Apple iPhone 16 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Apple iPhone 16 Pro is the cheaper of the two at $999 versus $1,300, a difference of about $301. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple iPhone 16 Pro stands out for compact pro form factor with larger 6.3-inch display, while Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is praised for 200mp main + 50mp 5x periscope telephoto. 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 Pro if…
- →Compact Pro form factor with larger 6.3-inch display
- →Same A18 Pro chip as Pro Max
- →5x telephoto now on smaller Pro model
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra if…
- →200MP main + 50MP 5x periscope telephoto
- →Privacy Display limits side-angle viewing
- →S Pen built in
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Pros
- Compact Pro form factor with larger 6.3-inch display
- Same A18 Pro chip as Pro Max
- 5x telephoto now on smaller Pro model
- Excellent video recording capabilities
- Premium titanium design
Cons
- Shorter battery life than Pro Max
- Expensive
- Charging speeds trail Android rivals
- Base 128 GB storage feels limiting
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Pros
- 200MP main + 50MP 5x periscope telephoto
- Privacy Display limits side-angle viewing
- S Pen built in
- 0.3mm thinner than S25 Ultra at 214g
- 16GB RAM with up to 1TB
Cons
- $1300 starting price
- Same 45W charging as S25 Ultra
- Marginal upgrade if coming from S25 Ultra
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 16 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 18 | Android 16, One UI 8 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 199 g | 214 g |
| Material | Titanium frame | Titanium frame, Gorilla Armor 2 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25 mm | 162 x 77 x 8.2 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP | 200 MP, f/1.7, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@120fps Dolby Vision | 8K@30fps, 4K@120fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP 5x | 50 MP, f/2.6, 5x optical zoom, 10x optical-quality zoom |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP | 50 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 3582 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.3 inches | 6.9 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, LTPO | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2622 x 1206 | 1440 x 3120 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 2600 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | Octa-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (6-core) | Adreno |
| Chipset | Apple A18 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 | 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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