Update, 2018: 

The iPhone 8 Plus, launched in September 2017, is the second-best phone you can get from Apple. It offers most of the features in the top-of-the-line iPhone X, but in familiar hardware. Two months after the 8 Plus' release, the X would mark the first major design upgrade from Apple in years, but change -- and a high price tag -- was hard to swallow for some.

Since its release, the 8 Plus has held onto its spot as the iPhone with the most features for your money. But with rumors swirling around three potential new iPhones, including an affordable option, it will likely be dethroned this September.

Check out CNET's best smartphones for more information on competitive products.

The original review of the iPhone 8 Plus -- published on December 22, 2017 and which mostly remains unchanged -- follows.

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The 8 Plus isn't "the best iPhone you can buy," as the larger Plus phones have been since Apple started its "regular and extra large" iPhone releases in 2014. And it's no longer the only big-screen iPhone. The iPhone X is a step above the 8 Plus in a lot of ways, with some extra camera features, a great size-to-body ratio, a vivid OLED display, and a surprisingly functional Face ID camera that replaces the home button. Of course, it's also more expensive.

But, don't sleep on the 8 Plus. The 8 Plus feels a lot bigger than the compact X, and its design has barely changed from previous iPhone Plus models. But its powerful performance, still-excellent cameras, and roomy, standard-shaped screen -- which maximizes all existing iPhone apps and includes a few iPad-like features not available on the X -- makes it the old-school, "get it done" veteran of Apple's iPhone lineup.

2017 iPhone pricing (64GB, 256GB)

	US	UK	Australia
iPhone 8	$699, $849	£699, £849	AU$1,079, AU$1,329
iPhone 8 Plus	$799, $949	£799, £949	AU$1,229, AU$1,479
iPhone X	$999, $1,149	£999, £1,149	AU$1,579, AU$1,829

This big, capable phone includes all of the features of the smaller iPhone 8 ($500 at Cricket Wireless) -- including wireless charging, the True Tone screen and that same superfast A11 Bionic processor you'll find in the X. But, like last year's iPhone 7 Plus ($999 at Amazon.com), you get a larger 5.5-inch screen, water resistance and -- most critically -- an excellent dual rear camera with 2x optical zoom, upgraded for 2017 with an all-new image sensor. That camera, already great a year ago, has gotten even more refined and fantastic-looking. In the weeks since the 8 Plus release, it's impressed both CNET Senior Photographer James Martin and me. And while the camera on the iPhone X is a bit better, the difference is more one of inches than miles, as Lexy Savvides and Vanessa Hand Orellana found in their deep-dive comparison.

While the upgrades for existing 7 Plus owners are minimal (beyond wireless charging), the 8 Plus is worth the premium over the 8 to get the dual cameras, larger display, and a battery life that still beats out the iPhone X. It feels like a large workhorse next to the iPhone X, a traditional phone... but a powerful one. And, perhaps, one that some will prefer over the X.

Now that I've lived with both phones for weeks, I prefer the more hand-friendly iPhone X. But I think the 8 Plus is still a fantastic package, and a great chance to get onboard with Apple's newest processors without making the full move (financially and ergonomically) to Apple's new iPhone designs.

Editors' note, Dec. 22: This review has been updated to add a battery rating, and a discussion of how battery life compares across 2017 iPhones. A November 16 update added extensive comparisons of the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X, as well as photo comparisons to the Pixel 2.

Design: Once again (mostly) the same

To reiterate: The iPhone 8 Plus has all of the same basic features as the new iPhone 8, except for its larger size, slightly better battery life (in our everyday real-life use) and better cameras. If you want a deeper dive into those main new details of the 2017 iPhones, check out our iPhone 8 review.

As far as the Plus design goes, it's deja vu all over again. The iPhone 8 Plus looks identical to the 7 Plus, but it does feel different, thanks to a move to a glossy glass back. Apple's construction process this time uses stronger aluminum body accents, steel reinforcement inside and metal highlights around the camera lens. There are only three colors this time: white with silver highlights, glossy black and space gray, and a blush pink-like gold that feels rose-goldish.

Camera: Stellar shots, even better video

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 ($750 at Amazon.com) is a great camera. The new Pixel 2 is a great camera. Apple used to have an untouchable lead in camera quality, but now many phones take excellent photos. And that's why Apple has once again raised the bar on its camera. 

The 8 Plus includes a new sensor and image signal processor to go with its new A11 Bionic chip, promising richer colors, better low-light shots and faster autofocus. My photos generally turned out great. Low-light gains aren't as dramatic as I expected compared to the already excellent iPhone 7 Plus, but the photos I've been taking have generally looked phenomenal.

Portrait Mode, which debuted last year, now supports flash photography and HDR (on the 7 Plus, too, with iOS 11). The 8 Plus and the X add a new photo technique called Portrait Lighting, a beta feature that adds simulated 3D lighting to faces and even strips out backgrounds to create a studio-shot effect. My mileage varied: Sometimes the effect was stunning, but other times it looked very fake and weirdly clipped. I wouldn't upgrade my phone for it, but it can be fun to toy with. It will undoubtedly get better.

Enlarge Image

At sunset around my home, comparison shots between the 7 Plus and 8 Plus weren't that easy to tell apart until it was nearly dark. The new slow-syncing flash that promises richer flash photos didn't have a huge impact for me so far, but I need to keep trying it out. But see for yourself: the camera takes damn good photos, and colors do seem enhanced. That can also mean more details. HDR was improved when shooting sun-drenched clouds.

As I mentioned, James Martin used the Plus, too, and as a professional photographer is maybe even more impressed than I am. Instead of new lenses or a really different hardware camera, the software and processing inside are making the photos better. He was impressed by the low noise in low-light photos, the color rendering and the texture representation. 

As opposed to traditional camera companies -- the Nikons, Canons and Fujis of the world -- he sees Apple's advances in applying the iPhone's powerful CPU to the photo process to be the most stunning concepts at play. "Apple is doing things in computational photography that the traditional companies have neglected," he says.