The Essential Phone was immediately compared to the iPhone after its announcement. Even the Essential Phone’s website is comparable to Apple’s layout, with oversized photos and sleek fonts to give off a sense of style to its product. Essential is a brand that is very much looking to disrupt and shake up the mobile phone market, especially for the tech giants like Samsung and Apple. So why is the Essential Phone causing such a stir, and does it rival the ever growingly popular iPhone X? In order to understand the competition to Apple’s smart phone, let’s break down the Essential Phone and then compare it to Apple’s worldwide tech phenomenon.
The Essential Phone
There are a few selling points for the Essential Phone that make it a viable option for both casual and experienced technology fans. Even if tech is not your thing, you should consider the Essential Phone as well. Here are a few of its features that are sure to grab your attention.
The Essential Phone is Unlocked
A huge perk of the Essential Phone is the fact that it is unlocked. Unlocked means that purchasing the phone does not require you to use one specific mobile services carrier. All the major providers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile sell their phones with the understanding that they are locked to their mobile offerings. The code inside the iPhone at Verizon, for example, does not allow you to take that phone and use it at T-Mobile, and vice versa for all mobile carriers. This allows the user the choice to go where they see fit, without the fear that they might be stuck with one option for the duration of their phone.
Edge to Edge Display
The Essential Phone’s screen is as impressive as any part of this dynamic device. The screen size of the Essential is 5.7 inches, which is technically a centimeter less than the iPhone X, but the screen on the Essential Phone feels full range. That extra little bit of space on the iPhone X still contains a bit of a border to the screen, whereas the Essential Phone is a full screen experience, with images on the phone taking up every inch of the smart phone’s face. The screen is great, especially considering that the dynamic images featured in the Essential Phone are full range HD and fit in the palm of your hand.
State of the Art Accessory Functionality
The Essential Phone is compatible with some of the most impressive accessories in the market right now. For example, the most popular accessory for the Essential Phone is a magnetic clip on camera that amps up your resolution without cords or extra cables. The 360 camera clip on accessory equips the Essential Phone with 4 3D microphones, an extra 12 megapixels, and video recordings at a very impressive quality (3840 x 1920 at 30fps). This is simply unmatched for iPhones, including the iPhone X. Considering that the camera add on for the Essential Phone is wireless, magnetic, and lightweight, influencers and bloggers who take photos with their phone often will strongly be considering this when picking their next phone.
Fun Color Options
Five unique and deeply intriguing colors are available for the Essential Phone. This is more than the two offered by the iPhone X. The Essential Phone comes in Ocean Depths, Stellar Gray, Copper Black, Halo Gray, and the new Pure White. A big point of pride for Essential as a brand is the fact that nowhere on the phone does it say the brand’s name, meaning that the phone isn’t a walking billboard with a giant logo or writing on it.
Ocean Depths is the most unique color out of the five offered, with two distinct shades highlighting differences between the phone’s back and sides. A nearly rose gold side casing makes your phone look like a gem. This is countered by the deep teal on the back of the phone case. Stellar Gray is practically black, but with a bit of a lighter under tone and black sides. Copper Black is a darker black on the back case of the Essential Phone with rose gold sidings. Halo Gray is a a dark backing with lighter gray sides. Lastly, Pure White is, well, pure white. A clean finish from top to bottom is refreshing with many phones going to darker color schemes.
The Essential Phone vs. The iPhone X
If you are deciding between the Essential Phone and the popular iPhone X, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Storage
The Essential Phone comes in one storage capacity, featuring 128 GB of space. The iPhone X, on the other hand, features two options on either side of 128 GB: 64 GB and 256 GB. You can utilize the iCloud on the iPhone X, which is a plus considering how cheap it is.
Operating System and Battery
Two things people love to know is what system they’re using and how long they can go between charges. The iPhone X is benefited by the easy to use iOS from Apple, and a battery life of 21 hours. The Essential Phone, on the other hand, is an Android operated mobile device utilizing Android 9 Pie and a battery life of 23 hours.
Price
Another huge point of contention is how much each phone costs. The iPhone X costs $999.99 for its lower tier storage option, which again is 64 GB. The Essential Phone, on the other hand, starts at $499.99 and comes with the HD camera add on, HD headphones, and a camera case. These accessories are in competition with the classic add on from Apple to include its wired headphones with every new phone.
Final Verdict
The Essential Phone, for its price and accessories, should be a major contender for your new smart phone. Even though the iPhone X is the latest and greatest from Apple, the Essential Phone deserves your attention. With a lower price and access to the Android marketplace, there are many reasons to maybe switch things up for your next smart phone. As always, weight the differences and find what is best for you!
Taylor is a freelance SEO copywriter and blogger. His areas of expertise include technology, pop culture, and marketing.
