At the recent Made by Google event, Google made a daring declaration: the new flagship Pixel 10 Pro boasts the best smartphone camera globally.

Now that I have the device in my possession, I aimed to evaluate that “world’s best” claim by contrasting it with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, the previous champion. In terms of megapixels, Samsung’s flagship holds a significant advantage with a 200MP primary camera, while the Pixel 10 Pro features a 50MP main camera that aligns more closely with the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 48MP camera.

However, camera quality is not solely determined by megapixel numbers. Google asserted that the Pixel 10 Pro would also offer a 100x zoom, enhanced low-light photography, and an AI “Camera Coach” feature, designed to educate partners around the globe on capturing quality couple’s photos (these are Google’s words, not mine).

I set out to pit the Pixel 10 Pro against the Galaxy S25 Ultra cameras to determine which would reign supreme. You can evaluate the outcomes yourself with samples from the over 500 photos and videos I captured using both smartphones.

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Pixel 10 Pro vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra cameras: A hardware comparison

Both smartphones present comparable hardware, yet there are several key distinctions.

The Pixel 10 Pro includes:

– 50MP primary lens
– 48MP 5x telephoto lens
– 48MP ultrawide lens
– 42MP selfie camera

On the flip side, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra incorporates:

– 200MP primary lens
– 10MP 3x telephoto lens
– 50MP 5x telephoto lens
– 50MP ultrawide lens

On paper, it may seem that the Samsung device has decisively outmatched the Pixel, but the results tell a different story.

I must highlight one significant caveat: a genuine comparison is only feasible because I’m viewing the images on a Monoprice 32-inch monitor at 100% zoom. On a smartphone display or Instagram feed, the images from both devices appear stunning. It’s only upon closer inspection that minor differences become apparent.

Evaluating the main cameras

Both devices feature outstanding main cameras with remarkable color accuracy and sharpness. I believe the 200-megapixel lens on the Samsung S25 Ultra excels at capturing the entire scene with clarity in both the foreground and background. The Pixel 10 Pro showcases the texture of the trees more effectively but sacrifices some clarity regarding the roller coaster in the backdrop. Meanwhile, the Pixel captures the stars on the flag more distinctly—they are clearly stars, whereas the Samsung compromises some detail, rendering them more like circles. However, overall, Samsung produced a sharper image of the waving flags compared to Google’s device.

For all comparisons, I’ve arranged the Pixel 10 Pro images on the left and the S25 Ultra images on the right.

Ultrawide cameras

The ultrawide cameras on both devices tend to lose a fair amount of detail, which is typical for ultrawide lenses. Textures become distorted, and grain begins to appear. I have yet to encounter an ultrawide camera that avoids this issue. The ultrawide camera of the Pixel 10 Pro captures slightly more of the scene, which is the objective of an ultrawide lens, so I have to give it the edge.

5x telephoto comparison

Both smartphones are outfitted with a 5x periscope telephoto lens. Each of these cameras performs admirably at capturing images at 5x optical zoom, which, as a parent, I prioritize far more than ultrawide shots. Overall, I think Samsung’s photo displayed a more realistic color representation, while Google’s appeared to enhance the vibrant colors for more impact. It’s a matter of personal preference, but between the two, I’d likely favor the vibrancy of the Pixel 10 Pro, and not just for the alliteration. Both lenses revealed excellent detail, as this floral backdrop could prove challenging for an inferior lens.

Testing the 100x zoom feature

Now we arrive at the main attraction. Samsung has boasted about its 100x zoom for several years, whereas Google has only recently entered this arena.

Notoriously, Samsung Galaxy S Ultra phones are renowned for their lunar photography. Unfortunately, during my testing period, the moon remained below the horizon for most of the time. Consequently, I had to focus on terrestrial subjects. Initially, I captured a photo of a sign for a ride from about 150 feet away.

You can see the distance in the first image. Then just to confirm, I approached and took a