Honor Play9C vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Honor Play9C (2024) runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+, 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 35/100 (a 49-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Play9C has the bigger battery (5200 mAh vs 5000); the main camera is 13 MP vs 200 MP; the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,463,142 vs 513,809); the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has NFC for contactless payments, the Honor Play9C doesn't; the Honor Play9C is noticeably lighter (190g vs 214g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Play9C
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
What makes Honor Play9C better?
- Bigger battery: 5200 vs 5000 mAh
- Lighter: 190g vs 214g
- Better portability (60/100 vs 51/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3463142 vs 513809
- Better Geekbench Single: 3601 vs 688
- Better Geekbench Multi: 10686 vs 1900
- Faster charging: 60W vs 10W
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 13MP
- Higher refresh rate: 120Hz vs 90Hz
- Higher performance (96/100 vs 41/100)
- Better camera (86/100 vs 10/100)
- Longer battery life (61/100 vs 48/100)
- Better display (88/100 vs 44/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Play9C vs the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 49 points higher (84/100 vs 35/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (96/100 vs 41/100). 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 48/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (96/100 vs 41/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (88/100 vs 44/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (86/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit better (61/100 vs 48/100). In the "portability" category, the Honor Play9C is a bit better (60/100 vs 51/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Play9C | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 513809 | 3463142 | |
| Geekbench Single | 688 | 3601 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 1900 | 10686 | |
| Display | 6.6" TFT LCD | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 720x1612 | 3120x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | 90 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5200 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 10W | 60W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 25W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 157 | |
| Main camera | 13 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 5 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 6GB / 8GB / 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 14, Magic OS 8 | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 780 nits | 2600 nits | |
| NFC | no | yes | |
| Protection | — | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 163.6×75.3×8.4 mm | 163.6×78.1×7.9 mm | |
| Weight | 190 g | 214 g | |
| Launch price | — | $1299 |
Camera comparison
Honor Play9C
- Main: 13MP f/1.8
- Front: 5MP
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Honor Play9C
- 6.6" TFT LCD
- Resolution: 720x1612
- Refresh rate: 90 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 3120x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Honor Play9C
- 5200 mAh
- Wired: 10W
- 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 Play9C and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads Honor Play9C by 85.2% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Honor Play9C
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (96/100 vs 41/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (88/100 vs 44/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C (86/100 vs 10/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit better (61/100 vs 48/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Honor Play9C is a bit better (60/100 vs 51/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Play9C or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Honor Play9C by 49 points (84/100 vs 35/100).
What is the rating of the Honor Play9C and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Honor Play9C has a MobileRank rating of 35/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 84/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor Play9C 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 Play9C or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on performance (96/100 vs 41/100).
Should you choose the Honor Play9C 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.