The iPhone X has just recorded the best ever DxOMark Mobile score for photography, managing a score of 101, topping Google Pixel 2’s score of 99. Overall though, it ties with the equally impressive Huawei Mate 10 Pro with a score of 97, while the Pixel 2 remains on the pedestal with 98.
Apple’s 10th anniversary iPhone also betters the previous chart-topper iPhone 8 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
As you know DxOMark runs the most technically thorough camera tests (stills and video) in the industry. DxOMark engineers capture and evaluate over 1,500 test images and more than two hours of video in controlled lab environments as well as natural indoor and outdoor scenes. What to learn more on how they do it? Click here.
You may argue that some tests are subjective, and I won’t disagree with you. But the bottom line is, this just proves how far smartphone cameras have advanced, and sometimes numerical scores don’t matter as much how our eyes ultimately perceive images.
If you drill down the subscores you’ll notice that different phones may top certain scores but lose out on others. For instance, the iPhone X beats the Pixel 2 on noise, zoom, and bokeh. But things turn around when it comes to exposure, contrast, and colour.
The iPhone X features a similar dual-cam setup to the iPhone 8 Plus with one key different. They share the same 12MP sensors including the same wide-angle f/1.8 lens with OIS on the main shooter. However, on the secondary camera, the iPhone X has a superior wide-aperture f/2.4 telephoto lens with OIS.
Additionally, the front-facing camera is super advanced, with FaceID powering improved depth-mapping that makes Portrait mode and bokeh possible.
The iPhone X improves noticeably in Zoom performance compared to the iPhone 8 Plus, and also does better in terms of exposure, colour, texture, noise and artifacts.
It also offers good exposure and HDR images, accurate colour rendering, good detail with low noise, and natural-looking bokeh effect in Portrait mode.
Surprisingly, the iPhone X doesn’t improve the game in the video stakes, achieving pretty much the same subcore of the iPhone 8 Plus. It scores 89, with main strengths in exposure, good dynamic range, color rendering, good saturation and excellent stabilisation.
In conclusion, DxOMark says the iPhone X delivers “one hell of a smartphone camera.”
Check out the full DxOMark Mobile iPhone X benchmark tests here.
