Does the HTC 10 have the world’s best smartphone camera?

HTC 10 has lift the lid on its flagship model for 2016 and apart from looking like a very capable smartphone, there is evidence to suggest it could have the best camera in market, too.

DxO Labs, the company behind photography testing suite DxOMark, have given the HTC 10 top honours, giving it a score of 88 and placing it in an equal first position with the new Samsung Galaxy S7.

The tests in DxOMark are split between video and photo, and the results from these tests suggests the camera in the HTC 10 is outstanding. The highest individual scores from the test are in the auto-focus, texture and exposure and contrast categories.

Notes provided by the testers say that the camera has great noise reduction in low light — something the Galaxy S7 was also praised for. With video, the HTC 10 scored marks for excellent stabilisation. 

This is big news for HTC and could be a significant contributor to an improvement in the company’s lacklustre sales over the past few years. Camera quality was a major concern in both the HTC One M8 and M9, but it looks like this will be an issue of the past.

For comparison, here is a shortlist of the DxOMark rankings as of today:

1. HTC 10 and Samsung Galaxy S7
2. Samsung Galaxy S6 Plus and Sony Xperia Z5
3. Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Samsung S6 Edge
4. Apple iPhone 6s Plus, Google Nexus 6P and Moto Droid Turbo 2
5. LG G4, Moto X Style and Samsung Note 4

Joseph Hanlon

Editorial Director | X | LinkedIn

Joe Hanlon has been immersed in mobile phones, plans and the internet for over a decade, having written for publications like CNET, Techradar, Gizmodo and Lifehacker. He steers the editorial ship and makes sure that we are always serving up the most useful guides and recommendations. If you ever bump into Joe on the street, don't be afraid to ask for a phone recommendation. It's embarrassing how much he enjoys talking about this stuff. He also loves listening to podcasts, so feel free to email Joe with recommendations.

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