I shot the same 25 photos with a $329 budget phone and $1,199 flagship — here’s the results
Ask almost anyone why they upgrade their phone, and you’re likely to get this answer: the camera. We’ve been conditioned to believe that if you want rich colors, sharp details, and crisp low-light shots, you need to shell out four figures for the latest flagship. In contrast, even the best cheap phones carry the stereotype of taking cheap-looking photos that look awful as physical printouts.
However, the dynamics have changed because people are mostly sharing photos on social media. The canvas where they’re shown remains small, so those deficiencies don’t look as glaring. Yet, the price gap between budget and ultra-premium handsets has never felt wider — and this TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max photo shoot out is further proof.
To put this assumption to the test, I took these two wildly different devices into real-world situations to see what, if any, meaningful differences there are in their camera performance. There’s the $329 TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro, which boasts an attractive price, while the $1,199 iPhone 17 Pro Max is considered the best phone out there for good reason.
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Is the flagship truly four times better, or are affordable cameras finally catching up to the point of diminishing returns? Here’s what I found.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Camera specifications
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro |
iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|
Price |
$329 |
$1,199 |
|
Main Camera |
50MP |
48MP (f/1.78) |
|
Ultrawide |
8MP |
48MP (f/2.2) |
|
Telephoto |
N/A |
48MP (f/2.8) with 4x optical zoom |
|
Selfie |
32MP |
18MP (f/1.9) |
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 1
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
At first glance, there don’t appear to be any noticeable differences, especially in how the scene is exposed. But upon closer inspection of the facade of Moynihan Train Hall on the right, it’s pretty apparent that the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s ultrawide captures more detail and definition.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 2
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
Switching over to their main cameras, I will say that the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro’s 50MP sensor does just as good a job of capturing some of the finer details — like the Sabrett hot dog stand and the pizza shop sign in the far background.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 3
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
All zooming is done by the NXTPAPER 70 Pro’s main camera, which means it relies heavily on sensor cropping at 10x digital zoom. As a result, it can’t match the optical performance of the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s dedicated telephoto shooter when capturing the water tower.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 4
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
I’m immediately drawn to the warmer color temperature of the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s shot, which features this art installation smack in the middle. Besides that, the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro pulls off just as good a composition — though the colors are slightly muted.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 5
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
I can say the same thing about the shots taken with their main cameras. While the iPhone 17 Pro Max pulls in more detail upon closer inspection, the TCL doesn’t look whole lot different when I look at the overall shot.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 6
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
The tighter framing from the 10x zoom really exacerbates the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro’s softer details and definition compared to the iPhone. The face looks smudgy, giving it a watercolor effect, while the iPhone’s shot is more distinct with sharper edges visible.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 7
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
Low light is where there’s a dramatic difference between these two phones. The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s night mode delivers a brighter picture in near-total darkness, while doing a much better job of preserving the orange color of the SUV in the driveway.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 8
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
Despite having a night mode, the TCL simply cannot match the light-gathering abilities of the iPhone. As a result, the home’s facade appears as a silhouette with virtually no visible detail. In contrast, the iPhone exposes the house properly, and I love how it even draws out stars in the night sky.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 9
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
It looks like I was shooting blind with the TCL based on what it attempted to capture in night mode with this tree. The only visible details are the windows surrounded by the home’s exterior lights, whereas the iPhone makes it look like ambient light is gently illuminating the entire tree.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 10
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
When there’s some ambient light in a nighttime scene, the TCL does a better job of exposing the shot. I’m surprised by how much better this tree looks, which is thanks to the ambient light coming from the left — though the image is still nowhere as good as the iPhone’s.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 11
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
Indoors, where there’s still decent lighting, the TCL’s main camera manages to capture a similar shot to the iPhone’s — albeit with slightly less contrast. Most people might not notice it, but it’s visible in the dark sections surrounding the neon sign.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 12
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
With more shade around this courtyard, the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s warmer color temperature isn’t as prevalent. Both phones do a nice job balancing the exposure throughout the scene, but the TCL’s highlights are a little blown out — notice how some parts of the blue sky appear washed out and white.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 13
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
What’s immediately apparent is that the TCL has a slightly tighter field of view with its main camera, but it still manages to match the iPhone’s overall look in this courtyard shot. Luckily, the highlights aren’t blown out this time.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 14
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
At first glance, I’m drawn to the TCL’s closeup of this wooden ring — but that begins to change the more I inspect the details. It becomes clear that TCL’s adding a substantial amount of sharpening, but the downside is how it looks more artificial the more I took in. In contrast, the iPhone has superior definition.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 15
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
While the iPhone 17 Pro Max can get a lot closer for macro shots, the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro does an excellent job of capturing the sunflower at the same distance. The over-sharpening effect is a huge benefit here, which makes all the details pop out. In fact, I’d say it captures the same level of detail and definition as the iPhone — but with slightly less muted color.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 16
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
This is a perfect example of how the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 48MP ultrawide camera has a big advantage over the TCL’s 8MP sensor. Even though the overall shot matches the iPhone in nearly every other respect, the NXTPAPER 70 Pro simply can’t capture the same level of detail. As a result, the crisp outline of the Porsche Macan Turbo Electric isn’t nearly as well defined.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 17
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
There’s nothing wrong with the TCL here — in fact, it actually brightens the scene slightly more than the iPhone. That isn’t much of a surprise given how ideal the lighting conditions are. The only minor difference emerges when I zoom in on the finer details: the Porsche’s finish appears a bit speckled on the TCL, though it’s still far from bad.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 18
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
At 2x zoom, we see similar results in this shot of the Porsche, with the TCL rendering the scene a smidge brighter. However, the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s image processing makes the SUV’s edges and fine details look significantly more defined.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 19
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
Focusing on the Porsche at 10x zoom, there’s no arguing the iPhone’s superiority as it pulls in significantly more detail. For example, I can clearly make out the markings on the tire, and the headlights and air vents are far better defined.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 20
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
With the sun high in the sky and illuminating the clouds, this serves as a great test for these cameras’ dynamic range performance. I actually prefer the TCL’s shot here, as it balances the shadows and highlights better. Take a look at the asphalt compared to how it’s slightly underexposed by the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 21
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
Right away, you’ll notice that the iPhone 17 Pro Max offers a much wider field of view for selfies. More importantly, it does a far better job of handling the harsh light hitting my shirt — whereas the TCL leaves those bright areas looking washed out.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 22
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
While the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro has an overwhelming advantage on paper with its 32MP front camera, the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 18MP Center Stage camera does almost as good a job of capturing the fine details of my face and outfit. Thankfully, the TCL doesn’t suffer from any overexposure here, and it actually captures a bit more definition in my facial features.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 23
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
I really like how both phones handle portrait mode here. In fact, they add just enough background blur to keep the focus squarely on me. However, the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s shot looks more realistic in the way the bokeh behaves — you can see a natural, progressive falloff in focus starting along the arm extending toward the camera.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 24
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
Strong light is coming from the window in the background, causing the TCL to overcompensate by brightening the shadows — which leaves the cat’s black fur looking somewhat milky. The iPhone 17 Pro Max adapts much better to the scene by maintaining strong contrast on the cat without blowing out the highlights or washing out the rest of the shot.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Photo 25
(Image credit: John Velasco / Tom’s Guide)
Both phones work hard to keep the exposure even throughout this panorama, but the iPhone surprisingly exhibits a bit more banding in the sky. Despite that flaw, it still pulls in far better detail and definition overall. From the grainy texture of the sand in the foreground to the text on the sign off to the left, the iPhone simply takes the better shot.
TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Verdict
When you step back and look at the big picture, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is still the vastly superior camera phone, but the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro proves that budget handhelds are no longer a total compromise. In ideal lighting, it can deliver shots that match the flagship at a fraction of the cost.
Where that extra $870 truly pays off is in the versatility and raw detail of the iPhone’s high-resolution ultrawide and dedicated optically backed telephoto lens — giving you massive cropping freedom without losing detail or definition. At the same time, its unbeatable low-light performance continues to highlight the biggest disparity between ultra-budget phones and top-tier models.
While the iPhone thrives in near darkness, the TCL struggles to gather light, leaving dark scenes flat, grainy, or silhouetted. If you shoot mostly in daylight, the TCL delivers incredible value, but for round-the-clock reliability and cropping power, the iPhone 17 Pro Max still reigns supreme.
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