A How-To Geek review says Pixel cameras have barely changed in years while Oppo, Vivo, Samsung and Apple rebuild theirs. Here is what that means for your next phone.
Google Pixel phones built their name on great photos, but that lead looks smaller now. A How-To Geek review finds the feeling that Pixel cameras are getting worse is not entirely imagined. Google improves its cameras slowly, and rivals are making big hardware jumps.
The Pixel 6 Pro introduced a roughly 1/1.3-inch, 50-megapixel main sensor in 2021, and Pro models have stayed close to that size since. On the Pixel 11 Pro, the main sensor is new but the same size. The ultrawide and selfie cameras carry over from last year.
The one real upgrade is the 5x zoom lens. Its sensor grew from 1/2.55 inches to 1/1.95 inches. A larger sensor captures more light. The Pixel 11 Pro XL scored 168 on DxOMark, a camera testing site, which is five points more than the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
The standard model has a bumpier story. The Pixel 10 shrank the main sensor and cut the ultrawide from 48MP to 13MP. The Pixel 11 won some of that back with a 48MP main camera on a larger sensor.
It still lands mid-pack. At 154 points, the Pixel 11 ranks 28th on DxOMark. That ties the iPhone 15 Pro and trails the cheaper iPhone 17 by three points. Testers also noted color casts and inaccurate skin tones in low light, plus weaker detail from the ultrawide.
Google has long leaned on software more than hardware. The review argues that approach is showing strain. Reddit and other forums have complaints about Pixel 11 Pro image processing, including badly handled zoom shots. The author suspects heavier use of generative AI, which can invent detail when enlarging a photo. That is the author's guess, not something Google has confirmed.
Rivals are rebuilding whole camera systems.
Megapixels alone do not make a better camera, and the review says so. Still, a Pixel can no longer be assumed to take the best pictures. Before buying, look at independent camera tests and side-by-side sample photos, especially in dim light and at zoom, where the complaints are loudest.
Do not assume a Pixel has the best camera; check independent tests and real sample photos before you buy any new phone.
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