Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Sony Xperia 1 VIII
The Samsung Galaxy S26 (2026) runs on the Samsung Exynos 2600, while the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; estimated prices are $799 and $1499. By overall MobileRank rating, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads — 70/100 vs 54/100 (a 16-point difference). Key differences: the Sony Xperia 1 VIII has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4000); the main camera is 50 MP vs 48 MP; the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is faster in AnTuTu (3,842,882 vs 2,856,499); the Samsung Galaxy S26 is noticeably lighter (162g vs 200g).
Samsung Galaxy S26
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 48MP
- Lighter: 162g vs 200g
- Cheaper: $799 vs $1499
- Better design/ergonomics (97/100 vs 50/100)
- Better value for money (55/100 vs 6/100)
- Higher AnTuTu: 3842882 vs 2856499
- Better Geekbench Single: 3640 vs 2880
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11033 vs 9100
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4000 mAh
- Faster charging: 30W vs 25W
- Higher performance (90/100 vs 64/100)
- Better camera (63/100 vs 35/100)
- Longer battery life (41/100 vs 15/100)
Comparing the Samsung Galaxy S26 vs the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII scores 16 points higher (70/100 vs 54/100). In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (90/100 vs 64/100). In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (63/100 vs 35/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (41/100 vs 15/100). In the "value for money" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 leads (55/100 vs 6/100). In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (90/100 vs 64/100). In the "display" category, both devices are on the same level — 100/100. In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (63/100 vs 35/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (41/100 vs 15/100). In the "design" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (97/100 vs 50/100). In the "value for money" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (55/100 vs 6/100).
| Specification | Samsung Galaxy S26 | Sony Xperia 1 VIII | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Samsung Exynos 2600 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 2856499 | 3842882 | |
| Geekbench Single | 2880 | 3640 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 9100 | 11033 | |
| Display | 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | 6.5" LTPO OLED | |
| Resolution | 2340x1080 | 1080x2340 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 4000 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 25W | 30W | |
| Wireless charging | 15W | 15W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 48 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 48 MP | |
| Telephoto | 10 MP | 48 MP | |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 16 / One UI 8.5 | Android 16, up to 5 major Android upgrades | |
| Brightness (peak) | 2600 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP65 | |
| Dimensions | 158.4×75.8×7.3 mm | 162.0×74.0×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 162 g | 200 g | |
| Price | $799 | $1499 |
Samsung Galaxy S26
- Main: 50MP f/f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 10MP
- Front: 12MP
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- Main: 48MP f/f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Telephoto: 48MP
- Front: 12MP
Samsung Galaxy S26
- 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 2340x1080
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 6.5" LTPO OLED
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S26
- 4000 mAh
- Wired: 25W
- Wireless: 15W
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 15W
We compared Samsung Galaxy S26 and Sony Xperia 1 VIII, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads Samsung Galaxy S26 by 25.7% in our overall performance rating.
Price difference: $700. Samsung Galaxy S26 is cheaper by $700.
performance
In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (90/100 vs 64/100).
display
In the "display" category, both devices are on the same level — 100/100.
camera
In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (63/100 vs 35/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S26 (41/100 vs 15/100).
design
In the "design" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (97/100 vs 50/100).
value for money
In the "value for money" category, the Samsung Galaxy S26 significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (55/100 vs 6/100).
Which is better: the Samsung Galaxy S26 or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is noticeably better than the Samsung Galaxy S26 — the overall rating gap is 16 points.
What is the rating of the Samsung Galaxy S26 and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 has a MobileRank rating of 54/100, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII — 70/100.
Which has the better camera: the Samsung Galaxy S26 or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on camera score (63/100 vs 35/100).
Which is more powerful: the Samsung Galaxy S26 or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on performance (90/100 vs 64/100).
Should you choose the Samsung Galaxy S26 over the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 is a better fit for active users. The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a better fit for gamers and power users.