The improvements to the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL's cameras were a key part of its launch publicity, so naturally we had to test them for ourselves. And there's no better candidate than one of its biggest rivals — the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
With 48MP and 50MP main cameras respectively, the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Pixel 9 Pro XL have similar stats for their primary sensors. But the iPhone 15 Pro Max then goes with 12MP sensors for its three remaining cameras (ultrawide, 5x telephoto and selfie) while the Pixel instead keeps the hi-res party going with 48MP ultrawide and 5x telephoto cameras, and a 42MP selfie camera.
With that in mind, plus the difference in the two phones' post-processing algorithms, there are going to be plenty of differences to explore as we figure out which one deserves the higher spot on our best camera phone list. So get comfortable as we take you through the samples until we find our victor.
Main
Our first round is of a view across Beckenham Green early in the morning. The Pixel shows off the colors of the whole scene beautifully, from the sky down to the sun-scorched patches of the lawn. Even if it's not quite as attention-grabbing as the brighter iPhone image, it feels more accurate, meaning that ultimately I like both shots.
Winner: Draw
Ultrawide
Down the road, looking at St George's Church in Beckenham with the sun still low in the sky, we have a tricky test of the ultrawide cameras of these two phones. The church is a bit dark in the iPhone image, which is understandable considering how the light is coming from directly behind it. Nonetheless, the Pixel manages to capture the detail of the scene much better.
Winner: Pixel 9 Pro XL
Colors
The potted plants in this shot have rich hues in the photos from both phones. However the iPhone's brighter version earns it a win. The Pixel does okay with the highlights of the image, but the darker colors like the plant pots or the fuchsia-colored flowers have ended up drab-looking.
Winner: iPhone 15 Pro Max
Macro
The two close-ups of this flower look similar initially, but the iPhone's actually a little brighter. As a result, subtle details like the veins running through the petals show up far better than in the Pixel's image. And subtle detail is exactly what you're hoping to capture in a macro photo.
Winner: iPhone 15 Pro Max
Hi-res
A busy bicycle park in Paddington station gave us a chance to try out a 50MP main camera shot from the Pixel 9 Pro, and a 48MP shot from the iPhone. We again see the iPhone producing a brighter image, but the Pixel's is sharper, helped by its slightly higher pixel count and more balanced lighting across the image.
Winner: Pixel 9 Pro XL
Panoramic
Setting aside the phones' lens shape differences that have caused some objects to distort, we have two decent-looking panoramas of Paddington's Sheldon Square Amphitheater. The iPhone is again the brighter shot, but it's also got an edge on the Pixel in terms of detail.
Winner: iPhone 15 Pro Max
Low light
In a dimly-lit room, these vases on shelves are noticeably brighter in the Pixel image. The iPhone's shot is by no means bad, but it's much harder to tell what color these objects are, or make out elements like the gravel filling the vases. Aside from its more dramatic-looking shadows, the iPhone image is the worse of the two.
Winner: Pixel 9 Pro XL
Dynamic Range
The bright sunlit exterior and shaded interior of this hedge allow us to see how well these phones can balance their camera exposure. There's not much difference when looking at the brightest parts of either image, but the Pixel's warmer tone and greater visibility of the inner branches give it the win.
Winner: Pixel 9 Pro XL
Telephoto
Pointing our test phones now at a signpost against a bright blue sky, the Pixel 9 Pro XL's 5x zoom camera produced the brightest shot. But the contrast of the iPhone's shot helps the detail, like the text on the sign, stand out better, which is key for this sort of photo.
Winner: iPhone 15 Pro Max
Max zoom
This distant street sign was taken at 25x magnification on the iPhone, and 30x on the Pixel, although we've cropped the shots to same zoom level to make this comparison easier. The text on the iPhone image is once again sharper, but to the Pixel's credit, the colors are more accurate, with more details like the streaks of rust visible despite its fuzziness
Winner: iPhone 15 Pro Max
Selfie
This is a close contest, but as this is a portrait selfie, we have to judge the quality of the bokeh effect. The iPhone doesn't get it 100% right around the edge of my glasses, but it does a far better job than the Pixel does.
Winner: iPhone 15 Pro Max
Moon
To finish up, we have a second low-light image - a tricky shot of a full moon through a gap in the trees. The Pixel's shot is neater, with no lens flare and less artefacting around the moon itself. But because the iPhone's shot is brighter, you get a better sense of the surrounding environment. If you combined the center of the Pixel's shot with the edges of the iPhone's and averaged out the color and brightness, this would be an awesome photo. But since the focus is the moon in this scenario, the Pixel gets the point.
Winner: Pixel 9 Pro XL
Verdict
And so, the winner is the iPhone 15 Pro Max, squeezing out a victory with six rounds won to the Pixel's five.
The Pixel is only barely in second place though, and has shown it can work wonders with difficult light conditions, especially with its main and ultrawide cameras. But when the iPhone can get into its stride with its better color science, it proves to be the slightly more consistent of the two.
