Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S26+
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S26+ sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is the cheaper of the two at $899 versus $1,000, a difference of about $101. The Samsung Galaxy S26+ is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple iPhone 16 Plus stands out for excellent battery life from large 4674 mah cell, while Samsung Galaxy S26+ is praised for larger 6.7-inch qhd+ display. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 16 Plus if…
- →Excellent battery life from large 4674 mAh cell
- →A18 chip supports Apple Intelligence
- →New Camera Control button
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S26+ if…
- →Larger 6.7-inch QHD+ display
- →45W fast charging
- →4900 mAh battery
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
Pros
- Excellent battery life from large 4674 mAh cell
- A18 chip supports Apple Intelligence
- New Camera Control button
- Bright 2000-nit display
- More affordable than Pro Max
Cons
- Still locked to 60Hz refresh rate
- No telephoto camera
- USB-C limited to USB 2.0 speeds
- No always-on display
Samsung Galaxy S26+
Pros
- Larger 6.7-inch QHD+ display
- 45W fast charging
- 4900 mAh battery
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Cons
- Same 12MP ultrawide as base S26
- No S Pen support
- Incremental upgrade over S25+
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 16 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S26+ |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 18 | Android 16, One UI 8 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 199 g | 190 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame | Armor Aluminum frame |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8 mm | 157 x 75 x 7.3 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP | 50 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps Dolby Vision | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Telephoto | — | 10 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4674 mAh | 4900 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.7 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2796 x 1290 | 1440 x 3120 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 2600 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | Octa-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core) | Adreno |
| Chipset | Apple A18 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 2.0 | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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