Honor Play vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Honor Play (2018) runs on the Hisilicon Kirin 970, 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 31/100 (a 53-point difference). Key differences: the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 3750); the main camera is 16 MP vs 200 MP; the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,939,244 vs 470,805); the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has NFC for contactless payments, the Honor Play doesn't; the Honor Play is noticeably lighter (176g vs 214g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Play
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
What makes Honor Play better?
- Lighter: 176g vs 214g
- Better portability (79/100 vs 51/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3939244 vs 470805
- Better Geekbench Single: 3601 vs 420
- Better Geekbench Multi: 10686 vs 1617
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 3750 mAh
- Faster charging: 60W vs 18W
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 16MP
- Higher performance (97/100 vs 34/100)
- Better camera (86/100 vs 14/100)
- Longer battery life (61/100 vs 16/100)
- Better display (88/100 vs 58/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Play vs the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 53 points higher (84/100 vs 31/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (97/100 vs 34/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (86/100 vs 14/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (61/100 vs 16/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play (97/100 vs 34/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play (88/100 vs 58/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play (86/100 vs 14/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play (61/100 vs 16/100). In the "portability" category, the Honor Play notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (79/100 vs 51/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Play | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Hisilicon Kirin 970 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 470805 | 3939244 | |
| Geekbench Single | 420 | 3601 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 1617 | 10686 | |
| Display | 6.3" IPS LCD | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 1080x2340 | 3120x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | — | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 3750 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 18W | 60W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 25W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 157 | |
| Main camera | 16 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 16 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 6GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 64GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 8.1 (Oreo); EMUI 8.2 | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 2600 nits | |
| NFC | no | yes | |
| Protection | — | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 157.9×74.3×7.5 mm | 163.6×78.1×7.9 mm | |
| Weight | 176 g | 214 g | |
| Launch price | — | $1299 |
Camera comparison
Honor Play
- Main: 16MP f/2.2
- Front: 16MP
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Honor Play
- 6.3" IPS LCD
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: —
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 3120x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Honor Play
- 3750 mAh
- Wired: 18W
- No wireless charging
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 Play and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads Honor Play by 88.0% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Honor Play
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play (97/100 vs 34/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play (88/100 vs 58/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play (86/100 vs 14/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play (61/100 vs 16/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Honor Play notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (79/100 vs 51/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Play or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play by 53 points (84/100 vs 31/100).
What is the rating of the Honor Play and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Honor Play has a MobileRank rating of 31/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 84/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor Play or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on camera score (86/100 vs 14/100).
Which is more powerful: the Honor Play or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on performance (97/100 vs 34/100).
Should you choose the Honor Play 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.