iPhone 17e vs Pixel 10a camera: 6 real photos side by side
In our six daylight photos the Pixel 10a was cooler, with a deeper blue sky and darker shadows, and it turned the red roses slightly crimson. The iPhone 17e was warmer and kept reds more orange-red. The 17e saved 24 MP files at 1x and the Pixel 12 MP.
24 October 2026, Palmengarten, Frankfurt am Main, sunny with clouds, between 14:28 and 15:27. Each scene was shot with all 11 of our test phones within a few minutes, each on the same tripod, each on its default auto camera settings. The main camera at 1x, the roses at 2x. Location data removed, people blurred, no other edits. How we test · Compare these two in the Camera Lab
What the photo files show
| iPhone 17e | Google Pixel 10a | |
|---|---|---|
| Saved file at 1x | 5712 × 4284 (24.5 MP) | 4000 × 3000 (12 MP) |
| Main lens (35 mm equivalent) | 26 mm | 24 mm |
| 2x photo | 52 mm equivalent, 4032 × 3024 (12.2 MP) | 24 mm equivalent, digital zoom 2x, 4000 × 3000 (12 MP) |
| Software in the files | 27.0.1 | HDR+ 1.0.809520727zd |
Read from the original photo files. A bigger file is not automatically a better photo: it means more pixels to crop into.
Fountain and pond
Bright sky, moving water and autumn trees in one wide view.
Centre crop
What we see: The Pixel sky and water are a deeper blue; the 17e trees and water look warmer and more golden.
Taken 14:38:26 (iPhone 17e) and 14:37:53 (Google Pixel 10a).
Red sculpture
A strong red in sun and shade, against grass.
Centre crop
What we see: The 17e red leans orange-red, the Pixel red slightly towards crimson. The Pixel grass is cooler.
Taken 14:49:19 (iPhone 17e) and 14:47:05 (Google Pixel 10a).
Statue under ivy
White stone in shade with bright sky behind it.
Centre crop
What we see: Very close. The Pixel is a little cooler on the stone and ivy.
Taken 14:55:58 (iPhone 17e) and 14:58:15 (Google Pixel 10a).
Roses at 2x
Every phone set to its 2x zoom.
Centre crop
What we see: The Pixel 2x photo is a digital zoom (the file says so). Its roses look crimson and the leaves a deeper green; the 17e roses are a brighter red.
Taken 15:03:42 (iPhone 17e) and 15:02:30 (Google Pixel 10a).
Bench and asters
Bright white paint next to purple flowers and deep shade.
Centre crop
What we see: Close. The Pixel frame is a little wider (24 mm against 26 mm) and its shadows under the trees are darker.
Taken 15:12:27 (iPhone 17e) and 15:16:25 (Google Pixel 10a).
Pansy bed
Hundreds of small flowers: fine detail and many colours.
Centre crop
What we see: Colours are close; the Pixel looks a touch cooler. Both keep the yellow and white pansies apart.
Taken 15:26:20 (iPhone 17e) and 15:22:38 (Google Pixel 10a).
What this comparison does not show
- Night, indoor and portrait photos: not shot yet.
- Ultra-wide and telephoto lenses beyond 2x, and video.
- Other light: this is one sunny afternoon. Colours can change in cloud or at dusk.
- Other copies of the same phone: we have one of each.
More from the Camera Lab
- All 11 phones, all 6 scenes
- iPhone 17e vs Samsung Galaxy A57
- iPhone 18 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S26
- iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 17e
- Samsung Galaxy A57 vs Google Pixel 10a
- Samsung Galaxy A57 vs Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Google Pixel 10a
- iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17e
- Nothing Phone (4a) Pro vs Google Pixel 10a
- How we test
- Our Apple guides
- Our Google guides