Budget smartphone Google Pixel 5a wins the MKBDH annual blind smartphone camera comparison. The test and comparison included more than 3 million votes and the results were presented on the Marques Brownlee YouTube channel. What’s surprising is that none of the major flagship smartphones made it past the second round.  

The 2021 blind smartphone camera test has remained consistent in proving one thing, it’s almost impossible to predict the winner. Flagship cameras such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 and the Apple iPhone 13 Pro would likely be the favorites to win for most people. However, in blind tests, it seems flagships don’t seem to fair very well. 

What’s interesting is that for the most part, people seem to prefer brighter and more colorful images regardless of technical image quality. It may be the case that flagship smartphones can produce better technical results, although it doesn’t seem to be what most people prefer.

In the video linked above, Brownlee compares the cameras in 16 of the latest smartphones currently on the market. From budget phones to flagship smartphones, the result covers a wide range of different options that are available right now. These types of tests are inherently based on preferences, however, it could be useful to see what the majority of people prefer. 

Check out the video linked above to see the full test and results and why the Google Pixel 5a won this test.