Between the Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17, the Galaxy S26 comes out ahead in wired charging and ram, while the iPhone 17 wins on wireless charging and pixel density. Overall, the Galaxy S26 scores 64.6 and the iPhone 17 scores 61.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (64.6 vs 61.7). 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 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 17 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 — 26.00 g less. 168 vs 194.
- ▲AnTuTu — 8.59% more. 2150000 vs 1980000.
- ▲Battery capacity — 8.34% more. 4000 mAh vs 3692 mAh.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 6).
Why Apple - iPhone 17 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 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 168 glead | 194 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.1 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.2 " | 6.3 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 425 ppi | 460 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2400 nitslead | 2200 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4000 mAhlead | 3692 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 Wlead | 27 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 25 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Apple - iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | iOSlead |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 6 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17?+
Galaxy S26 has 8.3% more battery — 4000 mAh vs 3692 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17?+
Galaxy S26 is 26g lighter — 168g vs 194g.
Is Galaxy S26 waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 17 support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 17 supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17?+
Galaxy S26 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17?+
Galaxy S26 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
More from the same brands
vsMars is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.