Honor Magic V5 vs Samsung Galaxy S26
The Honor Magic V5 (2025) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 (2026) runs on the Samsung Exynos 2600; launch prices were $1350 and $799. By overall MobileRank rating, the Honor Magic V5 leads — 81/100 vs 74/100 (a 7-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Magic V5 has the bigger battery (5820 mAh vs 4000); the Samsung Galaxy S26 is faster in AnTuTu (2,827,538 vs 2,663,720); per DXOMark lab testing, the Honor Magic V5 has the stronger camera (150 vs 146); the Samsung Galaxy S26 is noticeably lighter (162g vs 222g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Magic V5
Samsung Galaxy S26
What makes Honor Magic V5 better?
- Better Geekbench Single: 3013 vs 2880
- Better Geekbench Multi: 9287 vs 9100
- Bigger battery: 5820 vs 4000 mAh
- Faster charging: 66W vs 25W
- Faster wireless charging: 50W vs 15W
- Better camera (80/100 vs 77/100)
- Longer battery life (74/100 vs 31/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy S26 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 2827538 vs 2663720
- Lighter: 162g vs 222g
- Cheaper at launch: $799 vs $1350
- Better display (81/100 vs 80/100)
- Better portability (89/100 vs 62/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Magic V5 vs the Samsung Galaxy S26, the Honor Magic V5 scores 7 points higher (81/100 vs 74/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic V5 leads (74/100 vs 31/100). Value score: Honor Magic V5 — 72/100, Samsung Galaxy S26 — 62/100; it shows how far a model sits above or below the usual level for its price, and is not part of the overall rating. In the "performance" category, both devices are on the same level — 89/100. In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 and the Honor Magic V5 are nearly equal (81/100 vs 80/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic V5 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 are nearly equal (80/100 vs 77/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic V5 significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (74/100 vs 31/100). In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 notably outperforms the Honor Magic V5 (89/100 vs 62/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Magic V5 | Samsung Galaxy S26 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Samsung Exynos 2600 | |
| AnTuTu | 2663720 | 2827538 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3013 | 2880 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 9287 | 9100 | |
| Display | 8.0" LTPO AMOLED | 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 2172x2352 | 2340x1080 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5820 mAh | 4000 mAh | |
| Charging | 66W | 25W | |
| Wireless charging | 50W | 15W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | 150 | 146 | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 12 MP | |
| Telephoto | 64 MP | 10 MP | |
| Front camera | 20 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB | 12GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | |
| OS | Android 15 | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 5000 nits | 2600 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP58 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 156.8×145.9×4.1 mm | 158.4×75.8×7.3 mm | |
| Weight | 222 g | 162 g | |
| Launch price | $1350 | $799 |
Camera comparison
Honor Magic V5
- Main: 50MP f/1.6
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 64MP
- Front: 20MP
Samsung Galaxy S26
- Main: 50MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 10MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Honor Magic V5
- 8.0" LTPO AMOLED
- Resolution: 2172x2352
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S26
- 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 2340x1080
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Honor Magic V5
- 5820 mAh
- NanoReview test: web browsing 8:27 hrs, total 21:30 hrs
- Wired: 66W
- Wireless: 50W
Samsung Galaxy S26
- 4000 mAh
- Wired: 25W
- Wireless: 15W
Overall performance score
We compared Honor Magic V5 and Samsung Galaxy S26, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Samsung Galaxy S26 leads Honor Magic V5 by 5.8% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $551. Samsung Galaxy S26 was $551 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, both devices are on the same level — 89/100.
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 and the Honor Magic V5 are nearly equal (81/100 vs 80/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic V5 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 are nearly equal (80/100 vs 77/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic V5 significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (74/100 vs 31/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 notably outperforms the Honor Magic V5 (89/100 vs 62/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Magic V5 or the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Honor Magic V5 edges out the Samsung Galaxy S26 by just 7 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.
What is the rating of the Honor Magic V5 and the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Honor Magic V5 has a MobileRank rating of 81/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 — 74/100.
Should you choose the Honor Magic V5 over the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Honor Magic V5 is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts. The Samsung Galaxy S26 is a better fit for gamers and power users.