Redmi Note 9S vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Redmi Note 9S (2020) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, while the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $200 and $1299. By overall MobileRank rating, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads — 84/100 vs 39/100 (a 45-point difference). Key differences: the Redmi Note 9S has the bigger battery (5020 mAh vs 5000); the main camera is 48 MP vs 200 MP; the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,515,964 vs 514,398); the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has NFC for contactless payments, the Redmi Note 9S doesn't.
Redmi Note 9S
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Bigger battery: 5020 vs 5000 mAh
- Lighter: 210g vs 214g
- Cheaper at launch: $200 vs $1299
- Overall rating 39/100
- Higher AnTuTu: 3515964 vs 514398
- Better Geekbench Single: 3601 vs 746
- Better Geekbench Multi: 10686 vs 1762
- Faster charging: 60W vs 18W
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 48MP
- Higher refresh rate: 120Hz vs 60Hz
- Higher performance (96/100 vs 41/100)
- Better camera (86/100 vs 34/100)
- Longer battery life (61/100 vs 43/100)
- Better display (88/100 vs 42/100)
- Better portability (51/100 vs 44/100)
Comparing the Redmi Note 9S vs the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 45 points higher (84/100 vs 39/100). 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 34/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (61/100 vs 43/100). Value score: Redmi Note 9S — 40/100, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 76/100; it is biased by price level, so it should not be compared directly between devices at different prices. In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 9S (96/100 vs 41/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 9S (88/100 vs 42/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 9S (86/100 vs 34/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra notably outperforms the Redmi Note 9S (61/100 vs 43/100). In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit better (51/100 vs 44/100).
| Specification | Redmi Note 9S | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 514398 | 3515964 | |
| Geekbench Single | 746 | 3601 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 1762 | 10686 | |
| Display | 6.7" IPS LCD | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | |
| Resolution | 2400x1080 | 3120x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5020 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 18W | 60W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 25W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 157 | |
| Main camera | 48 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 8 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 16 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 4GB / 6GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 64GB / 128GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 10 | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 450 nits | 2600 nits | |
| NFC | no | yes | |
| Protection | — | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 165.8×76.7×8.8 mm | 163.6×78.1×7.9 mm | |
| Weight | 210 g | 214 g | |
| Launch price | $200 | $1299 |
Redmi Note 9S
- Main: 48MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 16MP
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 12MP
Redmi Note 9S
- 6.7" IPS LCD
- Resolution: 2400x1080
- Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 3120x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Redmi Note 9S
- 5020 mAh
- Wired: 18W
- No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 5000 mAh
- NanoReview test: web browsing 10:12 hrs, total 28:50 hrs
- Wired: 60W
- Wireless: 25W
We compared Redmi Note 9S and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads Redmi Note 9S by 85.4% in our overall performance rating.
Launch price difference: $1099. Redmi Note 9S was $1099 cheaper at launch.
performance
In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 9S (96/100 vs 41/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 9S (88/100 vs 42/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 9S (86/100 vs 34/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra notably outperforms the Redmi Note 9S (61/100 vs 43/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit better (51/100 vs 44/100).
Which is better: the Redmi Note 9S or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 9S by 45 points (84/100 vs 39/100).
What is the rating of the Redmi Note 9S and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Redmi Note 9S has a MobileRank rating of 39/100, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — 84/100.
Which has the better camera: the Redmi Note 9S 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 9S or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on performance (96/100 vs 41/100).
Should you choose the Redmi Note 9S over the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Redmi Note 9S is a better fit for everyday use. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, budget-conscious buyers.