Redmi Note 15 Special vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Redmi Note 15 Special (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, 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 54/100 (a 30-point difference). Key differences: the Redmi Note 15 Special has the bigger battery (5800 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 840,353); the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has NFC for contactless payments, the Redmi Note 15 Special doesn't; the Redmi Note 15 Special is noticeably lighter (178g vs 214g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Redmi Note 15 Special
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
What makes Redmi Note 15 Special better?
- Bigger battery: 5800 vs 5000 mAh
- Lighter: 178g vs 214g
- Better portability (79/100 vs 51/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3463142 vs 840353
- Better Geekbench Single: 3601 vs 1013
- Better Geekbench Multi: 10686 vs 3000
- Faster charging: 60W vs 45W
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 50MP
- Higher performance (96/100 vs 55/100)
- Better camera (86/100 vs 34/100)
- Longer battery life (61/100 vs 55/100)
- Better display (88/100 vs 79/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Redmi Note 15 Special vs the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 30 points higher (84/100 vs 54/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (96/100 vs 55/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (86/100 vs 34/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (96/100 vs 55/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit better (88/100 vs 79/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (86/100 vs 34/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit better (61/100 vs 55/100). In the "portability" category, the Redmi Note 15 Special notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (79/100 vs 51/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 840353 | 3463142 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1013 | 3601 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3000 | 10686 | |
| Display | 6.8" AMOLED | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 1080x2392 | 3120x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5800 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 45W | 60W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 25W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 157 | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 20 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 6GB / 8GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades, HyperOS 3 | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 3200 nits | 2600 nits | |
| NFC | no | yes | |
| Protection | IP66 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 164.0×75.4×7.4 mm | 163.6×78.1×7.9 mm | |
| Weight | 178 g | 214 g | |
| Launch price | — | $1299 |
Camera comparison
Redmi Note 15 Special
- Main: 50MP f/1.8
- Front: 20MP
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Redmi Note 15 Special
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1080x2392
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 3120x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Redmi Note 15 Special
- 5800 mAh
- Wired: 45W
- 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 Redmi Note 15 Special and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads Redmi Note 15 Special by 75.7% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Redmi Note 15 Special
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (96/100 vs 55/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit better (88/100 vs 79/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (86/100 vs 34/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit better (61/100 vs 55/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Redmi Note 15 Special notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (79/100 vs 51/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special by 30 points (84/100 vs 54/100).
What is the rating of the Redmi Note 15 Special and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Redmi Note 15 Special has a MobileRank rating of 54/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 84/100.
Which has the better camera: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on camera score (86/100 vs 34/100).
Which is more powerful: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on performance (96/100 vs 55/100).
Should you choose the Redmi Note 15 Special 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.