Apple Inc. AAPL's stock hit a new all-time high on Friday of $174.26 as expectations for strong iPhone X sales remain high. The $1,000 high-end smartphone is available for sale, and a plethora of notable tech and finance blogs got their hands on the phone and offered an initial take.

CNBC: The Best Smartphone

CNBC's Todd Haselton described the iPhone X as being the "best smartphone you can buy."

• The screen, made by Samsung and then fine-tuned by Apple's engineers, is the "best display" ever seen on a smartphone, Haselton said. 
• Coupled with "really loud" front-facing speakers, the iPhone X is a great device to watch videos and movies, and the hardened glass-and-steel across the border is the best Apple has made, he said. 
• "When you pick up the iPhone X, it feels like a $1,000 phone."

Wired: 'The One'

Wired's Steven Levy said the iPhone X is strong enough to convince millions of consumers to upgrade.

• The phone offers a big screen but in a compact form factor, Levy said. Users will have to get used to the absence of a home button, but that isn't a bad thing, Levy said. 
• The iPhone X's upgraded camera turns in crisp photos, and the more powerful battery functions as advertised, Levy said. 
• "Yes, this is the one," the Wired reviewer said.

Mashable:'Changes Everything'

Mashable's Lance Ulanoff said the iPhone X is not just a new iPhone, but rather a roadmap for all future iPhones.

• The new phone is heavier than the iPhone 7 and users will certainly feel a difference, Ulanoff said. The screen "blows away" the one used in the iPhone 8, the reviewer said. 
• The facial recognition feature to unlock the device is faster than the prior Touch ID sequence, Ulanoff said. 
• "All of it is so beautiful," the Mashable reviewer said.

New York Times: 'The Best iPhone Ever'

The New York Times' Brian Chen said the iPhone X represents a big leap forward from prior devices.

• The new controls are a struggle at first and less technologically savvy users may experience some trouble, Chen said. 
• The upgraded camera is very much a "wow factor" and a "major draw" for many users, according to the Times. 
• The iPhone 8 just as fast as the iPhone X, simpler to use and more familiar to core iPhone customers, Chen said. 
• "Splurge on the iPhone X" only if you are a tech-crazed individual or "willing to get up early to line up for a $999 phone," he said. 

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