were taken into account. The Pixel 2 XL percentage came at 76.71 percent, iPhone X at 81.51 percent and Note 8 at 82.76 percent.

Up to now, the Google handset seems to have the lowest price, though prices drop over time. Stores and carriers also provide seasonal deals.

Storage and price comparisons

The 64GB Pixel 2 XL is retailing at $849 and the 128GB at $949. AT&T offered the Note 8 at $950, Verizon at $960 and U.S. Cellular at $963. The 64GB iPhone X retailed at $999, while the 256GB at $1,149. In terms of storage capacity, the iPhone X comes with 64GB and 256GB options.

The Note 8 offers 64GB storage, which is expandable up to 2TB. The Google Pixel 2 XL will come with 64GB and 128GB storage options. However, there will be unlimited cloud storage for photos. In terms of fastest software updates and security, Apple shines.

It is because the Cupertino tech giant controls all software and hardware from top to bottom.

Comparisons based on OS, battery and camera specs

Apple users receive all the updates at once. This is also the case with the Pixel phone. All Pixel phones receive Android updates first. The Pixel 2 XL will run with the help of the brand new Android 8.0 Oreo OS. This is not the case with Note 8 though. Samsung lays its own software on top of the Android OS.

This takes the company a lot of time to test the OS. Moreover, carriers also need to make sure that the version works with their networks. The Pixel phone has a 3,520 mAh battery and Note 8 has a 3,300 mAh battery. Once the Google and Apple handsets are tested, the exact battery life will become apparent.

A big deciding factor these days are the camera features that a handset brings to the table. Google claims that its 12.2MP shooter is so good that the smartphone does not need a second lens. The portrait lighting effect in iPhone X makes it stand out. The dual cameras and portrait mode in Note 8 also take neat photos.