Nubia Red Magic 11 Air vs Samsung Galaxy S26
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 (2026) runs on the Samsung Exynos 2600; launch prices were $499 and $799. By overall MobileRank rating, the Samsung Galaxy S26 leads — 74/100 vs 73/100 (a 1-point difference). Key differences: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 4000); the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is faster in AnTuTu (3,265,219 vs 2,827,538); the Samsung Galaxy S26 is noticeably lighter (162g vs 215g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
Samsung Galaxy S26
What makes Nubia Red Magic 11 Air better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3265219 vs 2827538
- Better Geekbench Single: 3013 vs 2880
- Better Geekbench Multi: 9287 vs 9100
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 4000 mAh
- Faster charging: 120W vs 25W
- Higher refresh rate: 144Hz vs 120Hz
- Cheaper at launch: $499 vs $799
- Higher performance (92/100 vs 89/100)
- Longer battery life (76/100 vs 31/100)
- Better display (93/100 vs 81/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy S26 better?
- Lighter: 162g vs 215g
- Better camera (77/100 vs 35/100)
- Better portability (89/100 vs 50/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air vs the Samsung Galaxy S26, the Samsung Galaxy S26 scores 1 points higher (74/100 vs 73/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 leads (77/100 vs 35/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads (76/100 vs 31/100). Value score: Nubia Red Magic 11 Air — 68/100, Samsung Galaxy S26 — 62/100; 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 Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and the Samsung Galaxy S26 are nearly equal (92/100 vs 89/100). In the "display" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a bit better (93/100 vs 81/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (77/100 vs 35/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (76/100 vs 31/100). In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (89/100 vs 50/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Nubia Red Magic 11 Air | Samsung Galaxy S26 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Samsung Exynos 2600 | |
| AnTuTu | 3265219 | 2827538 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3013 | 2880 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 9287 | 9100 | |
| Display | 6.8" AMOLED | 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 2688x1216 | 2340x1080 | |
| Refresh rate | 144 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 4000 mAh | |
| Charging | 120W | 25W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 15W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 146 | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 8 MP | 12 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 10 MP | |
| Front camera | 16 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB | 12GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | |
| 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 | 158.4×75.8×7.3 mm | |
| Weight | 215 g | 162 g | |
| Launch price | $499 | $799 |
Camera comparison
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 16MP
Samsung Galaxy S26
- Main: 50MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 10MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 2688x1216
- Refresh rate: 144 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S26
- 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 2340x1080
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 120W
- No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S26
- 4000 mAh
- Wired: 25W
- Wireless: 15W
Overall performance score
We compared Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and Samsung Galaxy S26, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads Samsung Galaxy S26 by 15.5% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $300. Nubia Red Magic 11 Air was $300 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and the Samsung Galaxy S26 are nearly equal (92/100 vs 89/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a bit better (93/100 vs 81/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (77/100 vs 35/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (76/100 vs 31/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (89/100 vs 50/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 edges out the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air by just 1 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.
What is the rating of the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air has a MobileRank rating of 73/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 — 74/100.
Which has the better camera: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 leads on camera score (77/100 vs 35/100).
Should you choose the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air over the Samsung Galaxy S26?
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 is a better fit for gamers and power users.