Between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Xperia 1 VI, the Galaxy S26 Ultra comes out ahead in main camera and wired charging, while the Xperia 1 VI wins on weight and headphone jack. Overall, the Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 75.6 and the Xperia 1 VI scores 65.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 9.9 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the Galaxy S26 Ultra if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are main camera, wired charging, antutu, among others.
Pick the Xperia 1 VI if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight, headphone jack.
Both ship with comparable battery capacity, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Galaxy S26 Ultra 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 Ultra wins
- ▲Main camera — 316.67% more. 200 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 116.67% more. 65 W vs 30 W.
- ▲AnTuTu — 50.00% more. 2310000 vs 1540000.
- ▲RAM — 33.33% more. 16 GB vs 12 GB.
- ▲Pixel density — 18.16% more. 501 ppi vs 424 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 6.15% more. 6.9 " vs 6.5 ".
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 4).
Why Sony - Xperia 1 VI wins
- ▲Weight — 40.00 g less. 192 vs 232.
- ▲Has Headphone jack.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Sony - Xperia 1 VI |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 232 g | 192 glead |
| Thickness | 8.6 mm | 8.2 mmlead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Sony - Xperia 1 VI |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.9 "lead | 6.5 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 501 ppilead | 424 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2600 nitslead | 1700 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Sony - Xperia 1 VI |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 200 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Sony - Xperia 1 VI |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 65 Wlead | 30 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Sony - Xperia 1 VI |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | truelead |
| microSD slot | false | truelead |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Sony - Xperia 1 VI |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 4 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 Ultra or Xperia 1 VI?+
Xperia 1 VI has 0.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 Ultra or Xperia 1 VI?+
Xperia 1 VI is 40g lighter — 232g vs 192g.
Is Galaxy S26 Ultra waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has an IP68 rating.
Does Xperia 1 VI support 5G?+
Yes, Xperia 1 VI supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26 Ultra or Xperia 1 VI?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 Ultra or Xperia 1 VI?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 200 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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