Between the Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 Pro, the Galaxy S26 comes out ahead in wired charging and weight, while the iPhone 17 Pro wins on wireless charging and pixel density. Overall, the Galaxy S26 scores 64.6 and the iPhone 17 Pro scores 63.4 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (64.6 vs 63.4). 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 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, weight, battery capacity, among others.
Pick the iPhone 17 Pro if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are wireless charging, pixel density, screen size.
Both ship with comparable ram, refresh rate, 5g support, 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
- ▲Wired charging — 50.00% more. 45 W vs 30 W.
- ▲Weight — 35.00 g less. 168 vs 203.
- ▲Battery capacity — 8.34% more. 4000 mAh vs 3692 mAh.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲AnTuTu — 3.37% more. 2150000 vs 2080000.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 6).
Why Apple - iPhone 17 Pro wins
- ▲Wireless charging — 66.67% more. 25 W vs 15 W.
- ▲Pixel density — 8.24% more. 460 ppi vs 425 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 1.61% more. 6.3 " vs 6.2 ".
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 168 glead | 203 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.3 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.2 " | 6.3 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 425 ppi | 460 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2400 nitslead | 2200 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4000 mAhlead | 3692 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 Wlead | 30 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 25 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | iOSlead |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 6 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17 Pro?+
Galaxy S26 has 8.3% more battery — 4000 mAh vs 3692 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17 Pro?+
Galaxy S26 is 35g lighter — 168g vs 203g.
Is Galaxy S26 waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 17 Pro support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 17 Pro supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17 Pro?+
Galaxy S26 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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