Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Sony Xperia 1 IV

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Sony Xperia 1 IV (2022) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. By overall MobileRank rating, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads — 84/100 vs 65/100 (a 19-point difference). Key differences: the main camera is 200 MP vs 12 MP; the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,463,142 vs 1,320,406); per DXOMark lab testing, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has the stronger camera (157 vs 118); the Sony Xperia 1 IV is noticeably lighter (185g vs 214g).

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is noticeably better than the Sony Xperia 1 IV — the overall rating gap is 19 points.

Profile comparison

Category scores

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Performance 96
Display 88
Camera 86
Battery 61
Portability 51
Value for money 78

Sony Xperia 1 IV

Performance 68
Display 90
Camera 56
Battery 53
Portability 66
Value for money —

What makes Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra better?

  • Higher AnTuTu: 3463142 vs 1320406
  • Better Geekbench Single: 3601 vs 1662
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 10686 vs 4188
  • Faster charging: 60W vs 30W
  • Better main camera: 200MP vs 12MP

  • Higher performance (96/100 vs 68/100)
  • Better camera (86/100 vs 56/100)
  • Longer battery life (61/100 vs 53/100)

What makes Sony Xperia 1 IV better?

  • Lighter: 185g vs 214g

  • Better display (90/100 vs 88/100)
  • Better portability (66/100 vs 51/100)

Comparison verdict

Comparing the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs the Sony Xperia 1 IV, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 19 points higher (84/100 vs 65/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (96/100 vs 68/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads (86/100 vs 56/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 IV (96/100 vs 68/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 IV and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra are nearly equal (90/100 vs 88/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 IV (86/100 vs 56/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit better (61/100 vs 53/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 IV notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (66/100 vs 51/100).

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, budget-conscious buyers.
Sony Xperia 1 IV: The Sony Xperia 1 IV is a better fit for active users.

Specs comparison

Specification Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Sony Xperia 1 IV
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
AnTuTu 3463142 1320406
Geekbench Single 3601 1662
Geekbench Multi 10686 4188
Display 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X 6.5" OLED
Resolution 3120x1440 1644x3840
Refresh rate 120 Hz 120 Hz
Battery 5000 mAh 5000 mAh
Charging 60W 30W
Wireless charging 25W —
DXOMark (camera) 157 118
Main camera 200 MP 12 MP
Ultrawide 50 MP 12 MP
Telephoto 50 MP 12 MP
Front camera 12 MP 12 MP
RAM 12GB / 16GB 12GB
Storage 256GB / 512GB / 1TB 256GB / 512GB
OS Android 16 / One UI 8.5 Android 12
Brightness (peak) 2600 nits —
NFC yes yes
Protection IP68 IP65
Dimensions 163.6×78.1×7.9 mm 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm
Weight 214 g 185 g
Launch price $1299 —

Camera comparison

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

  • Main: 200MP f/1.7
  • Ultrawide: 50MP
  • Telephoto: 50MP
  • Front: 12MP
86
camera

Sony Xperia 1 IV

  • Main: 12MP f/1.7
  • Ultrawide: 12MP
  • Telephoto: 12MP
  • Front: 12MP
56
camera

Display comparison

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

  • 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
  • Resolution: 3120x1440
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
88
display

Sony Xperia 1 IV

  • 6.5" OLED
  • Resolution: 1644x3840
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
90
display

Battery and charging

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

  • 5000 mAh
  • NanoReview test: web browsing 10:12 hrs, total 28:50 hrs
  • Wired: 60W
  • Wireless: 25W
61
battery

Sony Xperia 1 IV

  • 5000 mAh
  • Wired: 30W
  • Wireless: supported, wattage unknown
53
battery

Overall performance score

We compared Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Sony Xperia 1 IV, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
84/100
3463142 AnTuTu
Sony Xperia 1 IV Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
65/100 -162.3%
1320406 AnTuTu

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads Sony Xperia 1 IV by 162.3% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks

Launch prices and where to check today's

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

$1299

Sony Xperia 1 IV

Price unknown

Detailed category analysis

performance

In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 IV (96/100 vs 68/100).

display

In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 IV and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra are nearly equal (90/100 vs 88/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 IV (86/100 vs 56/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit better (61/100 vs 53/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 IV notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (66/100 vs 51/100).

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 IV?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is noticeably better than the Sony Xperia 1 IV — the overall rating gap is 19 points.

What is the rating of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 1 IV?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 84/100, the Sony Xperia 1 IV — 65/100.

Which has the better camera: the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 IV?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on camera score (86/100 vs 56/100).

Which is more powerful: the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 IV?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads on performance (96/100 vs 68/100).

Should you choose the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra over the Sony Xperia 1 IV?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, budget-conscious buyers. The Sony Xperia 1 IV is a better fit for active users.