Galaxy S26 series sales haven’t begun yet. This battery comparison actually came from a reviewer who tested the Galaxy S26 Ultra against other premium flagships to see if the newcomer’s 5000mAh battery still holds up. The results were interesting and definitely worth considering if any of these phones are on your shopping list.
Five years have passed since the last battery upgrade on Samsung’s Ultra devices. The old S20 Ultra jumped to 5,000 mAh capacity in 2020. Fast forward to 2026, Samsung has yet again capped its new Galaxy S26 Ultra at a 5000mAh battery.
Chinese brands have crossed the 7,000 mAh threshold as a typical flagship battery size. Samsung’s battery PTSD from the Note 7 days is still holding them back, and the results definitely show the Samsung new Ultra model struggling against those 7000mAh phones.
TechDroider’s YouTube video showed Galaxy S25 Ultra completely drained after 8 hours and 40 minutes of testing. The new Galaxy S26 Ultra actually clocked out at 9 hours and 8 minutes with mixed usage (Browing, gaming, video streaming, and camera usage).
Chipset efficiency and One UI optimizations barely increased the phone’s endurance this year. iPhone 17 Pro Max (4,823 mAh) actually lasted 9 hours and 41 minutes before dying. Xiaomi also has a 17 Pro Max version (7,500 mAh) that ran 10 hours straight.
The YouTuber tested the OnePlus 15 as well, which is the reigning battery champ in the world. It kept going until the 12 hours and 31 minutes mark. This device actually brings a 7,300 mAh battery, and it clearly shows the advantage of a 30-40% physical capacity increase over the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
These results put the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s battery performance to shame. The company did suggest that they are moving to the Si/C solution for future handsets. So they can introduce bigger batteries without the bulk. We’ll soon know if that’s the case. Keep watching the news for updates.
