ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro (#2, best premium) vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (#5): in our Gaming Phones scoring the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro totals 9.6/10 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 8.5/10, the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro leading on Performance and Gaming Features.
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Side by side
| ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1295 | $1030 |
| Display | 6.78" AMOLED, 2448x1080, 165Hz | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3120x1440, 120Hz |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
| RAM | 16GB | 12GB/16GB |
| Storage | 512GB | 256GB-1TB |
| Battery | 5,500mAh, 65W HyperCharge | 5,000mAh, 60W wired, 25W wireless |
| Features | AirTrigger 9, X Mode | — |
| Camera | — | 200MP f/1.4 main + 50MP ultrawide + 50MP 5x + 10MP 3x telephoto |
How they differ in real use
Built from our best gaming phones scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra made our Top 5 Gaming Phones, at #2 (best premium) and #5. Premium gaming flagship with smoothest 165Hz display, AirTrigger 9 ultrasonic controls, and best build quality among gaming phones. Last ROG Phone model—a collector's item. All-rounder flagship running the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy — GSMArena found it runs demanding titles at higher graphics settings than the Tensor-powered Pixel 10 series can manage. Game Booster, a 6.9" display, and the S Pen for strategy games round it out; it ranks below the dedicated gaming phones because it lacks triggers and active cooling.
We score gaming phones on Performance (35%), Display (25%), Cooling (20%), Gaming Features (10%) and Battery Life (10%). On that basis the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro totals 9.6 out of 10 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 8.5. The widest gap is Performance, where the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro scores 10 against 9 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — processing. Gaming Features also separates them: 10 for the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro versus 7 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Display — 6.78" AMOLED, 2448x1080, 165Hz on the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro versus 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3120x1440, 120Hz on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra; Processor — Snapdragon 8 Elite on the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro versus Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra; RAM — 16GB on the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro versus 12GB/16GB on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra; Storage — 512GB on the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro versus 256GB-1TB on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra; Battery — 5,500mAh, 65W HyperCharge on the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro versus 5,000mAh, 60W wired, 25W wireless on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Pricing as of July 18, 2026: $1,295 for the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro and $1,030 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, a $265 difference in the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's favor. Owners praise the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro for 165Hz smoothest display and airTrigger 9 controls; the most common complaint is $1,099 premium price. Owners praise the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra for 200MP main camera now f/1.4 — 47% more light for low-light shots and privacy Display blocks side-angle viewing, first on any phone; the most common complaint is $1,299 list price with pricier storage upgrades.
ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro
- 165Hz smoothest display
- AirTrigger 9 controls
- Best gaming phone build
- Armoury Crate software
- $1,099 premium price
- Last ROG Phone model
- Large and heavy
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 200MP main camera now f/1.4 — 47% more light for low-light shots
- Privacy Display blocks side-angle viewing, first on any phone
- Built-in S Pen and DeX desktop mode
- 60W wired charging up from 45W
- $1,299 list price with pricier storage upgrades
- Still 5,000mAh — no silicon-carbon battery like OnePlus and OPPO
- Large camera bump
Which should you buy?
The ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro is the better fit for premium gaming experience and flagship quality + gaming — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Performance and Gaming Features. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the better fit for content creators and zoom photography. If the $265 saving matters more than Performance, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the better value. The ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro is a poor fit for budget gamers; the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a poor fit for compact phone seekers.
Choose the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro if
- Premium gaming experience
- Flagship quality + gaming
- ROG ecosystem
Skip it if
- Budget gamers
- Future-proofing concerns
Choose the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra if
- Content creators
- Zoom photography
- S Pen note-takers
Skip it if
- Compact phone seekers
- Clean Android preference
Common questions
Is the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro better than the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
In our Gaming Phones ranking the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro scores higher overall, 9.6 to 8.5, with the biggest advantage in Performance. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra does not out-score it on any criterion we weigh.
How much more does the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro cost than the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
$265 more as of July 18, 2026: $1,295 for the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro against $1,030 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure. What the extra buys is mostly Performance — 10 versus 9 in our scoring.
What is the main difference between the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The headline spec difference is Display: 6.78" AMOLED, 2448x1080, 165Hz on the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro versus 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3120x1440, 120Hz on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. In use, the gap that matters most is Performance (10 vs 9 in our scoring): processing.