S26 Ultra Battery Outlasts S25 Ultra, Falls Short of iPhone

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has achieved an average battery endurance of 16 hours and 10 minutes in recent testing. This represents a significant improvement of over two hours compared to the previous Galaxy S25 Ultra model. The enhanced battery performance is largely credited to the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite for Galaxy chip, which offers improved CPU efficiency and power management.

A larger vapor chamber in the S26 Ultra also contributes to better battery life by keeping the device cooler. In comparative tests, the S26 Ultra notably outlasted the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, despite the Pixel's larger battery. However, Apple's iPhone 17 Pro Max maintained a lead, enduring for nearly 18 hours, approximately two hours longer than the S26 Ultra.

While the S26 Ultra shows marked improvement, it is significantly outdone by the OnePlus 15. Benefiting from a 7,300 mAh silicon carbon battery, the OnePlus 15 achieved an impressive 25 hours and 13 minutes of battery life. This demonstrates the advancements in battery technology, though silicon carbon batteries may present trade-offs such as expansion and fewer charging cycles over time.