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iPhone X vs. Pixel 2 photos: Are two cameras better than one?

Take a look at the photos from the iPhone X and the Pixel 2 to see which ones you prefer.

Lexy Savvides
Lexy is an on-air presenter and award-winning producer who covers consumer tech, including the latest smartphones, wearables and emerging trends like assistive robotics. She's won two Gold Telly Awards for her video series Beta Test. Prior to her career at CNET, she was a magazine editor, radio announcer and DJ. Lexy is based in San Francisco.
Lexy Savvides
iPhone portrait mode
iPhone portrait mode
3:52
1 of 18 Lexy Savvides/CNET

iPhone portrait mode

The two lenses on the iPhone X are used for a few different tasks including optical zoom and portrait mode. By creating a depth map with both the cameras and identifying the subject, software then blurs out the background to simulate bokeh, or the shallow depth of field effect often associated with dSLRs.

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Pixel portrait mode

The Pixel relies on just one lens to create this bokeh effect. Google's machine learning identifies what the subject in the photo is and keeps it sharp while blurring everything else.

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iPhone colors

On default settings the iPhone X makes colors pop, but compared with the Pixel 2, they can look more saturated.

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Pixel colors

The Pixel's colors are a bit more muted by comparison.

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Low light (iPhone)

The iPhone also performs well in low light although the exposure on the blue background is a little brighter than the Pixel.

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Low light (Pixel)

In low light, the Pixel retains detail and keeps images sharp.

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Auto HDR (iPhone)

Here's a photo taken on the iPhone X with auto HDR active (it's on by default). Compare it to the next slide from the Pixel.

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HDR+ Enhanced (Pixel)

Google's HDR+ Enhanced mode makes photos look more vivid than the regular HDR+ mode.

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Low light portrait

The iPhone often struggled to lock on and maintain portrait mode in extreme low light, while the Pixel grabbed the shot every time.

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Landscape (Pixel)

A photo taken on the Pixel with default settings.

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Landscape (iPhone)

A photo take on the iPhone with default settings on the wide-angle lens.

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Portrait mode (iPhone)

Portrait mode even works on still objects like flowers. On the iPhone, the blur effect is more subtle around the edges of the subject.

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Portrait mode (Pixel)

On the Pixel, portrait mode makes the subject really pop as it appears very sharp compared to the background.

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Portrait mode (Pixel)

Another example of how the Pixel keeps the subject sharp and the background blurred.

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Portrait mode (iPhone)

Portrait mode on the iPhone is more subtle, with the transition between sharp subject and blurred background.

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2x zoom (iPhone)

The optical zoom on the iPhone means images in daylight are sharp whether you look at them at reduced magnification or at 100 percent magnification.

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2x zoom (Pixel)

The Pixel relies on digital zoom to get you closer to the subject. At a reduced magnification you can't really see much difference between this and the iPhone's shot, but if you go in closer to 100 percent magnification, detail is smudgy.

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Fish portrait

Portrait mode works on fish, too. Shot on the Pixel 2.

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