Between the Galaxy S26 and iPhone 16 Pro, the Galaxy S26 comes out ahead in wired charging and ram, while the iPhone 16 Pro wins on wireless charging and pixel density. Overall, the Galaxy S26 scores 64.6 and the iPhone 16 Pro scores 60.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26 edges ahead on the Mars Score (64.6 vs 60.6), but the 4.0-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Galaxy S26 if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are wired charging, ram, weight, among others.
Pick the iPhone 16 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 refresh rate, 5g support, water resistance, 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 — 66.67% more. 45 W vs 27 W.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Weight — 31.00 g less. 168 vs 199.
- ▲AnTuTu — 22.86% more. 2150000 vs 1750000.
- ▲Battery capacity — 11.67% more. 4000 mAh vs 3582 mAh.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 5).
Why Apple - iPhone 16 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 16 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 168 glead | 199 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.25 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 16 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.2 " | 6.3 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 425 ppi | 460 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2400 nitslead | 2000 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 16 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 16 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4000 mAhlead | 3582 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 Wlead | 27 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 25 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 16 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 16 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | iOSlead |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 5 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 16 Pro?+
Galaxy S26 has 11.7% more battery — 4000 mAh vs 3582 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 16 Pro?+
Galaxy S26 is 31g lighter — 168g vs 199g.
Is Galaxy S26 waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 16 Pro support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 16 Pro supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 16 Pro?+
Galaxy S26 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 16 Pro?+
Galaxy S26 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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