Best camera phone of 2026

From the first moment I purchased the new $1,199 iPhone 17 Pro Max and $1,099 17 Pro, I was wowed by their bold and bright redesign. It’s a complete turnaround from Apple’s years of discreet titanium patterning. When I’ve tested the new Pro phones, I’ve always been impressed: Even after a full day of heavy use, the Pro Max’s battery still had 22% or more. The iPhone 17 Pro Max offers the best battery life of any phone CNET has ever tested.

The 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max have the exact same rear cameras, all with 48-megapixel sensors. You can choose between the trio of lenses (wide angle, ultra wide angle and telephoto) to capture photos at resolutions of 12, 24 or 48 megapixels. The telephoto lens features a 4x lens and a 48-megapixel sensor, which is 56% larger than last year’s iPhone 16 Pro. You read correctly: the new Pro has a shorter optical zoom than its predecessor. But I find the 4x short zoom better for portraits, and the increased detail and dynamic range of the 4x photos is a big improvement over the 16 Pro’s 5x shots.

There’s a new selfie camera on both Pro phones that Apple calls Center Stage. Not only does it take 18-megapixel selfies, up from 12-megapixel on the 16 Pro, but you can also hold the 17 Pro vertically and take a horizontal selfie thanks to a new square image sensor.

The 17 Pro and Pro Max are bold, loud, aggressive and powerful, and their bold design appeals to me. But features like the incredible battery life, brighter screen, new selfie camera, and iOS 26 are the real reasons to get it.

Why we love it

I like that Apple gave personality to the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. No more minimal design in the name of simplicity. We have a phone with great cameras that’s more durable, has longer battery life, and, in iOS 26, comes with a number of significant “quality of life” improvements, such as live translations for calls, texts, and FaceTime.

Who is it best for?

The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max would be a great upgrade for someone coming from an iPhone 14 Pro or older. You get a bigger battery, a better screen, faster charging, better cameras, and a faster processor that can handle graphics-intensive games and Apple Intelligence.

Who shouldn’t have it

If you own an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, you don’t need these new phones unless your current phone’s battery capacity is low – and even then, it would be cheaper to simply replace your battery. And unless you have generous disposable income, iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max owners can pass this one up.

Read our review of the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max.

With the iPhone 17, Apple has significantly narrowed the gap between its base model and its Pro counterparts. The $829 iPhone 17 (or $800 if you activate it through a carrier) shares many of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max’s camera features, including Dual Capture and Center Stage. It also finally features a variable refresh rate display from 1 to 120 Hz, allowing you to enjoy smoother scrolling, enable always-on display, and see your notifications at a glance. And support for iOS 26 across the entire iPhone 17 lineup means you can access Apple’s most talked about new software features, like live translation, call screening, and Liquid Glass redesign. All this without spending more than $1,100 for a Pro model, but with slightly reduced battery life and cameras.

Why we love it

The iPhone 17 is a basic phone that shares many hardware and software features with the iPhone 17 Pro models, making it a worthy and budget-friendly competitor to those more expensive devices. Generous battery life, faster charging, and camera upgrades help it stand out from last year’s iPhone 16, even though it looks almost identical.

Who is it best for?

The iPhone 17 is a great choice for the average phone user who wants good cameras, solid battery life, and a quality screen. It’s also a good size for anyone who doesn’t like larger phones.

Who shouldn’t have it

If you’re a photography enthusiast and a particularly heavy phone user, the 17 Pro could be the way to go, as you’ll get a telephoto lens on the back, as well as longer battery life. On the other hand, if you’re a lighter phone user, you can save more money by opting for the slightly more budget-friendly $599 iPhone 16E.

Read our iPhone 17 review.

The Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL aren’t a revolution from their predecessors, but almost every element – from software to hardware – has received some sort of update, resulting in a phone that’s fresh but familiar. The processor isn’t the fastest on the market, but it has more than enough power for everything you’re likely to need it to do, while the cameras performed extremely well in our tests.

Mix in the fun (and potentially very useful) new AI skills and the long period of software support and Google’s new phones do a lot to deserve their flagship title.

Why we love it

The Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL build on their already superb predecessors, delivering more power and deeper, more useful AI skills. The cameras remain among the best on the market, while the large 6.8-inch screen provides enough space to do justice to YouTube videos and mobile gaming on the go.

Who is it for best

While some Android competitors offer more linear speed, the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL offer a truly smooth all-around experience. These phones are easy to use, quick to use, and allow you to take stunning images with little intervention on your part. If you want a “do-it-all” phone that won’t get in the way, you’ll probably do well with these phones.

Who shouldn’t have it

Avid mobile gamers wanting to achieve the highest frame rates for professional-level mobile gaming may find the raw speed of the Tensor G5 processor insufficient.

Read our Google Pixel 10 Pro review.

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra has plenty of AI features, the best of which are interesting and the worst of which are unreliable. Fortunately, Samsung gets a lot of other stuff on the S25 Ultra, which has a new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a high-resolution ultra-wide camera, and superb professional video tools that rival the iPhone 16 Pro. Samsung has wisely kept almost everything that made last year’s Galaxy S24 Ultra great, including that anti-glare screen – unfortunately, that also includes the $1,300 price tag.

If you want the best screen you can find on any phone, get the S25 Ultra. If you want the most versatile phone cameras, get the S25 Ultra. If you want a stylus, get the S25 Ultra. But if your needs diminish on any of these fronts, the more affordable S25 options, or even last year’s S24 Ultra, might be worth considering. Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review.

Why we love it

The reason the Ultra outperforms its S25 siblings is its screen, which is seriously the best I’ve seen on any phone, and the cameras, which are a cut above those on the S25 and S25 Plus. Added video features, such as the ability to record in Log format, bring the Ultra closer to the iPhone than ever before in terms of professional video capture.

Who is it best for?

If you own a Galaxy S22 Ultra or earlier, the S25 Ultra will seem like a significant upgrade. It’s harder to make this point for S23 Ultra owners, who, unless their phone’s battery is low or they can get an incredible discount, should otherwise pass on this one. And for S24 Ultra owners, you don’t need this phone. Save your money and treat yourself to a nice steak dinner and a movie.

Who shouldn’t have it

The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s appeal is muddied by its $1,300 price tag. The standard Galaxy S25 has the same features, power and longevity – and costs $500 less. Want a bigger screen? Consider the Galaxy S25 Plus. For the majority of people, the regular Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus will be a better fit.

With the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung has finally fixed some of the key issues with its previous book-style foldables. The incredibly thin build and wider 6.5-inch cover screen feel like a standard phone when closed, and that wider 8-inch inner screen is ideal for multitasking, with the ability to run up to three apps simultaneously. Perhaps most notably, the camera gets a major upgrade with the addition of a 200-megapixel main camera, which takes photos on par with the high-end S25 Ultra.

Overall, it’s a great choice if you want a larger, tablet-like screen without the bulk or compromise on camera quality.

Why we love it

The Z Fold 7 does a solid job of combining what’s great about standard slate phones and what’s great about foldables. It feels wonderfully normal to hold once closed thanks to its sleek design and lightweight construction. It also packs great cameras and has a large main screen that’s 11% larger than last year’s Z Fold 6.

Fortunately, a thinner build doesn’t force the battery to take a hit; the Z Fold 7 retains the same 4,400mAh battery as last year’s foldable. This is nothing compared to the batteries of Chinese competitors, but at least it is not a downgrade. The Z Fold 7 also packs a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor to power the many AI features you’ll integrate, from Galaxy AI photo and audio editing tools to Gemini Live and Google’s Circle to Search. The phone also supports seven years of software and security updates.

Who is it best for?

If you’re tired of standard slate phones and want something a little more exciting, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a great choice. The slim design and wider cover screen allow it to look as normal as possible when closed, with the added benefit of an expansive main screen, ideal for multitasking and watching videos. The cameras are also impressive for such a thin foldable.

Who shouldn’t have it

The Z Fold 7’s $2,000 price tag is perhaps its biggest caveat. Plus, if you don’t need a bigger screen, it might not be worth it. Ironically, the cover screen is so convenient that you’ll rarely need to open the phone – unless you’re watching movies or multitasking, in which case a phone like the Galaxy S25 Ultra might be better suited.

At $799, the Pixel 10 is a basic device that packs many of the same features that make Pro-level phones stand out, like a telephoto lens, long-lasting battery, and intuitive AI features. It’s a nice, simplified option for those who just want a reliable phone, backed by seven years of software and security updates.

Who is it best for?

If you want a phone with a solid camera for more casual photography, the base Pixel 10 is a perfect fit. It’s also a great choice for people who just want a phone that can last all day and has all the latest Gemini features.

Who shouldn’t have it

If you consider yourself more of a professional photographer, the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL may be more attractive options. Plus, if you own a Pixel 8 or 9, you’ll probably be able to keep your device for a few more years, as there aren’t any major differences between these older devices and Google’s latest benchmark.

Read our Google Pixel 10 review.