In late 2017, Apple did something that made everyone do a double-take. They killed the home button. The iPhone X—or the iPhone 10, if you aren't feeling Roman—hit the shelves with a design that felt like it came from five years in the future. But the real conversation wasn't just about Face ID or that (then) controversial notch. It was about the size of the iphone 10. For the first time, we had a device that felt small in the hand but looked massive to the eye.
It's a weird paradox. If you hold an iPhone 10 today, it feels almost dainty compared to the "Pro Max" slabs we lug around in 2026. Yet, when it launched, it boasted the largest screen ever put on an iPhone.
The Numbers: Size of the iPhone 10 Broken Down
Let's look at the hard data. The iPhone 10 measures 143.6 mm (5.65 inches) in height, 70.9 mm (2.79 inches) in width, and has a thickness of 7.7 mm (0.30 inches). It weighs in at 174 grams (6.14 ounces).
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To put that in perspective, it’s only a tiny bit larger than the iPhone 8, but it managed to cram a 5.8-inch screen into that frame. The iPhone 8, for comparison, had a measly 4.7-inch display. Apple basically deleted the "forehead" and "chin" of the phone to give you more glass without making you buy bigger pants with deeper pockets.
Honestly, the weight is what surprises people most. Because of the surgical-grade stainless steel frame, the iPhone 10 has this dense, premium "heft" to it. It doesn't feel like a toy. It feels like a literal ingot of glass and metal.
Screen-to-Body Magic
The display is a 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED. Now, technically, the "size" is 5.85 inches if you measure it as a standard rectangle, but the rounded corners take a little bit of that away. Most users don't care about the math; they care that they can reach the top of the screen with one thumb. Sorta. You still might need "Reachability" mode if you have smaller hands, but compared to the 8 Plus, this thing was a dream for one-handed use.
How It Compares to the Plus Models
Back then, if you wanted a big screen, you had to carry the iPhone 8 Plus. That phone was a monster. It was 158.4 mm tall. The iPhone 10 is nearly 15 mm shorter than the 8 Plus, yet the 8 Plus only had a 5.5-inch screen.
Wait, how does a smaller phone have a bigger screen? It's all about the aspect ratio. The iPhone 10 moved to a taller, narrower 19.5:9 ratio. This is where the marketing gets a bit tricky. While the diagonal measurement (5.8 inches) is larger than the 8 Plus (5.5 inches), the 8 Plus actually has a wider screen. If you’re watching a traditional 16:9 video, the iPhone 10 actually shows a smaller image because of the "letterboxing" on the sides. You get about a 4.96-inch viewable area for standard video.
But for scrolling? For Instagram, TikTok (which was just starting to blow up then), or reading articles? The iPhone 10 size was superior. You saw more content with less flicking of your wrist.
Why the Size of the iPhone 10 Defined the Next Decade
Apple hit a "Goldilocks" zone with this chassis. It wasn't too big, wasn't too small. It was just right.
- Pocketability: It fits in skinny jeans. Period.
- The Stainless Steel Grip: Unlike the aluminum on the iPhone 8, the polished steel on the 10 felt "grippy" against the skin.
- The Thickness: At 7.7 mm, it’s thin enough to look sleek but thick enough that the camera bump doesn't make it feel like it's going to tip over on a table.
We’ve seen Apple drift away from this. The current base models are slightly larger, and the Pro Max versions are basically tablets. Holding an iPhone 10 in 2026 reminds you of a time when "flagship" didn't mean "giant." It was the peak of ergonomic design before we all decided that watching three-hour movies on our phones was the primary use case.
Practical Takeaways for 2026
If you’re looking at the size of the iphone 10 because you’re considering buying a used one or just feeling nostalgic, here is the reality check:
- Case Compatibility: You cannot use iPhone 11 or iPhone XS cases on an iPhone 10. The camera cutout on the 10 is slightly different, and the dimensions, while close, aren't identical enough for a perfect snap-on fit.
- Battery Trade-off: Small size means a smaller battery. The 2,716 mAh cell in the iPhone 10 was decent for 2017, but by modern standards, it struggles to pull a full day of heavy use.
- Repairability: Because of the compact internals and the glass-sandwich design, screen replacements are still relatively pricey for an older device.
The iPhone 10 remains the blueprint for the modern smartphone. It proved that we didn't need massive bezels to have a functional device. It gave us a "big" screen experience in a "small" phone body.
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If you find yourself missing the days when you could actually reach the "A" key and the "P" key on your keyboard with the same hand, you’re likely missing the specific footprint of this phone. It’s a classic for a reason.
Your Next Steps:
If you're looking to match this specific handheld feel with a modern device, look into the standard iPhone 15 or 16. They are the closest spiritual successors in terms of width and weight, though they have slightly larger 6.1-inch screens. Alternatively, if you're trying to fix an old iPhone 10, always verify the model number (A1865, A1901) before ordering parts, as the internal brackets differ slightly between versions despite having the same external size.