We've had the Lumia 1020 and 950/XL winning camera phone shootouts for years on AAWP and still haven't found anything to touch them, least of all the new Pixel XL, whatever claims Google makes for it. However, the 1020's ancient now and the 950 is no spring chicken. What about the brand new HP Elite X3, priced for business and built like a tank. Does its camera prove a better match for the Google darling?

(This is all in advance of my main HP Elite X3 review, by the way.)

Notes:

1. The Elite X3 still only shoots in 16:9 at 10MP - we're expecting a Camera update at some point to add other resolutions and aspect ratios back in. However, 10MP isn't a million miles from the 8MP images from the Pixel XL, so we don't have to worry too much about a mismatch for our comparator, below.
2. All shots were on full 'auto'.
3. In each case, the overall scene is shown as the X3 sees it - you'll say this is because this is AAWP and I'm biased, but it's more that, having looked at the shots below from both phones, I judged that the X3's were less 'processed' on the whole, plus the AAWP audience will be very familiar with the Windows 10 Camera image processing, so it's a known starting point.

Note that the interactive comparator below uses javascript and does need to load each pair of images. Please be patient while this page loads, if you see a pair of images above each other than you've either not waited long enough or your browser isn't capable enough! You ideally need a powerful, large-screened tablet or a proper laptop or desktop. This comparator may not work in IE or Edge on Windows phones. Sorry about that.

Test 1: Sunny scene

An always photogenic golf club house down the road from me. Here's the overall scene, as shot by the Elite X3:

In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the HP Elite X3 and Google Pixel XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

There's not a massive difference between the two photos, with perhaps a slightly colour cast over the X3's. That the two shots are so close is surprising, given Google's claims for the Pixel XL's camera at its launch recently. This was supposed to be the best camera in a phone ever (it's not) while the Elite X3's camera was supposed to be 'good enough'. Anyway, on with the testing, with tougher subjects...

Elite X3: 8 pts, Pixel XL: 9 pts

Test 2: Autumn colours

A lovely tree with autumnal colours, in weak winter 'sun'. Here's the overall scene, as shot by the Elite X3:

In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the HP Elite X3 and Google Pixel XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Hang on, this is going the 'wrong' way, I prefer the colours and detail on the Elite X3's photo. Again, there's not much in it, but the X3's result was closest to my eyes to reality.

Elite X3: 10 pts, Pixel XL: 9 pts

Test 3: Dusk

One of my favourite test shots, often with a sunset backdrop, but this is winter, so it's a cloudy, gloomy, dim sky. Ah well. Here's the overall scene, as shot by the Elite X3:

In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the HP Elite X3 and Google Pixel XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

The extra sensor and aperture size in the Pixel's camera makes the difference here, with a clearer, crisper and brighter result, though I'm not going to dock the Elite X3 too many points because it was indeed pretty dim by that time and the light levels in its shot did represent what my eyes were seeing well.

Elite X3: 7 pts, Pixel XL: 9 pts

Test 4: Artificial lighting

A lovely colourful bunch of flowers, lit by bright fluorescent strips overhead. Here's the overall scene, as shot by the Elite X3:

In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the HP Elite X3 and Google Pixel XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Again, the extra light gathering abilities and larger sensor in the Pixel camera, along with really smart noise reduction and general processing, mean that the Pixel XL's shot is significantly better, with more detail and more colour. OK, it's a little artificial, but hey, most people would still pick it as the runaway winner, based on this example.

Elite X3: 6 pts, Pixel XL: 9 pts

Test 5: It's Christmas!

The pub was open, so heck, I/we had to pop in. And they had a Christmas display up. Already! Made for a good test shot, anyway. Here's the overall scene, as shot by the Elite X3:

In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the HP Elite X3 and Google Pixel XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Definitely warmer colours and better detail in the Google Pixel's photo, again as you'd expect given the physical differences and advanced multi-shot image processing, while the X3's let down a little by comparison, with a 'colder' photo, though nothing a few algorithm tweaks wouldn't fix?

Elite X3: 7 pts, Pixel XL: 9 pts

Test 6: Dark of night

Well yes, dark of night, but in a cinema car park, meaning that there were neon lights to act as a challenging point of interest. Here's the overall scene, as shot by the Elite X3:

In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the HP Elite X3 and Google Pixel XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Neither phone camera could handle the dynamic range needed, perhaps unsurprisingly, but the Pixel's photo did better in terms of finding detail away from the lights, plus the Elite X3's image is just starting to show blurrines - I was shooting handheld but braced against a car. Only a point in it though, I'd argue, neither phone camera really nailed the photo I wanted.

Elite X3: 6 pts, Pixel XL: 7 pts

Verdict

The final points tally, for fun, is 52 for the Pixel XL and 44 for the HP Elite X3, so a definite win for the Android flagship. Mind you, it has been a long time since I did any phone camera comparison without any of the contenders having OIS, but both phones did pretty well above - the big surprise for me was that the X3 got as close as it did. The Elite X3 is supposed to be an office and productivity power house and the camera's presumably 'merely sufficient' for shots of whiteboards and documents, but it produced some good shots above and, as I'll show in my full review part, coming soon, some superlative solo photos.

Comments welcome - I know neither of these heavyweight phablets are up in Lumia 1020/950 imaging territory, but did the Elite X3 surpass your expectations? (HP do seem to be improving the X3's camera performance and stability in leaps and bounds and yet another firmware update hit after the test shots above were taken.)