The smartphone landscape is vast, with options ranging from ultra-budget to premium flagships. Today, we're pitting two very different devices against each other: the Vodafone Smart N9, a budget-friendly option, and the Apple iPhone X, a once-leading flagship. Can the N9 even compete?
🏆 Quick Verdict
The iPhone X utterly dominates in almost every category. Its superior chipset, display, camera, and build quality make it the clear winner. However, the Vodafone Smart N9 offers incredible value for those on a tight budget, providing basic functionality at a significantly lower price point.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 |
| EDGE | Yes | - |
| GPRS | Yes | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2018, June. Released 2018, June | 2017, September 12. Released 2017, November 03 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 147.1 x 68.8 x 8.7 mm (5.79 x 2.71 x 0.34 in) | 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 145 g (5.11 oz) | 174 g (6.14 oz) |
| | - | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins)
Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Resolution | 720 x 1440 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~293 ppi density) | 1125 x 2436 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.5 inches, 78.1 cm2 (~77.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 84.4 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Super Retina OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM) |
| | - | 3D Touch |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A53 | Hexa-core 2.39 GHz (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6739WA (28 nm) | Apple A11 Bionic (10 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-T720MP2 | Apple GPU (three-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 8.1 (Oreo) | iOS 11.1.1, up to iOS 16.7.12 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC | No |
| Internal | 16GB 2GB RAM | 64GB 3GB RAM, 256GB 3GB RAM |
| | eMMC 5.1 | NVMe |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), 1/3.0", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama), panorama, HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, AF | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP | 7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm (standard)
SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | - | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.0, A2DP | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro (market dependent), proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 15W wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min
Wireless (Qi) |
| Talk time | - | Up to 21 h (3G) |
| Type | Li-Ion 2900 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 2716 mAh, non-removable (10.35 Wh) |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Silver Aluminium, Black Titanium | Space Gray, Silver |
| Models | VFD 720 | A1865, A1901, A1902, A1903, iPhone10,3, iPhone10,6 |
| Price | About 120 EUR | About 100 EUR |
| SAR | - | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.96 W/kg (head) 1.56 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality | - |
Noise -93.7dB / Crosstalk -82.8dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 74h |
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinity (nominal), 5.013 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
Voice 68dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 76dB |
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 233100 (v7)
GeekBench: 10215 (v4.4)
GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Vodafone Smart N9
- Extremely affordable
- Decent battery life
- Basic smartphone functionality
- Slow performance
- Low-quality display
- Mediocre camera
- Outdated chipset
Apple iPhone X
- Blazing-fast performance
- Excellent camera
- Stunning display
- Premium build quality
- Long-term software support
- Expensive
- Older model
- Limited storage options (depending on configuration)
Display Comparison
The iPhone X boasts a stunning Super Retina OLED display with excellent color accuracy, brightness, and contrast. The Vodafone Smart N9 likely features a standard LCD display, which will be noticeably less vibrant and sharp. The iPhone X's 'Infinity' display also offers a more immersive viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
The iPhone X's camera system is renowned for its image quality, offering excellent detail, dynamic range, and low-light performance. The Vodafone Smart N9's camera is likely adequate for basic snapshots but won't match the iPhone X's capabilities.
Performance
The A11 Bionic chip in the iPhone X is a powerhouse, easily handling demanding games and applications. The Mediatek MT6739WA in the Vodafone Smart N9 is a budget chipset, resulting in significantly slower performance and potential lag, especially with multitasking.
Battery Life
Both devices are reported to have impressive endurance ratings (74h). However, the iPhone X's efficient A11 Bionic chip and optimized iOS likely contribute to better real-world battery life despite potentially having a slightly smaller battery capacity than the N9.
Buying Guide
The Vodafone Smart N9 is ideal for users needing a basic smartphone for calls, texts, and light browsing, prioritizing affordability above all else. The iPhone X is for users who demand top-tier performance, a premium camera, and a seamless iOS experience, and are willing to pay a premium.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Vodafone Smart N9 worth buying in 2024?
Only if your budget is extremely limited and you only need basic smartphone functions. Otherwise, consider a more modern budget phone.
❓ Can the Vodafone Smart N9 run demanding apps?
No, the chipset is not powerful enough to handle demanding apps or games smoothly.
❓ How does the iPhone X's iOS compare to Android?
iOS is known for its user-friendliness, security, and tight integration with Apple's ecosystem. Android offers more customization options and a wider range of devices.
