GoKawiilRobert Triggs / Android Authority
When it comes to taking great pictures on a smartphone, there are plenty of brilliant choices right now. The latest Galaxy S26 series, Google Pixel, or Apple iPhone are the go-to brands not just for great all-around flagships. They are also considered to be among the most consistent camera phones, often with good reason.
But having used them all at various points over the years, I’ve recently fallen in love with the superior camera setups in the OPPO Find X9 Ultra and Xiaomi 17 Ultra. These are two of the most expensive smartphones on the market right now, and you can’t even buy them officially in the US. Still, if you’re after the best of the best, these two offer photography packages that are a cut above everyone else.
But which is truly the best? I took them out for a spin side by side for a closer look.
OPPO vs Xiaomi: Modern titans of photography While I’m enamored with both these flagships, they have two rather different camera setups. The selfie cameras are pretty similar, and though OPPO’s ultrawide sensor seems significantly larger, Xiaomi’s main camera sensor is the biggest of the bunch. In fact, Xiaomi’s 50 megapixel main camera should capture a bit more light (and presumably have lower noise) than OPPO’s 200 megapixel main sensor — though OPPO’s sensor is probably already large enough.
Camera Oppo Find X9 Ultra Xiaomi 17 Ultra Camera Wide (Main)
Oppo Find X9 Ultra 200 MP, f/1.5, 1/1.12-inch, 23mm, PDAF, OIS
Xiaomi 17 Ultra 50 MP, f/1.7, 1/1.0-inch, 23mm PDAF, OIS
Camera Ultrawide
Oppo Find X9 Ultra 50 MP, f/2.0, 1/1.95-inch, 14mm, PDAF
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