I Tested the iPhone 16E and Pixel 9A Cameras and the Results Were Stunning

Google has proved with the Pixel 9A that you can still take good-looking snaps and pay less than $500. Images from the phone look terrific and capture a lot of detail and texture. And Google's algorithm secret sauce for capturing beautiful and natural complexions in portraits is on full display here.

Apple replaced its cheapest phone with the iPhone 16E. In doing so, it tried to pull some of the affordable photographic attention away from the Pixel. The iPhone 16E takes lovely photos, even with one fewer camera than the Pixel. Apple is well-known for pushing the limits of phone photography with the iPhone, but that is usually tied to its iPhone Pro line, which starts at $1,000. While $599 is Apple's lowest price for a new phone, the iPhone 16E misses the Pixel 9A's $500 sweet spot.

If you're looking to save money by buying a base smartphone, are you giving up all hopes of taking good photos? The cameras on flagship phones like the iPhone 16 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra are capable of astonishing results, but those and other best-camera options cost $1,000 and up.

So that raises the question: Does a pricier phone take better photos?

To find out, I took the iPhone 16E and Pixel 9A around San Francisco and put them through a camera test. Several hundred photos later, I was surprised by the results, but I ended up with one being my favorite.