I downgraded from an iPhone X to an iPhone 8 - and I think I like the less expensive phone more

The other big difference between the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 is that the more expensive phone uses Apple's Face ID face scanning to unlock the phone.

I liked Face ID, and I didn't have many problems, except sometimes when checking it in bed or with certain sunglasses.

But the humble fingerprint sensor on the iPhone still works great, and the satisfying haptic feeling you get when you press it can't be replicated on the iPhone X.

Honestly, it's a toss-up between Face ID and Touch ID for me. But that also means I'm not willing to pay extra for face-scanning security on my phone.

The iPhone X is a powerful phone, but the iPhone 8 is its equal — in fact, Apple says they share the same A11 chip.

Since they both run iOS, the iPhone 8 can download all the same apps that the iPhone X or XS can.

I do miss out on some fancy camera-related stuff, like Animoji and portrait mode (which is available on the 8 Plus), but it's not a deal-breaker.

I get that Apple's designers want the phone to look like a "single sheet of glass," but in practice, I didn't use the edge-to-edge screen that much.

When you're using the keyboard on the iPhone X, for example, a whole section of the bottom of the phone just shows gray, like in the picture above.

And on the top, content is obscured by the iPhone's notorious notch.

I didn't really mind the extra screen space, but I've come to realize I don't need it. Going back to an older phone didn't really feel like going into the past, as happens sometimes with older gadgets.

Apple says that the iPhone X has a longer battery life than the iPhone 7 (and iPhone 8) by about two hours. The bigger phone can support a bigger battery.

In my usage, that feels about right, and often, that's the difference between charge anxiety and feeling great about my power levels at the end of a day.

But since the iPhone 8 still supports wireless charging, it's easy to simply put my phone on my charging pads at home and the office, and that helps me stay topped off throughout the day.

The iPhone X has two lenses on its rear camera, including a lens that has a 56 mm equivalent. It's great — I tended to use it as my main camera to get closer to the subject. I wish it were the camera on the back of the iPhone 8.

However, the camera on the back of the iPhone 8 is still great. It's good enough to take photos for a blog post for work, for example.

Apple sells the iPhone 8 for $599 with 64 GB of storage, which is usually enough for me.

If I wanted a real bargain, I could get a refurbished iPhone 8 for $499, when they come back in stock.

Apple's iPhone XR starts at $750, which is significantly more. It has Apple's Face ID security system and better battery life, but it also lacks the zoom lens I like.

Apple no longer makes the iPhone X. If I wanted to replace my old phone with a similar device, I'd have to get an iPhone XS, which costs $999 and has a few updates, including a faster processor. The iPhone XS will have nearly everything I had with the iPhone X, but it costs nearly 40% more than a new iPhone 8.

I usually recommend people buy the most expensive phone they can afford, given the time you spend on it every day. But since I ended up liking the iPhone 8 as much as I liked my iPhone X, I might end up saving the money and putting it towards my next computer purchase.