Between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and iQOO 13, the Galaxy S26 Ultra comes out ahead in main camera and screen size, while the iQOO 13 wins on front camera and wired charging. Overall, the Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 75.6 and the iQOO 13 scores 75.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (75.6 vs 75.3). 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 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, screen size, promised os updates, among others.
Pick the iQOO 13 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 front camera, wired charging, battery capacity, among others.
Both ship with comparable ram, 5g support, optical image stabilization, 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 Ultra wins
- ▲Main camera — 300.00% more. 200 MP vs 50 MP.
- ▲Screen size — 1.17% more. 6.9 " vs 6.82 ".
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 4).
- ▲Wireless charging: 15 W vs 0 W.
Why Vivo - iQOO 13 wins
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 84.62% more. 120 W vs 65 W.
- ▲Battery capacity — 23.00% more. 6150 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
- ▲AnTuTu — 22.08% more. 2820000 vs 2310000.
- ▲Refresh rate — 20.00% more. 144 Hz vs 120 Hz.
- ▲Weight — 19.00 g less. 213 vs 232.
- ▲Pixel density — 1.80% more. 510 ppi vs 501 ppi.
- ▲Water resistance: IP69 (vs IP68).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Vivo - iQOO 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 232 g | 213 glead |
| Thickness | 8.6 mm | 8.13 mmlead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP69lead |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Vivo - iQOO 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.9 "lead | 6.82 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 501 ppi | 510 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 144 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2600 nits | 4500 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Vivo - iQOO 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 200 MPlead | 50 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Vivo - iQOO 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 6150 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 65 W | 120 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 Wlead | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Vivo - iQOO 13 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Vivo - iQOO 13 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 4 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 Ultra or iQOO 13?+
iQOO 13 has 23.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 6150 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 Ultra or iQOO 13?+
iQOO 13 is 19g lighter — 232g vs 213g.
Is Galaxy S26 Ultra waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has an IP68 rating.
Does iQOO 13 support 5G?+
Yes, iQOO 13 supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 Ultra or iQOO 13?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 200 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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