Nubia Red Magic 11 Air vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $499 and $1299. By overall MobileRank rating, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads — 84/100 vs 73/100 (a 11-point difference). Key differences: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 5000); the main camera is 50 MP vs 200 MP; the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,463,142 vs 3,265,219).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
What makes Nubia Red Magic 11 Air better?
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 5000 mAh
- Faster charging: 120W vs 60W
- Higher refresh rate: 144Hz vs 120Hz
- Cheaper at launch: $499 vs $1299
- Longer battery life (76/100 vs 61/100)
- Better display (93/100 vs 88/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3463142 vs 3265219
- Better Geekbench Single: 3601 vs 3013
- Better Geekbench Multi: 10686 vs 9287
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 50MP
- Lighter: 214g vs 215g
- Higher performance (96/100 vs 92/100)
- Better camera (86/100 vs 35/100)
- Better portability (51/100 vs 50/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air vs the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 11 points higher (84/100 vs 73/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (86/100 vs 35/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads (76/100 vs 61/100). Value score: Nubia Red Magic 11 Air — 68/100, 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 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air are nearly equal (96/100 vs 92/100). In the "display" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a bit better (93/100 vs 88/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (86/100 vs 35/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (76/100 vs 61/100). In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air are nearly equal (51/100 vs 50/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Nubia Red Magic 11 Air | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 3265219 | 3463142 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3013 | 3601 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 9287 | 10686 | |
| Display | 6.8" AMOLED | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 2688x1216 | 3120x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | 144 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 120W | 60W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 25W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 157 | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 8 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 16 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 16 | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 1800 nits | 2600 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP54 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 163.8×76.5×8.0 mm | 163.6×78.1×7.9 mm | |
| Weight | 215 g | 214 g | |
| Launch price | $499 | $1299 |
Camera comparison
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 16MP
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 2688x1216
- Refresh rate: 144 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 3120x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 120W
- 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 Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads Nubia Red Magic 11 Air by 5.7% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $800. Nubia Red Magic 11 Air was $800 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air are nearly equal (96/100 vs 92/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a bit better (93/100 vs 88/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (86/100 vs 35/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (76/100 vs 61/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air are nearly equal (51/100 vs 50/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is noticeably better than the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air — the overall rating gap is 11 points.
What is the rating of the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air has a MobileRank rating of 73/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 84/100.
Which has the better camera: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on camera score (86/100 vs 35/100).
Should you choose the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air over the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, budget-conscious buyers.