If you languish to find out how well a camera phone performs, you know that it’s hard to find reliable mobile camera reviews on models that are not making the headlines.

There is another way to have a great notion of how a mobile camera “should” perform: by analyzing the camera hardware. It makes a lot of sense: great camera hardware should yield great photos, right?

To provide better news and reviews on mobile phones’ cameras, we have created a proprietary algorithm to evaluate the mobile cameras solely based on their technical data. Our unique Camera HW benchmark can help us predict with some accuracy how a camera will perform and where it fits in the uber-competitive camera phone market.

See below, after the detailed description of our benchmark, the COMPLETE TABLE with all Camera HW scores (direct link to table below).

This new benchmark comes in addition to our Uber IQ Camera score, which helps us measure more accurately the image quality a mobile camera delivers as tested in real life. As with any algorithm, we plan to update it from time to time, so expect the Camera HW score to fluctuate now and then.

As with any algorithm, we plan to update it from time to time, so expect the Camera HW score to fluctuate every now and then. More info in our Camera HW score FAQ.

  • Current version: 1.1 (Sept 2020)
  • What’s new?
    • Better support in our model for the most recent camera technologies
    • Shows camera sub-scores from 1-10 for Wide, Ultrawide, and Zoom
    • Some data correction
    • New phones added more often

Our logo shows the hardware score, the device name and market category (high-end, premium, high-mid-range, low-mid-range, etc.), and its launch year. We will use color codes to differentiate between market categories.

123Image Quality score UBERScoring/ranking system name HWImage-Quality based scoring system CAMERA Brand DeviceDevice brand and name Below $xyzCategory based on price YYYY-MMDevice launch date
123Image Quality score UBERScoring/ranking system name HWImage-Quality based scoring system CAMERA Brand DeviceDevice brand and name Below $xyzCategory based on price YYYY-MMDevice launch date
123Image Quality score UBERScoring/ranking system name HWImage-Quality based scoring system CAMERA Brand DeviceDevice brand and name Below $xyzCategory based on price YYYY-MMDevice launch date
123Image Quality score UBERScoring/ranking system name HWImage-Quality based scoring system CAMERA Brand DeviceDevice brand and name Below $xyzCategory based on price YYYY-MMDevice launch date

The Camera HW score uses a proprietary algorithm that takes camera hardware data as an input to compute a score that ranks a camera against its peers. It essentially reveals the “potential” of the camera hardware.

"GREAT CAMERA HARDWARE SHOULD YIELD GREAT PHOTOS"

Image Quality (IQ) tests take a lot of time and are very expensive to make – we know because we have our Uber IQ Camera score as well, which is the driving force behind our Mobile Camera Reviews going forward.

The best way to check if a model works is to look at the correlation with observed image quality. For that, we can check for correlations between our Uber IQ Camera  (image quality) score and the Camera HW score.

The charts don’t exactly correlate for a few reasons:

  1. Both scores don’t measure the same thing and aren’t expected to be on the same scale
  2. The general IQ score contains situations in which the camera hardware isn’t stressed, such as daylight photography where it is more about camera exposure settings and high-dynamic range, which involves a lot of software
  3. Software. The IQ gap between different phone makers can be significant even though they may use the same type of camera modules.

Looking at a hardware-challenging situation such as Night photography, the correlation is very pronounced, just as one would expect. It is logical that better camera lenses and sensors would yield visibly better results here.

With this algorithm, we can provide consumers with unmatched mobile camera hardware guidance that will help people choose the best mobile camera experience for their money and/or save a lot of time during their initial phone research.

However, it is important to keep in mind that a hardware store, isn’t as reliable as an image-analysis score because software image processing also plays a large role in building the final photo. That’s why we created the Uber IQ Camera score.

Keep an eye out for new scores!

Thanks for your interest in our Mobile Camera scores. We want to provide insightful and useful information that will help you get the best camera for your needs and money. Keep in touch via Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube for updates.

Uber HW Camera scores, per launch year

Click on any table header to sort the rows.

Camera HW (2023 cameras)
Score
Smartphone
201Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
178OnePlus 11
166Samsung Galaxy S23+
166Samsung Galaxy S23
Camera HW (2022 cameras)
Score
Smartphone
202Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
200Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
191Google Pixel 7 Pro
178Google Pixel 7
176Xiaomi 12T Pro
164OnePlus 10 Pro
155Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
148Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
147Honor 70
134OnePlus 10T
132Xiaomi 12T (Global)
125Huawei Nova 10 Pro
Camera HW (2021 cameras)
Score
Smartphone
220Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
203OnePlus 9 Pro
201Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (SD888)
197Google Pixel 6 Pro
191Apple iPhone 13 Pro
189OnePlus 9
189Oppo Find X3 Pro
177Xiaomi 12 Pro
163Samsung Galaxy S21 (SD888)
157Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
155Infinix Zero X Pro
141Motorola Edge (2021)
140Apple iPhone 13
138Infinix Zero X
128Oppo Find X3 Neo
127Asus ROG Phone 5
124Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
119TCL 20 Pro 5G
119Oppo Find X3 Lite
117Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3
114Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
106Xiaomi Redmi 9T
104Motorola Moto One 5G Ace
101Samsung Galaxy A32
100Motorola Moto G Stylus (2021)
100Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
96Motorola Moto G Power (2021)
89Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T
69Motorola Moto G Play (2021)
57Realme Narzo 30A
Camera HW (2020 cameras)
Score
Smartphone
246Huawei Mate 40 Pro
238Huawei P40 Pro+
236Huawei P40 Pro
202Honor 30 Pro+
202Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
201Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
201Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
197Huawei P40
186Sony Xperia 1 II
185OnePlus 8 Pro
182Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra
181Sony Xperia 5 II
168Xiaomi Mi 11
165Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro
164Samsung Galaxy Note 20
162Samsung Galaxy S20+
161Samsung Galaxy S20
160Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G (SD)
157Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
157Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
149Nokia 8 V 5G UW
149Nokia 8.3 5G
144LG Wing
141Motorola Edge
137Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
137LG V60 ThinQ
136TCL 10 Pro
136Realme 6 Pro
135Realme X50 Pro 5G
131Vivo X51 5G
128POCO F2 Pro
127Xiaomi Mi 10T
127POCO X3 NFC
127Samsung Galaxy A71 5G (SD765G)
126Realme 7 Pro
122Infinix Zero 8
121Motorola Moto G Stylus
121Google Pixel 5
121Google Pixel 4a 5G
121Vivo V20
120OnePlus 8
120OnePlus Nord N10 5G
119Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
119OnePlus 8T
119ZTE nubia Red Magic 5S
119Oppo Reno5 4G
118Apple iPhone 12
118Samsung Galaxy M31
116Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
114Apple iPhone 12 mini
114LG Velvet 5G (SD 765G)
109Samsung Galaxy A51 5G
108Realme 6i
108TCL 10 5G
105Realme 7 5G
103Samsung Galaxy A51 5G
99Micromax IN Note 1
98LG K52
98LG K62
94Motorola Razr 5G (2020)
93Google Pixel 4a
90Realme Narzo 20
89POCO M3
87Samsung Galaxy A12
81Samsung Galaxy A11
80LG Stylo 6
79Apple iPhone SE (2020)
78Elephone U5
77LG Aristo 5
76Samsung Galaxy A21
75LG K51
70Nokia 5.3
64LG K42
64Samsung Galaxy A02s
56Oppo A33 (2020)
56Oppo A53
47Xiaomi Redmi 9C
41Vivo Y20s
Camera HW (2019 cameras)
Score
Smartphone
211Huawei Mate 30 Pro
198Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Pro (CC9 Pro)
198Xiaomi Mi Note 10 (CC9)
161Huawei P30 Pro
159Huawei P30
151Honor 20 Pro
143LG V50 ThinQ
142OnePlus 7T
140Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
140Samsung Galaxy S10+
140Samsung Galaxy Note 10
140Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
140Samsung Galaxy S10
140Samsung Galaxy Fold
140LG G8 ThinQ
139Motorola One Zoom
136Huawei nova 5
136Huawei nova 5 Pro
136ZTE Axon 10 Pro
132OnePlus 7 Pro
130Samsung Galaxy S10e
121Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro
120Apple iPhone 11 Pro
120Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
114OnePlus 7 Pro 5G
111Oppo Reno 2Z
110LG G8X ThinQ
110Apple iPhone 11
107Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro
105Xiaomi Black Shark 2
102Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro
101Google Pixel 4
101Xiaomi Mi 9
101Xiaomi Mi 9T
101Google Pixel 4 XL
101Xiaomi Redmi K20
96Nokia 6.2
95Motorola Moto Z4
92Samsung Galaxy A50
88Google Pixel 3a XL
88Google Pixel 3a
84Samsung Galaxy Xcover 4s
80Motorola One Action
74Motorola Moto G7 Power
67Samsung Galaxy A10s
65Samsung Galaxy A10e
62Motorola Moto G7 Play
56Samsung Galaxy A01
56Oppo A1k
54Nokia 3 V
40Xiaomi Redmi Go
Camera HW (2018 cameras)
Score
Smartphone
149Huawei Mate 20 Pro
149LG V40
127Huawei Mate 20
126Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018)
124LG G7 ThinQ
115Samsung Galaxy Note 9
115Samsung Galaxy S9+
105Samsung Galaxy S9
105HTC U12+
102Honor Honor Magic 2
98Apple iPhone XS Max
98Apple iPhone XS
98Huawei P20 Pro
96Google Pixel 3 XL
96OnePlus 6T
93Xiaomi Mi Mix 3
93Huawei P20
92Sony Xperia XZ3
92Sony Xperia XZ2
90Sony Xperia XA2 Plus
89Honor View 20
88Apple iPhone XR
88Google Pixel 3
87Honor Honor 8x
82Xiaomi Pocophone F1
81Honor 10
81Huawei nova 3
70Samsung Galaxy On6
67Honor Honor Play
66Xiaomi Redmi 5
62ASUS ZenFone Lite (L1)
62ASUS ZenFone Max (M1)
57Huawei Y9 (2018)
Camera HW (2017 cameras)
Score
Smartphone
106Samsung Galaxy Note 8
104LG V30
104LG G6
96Samsung Galaxy S8
96Samsung Galaxy S8+
90Apple iPhone X
89Huawei Mate 10 Pro
88Google Pixel 2
88Apple iPhone 8 Plus
86Huawei Mate 10
79Apple iPhone 8
75Xiaomi Mi 5X
64Nokia 8
59LG Q6
52Samsung Galaxy J7 (SM-J727U, 2017)

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