Honor 9S vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Honor 9S (2020) runs on the MediaTek Helio P22, 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 — 84/100 vs 18/100 (a 66-point difference). Key differences: the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 3020); the main camera is 8 MP vs 200 MP; the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,463,142 vs 177,554); the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has NFC for contactless payments, the Honor 9S doesn't; the Honor 9S is noticeably lighter (144g vs 214g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor 9S
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
What makes Honor 9S better?
- Lighter: 144g vs 214g
- Better portability (79/100 vs 51/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3463142 vs 177554
- Better Geekbench Single: 3601 vs 233
- Better Geekbench Multi: 10686 vs 723
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 3020 mAh
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 8MP
- Higher performance (96/100 vs 10/100)
- Better camera (86/100 vs 10/100)
- Longer battery life (61/100 vs 15/100)
- Better display (88/100 vs 40/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor 9S vs the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 66 points higher (84/100 vs 18/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (96/100 vs 10/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (86/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (61/100 vs 15/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9S (96/100 vs 10/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9S (88/100 vs 40/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9S (86/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9S (61/100 vs 15/100). In the "portability" category, the Honor 9S notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (79/100 vs 51/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor 9S | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | MediaTek Helio P22 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 177554 | 3463142 | |
| Geekbench Single | 233 | 3601 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 723 | 10686 | |
| Display | 5.5" | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 720x1440 | 3120x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | — | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 3020 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | — | 60W | |
| Wireless charging | — | 25W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 157 | |
| Main camera | 8 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 5 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 2GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 32GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 10; Magic UI 3.1, no Google Play Services | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 2600 nits | |
| NFC | no | yes | |
| Protection | — | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 146.5×70.9×8.4 mm | 163.6×78.1×7.9 mm | |
| Weight | 144 g | 214 g | |
| Launch price | — | $1299 |
Camera comparison
Honor 9S
- Main: 8MP f/2.0
- Front: 5MP
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Honor 9S
- 5.5"
- Resolution: 720x1440
- Refresh rate: —
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 3120x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Honor 9S
- 3020 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
Overall performance score
We compared Honor 9S and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads Honor 9S by 94.9% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Honor 9S
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9S (96/100 vs 10/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9S (88/100 vs 40/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9S (86/100 vs 10/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9S (61/100 vs 15/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Honor 9S notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (79/100 vs 51/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor 9S or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor 9S by 66 points (84/100 vs 18/100).
What is the rating of the Honor 9S and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Honor 9S has a MobileRank rating of 18/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 84/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor 9S or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on camera score (86/100 vs 10/100).
Which is more powerful: the Honor 9S or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on performance (96/100 vs 10/100).
Should you choose the Honor 9S over the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, budget-conscious buyers.