Vortex Gaming

· Hardware Specifications:
· S26 Ultra: 200MP sensor (maintained for 5 years, larger aperture)
· iPhone 17 Pro Max: 48MP sensor (maintained for 4 years, similar size to S26 Ultra sensor)
· Xiaomi 17 Ultra: Cutting-edge 50MP LOFIC 1-inch sensor (improved dynamic range)

· Key Comparison Results:

Category	S26 Ultra	iPhone 17 Pro Max	Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Daylight Photos	Similar to iPhone	Similar to Xiaomi	Highest resolution, more detail, pleasing colors
Strong Lighting	Underexposed	Best	Overexposed (blown out sky)
Texture Processing (bricks)		Best
Image Processing	Over-processed, over-sharpened	Over-processed, over-sharpened	Better colors, natural detail, deeper depth
2x Sensor Crop Zoom	Lowest	Medium	Best
Low Light	Blows out the scene	More noise	Best, deeper depth
Night Photos	Accurate colors, more noise		Best, sharp with less noise
Night Video	Darkest	Very sharp, almost no noise	Larger sensor, good but some noise
RAW Photos (LOFIC)	Very soft	Strange colors (almost purple)	Perfect highlight/shadow detail retention, excellent colors
Daylight Video	Decent but a bit soft	Best, brightest image	Overly dark
Highest Resolution Mode	Most detail at 200MP (6.4x larger file size)

· Overall Assessment: The Xiaomi 17 Ultra excels in dynamic range, high-resolution images, 2x zoom, and night mode. The iPhone 17 Pro Max comes in second, and the S26 Ultra is third, showing some shortcomings in low-light performance and video.

· Hardware Specifications:
· S26 Ultra: 10MP 3x (small sensor), 50MP 5x (two telephoto modules)
· iPhone 17 Pro Max: 48MP 4x (single module)
· Xiaomi 17 Ultra: 200MP sensor (almost identical size to S26 Ultra main sensor), physical shift from 3.2x to 4.3x, aperture adjustment from f/2.4 to f3

· Key Comparison Results:

Category	S26 Ultra	iPhone 17 Pro Max	Xiaomi 17 Ultra
3x Zoom	Poor image quality due to small sensor despite dedicated module		Deepest depth (main sensor crop)
4x Zoom		Starts using dedicated telephoto, but uses main module crop for close-ups due to 120cm minimum focus distance issue (quality degradation)	Still much better
5x Zoom	Second deepest depth	Third deepest depth	Deepest depth, best for 5x low-light shots
10x Zoom	Over-sharpened	More natural but very soft	Most detailed
10x Low Light	Better performance	Very poor	Quite good performance
20x Zoom	Over-sharpened with AI processing	Over-sharpened with AI processing	Over-sharpened with AI processing
40x Zoom	Preferred		Image degradation
100x Zoom			Completely reconstructs image, very unnatural (only works on recognizable subjects)
Telephoto Portrait (People)	Adds a lot of noise	Coat color change (blue)	Quite decent
Telephoto Portrait (Pets)	Best fur separation		Cleanest
Telephoto Portrait (Objects)	Most background blur
Low-Light Portrait	Medium	Worst (lots of noise)	Best (no noise)
Telephoto Video	Over-sharpened	Appropriate sharpening (best)	Worst (no processing, focus issues)

· Overall Assessment: The Xiaomi 17 Ultra offers the best telephoto camera for both close-up and long-range performance. The S26 Ultra takes second place for consistency and portraits, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max ranks third due to close-up focus issues. However, the iPhone was best for telephoto video.

· Ultrawide Camera:

Category	S26 Ultra	iPhone 17 Pro Max	Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Hardware	50MP sensor	48MP sensor (similar size)	50MP sensor (smallest)
Daylight Photos	2nd place	A bit soft despite high MP	Cleaner and higher resolution
Low Light	Preferred processing in some cases		Least noise
Ultrawide Video	2nd place	Best	Not good

· Ultrawide Summary: Tie. Xiaomi is best in daylight, Samsung in low light, and iPhone in video.

· Front Camera:

Category	S26 Ultra	iPhone 17 Pro Max	Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Hardware	12MP sensor (weakest)	18MP square sensor (largest)	50MP sensor (slightly smaller than iPhone)
Daylight Photos	Narrowest	Widest, best processing (no overexposed faces), most detail	Medium
Night Photos	Successful background exposure	Successful background exposure	Significantly sharper
Front Portrait		Best hair separation	Widest
Front Video	Most preferred (best processing)	Color issues, but killer feature: can shoot portraits/landscapes and videos even when held vertically	Quite good

· Front Camera Summary: The iPhone 17 Pro Max wins with Center Stage, overall quality, and unique features. Xiaomi offers the highest resolution images at night, and the S26 Ultra shows the best front video processing.

· Key Comparison Results:

Category	S26 Ultra	iPhone 17 Pro Max	Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Macro Photos	Uses ultrawide, sharpest and deepest depth	Uses ultrawide	Uses telephoto, best for insect photography (maintains distance)
8K Video		Up to 4K	Better 8K video than S26 Ultra
4K 120fps		Most detailed
Cinematic Video	Better separation	Brighter	Lacking
Action Mode	'Magical' stability with horizon lock feature	Quite good	Most unstable
Log Video	ProRes and APV external SSD recording, 2nd in editing flexibility	ProRes and APV external SSD recording, best editing flexibility

· Overall Assessment: The S26 Ultra wins in special modes, showing good performance in all scenarios including macro, horizon lock, APV, and 8K. The iPhone takes second place with high quality despite fewer modes, and Xiaomi is third.

· Main Camera: The Xiaomi 17 Ultra wins thanks to its colors, sharpness, and depth. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is 2nd, and the S26 Ultra is 3rd. (However, the iPhone is best for daylight video)
· Telephoto Camera: The Xiaomi 17 Ultra wins again, excelling in both close-up and long-range performance. The S26 Ultra is 2nd for consistency and portraits, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max is 3rd.
· Ultrawide Camera: Almost a tie. The iPhone 17 Pro Max performed better in video, Samsung in low light, and Xiaomi in daylight.
· Front Camera: The iPhone 17 Pro Max wins with Center Stage and overall quality. Xiaomi had the highest resolution at night, and the S26 Ultra showed the best front video processing.
· Special Modes: The S26 Ultra wins, showing good performance in all scenarios. The iPhone is 2nd in terms of quality, and Xiaomi is 3rd.