Honor 9 Lite vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Honor 9 Lite (2017) runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 659, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $200 and $1299. By overall MobileRank rating, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads — 84/100 vs 15/100 (a 69-point difference). Key differences: the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 3000); the main camera is 13 MP vs 200 MP; the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has NFC for contactless payments, the Honor 9 Lite doesn't; the Honor 9 Lite is noticeably lighter (149g vs 214g).
Honor 9 Lite
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Lighter: 149g vs 214g
- Cheaper at launch: $200 vs $1299
- Better portability (88/100 vs 51/100)
- Better Geekbench Single: 3601 vs 215
- Better Geekbench Multi: 10686 vs 810
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 3000 mAh
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 13MP
- Higher refresh rate: 120Hz vs 60Hz
- Higher performance (96/100 vs 2/100)
- Better camera (86/100 vs 12/100)
- Longer battery life (61/100 vs 15/100)
- Better display (88/100 vs 32/100)
Comparing the Honor 9 Lite vs the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 69 points higher (84/100 vs 15/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (96/100 vs 2/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (86/100 vs 12/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (61/100 vs 15/100). Value score: Honor 9 Lite — 0/100, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 76/100; it is biased by price level, so it should not be compared directly between devices at different prices. In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9 Lite (96/100 vs 2/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9 Lite (88/100 vs 32/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9 Lite (86/100 vs 12/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9 Lite (61/100 vs 15/100). In the "portability" category, the Honor 9 Lite significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (88/100 vs 51/100).
| Specification | Honor 9 Lite | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 659 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | — | 3515964 | |
| Geekbench Single | 215 | 3601 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 810 | 10686 | |
| Display | 5.7" IPS LCD | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | — | 3120x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 3000 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | — | 60W | |
| Wireless charging | — | 25W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 157 | |
| Main camera | 13 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 13 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 3GB / 4GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 32GB / 64GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | — | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 2600 nits | |
| NFC | no | yes | |
| Protection | — | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 151.0×71.9×7.6 mm | 163.6×78.1×7.9 mm | |
| Weight | 149 g | 214 g | |
| Launch price | $200 | $1299 |
Honor 9 Lite
- Main: 13MP
- Front: 13MP
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 12MP
Honor 9 Lite
- 5.7" IPS LCD
- Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 3120x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Honor 9 Lite
- 3000 mAh
- Wireless charging: no data
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 5000 mAh
- NanoReview test: web browsing 10:12 hrs, total 28:50 hrs
- Wired: 60W
- Wireless: 25W
Launch price difference: $1099. Honor 9 Lite was $1099 cheaper at launch.
performance
In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9 Lite (96/100 vs 2/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9 Lite (88/100 vs 32/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9 Lite (86/100 vs 12/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9 Lite (61/100 vs 15/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Honor 9 Lite significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (88/100 vs 51/100).
Which is better: the Honor 9 Lite or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9 Lite by 69 points (84/100 vs 15/100).
What is the rating of the Honor 9 Lite and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Honor 9 Lite has a MobileRank rating of 15/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 84/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor 9 Lite or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on camera score (86/100 vs 12/100).
Which is more powerful: the Honor 9 Lite or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on performance (96/100 vs 2/100).
Should you choose the Honor 9 Lite over the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Honor 9 Lite is a better fit for everyday use. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, budget-conscious buyers.