iPhone 15 Pro Wins Best Camera in MKBHD Smartphone Awards 2023

by

YouTuber Marques Brownlee has chosen the iPhone 15 Pro as the standout device in the best camera category of MKBHD's Smartphone Awards 2023.


Brownlee justified his choice by admitting that while there are smartphones on the market that can produce better results when using zoom, the iPhone 15 Pro offers the most solid all-round performance across the biggest variety of use cases, and its ease of use when taking photos and videos remains unrivaled.

Brownlee particularly highlighted the quality of video recorded on the iPhone 15 Pro, calling it the best and most consistent in various situations. He also applauded Apple for introducing Log recording to its feature set, as well as the ability to save video directly to an external storage device.

In MKBHD's blind smartphone camera test that was run online, the iPhone 15 Pro was also found to capture the best low-light photos. An honorable mention in the category went to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, for its stills camera performance when using the zoom lens.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Plus won the best battery category, which is judged not only on the biggest capacity, but the overall battery experience. The iPhone 15 was chosen for its less power-hungry 60Hz display that allows the device to keep going beyond most rivals.

MKBHD said that the iPhone 15 Plus should be the choice for those looking for a "risk-free, no-brainer" device with great battery life. Brownlee also gave a shout-out to the ROG Phone 7, which does not have wireless charging but has the biggest battery capacity (6000 mAh) of any phone.

Phone of the Year went to the Google Pixel 8. Despite costing $100 more than its predecessor, Brownlee praised its great stills camera, dramatically better display, several excellent software features, and the promise of seven years of software updates.

All of the category winners for the MKBHD Smartphone Awards 2023 are as follows:

Best Big Phone:

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Best Compact Phone:

ASUS Zenfone 10

Best Camera:

iPhone 15 Pro

The Value Award:

Samsung Galaxy A54

Best Battery:

iPhone 15 Plus

The Design Award:

Honor Magic V2

Best Foldable Phone:

OnePlus Open

Most Improved:

Nothing Phone 2

Bust of the Year (Worst Phone):

Saga Solana Cryptophone

Phone of the Year:

Google Pixel 8

You can watch the full video of MKBHD's Smartphone Awards above and on the YouTube website. What are your opinions on this year's winners? Let us know in the comments.

Tag: MKBHD

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
Read Full Article • 89 comments
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
Read Full Article • 82 comments
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
Read Full Article • 111 comments
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
Read Full Article • 68 comments
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
Read Full Article • 98 comments
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
Read Full Article • 38 comments
ipados 26 1 slide over

Apple Releases iPadOS 26.2 With Multitasking Improvements

Friday December 12, 2025 10:09 am PST by
Apple today released iPadOS 26.2, the second major update to the iPadOS 26 operating system released in September. iPadOS 26.2 comes a month after iPadOS 26.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. iPadOS 26.2 continues with the multitasking improvements that were added with iPadOS 26.1. You can now drag and...
Read Full Article • 20 comments
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Update Now: iOS 26.2 Fixes 20+ Security Vulnerabilities

Friday December 12, 2025 11:11 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS 26.2, all of which introduce new features, bug fixes, and security improvements. Apple says that the updates address over 20 vulnerabilities, including two bugs that are known to have been actively exploited. There are a pair of WebKit vulnerabilities that could allow maliciously crafted web content to execute code or cause memory...
Read Full Article • 100 comments

Top Rated Comments

AgeOfSpiracles Avatar
AgeOfSpiracles
26 months ago

Even Tim Cook listens to MKBDH as he has used quotes from MKBDH during Keynotes.

The troll is not MKBDH here, that is for sure.
It's so funny, there's people here saying he's not to be trusted as a know-nothing with no insight into Apple's practices. And other people saying that he's not to be trusted because he's an insider shill since he has done interviews with Apple execs. The MR crowd just skews stodgy, and tends toward an irrational hatred of youtubers. The only thing that brings out the grumps more is any mention of a music artist under the age of 30. (who? never heard of her, but she sucks and I hate her!)

Having watched a lot of these low-info tech reviewer channels for years, I'd put MKBHD in the top 3 in terms of content and honesty. I don't think he intentionally stirs the pot or trolls. He certainly doesn't shill for Apple, IMO. If anything, he's an Android fanboy at heart, but he's fair and openminded, and therefore see's the good in both platforms.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
WarmWinterHat
26 months ago

He isn’t the Messiah when it comes to phones it’s just his opinion which is subjective he gave the Google pixel eight best phone of the year that’s nonsense. Why do people think that what he says is the blueprint to tech?
My wife just bought a Pixel 8 on sale for $350, no-contract and out the door, as an upgrade to her Pixel 2. It's a fantastic phone and the price in unbeatable, even at full cost.

I think it's a deserved award.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zest28 Avatar
Zest28
26 months ago

My honest take: This is cool. Good for iPhone. But I stopped caring about this dude's opinion so long ago. He's a professional troll who's good at video editing.

Edit: I should clarify what I mean-- He is someone in a long list of "YouTubers" who thinks he knows things about things and is good at talking about them as if he's an expert. He has no idea what goes on at Apple or how any of this stuff is created. He's a professional armchair quarterback. The most useless kind of quarterback there is.
Even Tim Cook listens to MKBHD as he has used quotes from MKBHD during Keynotes.

The troll is not MKBHD here, that is for sure.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
WarmWinterHat
26 months ago

The Pixel exists as an ad platform for Google so of course it’s cheap. It’s also going to be a piece of junk in two years if all their previous models are any indication.

I’m not saying you’re wrong, I’m just saying there’s a reason it’s cheaper than the iPhone upfront but possibly more expensive in the long run.
She bought the Pixel 2 in 2017 and was still using it without issue until last week...The battery was just getting weak.

I see no reason the Pixel 8 won't last as long.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BrownyQ Avatar
BrownyQ
26 months ago
I like watching his content, because I find him to be one of the more balanced reviewers and presents his opinions in an organized, easy to understand fashion. His little awards show is a great way to look over the options of the year, and keep them in mind for recommending devices to friends and family, since not everyone I know is an Apple fan.

He prefaces the entire video by saying it's all his opinion, so I do find some of the ire in the comments quite funny. I know it's an Apple focused website, but Apple devices are not the greatest things ever made.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
toobravetosave Avatar
toobravetosave
26 months ago

The Pixel exists as an ad platform for Google so of course it’s cheap. It’s also going to be a piece of junk in two years if all their previous models are any indication.

I’m not saying you’re wrong, I’m just saying there’s a reason it’s cheaper than the iPhone upfront but possibly more expensive in the long run.
Such blind hate. iOS is also just a platform to supply Apple with advertising data on you (yes they do this) and funnel you into subscription and in app purchases.

How on earth is a pixel more expensive than an iPhone long term lmao
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments