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Head to head · 2 phones

iPhone 18 Pro vs Galaxy S26 Ultra

Verified specs side by side. The green tick marks the better value on each measurable row.

Comparing 2 phones
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro9.0Excellent· Top score
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Galaxy S26 Ultra
Galaxy S26 Ultra8.6Very good
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VerdictApple iPhone 18 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The iPhone 18 Pro is the pick for most buyers.

  • It takes battery, performance and video, and the battery gap is not close: in the same lab's test it ran 23 h 45 min against 15 h 5 min for the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
  • The A20 Pro also posted the higher score in a sustained GPU test, though it runs warm under heavy load.
  • Its new 48MP main camera has a mechanical variable aperture from f/1.48 to f/4.0, with manual aperture, shutter and white balance controls, and video keeps Apple's pro stack of 4K120 Dolby Vision, ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2 and genlock.
  • Built-in Qi2 magnets and fast wired charging round it out.
  • The Galaxy S26 Ultra still owns zoom, with dedicated 3x and 5x telephotos that out-reach the iPhone past 4x.
  • It also has the bigger, sharper 6.9-inch QHD+ screen with Privacy Display, the built-in S Pen and seven years of OS upgrades.

Buy the Ultra if you're on Android or live at the long end of the zoom range.

If you own a 17 Pro, skip this generation.

Read our full verdict
The short verdict

iPhone 18 Pro edges it on score

The iPhone 18 Pro leads overall; pick the Galaxy S26 Ultra if its strengths below matter more to you.

iPhone 18 Pro
9.0
Galaxy S26 Ultra
8.6
Choose the iPhone 18 Pro if
  • iOS buyers upgrading from iPhone 15 Pro or older who want the newest Pro cameras and chip generation.
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Choose the Galaxy S26 Ultra if
  • Android power users who want an S Pen, 5x zoom and a screen that hides from shoulder-surfers
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At a glance

Key differences

Measured differences only. Ties and tiny gaps are left out.
Why pick theiPhone 18 Pro1 win
−0.6"Easier one-handed use6.3" vs 6.9"
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Why pick theGalaxy S26 Ultra1 win
+10%Larger screen6.9 vs 6.3 in
Check priceBest price · Amazon · check the store for today’s priceCheck price at Amazon ↗
Display6 differences
Screen size
6.3"
6.9"
Display type
Super Retina XDR display · ProMotion up to 120Hz · Always-On
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Resolution
2622 x 1206
3120 x 1440 pixels
Refresh rate
—
120 Hz
Peak brightness
1000 nits typical · 1600 nits HDR · 3000 nits outdoor peak
2600 nits
Pixel density
460 ppi
499 ppi
Performance1 difference
Chipset
Apple A20 Pro
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (SM8850, 3 nm)
Memory3 differences
RAM
—
16 GB
Internal storage
256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
1 TB
Card slot
No
Not supported
Main camera2 differences
Primary camera
48 MP
200 MP
Stabilization
second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization
Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)
Sound2 differences
Loudspeaker
Stereo speakers
Stereo
Headphone port
No
USB Type-C
Battery & Charging2 differences
Capacity
Built-in rechargeable Li-ion
5,000 mAh
Wired charging
USB-C; up to 50% in ~15 min with 60W+ AVS adapter
60W
Connectivity4 differences
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 6
6.0
NFC
Yes (reader mode; Express Cards)
Yes
Cellular
5G, LTE, UMTS/HSPA+, GSM/EDGE
5G sub6 + mmWave
Body4 differences
Dimensions
5.91 in (15 cm)
163.6 × 78.1 × 7.9 mm
Weight
211 g
214 g
Water & dust resistance
IP68 (6 metres up to 30 minutes)
IP68
Colors
Black, Silver, Glacier, Burgundy
Cobalt Violet, Black, Sky Blue, White
Launch & Software1 difference
Operating system
iOS 27
Android 16
Battery & charging1 difference
Fast Charging
Yes (~50% in 15 minutes wired)
Yes
Design3 differences
Depth
8.75 mm
7.9 mm
Height
150.0 mm
163.6 mm
Width
71.9 mm
78.1 mm
Where to buy
eBayCheck price

Specs verified against manufacturer data. Prices in USD before tax; we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

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