4 phones that have better cameras than the Google Pixel 10

The base Google Pixel 10 came out in 2025 as part of Google's 10th generation series of Pixel phones. One of the biggest improvements the Pixel 10 brings to the table is a triple rear camera setup, which was previously exclusive to the Pro models. That helped the Pixel 10 become a more versatile shooter over its predecessor, the Pixel 9, due to the addition of a telephoto lens to its camera setup. This phone ships with a 1/2.0-inch 48 MP primary wide camera, a 10.8 MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, and a 13 MP ultrawide with a 120-degree field of view. 

On the front is a single 10.5 MP ultrawide for taking selfies, which is housed in a hole-punch cutout. In our Pixel 10 review, we found the device to have a good camera. However, it falls short in some areas, so it isn't the absolute best for anyone who wants a camera-focused phone. In fact, we found it to be a downgrade in some areas compared to the Pixel 9. If you're in the market for a phone with better cameras than the Pixel 10, there are several options available. 

We've rounded up four options you can consider if you want better cameras than what the Pixel 10 offers. The list includes models from Google's own lineup and competitors like Samsung, Apple, and Oppo.

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Google Pixel 10 Pro/Pro XL

If you want a phone with better cameras than the Pixel 10, you have to start with Google's own lineup of phones. The Pixel 10 Pro/Pro XL features a triple rear camera setup, but with better lenses than what you get on the base model. Both the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL include a 50 MP primary wide, a 48 MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, a 48 MP ultrawide lens, and a single 42 MP selfie camera.

In our hands-on Pixel 10 Pro XL review, we found the phone to be an excellent shooter, capturing excellent photos across all the lenses. It produced "detailed, vibrant shots" in well-lit environments. Even in low-light conditions, the device also "performed very well." Digital Camera World also attests to the capabilities of the Pixel 10 Pro/Pro XL, naming the two the best devices for photography with "excellent camera performance on all three lenses." 

The site says the "quality and consistency of its cameras are sublime" and adds that the two excel especially in low-light photography during the night, perhaps aided by the larger 1/1.31-inch primary lens, which allows more light to reach the sensor. The only caveat is that the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL are a bit more expensive than the $599 Pixel 10, starting at $699 and $949, respectively. The 10 Pro XL also has a larger 6.8-inch screen and weighs 8.18 ounces.

iPhone 17 Pro

Like the Pixel 10, the iPhone 17 Pro also comes with a triple rear camera setup. On paper, the iPhone 17 Pro ships with a 48 MP wide, a 48 MP telephoto with 4x optical zoom, and a 48 MP ultrawide lens. On the front is a single 18 MP selfie camera. Per our iPhone 17 Pro review, the device "performed incredibly well in all situations," and that speaks volumes about its shooting capabilities.

We even found the iPhone 17 Pro to be a slightly better shooter than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Pixel 10 Pro. Other reviewers have also praised the iPhone 17 Pro's ability to shoot videos, with TechRadar calling it a "pro-videographer tool." On the other hand, Android Authority said it's the best phone for shooting video, saying it has solid stabilization even at 4x zoom. Among the features that make the iPhone 17 Pro's camera better than the Pixel 10 is that it can shoot in ProRes RAW as well as 4K Dolby Vision videos at up to 120 fps. 

ProRes RAW is specifically exciting for anyone who'd like a phone to shoot videos, as it gives you more control when editing footage. However, the iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099, $500 more than the Pixel 10's current pricing. Fortunately, it gives you 256 GB of storage in the base model, double what the Pixel 10 offers, and offers a more premium package overall.

Oppo Find X9 Ultra

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra ranks among the best phones when it comes to shooting stills as well as video. According to PetaPixel, the Find X9 Ultra's camera "obliterates the best Apple, Samsung, and Google currently offer," and that the phone itself is "more of a camera that happens to be baked into a phone than the other way around." That's a lot of praise for the device. Of course, the secret lies in the phone's clever choice of camera lenses. Unlike the Pixel 10, this device comes with a quad camera. 

The rear camera array is made up of a 200 MP wide, a 200 MP telephoto (with 3x optical zoom), a 50 MP telephoto (with 10x optical zoom), and a 50 MP ultrawide, while the front features a 50 MP selfie camera. From the specs alone, the Find X9 Ultra already has a leg up over the Pixel 10 by being able to shoot 8K video at 30 fps while the latter maxes out at 4K. This phone can also shoot in Dolby Vision HDR format at 4K 60 fps, which you won't find on the Pixel. 

It also offers a higher optical zoom range of up to 10x. Unfortunately, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra is one of the best phones that aren't sold in the U.S. If you're ready and willing to jump through the hoops to get it, then be ready to pay more, as it starts at an equivalent of around $2,000.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is Samsung's flagship phone for 2026. The Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with a quad camera setup with a 200 MP wide, 10 MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, 50 MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, and a 50 MP ultrawide. Alongside the four is a single 12 MP wide selfie camera. The Galaxy S26 Ultra can shoot videos at up to 8K at 24 or 30 fps, which the Pixel can't. 

It also comes with a nifty video stabilization feature dubbed Horizon Lock that tries to keep the video at the same level regardless of how you move or flip the device like a gimbal. We've tested the Galaxy S26 Ultra and loved its versatile system, noting that it "takes excellent shots in all different situations." PC Mag also put the device to the test and says it's an "incredibly powerful platform for shooting photos and videos."

The Galaxy S26 Ultra also offers a handful of advanced video shooting modes for those who'd like better control over their videos. If you're focused on picking the Galaxy S26 Ultra, however, you should note that it's a much larger device than the 6.3-inch Pixel 10 and isn't cheap either. The Galaxy S26 Ultra features a larger 6.9-inch display and is a bit heavier. Additionally, it starts at $1,100 for the base model with 256 GB of storage, making it $500 more expensive than the Pixel 10's current pricing.

How we selected these phones

The Pixel 10 isn't the best camera phone in Google's lineup (let alone the wider smartphone ecosystem) because it doesn't sit at the top of the company's 10th-generation series. To find phones that have better camera setups than the Pixel 10, we first started by looking at what this phone offers.

Next, based on our review and general expertise reviewing different smartphones, we searched for phones that offer better specs not just on paper but that have also proven to perform excellently in real life. That's because you can't easily tell if a given phone is a better shooter than another by simply looking at a spec sheet — it's far more nuanced than that.  To pick the four options, we've based our selection on both our past reviews of some of these phones and also the opinions of other independent testers.

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