Is the pixel 8 still the best value for mobile photography on a midrange budget?

I’ve been shooting with the Pixel 8 as my everyday camera for several weeks now, and given how much attention Google’s phones get for computational photography, the question I keep hearing is: Is the Pixel 8 still the best value for mobile photography on a midrange budget? I wanted to answer that from a practical tester’s viewpoint — real photos, routine day-to-day use, and how it stacks up to other phones you might be considering in the midrange bracket.

What I mean by “midrange budget”

For this piece I’m using “midrange” to mean phones roughly in the £350–£650 / $400–$700 band at retail. That’s the sweet spot where you can get good cameras without paying flagship taxes. The Pixel 8 launched above that range initially, but with discounts and trade-in deals it often falls into this bracket. It’s important to consider what you pay after promotions — that’s where value lives.

Camera hardware vs computational photography

On paper, the Pixel 8’s camera hardware doesn’t blow you away: a 50MP main sensor (usually binning to 12.5MP), a 12MP ultrawide, and a 10.5MP telephoto on the Pixel 8 Pro (the non‑Pro Pixel 8 has no true tele). What makes Pixels famous is Google’s Tensor chip and the software stack — Night Sight, Super Res Zoom, HDR+, and scene‑specific tuning. So the real question is whether that software advantage still outweighs competitors that bring larger sensors, optical zoom, or different sensor trade-offs.

How it performed in my real-world testing

I used the Pixel 8 across several scenarios: bright daylight cityscapes, low‑light interiors, handheld night shots, indoor portraits, and mixed lighting restaurant scenes. I also shot some videos for stabilization and colour fidelity checks.

Here’s what stood out:

• Color and dynamic range: The Pixel 8 nails contrast and midtone detail. Skies retain texture without blowing highlights, and shadow lifting is handled naturally. Compared with a few midrange rivals (Galaxy A54, Pixel 7a, and a recent OnePlus midrunner), the Pixel 8 often produced the most balanced JPEGs straight out of the camera.
• Low light: Night Sight on the Pixel 8 continues to be a top performer. Shots that were noisy and flat on some competitors came out brighter, cleaner, and with better subject separation on the Pixel. The exposure handling on mixed light scenes — e.g., people under warm indoor lights with bright windows behind — is frequently superior.
• Portraits: Background blur and edge detection are reliable even in tricky hair/detail cases. Skin tones felt natural; the processing avoids the plastic oversmoothness you sometimes see on cheaper phones.
• Zoom: Here is where you must be realistic. The Pixel 8 (non-Pro) uses computational Super Res Zoom to stretch the 50MP sensor, and results are respectable at 2–3x. But if you need clean 5x–10x telephoto shots, phones with dedicated tele lenses (or the Pixel 8 Pro) still perform better.
• Video: Stabilization is solid, colors are pleasant, and the mic performance is fine for casual content. However, some competitors offer higher bitrate or specialized video modes, so if you’re a video-first creator, compare specs closely.

Battery, performance, and real-life usability

A camera is worthless if the phone dies mid-shoot. The Pixel 8’s battery life is decent; you can expect a full day with mixed use, but heavy photo/video sessions will benefit from carrying a charger or battery pack. Performance-wise, Google’s Tensor G3 (or equivalent in your unit) handles camera processing quickly — shots are ready to view almost instantly, even after stacking frames for night or zoom processing.

Software updates and long-term value

This is a big part of the value proposition. Google promises multi-year Android and security updates, which keeps computational improvements coming long after purchase. I’ve seen older Pixels receive meaningful camera improvements via software — improved night modes, better HDR, refinements to portrait blur. That future-proofing tilts the scale toward Pixel for people who keep devices 2–4 years.

How it compares to alternatives

I don’t want to treat “midrange” as a single thing — choice matters. A short heads-up on common alternatives:

• Pixel 7a: Often cheaper and still a very capable photographer. If budget is tight, the 7a is excellent, but the Pixel 8’s newer ISP and processing give it an edge in dynamic range and night shots.
• Samsung Galaxy A54/ A55: Great hardware and competitive software. Samsung usually leans towards punchier colour and stronger zoom optics in some models. If you prefer saturated tones and a wider feature set in photography modes, Samsung is attractive.
• OnePlus / Nothing / Realme midrangers: They sometimes offer larger sensors or faster charging at lower price points. Their computational stacks vary — some are almost as good for daylight shots, weaker in night processing.
• iPhone SE or older iPhone mini: Apple’s computational photography is excellent for skin tones and video, but in the midrange price bracket you may compromise on sensor size and modern features.

When the Pixel 8 is the best value

Buy the Pixel 8 if:

• You want the most consistent still photography in varied lighting without worrying about manual settings.
• You value long-term software updates that continue to improve camera results.
• You take a lot of low‑light and mixed light photos and want reliable Night Sight performance.
• You prefer natural colours and good dynamic range straight out of the camera.

When to choose something else

Consider a different phone if:

• You need true optical telephoto at midrange prices — some competitors or a Pixel 8 Pro will serve you better.
• Battery life and charging speed are your top priorities; many midrangers offer faster charging and bigger batteries.
• You want a lower upfront cost and are willing to trade a bit of image polish (Pixel 7a is a strong alternative).

Practical buying tips

Here are the tactics I use when trying to get the best value:

• Wait for carrier trade-in deals or seasonal discounts — Pixel models frequently drop into midrange pricing during promos.
• Read side‑by‑side photo comparisons, not just specs — look for samples of low‑light, backlit, and zoom shots.
• Think about longevity: a slightly more expensive Pixel that will receive updates for longer can be cheaper over two years.
• Test the camera in the store if possible — bring your typical shooting scenario in mind (indoor work lighting, night scenes, etc.).

From my hands-on testing, the Pixel 8 still represents one of the best values for mobile photography if you want simplicity plus consistent, high-quality photos across most everyday situations. It isn’t perfect — telephoto and absolute battery champions exist elsewhere — but for balanced image quality, software longevity, and reliable night performance, it’s a hard phone to beat in the price/feature sweet spot. If you want, I can compare sample photos from the Pixel 8 and two specific phones you’re considering; tell me which models and I’ll run a side‑by‑side analysis with shooting notes.