Galaxy S26 Ultra
iPhone 17 Pro
🏆 Verdict
Galaxy S26 Ultra is the better pick overall by 5.6 points, leading in Battery, Updates and Charging. iPhone 17 Pro remains a strong contender elsewhere.
iPhone 17 Pro offers more for the money ($1,099 vs $1,299 at launch).
By category
Performance
Galaxy S26 Ultra is faster with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (performance index 100 vs 99). You notice it in heavy games and video editing, less in daily use. Galaxy S26 Ultra has more RAM (16 GB vs 12 GB), which helps multitasking.
Camera
Galaxy S26 Ultra's main camera is 200 MP vs 48 MP. More pixels help cropping and digital zoom, but final quality depends on sensor size and processing. Galaxy S26 Ultra zooms further optically (5× vs 4×). iPhone 17 Pro has the higher-resolution selfie camera (18 MP vs 12 MP).
Battery
Galaxy S26 Ultra's battery is 748 mAh larger (5,000 vs 4,252 mAh), about 18% more. Real battery life also depends on chip and display efficiency.
Charging
Galaxy S26 Ultra charges faster over cable (60W vs 40W). Wireless charging is faster on iPhone 17 Pro (25W vs 15W).
Display
Galaxy S26 Ultra has the larger screen (6.9" vs 6.3"). iPhone 17 Pro's screen gets brighter (3,000 vs 2,600 nits), which shows outdoors. Galaxy S26 Ultra's screen is sharper (498 vs 458 ppi).
Build & durability
Galaxy S26 Ultra has a titanium frame.
Updates
Galaxy S26 Ultra should get OS updates for longer (7 vs 6 years, per the maker's policy at launch).
Specifications
| Galaxy S26 Ultra | iPhone 17 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Chipset | Apple A19 Pro |
| 12 GB / 16 GB | RAM | 12 GB |
| 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB | Storage | 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB |
| 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | Display | 6.3" LTPO OLED |
| 120 Hz | Refresh rate | 120 Hz |
| 3120×1440 (498 ppi) | Resolution | 2622×1206 (458 ppi) |
| 2,600 nits | Peak brightness | 3,000 nits |
| 200 MP | Main camera | 48 MP |
| 50 MP | Ultrawide | 48 MP |
| 50 MP · 5× | Telephoto | 48 MP · 4× |
| 12 MP | Front camera | 18 MP |
| 5,000 mAh | Battery | 4,252 mAh |
| 60 W | Wired charging | 40 W |
| 15 W | Wireless charging | 25 W |
| IP68 | Water & dust rating | IP68 |
| titanium | Frame | aluminium |
| 214 g | Weight | 206 g |
| 7 years | OS updates (estimated) | 6 years |
| $1,299 | Launch price | $1,099 |
| 2026-02 | Released | 2025-09 |
Official source: Galaxy S26 Ultra · Official source: iPhone 17 Pro
⚠ Data pending confirmation: Galaxy S26 Ultra
Galaxy S26 Ultra
Pros
- 16 GB RAM
- 5× optical zoom
- 200 MP main camera
- 5,000 mAh battery
- 60W charging
Cons
- Pricier ($1,299)
iPhone 17 Pro
Pros
- Lower price ($1,099)
Cons
- Smaller battery
- Slower charging (40W)
How is the score calculated?
Each phone gets 0–100 points in seven categories (performance, camera, battery, charging, display, build, updates), computed only from its published specs, then combined with fixed, published weights. A gap under 2.5 points counts as a tie. The performance index is an estimate based on benchmark results published at launch.
Figures come from the manufacturers’ official pages. Some specs vary by market. We do not sell devices or earn commissions.