Honor Magic8 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Honor Magic8 (2025) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $625 and $1299. By overall MobileRank rating, the Honor Magic8 leads — 88/100 vs 84/100 (a 4-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Magic8 has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 5000); the main camera is 50 MP vs 200 MP; the Honor Magic8 is faster in AnTuTu (4,037,547 vs 3,463,142).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Magic8
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
What makes Honor Magic8 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 4037547 vs 3463142
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 3601
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 10686
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 5000 mAh
- Faster charging: 90W vs 60W
- Faster wireless charging: 80W vs 25W
- Lighter: 205g vs 214g
- Cheaper at launch: $625 vs $1299
- Higher performance (98/100 vs 96/100)
- Better camera (87/100 vs 86/100)
- Longer battery life (85/100 vs 61/100)
- Better portability (56/100 vs 51/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra better?
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 50MP
- Better display (88/100 vs 85/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Magic8 vs the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Honor Magic8 scores 4 points higher (88/100 vs 84/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 leads (85/100 vs 61/100). Value score: Honor Magic8 — 90/100, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 78/100; 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, the Honor Magic8 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra are nearly equal (98/100 vs 96/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Honor Magic8 are nearly equal (88/100 vs 85/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra are nearly equal (87/100 vs 86/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (85/100 vs 61/100). In the "portability" category, the Honor Magic8 is a bit better (56/100 vs 51/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Magic8 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 4037547 | 3463142 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3639 | 3601 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 11047 | 10686 | |
| Display | 6.6" Dynamic OLED | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 2760x1256 | 3120x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 90W | 60W | |
| Wireless charging | 80W | 25W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 157 | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 64 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 50 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 16 | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 6000 nits | 2600 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 157.1×74.0×8.0 mm | 163.6×78.1×7.9 mm | |
| Weight | 205 g | 214 g | |
| Launch price | $625 | $1299 |
Camera comparison
Honor Magic8
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 64MP
- Front: 50MP
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Honor Magic8
- 6.6" Dynamic OLED
- Resolution: 2760x1256
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 3120x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Honor Magic8
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 90W
- Wireless: 80W
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 Magic8 and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Honor Magic8 leads Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra by 16.6% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $674. Honor Magic8 was $674 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic8 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra are nearly equal (98/100 vs 96/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Honor Magic8 are nearly equal (88/100 vs 85/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic8 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra are nearly equal (87/100 vs 86/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic8 notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (85/100 vs 61/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Honor Magic8 is a bit better (56/100 vs 51/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Magic8 or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Honor Magic8 edges out the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra by just 4 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.
What is the rating of the Honor Magic8 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Honor Magic8 has a MobileRank rating of 88/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 84/100.
Should you choose the Honor Magic8 over the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Honor Magic8 is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, budget-conscious buyers.