Honor Play 9A vs Samsung Galaxy S26
The Honor Play 9A (2020) runs on the MediaTek Helio P35, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 (2026) runs on the Samsung Exynos 2600. By overall MobileRank rating, the Samsung Galaxy S26 leads — 74/100 vs 25/100 (a 49-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Play 9A has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4000); the main camera is 13 MP vs 50 MP; the Samsung Galaxy S26 is faster in AnTuTu (2,827,538 vs 199,111); the Samsung Galaxy S26 has NFC for contactless payments, the Honor Play 9A doesn't; the Samsung Galaxy S26 is noticeably lighter (162g vs 185g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Play 9A
Samsung Galaxy S26
What makes Honor Play 9A better?
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4000 mAh
- Longer battery life (43/100 vs 31/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy S26 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 2827538 vs 199111
- Better Geekbench Single: 2880 vs 476
- Better Geekbench Multi: 9100 vs 828
- Faster charging: 25W vs 10W
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 13MP
- Lighter: 162g vs 185g
- Higher performance (89/100 vs 19/100)
- Better camera (77/100 vs 10/100)
- Better display (81/100 vs 40/100)
- Better portability (89/100 vs 57/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Play 9A vs the Samsung Galaxy S26, the Samsung Galaxy S26 scores 49 points higher (74/100 vs 25/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 leads (89/100 vs 19/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 leads (77/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Play 9A leads (43/100 vs 31/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (89/100 vs 19/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (81/100 vs 40/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (77/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Play 9A is a bit better (43/100 vs 31/100). In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (89/100 vs 57/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Play 9A | Samsung Galaxy S26 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | MediaTek Helio P35 | Samsung Exynos 2600 | |
| AnTuTu | 199111 | 2827538 | |
| Geekbench Single | 476 | 2880 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 828 | 9100 | |
| Display | 6.3" IPS LCD | 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 720x1600 | 2340x1080 | |
| Refresh rate | — | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 4000 mAh | |
| Charging | 10W | 25W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 15W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 146 | |
| Main camera | 13 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 12 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 10 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 4GB | 12GB | |
| Storage | 64GB / 128GB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | |
| OS | Android 10.0 (AOSP + HMS); Magic UI 3.0 | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 2600 nits | |
| NFC | no | yes | |
| Protection | — | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 159.1×74.1×9.0 mm | 158.4×75.8×7.3 mm | |
| Weight | 185 g | 162 g | |
| Launch price | — | $799 |
Camera comparison
Honor Play 9A
- Main: 13MP f/1.8
- Front: 8MP
Samsung Galaxy S26
- Main: 50MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 10MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Honor Play 9A
- 6.3" IPS LCD
- Resolution: 720x1600
- Refresh rate: —
Samsung Galaxy S26
- 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 2340x1080
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Honor Play 9A
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 10W
- No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S26
- 4000 mAh
- Wired: 25W
- Wireless: 15W
Overall performance score
We compared Honor Play 9A and Samsung Galaxy S26, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Samsung Galaxy S26 leads Honor Play 9A by 93.0% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Honor Play 9A
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (89/100 vs 19/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (81/100 vs 40/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (77/100 vs 10/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Honor Play 9A is a bit better (43/100 vs 31/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A (89/100 vs 57/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Play 9A or the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Honor Play 9A by 49 points (74/100 vs 25/100).
What is the rating of the Honor Play 9A and the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Honor Play 9A has a MobileRank rating of 25/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 — 74/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor Play 9A or the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 leads on camera score (77/100 vs 10/100).
Which is more powerful: the Honor Play 9A or the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 leads on performance (89/100 vs 19/100).
Should you choose the Honor Play 9A over the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 is a better fit for gamers and power users.