Between the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Galaxy S26 comes out ahead in weight, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra wins on main camera and wired charging. Overall, the Galaxy S26 scores 64.6 and the Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 75.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 11.0 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 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight.
Pick the Galaxy S26 Ultra if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are main camera, wired charging, ram, among others.
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: 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 wins
- ▲Weight — 64.00 g less. 168 vs 232.
Why Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra wins
- ▲Main camera — 300.00% more. 200 MP vs 50 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 44.44% more. 65 W vs 45 W.
- ▲RAM — 33.33% more. 16 GB vs 12 GB.
- ▲Battery capacity — 25.00% more. 5000 mAh vs 4000 mAh.
- ▲Pixel density — 17.88% more. 501 ppi vs 425 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 11.29% more. 6.9 " vs 6.2 ".
- ▲AnTuTu — 7.44% more. 2310000 vs 2150000.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 168 glead | 232 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.6 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.2 " | 6.9 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 425 ppi | 501 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2400 nits | 2600 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 200 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4000 mAh | 5000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 W | 65 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 7 years | 7 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has 25.0% more battery — 4000 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy S26 is 64g lighter — 168g vs 232g.
Is Galaxy S26 waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 has an IP68 rating.
Does Galaxy S26 Ultra support 5G?+
Yes, Galaxy S26 Ultra supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 200 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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