Honor Magic9 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Verdict
The Honor Magic9 Pro Max scores higher in 3 of 6 sections (battery, connectivity & features and display), while the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is not clearly ahead in any section; they are even on performance, camera and design & durability.
The biggest difference is battery: 100 vs 84 points.
The Honor Magic9 Pro Max is the newer model, announced 7 months after the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
- Magic9 Pro Max leads in 9 fields
- Galaxy S26 Ultra leads in 4 fields
- 26 ties
39 scored fields compared
Score by section
| Section scores | Magic9 Pro Max | Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||
| Performance | 100 | 100 |
| Camera | 95 | 96 |
| Battery | 100 | 84 |
| Display | 98 | 95 |
| Design & durability | 85 | 83 |
| Connectivity & features | 86 | 81 |
Full specifications
Performance
- Chipset performance index
- Magic9 Pro Max: 100/100
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 100/100
- Chipset
- Magic9 Pro Max: Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- RAM (max)
- Magic9 Pro Max: 16 GB
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 16 GB
- Storage (max)
- Magic9 Pro Max: 1 TB
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 1 TB
- Process node
- Magic9 Pro Max: 2 nm
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 3 nm
Camera
- Main camera resolution
- Magic9 Pro Max: 200 MP
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 200 MP
- Main sensor size
- Magic9 Pro Max: 1/1.28″(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 1/1.3″
- Optical stabilization (OIS)
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Ultra-wide camera
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Telephoto camera
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Periscope lens
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Optical zoom
- Magic9 Pro Max: 3.5×
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 5×(Better)
- Video recording
- Magic9 Pro Max: 4K 120 fps
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 8K
- Front camera
- Magic9 Pro Max: 55 MP(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 12 MP
- Front camera 4K video
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
Battery
- Battery capacity
- Magic9 Pro Max: 8000 mAh(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 5000 mAh
- Battery endurance (EU label)
- Magic9 Pro Max: Unknown
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 55:00 h
- EU label cycles
- Magic9 Pro Max: Unknown
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 1200
- Wired charging
- Magic9 Pro Max: 100 W(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 60 W
- Wireless charging
- Magic9 Pro Max: 80 W(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 25 W
- Reverse charging
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Reverse charging type
- Magic9 Pro Max: Wired & wireless
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Wireless
Display
- Screen size
- Magic9 Pro Max: 6.8″
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 6.9″
- Panel type
- Magic9 Pro Max: LTPO OLED
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: LTPO OLED
- Refresh rate
- Magic9 Pro Max: 120 Hz
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 120 Hz
- Pixel density
- Magic9 Pro Max: 464 ppi
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 500 ppi
- Peak brightness
- Magic9 Pro Max: 10000 nits(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 2600 nits
- Resolution
- Magic9 Pro Max: 1320x2868
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 1440x3120
- Screen protection
- Magic9 Pro Max: NanoCrystal Shield or Giant Rhinoceros Glass
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Corning Gorilla Armor 2
Design & durability
- Weight
- Magic9 Pro Max: 233 g
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 214 g(Better)
- Thickness
- Magic9 Pro Max: 8.6 mm
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 7.9 mm(Better)
- Dust & water resistance
- Magic9 Pro Max: IP68 + IP69(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: IP68
- Back material
- Magic9 Pro Max: Aluminum
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Glass
- Frame material
- Magic9 Pro Max: Aluminum
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Aluminum
- EU repairability class
- Magic9 Pro Max: Unknown
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: C
- EU drop resistance class
- Magic9 Pro Max: Unknown
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: A
- EU energy class
- Magic9 Pro Max: Unknown
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: A
Connectivity & features
- 5G
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Wi-Fi
- Magic9 Pro Max: Wi-Fi 7
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth
- Magic9 Pro Max: 6.3
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 6.0
- USB speed
- Magic9 Pro Max: USB 3.x
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: USB 3.x
- USB port
- Magic9 Pro Max: USB-C 3.2
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: USB-C 3.2
- DisplayPort output
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- NFC
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- eSIM
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Ultra-wideband (UWB)
- Magic9 Pro Max: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes(Better)
- Satellite connectivity
- Magic9 Pro Max: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- Stereo speakers
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- Magic9 Pro Max: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- Fingerprint reader
- Magic9 Pro Max: Under display (ultrasonic)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Under display (ultrasonic)
- 3D face unlock
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- Infrared blaster
- Magic9 Pro Max: Yes(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- FM radio
- Magic9 Pro Max: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- microSD slot
- Magic9 Pro Max: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- Card slot
- Magic9 Pro Max: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
General
- Operating system
- Magic9 Pro Max: Android 17
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Android 16
- OS updates (major versions)
- Magic9 Pro Max: 7
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 7
- Launch price
- Magic9 Pro Max: About 850 EUR
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: $ 898.99
- Year
- Magic9 Pro Max: 2026
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 2026
Show raw spec textHide raw spec text
Original text from the source spec sheet, for reference.
| — | Magic9 Pro Max | Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Network | ||
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 CDMA 800 / 1900 & TD-SCDMA |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO |
| 4G bands | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71 - USA unlocked |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA unlocked |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE (CA), 5G |
| Launch | ||
| Announced | 2026, September 28 | 2026, February 25 |
| Status | Available. Released 2026, October 08 | Available. Released 2026, March 06 |
| Body | ||
| Dimensions | 161.6 x 77 x 8.6 mm (6.36 x 3.03 x 0.34 in) | 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm (6.44 x 3.07 x 0.31 in) |
| Weight | 233 g (8.22 oz) | 214 g (7.55 oz) |
| Build | Glass front, glass back / aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning Gorilla Armor 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) IP68/IP69K dust tight and water resistant (high pressure water jets; immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min) | · Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - INT · Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - USA · Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM - CN IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus Armor Aluminum 2 |
| Display | ||
| Type | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 4320Hz PWM, Dolby Vision, HDR Vivid, 2000 nits (HBM), 10000 nits (peak)* | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 113.3 cm2 (~91.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.9 inches, 115.9 cm2 (~90.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1320 x 2868 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~464 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Protection | NanoCrystal Shield or Giant Rhinoceros Glass HDR image support Anti-Reflective Coating * Measured at an isolated spot during video playback only | Corning Gorilla Armor 2 DX anti-reflective coating Privacy Display |
| Platform | ||
| OS | Android 17, up to 7 major OS updates, MagicOS 11 | Android 16, upgradable to Android 17, One UI 9, up to 7 major OS updates |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8975 Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 (2 nm) | Qualcomm SM8850-1-AD Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (2x5.01 GHz Prime + 3x4.03 GHz Performance + 3x3.74 GHz Performance) | Octa-core (2x4.74 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix L + 6x3.62 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix M) |
| GPU | Adreno 850 | Adreno 840 (1.3GHz) |
| Memory | ||
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM UFS 4.1 | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM UFS 4.X |
| Main Camera | ||
| Triple | 200 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", PDAF, OIS (3˚) 200 MP, f/2.6, (periscope telephoto), 1/1.4", 0.56µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 12mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.88", 0.61µm, dual pixel PDAF | – |
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Multi-focus LED flash, HDR, panorama, ARRI mode | Laser AF, Best Face, Horizon Lock, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@24/30/60/120/240fps, gyro-EIS, OIS, HDR, 10-bit video, ARRI LogC3 Curve & Wide Gamut 3 | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Quad | – | 200 MP, f/1.4, 23mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.9, 111mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.52", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/1.9, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Selfie camera | ||
| Single | 55 MP multi-aspect, f/2.0, 21mm (wide), 1/2.74" TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Features | HDR | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with large amplitude stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 3.5mm jack | No Cinematic-grade gun microphone | No High-bitrate audio support |
| Comms | ||
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7/8, dual-band or tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 6.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LHDC 5, Auracast, ASHA | 6.0, A2DP, LE |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L1+L5), GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared port | Yes | – |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG |
| Features | ||
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support |
| Battery | ||
| Type | Si/C Li-Po 8000 mAh or 8800 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 100W wired, 100W PPS, 40W UFCS 80W wireless 27W reverse wired Reverse wireless | 60W wired, PD3.0, 75% in 30 min 25W wireless (Qi2.2) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Misc | ||
| Colors | Shadow Black, Glacier Silver, Moss Green | Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold |
| Models | WKL-N59, WKL-AN20 | SM-S948B, SM-S948B/DS, SM-S948U, SM-S948U1, SM-S948W, SM-S948N, SM-S9480, SM-S948E, SM-S948E/DS |
| Price | About 850 EUR | $ 898.99 / € 979.00 / £ 802.99 / ₹ 139,999 |
| SAR | – | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | – | 1.28 W/kg (head) 1.35 W/kg (body) |
| EU LABEL | ||
| Energy | – | Class A |
| Battery | – | 55:00h endurance, 1200 cycles |
| Free fall | – | Class A (270 falls) |
| Repairability | – | Class C |