Between the Galaxy S26+ and iPhone 17, the Galaxy S26+ comes out ahead in wired charging and ram, while the iPhone 17 wins on wireless charging and weight. Overall, the Galaxy S26+ scores 68.5 and the iPhone 17 scores 61.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26+ edges ahead on the Mars Score (68.5 vs 61.7), but the 6.8-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Galaxy S26+ if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. The biggest gaps in its favor are wired charging, ram, battery capacity, among others.
Pick the iPhone 17 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are wireless charging, weight.
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: the Galaxy S26+ is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Samsung - Galaxy S26+ wins
- ▲Wired charging — 66.67% more. 45 W vs 27 W.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Battery capacity — 32.72% more. 4900 mAh vs 3692 mAh.
- ▲Pixel density — 11.52% more. 513 ppi vs 460 ppi.
- ▲AnTuTu — 11.11% more. 2200000 vs 1980000.
- ▲Screen size — 6.35% more. 6.7 " vs 6.3 ".
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 6).
Why Apple - iPhone 17 wins
- ▲Wireless charging — 66.67% more. 25 W vs 15 W.
- ▲Weight — 2.00 g less. 194 vs 196.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 196 g | 194 glead |
| Thickness | 7.6 mmlead | 8.1 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 "lead | 6.3 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 513 ppilead | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2600 nitslead | 2200 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4900 mAhlead | 3692 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 Wlead | 27 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 25 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | iOSlead |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 6 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26+ or iPhone 17?+
Galaxy S26+ has 32.7% more battery — 4900 mAh vs 3692 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26+ or iPhone 17?+
iPhone 17 is 2g lighter — 196g vs 194g.
Is Galaxy S26+ waterproof?+
Galaxy S26+ has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 17 support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 17 supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26+ or iPhone 17?+
Galaxy S26+ offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26+ or iPhone 17?+
Galaxy S26+ has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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