Redmi Note 15 Special vs Samsung Galaxy S26
The Redmi Note 15 Special (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 (2026) runs on the Samsung Exynos 2600. By overall MobileRank rating, the Samsung Galaxy S26 leads — 74/100 vs 54/100 (a 20-point difference). Key differences: the Redmi Note 15 Special has the bigger battery (5800 mAh vs 4000); the Samsung Galaxy S26 is faster in AnTuTu (2,827,538 vs 840,353); the Samsung Galaxy S26 has NFC for contactless payments, the Redmi Note 15 Special doesn't; the Samsung Galaxy S26 is noticeably lighter (162g vs 178g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Redmi Note 15 Special
Samsung Galaxy S26
What makes Redmi Note 15 Special better?
- Bigger battery: 5800 vs 4000 mAh
- Faster charging: 45W vs 25W
- Longer battery life (55/100 vs 31/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy S26 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 2827538 vs 840353
- Better Geekbench Single: 2880 vs 1013
- Better Geekbench Multi: 9100 vs 3000
- Lighter: 162g vs 178g
- Higher performance (89/100 vs 55/100)
- Better camera (77/100 vs 34/100)
- Better display (81/100 vs 79/100)
- Better portability (89/100 vs 79/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Redmi Note 15 Special vs the Samsung Galaxy S26, the Samsung Galaxy S26 scores 20 points higher (74/100 vs 54/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 leads (89/100 vs 55/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 leads (77/100 vs 34/100). In the "battery" category, the Redmi Note 15 Special leads (55/100 vs 31/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (89/100 vs 55/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 and the Redmi Note 15 Special are nearly equal (81/100 vs 79/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (77/100 vs 34/100). In the "battery" category, the Redmi Note 15 Special notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (55/100 vs 31/100). In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 is a bit better (89/100 vs 79/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Samsung Galaxy S26 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 | Samsung Exynos 2600 | |
| AnTuTu | 840353 | 2827538 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1013 | 2880 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3000 | 9100 | |
| Display | 6.8" AMOLED | 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 1080x2392 | 2340x1080 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5800 mAh | 4000 mAh | |
| Charging | 45W | 25W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 15W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 146 | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 12 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 10 MP | |
| Front camera | 20 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 6GB / 8GB | 12GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | |
| 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 | 158.4×75.8×7.3 mm | |
| Weight | 178 g | 162 g | |
| Launch price | — | $799 |
Camera comparison
Redmi Note 15 Special
- Main: 50MP f/1.8
- Front: 20MP
Samsung Galaxy S26
- Main: 50MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 10MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Redmi Note 15 Special
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1080x2392
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S26
- 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 2340x1080
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Redmi Note 15 Special
- 5800 mAh
- Wired: 45W
- No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S26
- 4000 mAh
- Wired: 25W
- Wireless: 15W
Overall performance score
We compared Redmi Note 15 Special and Samsung Galaxy S26, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Samsung Galaxy S26 leads Redmi Note 15 Special by 70.3% 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 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (89/100 vs 55/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 and the Redmi Note 15 Special are nearly equal (81/100 vs 79/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (77/100 vs 34/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Redmi Note 15 Special notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (55/100 vs 31/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 is a bit better (89/100 vs 79/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special by 20 points (74/100 vs 54/100).
What is the rating of the Redmi Note 15 Special and the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Redmi Note 15 Special has a MobileRank rating of 54/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 — 74/100.
Which has the better camera: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 leads on camera score (77/100 vs 34/100).
Which is more powerful: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 leads on performance (89/100 vs 55/100).
Should you choose the Redmi Note 15 Special over the Samsung Galaxy S26?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 is a better fit for gamers and power users.