Samsung Galaxy S26+ vs Apple iPhone 18 Pro
Verdict
Samsung Galaxy S26+ scores higher on the OH Rank (81 vs 79), winning 2 of 10 categories including Screen and Desktop Replacement. Samsung Galaxy S26+ is 3.9mm wider than Apple iPhone 18 Pro. Apple iPhone 18 Pro is the more recent release, from Sep 18, 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
79
Samsung Galaxy S26+
75.8mm (2.98in) · Mar 4, 2026 · Rank #10
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
Apple iPhone 18 Pro
71.9mm (2.83in) · Sep 18, 2026 · Rank #18
15+11+11+12+15+5+5+0+5+0 = 79
SUPERIOR* TOP Performance* TOP Selfie* TOP PHOTO/VIDEO* TOP Compact
EDITORIAL: After last year's major design re-shuffle Apple is back to minimal upgrades. 18 Pro gets an obligatory new chip, faster (but overall on a slow side) charging, smaller selfie camera island and a variable exposure main camera... but the redemption lies in endurance gains brought by A20 Pro, Apple's first 2nm chip. It makes 18 Pro finish a day of use with 10-20% battery life - and that makes it a TOP Compact contender.
PROs
excellent build with great feel, good A20 Pro (2nm) chip with NVMe performance, ~30hr endurance, a <1000nits 460ppi 120Hz LTPO OLED screen with Dolby Vision, IP68 protection, very good 48MP 24mm OIS f/1.5-4.0 main + 48MP 100mm OIS periscope telephoto + 48MP 13mm ultrawide (all 3 with PDAF) setup, good "center stage" 18MP 20mm selfie, great video recording, rich OS with improved (Google) AI integration and 6+ years of updates, fast USB-C 3.2 port with Display Port, globally available
CONs
A20 Pro throttles under heavy load, small 4000mAh (4200mAh on eSIM-only version) old-tech lithium battery with 60min (from 0-100%) ~45W (25W wireless) charging, sub-1000nits bright screen could be a liability in bright conditions, no expandable memory, no desktop replacement functionality despite having Display Port tech, speaker sound could be louder, $1400 (512GB) for a minimal investment in innovation
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.
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