Between the Galaxy S26 and Xperia 5 V, the Galaxy S26 comes out ahead in ram and wired charging, while the Xperia 5 V wins on battery capacity and pixel density. Overall, the Galaxy S26 scores 64.6 and the Xperia 5 V scores 63.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (64.6 vs 63.5). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Galaxy S26 if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are ram, wired charging, antutu, among others.
Pick the Xperia 5 V if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are battery capacity, pixel density, headphone jack.
Both ship with comparable refresh rate, 5g support, water resistance, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Samsung - Galaxy S26 wins
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Wired charging — 50.00% more. 45 W vs 30 W.
- ▲AnTuTu — 40.52% more. 2150000 vs 1530000.
- ▲Weight — 14.00 g less. 168 vs 182.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Screen size — 1.64% more. 6.2 " vs 6.1 ".
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 3).
Why Sony - Xperia 5 V wins
- ▲Battery capacity — 25.00% more. 5000 mAh vs 4000 mAh.
- ▲Pixel density — 5.65% more. 449 ppi vs 425 ppi.
- ▲Has Headphone jack.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 5 V |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 168 glead | 182 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.6 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 5 V |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.2 "lead | 6.1 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 425 ppi | 449 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2400 nitslead | 1300 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 5 V |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 5 V |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4000 mAh | 5000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 Wlead | 30 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 5 V |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | truelead |
| microSD slot | false | truelead |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 5 V |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 or Xperia 5 V?+
Xperia 5 V has 25.0% more battery — 4000 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 or Xperia 5 V?+
Galaxy S26 is 14g lighter — 168g vs 182g.
Is Galaxy S26 waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 has an IP68 rating.
Does Xperia 5 V support 5G?+
Yes, Xperia 5 V supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26 or Xperia 5 V?+
Galaxy S26 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 or Xperia 5 V?+
Galaxy S26 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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