Between the Galaxy S26 and iPhone 16e, the Galaxy S26 comes out ahead in wired charging and refresh rate, while the iPhone 16e wins on pixel density and weight. Overall, the Galaxy S26 scores 64.6 and the iPhone 16e scores 58.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26 edges ahead on the Mars Score (64.6 vs 58.6), but the 6.0-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Galaxy S26 if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. The biggest gaps in its favor are wired charging, refresh rate, ram, among others.
Pick the iPhone 16e 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 pixel density, weight, battery capacity.
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 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 wins
- ▲Wired charging — 125.00% more. 45 W vs 20 W.
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲AnTuTu — 36.08% more. 2150000 vs 1580000.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Screen size — 1.64% more. 6.2 " vs 6.1 ".
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 5).
- ▲Wireless charging: 15 W vs 0 W.
Why Apple - iPhone 16e wins
- ▲Pixel density — 8.24% more. 460 ppi vs 425 ppi.
- ▲Weight — 1.00 g less. 167 vs 168.
- ▲Battery capacity — 0.13% more. 4005 mAh vs 4000 mAh.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 168 g | 167 glead |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 7.8 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.2 "lead | 6.1 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 425 ppi | 460 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hzlead | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2400 nitslead | 1200 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4000 mAh | 4005 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 Wlead | 20 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 Wlead | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | iOSlead |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 5 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 16e?+
iPhone 16e has 0.1% more battery — 4000 mAh vs 4005 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 16e?+
iPhone 16e is 1g lighter — 168g vs 167g.
Is Galaxy S26 waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 16e support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 16e supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 16e?+
Galaxy S26 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 16e?+
Galaxy S26 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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