iPhone X Impressions: 'Striking' Display and 'Sensational-Looking' Design Make High Price Worth It

Apple just officially announced the iPhone X, its all-new, drastically redesigned, tenth anniversary iPhone. Right after the keynote where it debuted, reporters were treated to the hands-on demo room within the Steve Jobs Theater where they got to be among the first people in the world to hold an iPhone X. Below we'll round up some of the first impressions on the device, which many publications are describing as "beautiful," "striking," and a "sensational-looking" iPhone.

SlashGear called the iPhone X "familiar, and yet so very different," alluding to the aluminum casing of the new iPhone that matches the original iPhone's design, while also commenting on the "striking" OLED display. While other smartphones have had OLED screens, SlashGear said the iPhone X "takes it to another level," with text and graphics that look "embedded into the toughened glass" of the display.

P9122030


Although the top "notch" of the screen looked intrusive in viewing some photos and videos, the site largely said that it shouldn't get in the way much elsewhere.

Most striking, of course, is the display. Apple has not only pushed the 5.8-inch OLED panel to the very edges of the bezel, it has hugged the corners too. The much-discussed “notch” in the top – housing not only the new TrueDepth Camera, but various other sensors used for the new Face ID system – looks intrusive in photos but, in my brief use of the iPhone X, didn’t feel like it would get in the way.

You’re too busy marveling at Apple’s OLED screen, really. We’re used to bright, color-rich panels from OLED technology but the iPhone X takes it to another level, text and graphics looking like they’re embedded into the toughened glass that protects the phone front and back. It’s pleasingly smear and lag-free, even in fast-paced augmented reality games, too.

The Verge said that the "star of the show" for the iPhone X is its 5.8-inch OLED screen, which goes to great lengths in proving that an iPhone without a Home Button can actually work. Furthermore, the site said Face ID "actually works," with a nearby Apple demo assistant repeatedly showing off the biometric security feature, which "worked every time" even under the bright and erratic conditions of the demo area.


The Verge continued by noting a few of the iPhone X's control gestures will likely take some time to get used to, including swiping up to go home, but over time the site predicted it'll become just as natural as current UI controls on iOS 10. Like many sites, The Verge noted the $999 price tag for the starting model of the iPhone X, but said that for most users it'll feel "worth it."

The thing that a lot of people want to talk about with the iPhone X is its $999 starting price, but when you have the phone in your hand, it feels... worth it. The X is an extremely beautiful device, with a stainless steel band and glass back curving into a 5.8-inch OLED display that stretches all the way across the front of the phone.

The screen dictates everything about the iPhone X’s design, including its lack of a home button. This will probably be one of the most controversial things about the phone among iPhone users, but Apple has done a lot of work to make iOS feel natural without a home button. I couldn’t test out the new FaceID authentication myself without setting it up, but it was configured for one of Apple’s demo assistants, and it worked every time he showed it off, even under the frenetic conditions and bright lights of the demo area.

TechRadar called the iPhone X "easily, easily the best-looking phone Apple's ever made," with rear glass that feels "solid and secure" in the hand and the rounded edges and light form factor make it "pleasant to hold," although fingerprints will be a problem. Despite being slightly smaller than an iPhone 7 Plus, TechRadar noted that some iPhone X gestures will still require two hands, and pointed out that "you can't reach the top right-hand corner as easily" for bringing up the new control center.

P9122038
Unlike The Verge's experience, TechRadar described a questionable demo experience with Face ID, where the demo worker had to keep turning the display off and on to active the facial recognition system. Still, it noted that daily testing will be required to truly see the potential of Face ID -- as well as all of the iPhone X's new features -- and came away largely impressed by the smartphone, particularly the display.

It's hard to overstate how beautiful this screen is - and that's not hyperbole brought on by extreme fatigue. It's deep, rich and smooth, and draws level with Samsung in the quality stakes easily. If the planned effect of the iPhone X was to wow with its display, it’s certainly done that. The colors are just so vivid on the all-screen front, and it truly feels like you’re holding one of the iPhone concepts we wrote about years ago.

We’re definitely going to need convincing with Face ID – Apple’s done a good job of explaining why its system is better than anything we’ve seen before, but without trying this day to day it’s hard to know whether it’ll be good enough to replace Touch ID and the demos weren't anywhere near convincing enough. But while question marks remain, there’s no doubt that this is the futuristic iPhone from Apple we’ve been waiting for. Just be ready to pay a hefty sum for it.

According to iMore's Rene Ritchie, the Face ID feature in the iPhone X will store just one face at a time, so only one person will be able to unlock a given device. To switch faces, the Face ID feature will need to be reset.

The iPhone X will officially be up for pre-order on October 27, and then go on sale November 3, starting at $999 for the 64GB version and rising to $1,149 for the 256GB version. Apple revealed the iPhone X earlier today, alongside the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, Apple Watch Series 3, and Apple TV 4K.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Update for iPhones Coming Soon — Here's What to Expect

Thursday September 25, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. MacRumors has also seen evidence of iOS 26.0.1 in its visitor logs in recent days. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...
Apple More Personal Siri Ad

Apple Responds to U.S. Class Action Lawsuit Over Delayed Siri Features

Friday September 26, 2025 6:57 am PDT by
In March, Apple delayed the launch of its personalized Siri features, and soon after the company was hit with multiple class action lawsuits over the situation. The plaintiffs said they never would have purchased an iPhone 16, or would have paid less, had they known Apple's marketing about the Siri features was false. In the U.S., all of the complaints were consolidated into one class...

Top Rated Comments

Serelus Avatar
105 months ago
Again, everyone wanted it to look like this:

Instead we get a hindrance on screen ****ing come on.. this is your anniversary phone. It would've been flawless that way.
Score: 92 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FaasNat Avatar
105 months ago
I'm still in the TouchID > FaceID camp.
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
malcolmffc Avatar
105 months ago
The Fanboyism here is garishly disturbing. The FACE ID failed in the demo and yet everyone is applauding it.

This will not be easy to use in the car while driving at all. Nobody is even mentioning that.
And exactly why are you looking at your phone while driving?
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kavu33 Avatar
105 months ago
about privacy and face id .. now anyone can take your phone put it in front of your face and unlock your phone .. police will love this!
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hustler1337 Avatar
105 months ago
I know it's been said countless times, but the notch on the front of the screen is not good design, no matter how 'striking' the screen is. If you want OLED, there's other phones out there with striking displays, it's nothing better. Apple could have easily solved the notch issue if they stopped the display from 'wrapping around' the front camera/sensor panel.

As for the rear, i'm personally not a fan of that either, it's basically the iPhone 8 (or iPhone 7 with a shiny glass coating) with the camera switched to a vertical orientation.

Apart from FaceID being the best in class at present and the introduction of live emojis, nothing else has been revolutionary from Apple. Even then, you've got to wonder whether FaceID is really much more useful than TouchID and live emojis may prove itself to be more of a fad that's only ever useful if your contacts have iMessage. Neither is worth $1,000 for me as it fails to add any real value.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Regeneration Avatar
105 months ago
The notch doesn't really bothered me until they showed us when ur watching a movie in full screen, there no black bars and they embraced the notch even there which looks like cutting out video
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)