Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Apple iPhone 16 Plus (#4, best value) vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (#5): in our Battery Life Phones scoring the Apple iPhone 16 Plus totals 8.3/10 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 8/10, the Apple iPhone 16 Plus leading on Battery Life and Value and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra on Charging Speed.
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Side by side
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $609 | $1030 |
| Display | 6.7" Super Retina XDR, 2796x1290, 60Hz | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3120x1440, 120Hz |
| Processor | A18 Bionic | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB/16GB |
| Storage | 128GB-512GB | 256GB-1TB |
| Battery | 4,700mAh | 5,000mAh, 60W wired, 25W wireless |
| Camera | 48MP dual system | 200MP f/1.4 main + 50MP ultrawide + 50MP 5x + 10MP 3x telephoto |
How they differ in real use
Built from our best battery phones scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Apple iPhone 16 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra made our Top 5 Battery Life Phones, at #4 (best value) and #5. Among the longest-lasting iPhones in independent testing — the newer iPhone 17 Pro Max now edges it out, but at hundreds of dollars more. 4,700mAh (largest non-Max) with the efficient A18 Bionic delivers 18-20 hours of mixed use. Best iOS battery value. Tom's Guide measured 16 hours 10 minutes — over two hours longer than the Galaxy S25 Ultra from the same 5,000mAh cell, thanks to Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 efficiency — and wired charging jumps from 45W to 60W. It trails the silicon-carbon phones above because Samsung hasn't adopted the higher-density battery tech yet.
We score battery life phones on Battery Life (40%), Battery Capacity (20%), Charging Speed (20%), Efficiency (10%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Apple iPhone 16 Plus totals 8.3 out of 10 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 8. The widest gap is Battery Life, where the Apple iPhone 16 Plus scores 9 against 8 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — hours. Charging Speed also separates them: 8 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra versus 6 for the Apple iPhone 16 Plus.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Display — 6.7" Super Retina XDR, 2796x1290, 60Hz on the Apple iPhone 16 Plus versus 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3120x1440, 120Hz on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra; Processor — A18 Bionic on the Apple iPhone 16 Plus versus Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra; RAM — 8GB on the Apple iPhone 16 Plus versus 12GB/16GB on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra; Storage — 128GB-512GB on the Apple iPhone 16 Plus versus 256GB-1TB on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra; Battery — 4,700mAh on the Apple iPhone 16 Plus versus 5,000mAh, 60W wired, 25W wireless on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra; Camera — 48MP dual system on the Apple iPhone 16 Plus versus 200MP f/1.4 main + 50MP ultrawide + 50MP 5x + 10MP 3x telephoto on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Pricing as of July 18, 2026: $609 for the Apple iPhone 16 Plus and $1,030 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, a $421 difference in the Apple iPhone 16 Plus's favor. Owners praise the Apple iPhone 16 Plus for 18-20 hours mixed-use battery life and 4,700mAh largest non-Max; the most common complaint is 60Hz display no ProMotion. 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.
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
- 18-20 hours mixed-use battery life
- 4,700mAh largest non-Max
- A18 Bionic efficient
- 6.7" large display
- 60Hz display no ProMotion
- Older design vs iPhone 17
- No telephoto lens
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 Apple iPhone 16 Plus is the better fit for iPhone battery priority and large screen iPhone users — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Battery Life and Value. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the better fit for content creators and zoom photography, and the stronger choice if Charging Speed matters more to you than the overall score. Since the Apple iPhone 16 Plus is both the higher scorer and $421 cheaper, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra only makes sense for content creators. The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is a poor fit for proMotion display needs; the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a poor fit for compact phone seekers.
Choose the Apple iPhone 16 Plus if
- iPhone battery priority
- Large screen iPhone users
- Value iOS buyers
Skip it if
- ProMotion display needs
- Telephoto photography
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 Apple iPhone 16 Plus better than the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
In our Battery Life Phones ranking the Apple iPhone 16 Plus scores higher overall, 8.3 to 8, with the biggest advantage in Battery Life. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is stronger on Charging Speed, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
How much more does the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra cost than the Apple iPhone 16 Plus?
$421 more as of July 18, 2026: $1,030 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra against $609 for the Apple iPhone 16 Plus. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure.
What is the main difference between the Apple iPhone 16 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The headline spec difference is Display: 6.7" Super Retina XDR, 2796x1290, 60Hz on the Apple iPhone 16 Plus versus 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3120x1440, 120Hz on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. In use, the gap that matters most is Battery Life (9 vs 8 in our scoring): hours.