Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S26
37.2Performance81
56.3Display60
72Camera47.3
46.4Battery62.1
78.7Features94.7
6 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra6 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S26
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S26 wins this phone face-off, 67.7 to 53.9, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+44) and features (+16). Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Stronger camera score: 72 vs 47
- 233% higher Optical zoom: 10 x vs 3 x
- 233% higher Front camera: 40 MP vs 12 MP
- 116% higher Main camera: 108 MP vs 50 MP
- 25% higher Pixel density: 515 ppi vs 411 ppi
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S26
- Stronger performance score: 81 vs 37
- Stronger display score: 60 vs 56
- Stronger battery score: 62 vs 46
- Stronger features score: 95 vs 79
- 205% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 10,824 vs 3,550
- Lower launch price: $900 vs $1,199
Display
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.8 ″+8% | 6.3 ″ |
| Panel type | LTPO AMOLED | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 3200x1440 | 1080x2340 |
| Pixel density | 515 ppi+25% | 411 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,500 nits | 2,600 nits+73% |
| Screen-to-body | — | 90 % |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2100 | Samsung Exynos 2600 (Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy in the US, China and Japan) |
| AnTuTuDifferent AnTuTu versions — not compared | 783,817Bottom 22% | 3,064,672 |
| AnTuTu 11 (CPU) | 263,424Bottom 17% | — |
| AnTuTu 11 (GPU) | 126,989Bottom 33% | — |
| AnTuTu 11 (Memory) | 165,563Bottom 35% | — |
| AnTuTu 11 (UX) | 227,841Bottom 20% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,430Top 46% | 2,995+109%Top 14% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 3,550Bottom 50% | 10,824+205%Top 4% |
| RAM (max) | 12 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | 256GB/512GB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 |
Camera
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 108 MP+116% | 50 MP |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Telephoto | 10 MP | 10 MP |
| Optical zoom | 10 x+233% | 3 x |
| Max video | 8K@24fps | 8K@30fps |
| Front camera | 40 MP+233% | 12 MP |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5,000 mAh+16% | 4,300 mAh |
| Wired charging | 25 W | 25 W |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 15 W |
| Active use endurance | — | 15.3 h |
Design
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 228 g | 167 g+27% |
| Thickness | 8.9 mm | 7.2 mm+19% |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Armor Aluminum 2 |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.4 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) | Android 16 (One UI 8.5) |
| OS update pledge | 4 years | 7 years+75% |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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