Between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 16e, the Galaxy S26 Ultra comes out ahead in main camera and wired charging, while the iPhone 16e wins on weight. Overall, the Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 75.6 and the iPhone 16e scores 58.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 17.0 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 S26 Ultra if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are main camera, wired charging, ram, among others.
Pick the iPhone 16e if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight.
Both ship with comparable 5g support, water resistance, front camera, 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 S26 Ultra wins
- ▲Main camera — 316.67% more. 200 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 225.00% more. 65 W vs 20 W.
- ▲RAM — 100.00% more. 16 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲AnTuTu — 46.20% more. 2310000 vs 1580000.
- ▲Battery capacity — 24.84% more. 5000 mAh vs 4005 mAh.
- ▲Screen size — 13.11% more. 6.9 " vs 6.1 ".
- ▲Pixel density — 8.91% more. 501 ppi vs 460 ppi.
Why Apple - iPhone 16e wins
- ▲Weight — 65.00 g less. 167 vs 232.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 232 g | 167 glead |
| Thickness | 8.6 mm | 7.8 mmlead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.9 "lead | 6.1 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 501 ppilead | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hzlead | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2600 nitslead | 1200 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 200 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAhlead | 4005 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 65 Wlead | 20 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 Wlead | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | iOSlead |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 5 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 Ultra or iPhone 16e?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has 24.8% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 4005 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 Ultra or iPhone 16e?+
iPhone 16e is 65g lighter — 232g vs 167g.
Is Galaxy S26 Ultra waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 16e support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 16e supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26 Ultra or iPhone 16e?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 Ultra or iPhone 16e?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 200 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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