Between the Galaxy S26+ and ROG Phone 9, the Galaxy S26+ comes out ahead in pixel density and weight, while the ROG Phone 9 wins on front camera and refresh rate. Overall, the Galaxy S26+ scores 68.5 and the ROG Phone 9 scores 75.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The ROG Phone 9 edges ahead on the Mars Score (68.5 vs 75.1), but the 6.6-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 pixel density, weight, promised os updates.
Pick the ROG Phone 9 if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are front camera, refresh rate, wired charging, among others.
Both ship with comparable main camera, 5g support, water resistance, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the ROG Phone 9 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
- ▲Pixel density — 32.22% more. 513 ppi vs 388 ppi.
- ▲Weight — 31.00 g less. 196 vs 227.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 3).
Why ASUS - ROG Phone 9 wins
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Refresh rate — 54.17% more. 185 Hz vs 120 Hz.
- ▲Wired charging — 44.44% more. 65 W vs 45 W.
- ▲RAM — 33.33% more. 16 GB vs 12 GB.
- ▲Battery capacity — 18.37% more. 5800 mAh vs 4900 mAh.
- ▲AnTuTu — 17.27% more. 2580000 vs 2200000.
- ▲Screen size — 1.19% more. 6.78 " vs 6.7 ".
- ▲Has Headphone jack.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 196 glead | 227 g |
| Thickness | 7.6 mmlead | 8.9 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 " | 6.78 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 513 ppilead | 388 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 185 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2600 nitslead | 2500 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4900 mAh | 5800 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 W | 65 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | truelead |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26+ or ROG Phone 9?+
ROG Phone 9 has 18.4% more battery — 4900 mAh vs 5800 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26+ or ROG Phone 9?+
Galaxy S26+ is 31g lighter — 196g vs 227g.
Is Galaxy S26+ waterproof?+
Galaxy S26+ has an IP68 rating.
Does ROG Phone 9 support 5G?+
Yes, ROG Phone 9 supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26+ or ROG Phone 9?+
ROG Phone 9 offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26+ or ROG Phone 9?+
ROG Phone 9 has a 50 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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