Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Pixel density | 425 ppi | 643 ppi |
| Wired charging | 45 W | 30 W |
| Battery capacity | 4000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Weight | 168 g | 192 g |
| Screen size | 6.2 " | 6.5 " |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 48 MP |
Between the Galaxy S26 and Xperia 1 VII, the Galaxy S26 comes out ahead in wired charging / weight, while the Xperia 1 VII wins on pixel density / battery capacity. Overall, the Galaxy S26 scores 67.3 and the Xperia 1 VII scores 67.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (67.3 vs 67.7). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Galaxy S26 if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are wired charging, weight, main camera, among others. The single most decisive one: Wired charging — 50.00% more. 45 W vs 30 W.
Pick the Xperia 1 VII 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, battery capacity, screen size, among others. The single most decisive one: Pixel density — 51.29% more. 643 ppi vs 425 ppi.
Both ship with comparable ram, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs do not 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 says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Samsung - Galaxy S26 or Sony - Xperia 1 VII?
Sony - Xperia 1 VII leads the current Mars Score by 0.4 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare screen size, pixel density, battery capacity against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Samsung - Galaxy S26 if…
Samsung - Galaxy S26 has the measurable edge on wired charging w, weight g, main cam mp.
Choose Sony - Xperia 1 VII if…
Sony - Xperia 1 VII has the measurable edge on pixel density ppi, battery capacity mah, screen size in.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Samsung - Galaxy S26 wins
- ▲Wired charging — 50.00% more. 45 W vs 30 W.
- ▲Weight — 24.00 g less. 168 vs 192.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲AnTuTu — 3.37% more. 2150000 vs 2080000.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 4).
Why Sony - Xperia 1 VII wins
- ▲Pixel density — 51.29% more. 643 ppi vs 425 ppi.
- ▲Battery capacity — 25.00% more. 5000 mAh vs 4000 mAh.
- ▲Screen size — 4.84% more. 6.5 " vs 6.2 ".
- ▲Has Headphone jack.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 168 glead | 192 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.2 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.2 " | 6.5 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 425 ppi | 643 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2400 nitslead | 1800 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| RAMⓘ | 12 GB | 12 GB |
| Storageⓘ | 256 GB | 256 GB |
| AnTuTuⓘ | 2150000lead | 2080000 |
| CPU total clockⓘ | 22.0 GHzlead | 21.4 GHz |
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacityⓘ | 4000 mAh | 5000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 Wlead | 30 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | truelead |
| microSD slot | false | truelead |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 4 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 or Xperia 1 VII?+
Xperia 1 VII has 25.0% more battery — 4000 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 or Xperia 1 VII?+
Galaxy S26 is 24g lighter — 168g vs 192g.
Is Galaxy S26 waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 has an IP68 rating.
Does Xperia 1 VII support 5G?+
Yes, Xperia 1 VII supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 or Xperia 1 VII?+
Galaxy S26 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.