(Vivo) IQOO 16 vs Samsung Galaxy S26+
Verdict
(Vivo) IQOO 16 and Samsung Galaxy S26+ tie on the OH Rank at a score of 81. (Vivo) IQOO 16 wins on Performance and Battery; Samsung Galaxy S26+ wins on Selfie and Desktop Replacement. (Vivo) IQOO 16 is 1.1mm wider than Samsung Galaxy S26+. (Vivo) IQOO 16 is the more recent release, from Sep 29, 2026.
Score Breakdown
Performance /15
Battery /15
Screen /15
IP Protection /15
Main Camera /15
Selfie /5
Video /5
SD Memory /5
Software /5
Desktop Replacement /5
TOTAL
81
81
(Vivo) IQOO 16
76.9mm (3.03in) · Sep 29, 2026 · Rank #9
15+14+15+12+12+4+4+0+5+0 = 81
* TOP Performance* TOP Battery Endurance* TOP Gaming* TOP Software* TOP Screen
EDITORIAL: (this is a pre-test listing based on reasonable expectation of battery and imaging performance) Vivo decided to adjust to tough market conditions by sacrificing LTPO tech while adding a massive battery. Despite "big and heavy", this is one of the best gaming phone options out there.
PROs
blazing SD 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 (2nm) with UFS 4.1 performance, >42hr endurance from a 8400mAh Si-C battery with sub-60min 100W (40W wireless) charging, excellent >1300nits 508ppi 165Hz AMOLED screen with Dolby Vision, IP69 protection, good overall 50MP main + 50MP periscope telephoto (both OIS PDAF) + 50MP AF ultrawide setup, average 32MP 21mm non-AF selfie, average video recording, feature rich OriginOS with 5 years of OS updates, fast USB-C 3.2 with OTG
CONs
big & heavy, no LTPO drains battery faster, non-AF selfie, no memory expansion slot, no desktop replacement functionality provided by Android 17, limited market availability
Samsung Galaxy S26+
75.8mm (2.98in) · Mar 4, 2026 · Rank #11
13+10+15+12+12+5+4+0+5+5 = 81
* TOP Screen* TOP Selfie* TOP Software* TOP Desktop Replacement
EDITORIAL: Like with all S models this year, Samsung saw no reason to innovate – the S26+ gets an upgraded processor and 25W (instead of 15W) wireless charging. Everything else stays the same. Still it is a top flagship phone with great performance, top screen, very good imaging and DeX, 7 years of stabile and feature rich OS, plus tons of AI tricks
PROs
just 7mm thick, excellent build, fast SD 8 Elite Gen 5 (EU gets Exynos 2600) with UFS 4.0 performance, >1400nits bright >500ppi LTPO AMOLED screen with HDR10+ support, IP69 protection, reliable 50MP 24mm main + 10MP 67mm tele (both OIS PDAF) + 12MP 13mm back setup, excellent (from Feb 2023) 12MP 26mm dual pixel PDAF selfie, solid video recording, feature-packed OneOS with 7 years of updates, industry leading (with Pixel and Honor) AI integration, excellent DeX (Desktop eXperience) multi window desktop replacement environment and a fast USBC 3.2 port with DisplayPort and OTG features
CONs
same as S25+ but for much higher price, small 4900mAh Lithium battery with >60min 45W (25W wireless) charging, no expandable memory, kill-joy lack of innovation and improvement
Both phones here were scored by me, using the same ten categories, with no ads, sponsorships, or manufacturer relationships — this comparison is as objective and honest as it gets.
Visit Home page to compare world's best phones. You can see scoring and ranking explained on the About page.