Galaxy Note 8 Ties iPhone 8 Plus for ‘Best Smartphone Camera’

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has basically tied with the iPhone 8 Plus in terms of overall smartphone camera quality, according to comprehensive testing by camera company DxO Labs.

Overall, the Galaxy Note 8 managed to achieve generally better results when it came to still photography, DxO Labs concluded. On the other hand, the iPhone 8 Plus ranked higher when it came to recording high-quality video. The Note 8 achieved an overall score of 94, tying with the iPhone 8 Plus. Jointly, it’s still the highest score achieved by any smartphone that the company has tested.

The Samsung handset achieved a “phenomenal” score in the still photography sub-category. Indeed, DxO said that the Note 8 is the first smartphone ever to score a perfect 100 points in the category, due to a variety of factors. For comparison, the iPhone 8 Plus scored a 94 in still photography. The phablet “breaks new ground and makes the Note 8 the current class-leader for stills,” the testing firm concluded

DxO praised the Samsung handset for a variety of factors, including its industry-leading zoom quality and its fast yet accurate autofocus. As far as low-light photo-taking, the Note 8 also performed well, as its ability to reduce noise and preserve detail ranks slightly higher than its competitors. The Samsung flagship also did well in HDR performance — despite some issues with highlights and loss of detail on highly backlit subjects.

When it came to video recording, however, the Note 8 scored high but fell a bit short of the iPhone 8 Plus, mainly due to residual motion that appeared even when holding the smartphone still. While the Note 8 capped out at 84 points in the category, the iPhone 8 Plus still achieved 89 in the same testing. It’s worth noting that the leader in the video category is still the Google Pixel with a score of 91.

DxO’s testing is well-respected in the industry, as the camera firm claims it has analyzed over 10,000 different camera and lenses — including those in popular modern smartphones. Its DxOMark Mobile testing score is an industry standard as far as camera quality.

Previously, the renowned optics firm said the iPhone 8 Plus had the “best smartphone camera” that they’ve ever tested. Even though Samsung’s latest and greatest has tied with Apple’s smartphone, it’s worth noting that they might both have competition on the horizon. In its iPhone 8 Plus review, DxO Labs said that the iPhone X’s camera will likely be on the “cutting edge of zoom and portrait performance.” Whether that results in a new record-breaking score for Apple remains to be seen.