Apple iPhone SE (2020) vs Samsung Galaxy S26
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone SE (2020) and Samsung Galaxy S26 sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Apple iPhone SE (2020) is the cheaper of the two at $399 versus $800, a difference of about $401. The Samsung Galaxy S26 is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple iPhone SE (2020) stands out for incredibly affordable at $399 with flagship a13 chip, while Samsung Galaxy S26 is praised for compact 6.2-inch flagship. 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 SE (2020) if…
- →Incredibly affordable at $399 with flagship A13 chip
- →Compact and lightweight design
- →Touch ID home button
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 if…
- →Compact 6.2-inch flagship
- →Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- →7 years of OS updates
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone SE (2020)
Pros
- Incredibly affordable at $399 with flagship A13 chip
- Compact and lightweight design
- Touch ID home button
- Wi-Fi 6 support
- Long software support from Apple
Cons
- Tiny 1821 mAh battery with poor endurance
- Dated design with thick bezels
- Single rear camera with no ultrawide
- 750p LCD display
- No 5G support
Samsung Galaxy S26
Pros
- Compact 6.2-inch flagship
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- 7 years of OS updates
- IP68 water resistance
Cons
- Smaller 4000 mAh battery
- Only 25W charging
- 12MP ultrawide is dated
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy S26 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 13 | Android 16, One UI 8 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 148 g | 168 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, glass back | Armor Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| IP rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm | 146 x 70 x 7.6 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 7 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | — | 10 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide | — | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 3 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 1821 mAh | 4000 mAh |
| Charging | 18W wired (adapter sold separately) | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 7.5W Qi | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 4.7 inches | 6.2 inches |
| Type | Retina IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 1334 x 750 | 1080 x 2340 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 625 | 2600 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) | Octa-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Adreno |
| Chipset | Apple A13 Bionic | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 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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