Between the Galaxy A36 and Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Galaxy A36 comes out ahead in weight, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra wins on main camera and antutu. Overall, the Galaxy A36 scores 61.5 and the Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 75.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 14.1 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the Galaxy A36 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight.
Pick the Galaxy S26 Ultra if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are main camera, antutu, ram, among others.
Both ship with comparable battery capacity, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Samsung - Galaxy A36 wins
- ▲Weight — 37.00 g less. 195 vs 232.
Why Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra wins
- ▲Main camera — 300.00% more. 200 MP vs 50 MP.
- ▲AnTuTu — 260.94% more. 2310000 vs 640000.
- ▲RAM — 100.00% more. 16 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Wired charging — 44.44% more. 65 W vs 45 W.
- ▲Pixel density — 30.13% more. 501 ppi vs 385 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 2.99% more. 6.9 " vs 6.7 ".
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP67).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 6).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 195 glead | 232 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.6 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP67 | IP68lead |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 " | 6.9 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 385 ppi | 501 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1900 nits | 2600 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 200 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 W | 65 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 0 W | 15 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy A36 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has 0.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy A36 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy A36 is 37g lighter — 195g vs 232g.
Is Galaxy A36 waterproof?+
Galaxy A36 has an IP67 rating.
Does Galaxy S26 Ultra support 5G?+
Yes, Galaxy S26 Ultra supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy A36 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy A36 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 200 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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