John Velasco at Tom’s Guide personally recommends the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, citing its broad mix of zoom and productivity tools. The iPhone 18 Pro Max and Google Pixel 11 Pro XL make different cases for buyers who put camera controls or software and AI higher on the list.
In its November 7, 2026 comparison, Tom’s Guide lists each phone’s 256GB entry model at a US starting price of $1,299.
Start with the feature you’ll use most: iPhone camera controls, Galaxy zoom and work tools, or Pixel software and AI.
| Phone | Reported strengths | A good fit if you prioritize |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | Variable-aperture main camera, Pro Controls and camera and battery strengths noted by Velasco | Camera controls and Apple’s stated battery measures |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | 3× and 5× telephoto cameras, S Pen, Samsung DeX, Gemini task automation and Privacy Display | Zoom and built-in productivity tools |
| Google Pixel 11 Pro XL | Software and AI strengths noted by Velasco; 5× optical telephoto and up to 120× digital magnification | Google’s software and AI features, plus long-range digital magnification |
Camera, zoom and productivity
The iPhone’s main camera has a variable aperture, which changes how much light reaches the sensor. Apple lists four settings, ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8 and ƒ/4, alongside Pro Controls for photography and video. Those controls give the iPhone a distinct camera-focused case in this comparison. Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro announcement describes the camera features.
Velasco’s Galaxy recommendation centers on practical range: the S26 Ultra has separate 3× and 5× telephoto cameras, plus an integrated S Pen, Samsung DeX, Gemini task automation and Privacy Display. That combination makes it the clearest fit here if you want zoom and tools for work on the same phone.
The Pixel has a 5× optical telephoto camera. Tom’s Guide also reports up to 120× digital magnification with computational upscaling. That maximum digital figure is a different kind of zoom from the 5× optical camera; it isn’t another optical zoom level. Velasco’s comparison emphasizes the Pixel’s software and AI strengths.
What the iPhone battery figures measure
Tom’s Guide reports 18 hours and 27 minutes for its custom iPhone 18 Pro Max battery test. Apple separately advertises up to 43 hours of video playback and describes a representative-use model with up to 29 hours. The 18-hour-27-minute test result, playback claim and representative-use figure refer to different measures, so they don’t make a like-for-like battery comparison. Apple’s announcement gives its playback and representative-use figures.
