Apple iPhone 17 Air vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Apple iPhone 17 Air (2024) runs on the Apple A19, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. By overall MobileRank rating, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads — 75/100 vs 33/100 (a 42-point difference). Key differences: the main camera is 48 MP vs 200 MP; the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,515,964 vs 2,085,000).
Apple iPhone 17 Air
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Better Geekbench Single: 3610 vs 3601
- Better design/ergonomics (50/100 vs 32/100)
- Better value for money (55/100 vs 20/100)
- Higher AnTuTu: 3515964 vs 2085000
- Better Geekbench Multi: 10686 vs 8810
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 48MP
- Higher performance (84/100 vs 59/100)
- Better camera (86/100 vs 24/100)
- Longer battery life (51/100 vs 0/100)
- Better display (100/100 vs 0/100)
Comparing the Apple iPhone 17 Air vs the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 42 points higher (75/100 vs 33/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (84/100 vs 59/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (86/100 vs 24/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (51/100 vs 0/100). In the "value for money" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Air leads (55/100 vs 20/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra notably outperforms the Apple iPhone 17 Air (84/100 vs 59/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone 17 Air (100/100 vs 0/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone 17 Air (86/100 vs 24/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone 17 Air (51/100 vs 0/100). In the "design" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Air notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (50/100 vs 32/100). In the "value for money" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (55/100 vs 20/100).
| Specification | Apple iPhone 17 Air | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple A19 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 2085000 | 3515964 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3610 | 3601 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 8810 | 10686 | |
| Display | 6.6" Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 1290x2796 | 3120x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | — | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | — | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | — | 60W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 25W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 157 | |
| Main camera | 48 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | iOS 19 | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 2600 nits | |
| NFC | — | yes | |
| Protection | — | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | — | 163.6×78.1×7.9 mm | |
| Weight | — | 214 g | |
| Price | — | $1299 |
Apple iPhone 17 Air
- Main: 48MP f/f/1.6
- Front: 12MP
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 12MP
Apple iPhone 17 Air
- 6.6" Super Retina XDR OLED
- Resolution: 1290x2796
- Refresh rate: —
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 3120x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Apple iPhone 17 Air
- —
- No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 5000 mAh
- NanoReview test: web browsing 10:12 hrs, total 28:50 hrs
- Wired: 60W
- Wireless: 25W
We compared Apple iPhone 17 Air and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads Apple iPhone 17 Air by 40.7% in our overall performance rating.
Apple iPhone 17 Air
Price unknownperformance
In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra notably outperforms the Apple iPhone 17 Air (84/100 vs 59/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone 17 Air (100/100 vs 0/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone 17 Air (86/100 vs 24/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone 17 Air (51/100 vs 0/100).
design
In the "design" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Air notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (50/100 vs 32/100).
value for money
In the "value for money" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (55/100 vs 20/100).
Which is better: the Apple iPhone 17 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone 17 Air by 42 points (75/100 vs 33/100).
What is the rating of the Apple iPhone 17 Air and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Apple iPhone 17 Air has a MobileRank rating of 33/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 75/100.
Which has the better camera: the Apple iPhone 17 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on camera score (86/100 vs 24/100).
Which is more powerful: the Apple iPhone 17 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on performance (84/100 vs 59/100).
Should you choose the Apple iPhone 17 Air over the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Apple iPhone 17 Air is a better fit for everyday use. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts.