The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max represent two of the year’s top-tier smartphones, each packed with advanced camera technology. With new AI capabilities and upgraded sensors, both phones promise to deliver exceptional photography experiences. To compare their performance, CNET’s Andrew Laxon put them to the test in various locations around Edinburgh, taking hundreds of photos to determine which flagship device takes better photos.
Outdoor Photography: Bright Light and Shadows
In bright outdoor environments, both the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the iPhone 15 Pro Max deliver excellent images. The Pixel 9 Pro XL offers slightly higher resolution with its 50-megapixel main camera compared to the iPhone's 48-megapixel sensor. However, Apple's software processing is known for producing vibrant, natural images, which often gives it an advantage.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
For example, in a bright sunlight shot, the iPhone 15 Pro Max offers a warmer color balance with more natural shadows, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL appears a bit duller, although both phones capture impressive detail.
The iPhone takes better photos in the dark. On the other hand, the Pixel's photos are a bit darker. The iPhone's photos have better detail in both light and dark areas. This means the iPhone is better for low-light photography. If you want to take photos in bright light, the Pixel's photos are better.
Close-Ups: Flowers and Fine Details
The Pixel 9 Pro XL blurs the background of flower pictures. The iPhone keeps everything in focus. The Pixel's pictures have a more natural color. The iPhone's pictures have a slightly yellow-green cast. This means the iPhone is better for taking pictures of flowers from a distance. The Pixel's pictures are better if you want to blur the background.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
In scenes where color accuracy is important, the Pixel 9 Pro XL shows a more pronounced magenta shift, while the iPhone maintains a balanced color tone with better contrast on details like brickwork and architectural elements.
Telephoto Zoom Comparison: Sharpness from a Distance (Pixel vs iPhone)
Both smartphones feature 5x optical zoom, meaning they can capture sharp images without losing quality due to digital cropping. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a higher-resolution telephoto sensor that provides more detail in distant shots.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
In a comparative shot, the iPhone 15 Pro Max offers better exposure and contrast, but the Pixel excels at fine detail. When zoomed in on textures, the iPhone's image sometimes looks overly sharp, while the Pixel's looks more natural. In some cases, however, the Pixel's images look artificially bright compared to the iPhone's more realistic rendering.
Night Mode: Low Light Performance
When it comes to low-light photography, the iPhone 15 Pro Max generally outperforms the Pixel 9 Pro XL. At night, the iPhone captures better detail across the board, preserving texture and clarity even in darker parts of the image. The Pixel’s noise reduction algorithm can sometimes over-soften and lose important details, leaving images with more noise, especially in the sky.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
For ultra-wide night shots, both phones perform similarly, but the iPhone still has a slight edge in sharpness. In 5x zoom scenes, the iPhone once again produces sharper images with less noise. There are still times when the Pixel does surprisingly well.
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Panorama, Selfie and Macro Photography (Pixel and iPhone)
The iPhone 15 Pro Max takes better panoramic photos. The photos are wider and have better colors. The Pixel's photos are a bit sharper, but the iPhone's photos look better overall. That's because the iPhone's camera is better at taking photos of wide scenes. The Pixel's camera is better at taking photos of small things.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a better front camera than the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, the iPhone still takes better selfies. The Pixel's pictures are smoother but less sharp. This is because the Pixel uses noise reduction to make the pictures look better, but this also makes the pictures less sharp. The iPhone's pictures are sharper because they don't use as much noise reduction.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
The iPhone 15 Pro Max takes better photos up close. The Pixel's photos can look fake. The iPhone's photos are sharper and have better colors. That means the iPhone is better for taking photos of small things. The Pixel is still a good camera, but it's not as good as the iPhone for macro photography.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Raw Image Capture: Professional Quality and Editing (Pixel and iPhone)
The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a feature called ProRaw that takes very good photos. These photos are good for editing. You can change the shadows, highlights, and colors without losing quality. This makes the iPhone 15 Pro Max a good choice for professional photographers and users who want to edit their photos. The Pixel 9 Pro XL also takes good photos, but it doesn’t have the same level of raw image quality as the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
The Pixel 9 Pro XL’s raw image capture is an improvement over previous models, but it still lags behind the iPhone. Raw files from the Pixel can appear soft and require extensive sharpening to achieve usable quality, making it less ideal for professional use.
Verdict: Choosing the Best Camera Phone (Pixel vs iPhone)
The Pixel 9 Pro XL and the iPhone 15 Pro Max are both good cameras. The Pixel takes good photos in bright light and at 5x zoom. It also takes good selfies and has natural colors. The iPhone 15 Pro Max takes better photos in the dark and up close. It has better raw images and is good for professionals. The best phone for you depends on your needs. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is good for everyone. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is good for people who want detailed photos.
Thanks
This comparison and analysis was conducted by CNET's Andrew Laxon, who took all of the comparison photos and provided the original content featured in this article.