Best smartphone for photos under $800

Recalculated at every price check · seen on November 15, 2026 · How we score

By budget: under $350 · under $500 · under $600 · any budget

The ranking

  1. 1

    Samsung Galaxy S26

    • Smart 67/100
    • Camera 89/100

    Best Camera score of the 2 models compared · Best Smart score of the 2 models compared

    $785 new at Amazon

    Price checked on 10/13/2026 — check it at the shop

    $785 for 6 years of updates (estimate): $131 a year

    View offer See the full page and all scores
  2. 2

    Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

    • Smart 65/100
    • Camera 86/100

    The cheapest of this selection

    $640 new at Amazon

    Price checked on 10/08/2026 — check it at the shop

    $640 for 5 years of updates (estimate): $128 a year

    View offer See the full page and all scores

Why not Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge? Camera score 86 instead of 89, for $145 less.

For now, this ranking has fewer than three smartphones.

This ranking combines two scores published by Picksly: the Camera score, based on public measurements, and the Smart score, which rates value for money. The price is the best new price checked at retailers, dated.

Ranked by the average of the Smart score and the Camera score, among 2 smartphones up to $800 with a verified offer. Smart only counts new devices scored at least 50 out of 100.

8 other smartphones up to $800 have no Camera score yet: they are not ranked here.

Not sure what matters most? Find your phone in 3 questions →

Depending on what matters most to you

Budget — Paying as little as possible — refurbished is fine

  1. Budget

    Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

    • Budget 78/100
    • Camera 90/100

    Best Camera score of the 9 models compared · Best Budget score of the 9 models compared

    Released in 2023, more than 3 years ago · updates until 2029 (estimate)

    $580 refurbished at Amazon

    Price checked on 11/09/2026

    $580 for 2 years of updates (estimate): $290 a year

    View offer See the full page and all scores

Smart — The best value for money

Same pick as No. 1: Samsung Galaxy S26.

Premium — The best quality, even if it costs more

  1. Premium

    Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

    • Premium 67/100
    • Camera 86/100

    Best Premium score of the 2 models compared

    $640 new at Amazon

    Price checked on 10/08/2026 — check it at the shop

    $640 for 5 years of updates (estimate): $128 a year

    View offer See the full page and all scores

What the Camera score measures

Photo and video quality, from the Camera score of DXOMARK, an independent test lab.

Other budgets

Other uses

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