Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Google Pixel 11 Pro XL
It's close. Buy Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra if you want more speed for games. Buy Google Pixel 11 Pro XL if you want to spend less.
The short answer
- CameraIt's a tie
- BatteryIt's a tie
- SpeedSamsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. Faster for games and heavy apps: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, speed score 10 out of 10, against 7.
- UpdatesIt's a tie
- PriceGoogle Pixel 11 Pro XL. Costs 13% less.
Overall it's close, so pick the one that wins on what matters most to you.
Side by side
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | Google Pixel 11 Pro XL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹1,54,999 | ₹1,34,999 |
| Launched | 25 February 2026 | 12 August 2026 |
| Software now | One UI 9 (Android 17), launched with One UI 8.5 (Android 16) | Android 17 (same as launch) |
| Rating | 8.6/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Battery | Lasts longer than last year's model and now charges much faster, to 75% in about 30 minutes. | Battery life on par with Samsung and Apple's best; charges to 75% in about 30 minutes. |
| Camera | 200MP main camera plus 3x and 5x zoom cameras; very versatile, though not the very best Android camera. | Very good photos day and night, with a sharper 48MP 5x zoom thanks to a bigger sensor. |
| Speed | Extremely fast, though it slows down a bit during long heavy games. | Smooth for everyday use, but not a gaming phone and it slows under long heavy loads. |
| Catch | Expensive, small upgrade over the S25 Ultra, and the US price went up another $100 (about ₹9,500) in October 2026. | Graphics speed did not improve and it costs $100 (about ₹9,500) more than last year. |
| Updates | 7 years | 7 years |
Full specifications (tap to open)
Every spec side by side
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | Google Pixel 11 Pro XL |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 2600 nits peak, Privacy Display, Gorilla Armor 2 anti-reflective | 6.8-inch LTPO OLED, 120Hz, 2400 nits HBM, 3600 nits peak, HDR10+, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (3nm) | Google Tensor G6 (TSMC; Google and some outlets say 2nm, GSMArena lists 3nm) |
| CPU | 8-core: 2x Oryon V3 Phoenix L @ 4.74GHz + 6x Oryon V3 Phoenix M @ 3.62GHz | 7-core: 1x C1-Ultra @ 4.1GHz + 4x C1-Pro @ 3.4GHz + 2x C1-Pro @ 2.65GHz |
| Graphics (GPU) | Adreno 840 @ 1.3GHz | Imagination IMG CXTP-48-1536 |
| AI chip (NPU) | Qualcomm Hexagon NPU (TOPS not officially stated) | Google TPU (TOPS not officially stated) |
| RAM and storage | 12GB RAM, 256GB (UFS 4.x storage; RAM type not officially stated) | 12GB RAM, 256GB (UFS 4.x; RAM type not officially stated) |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 5115 mAh |
| Charging | 60W wired PD 3.0 (75% in 30 min), 25W Qi2.2 wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless | 45W wired PD 3.0 PPS (75% in 30 min), 25W Qi2.2 magnetic wireless, reverse wired and bypass charging |
| Cameras | 200MP main (f/1.4, 1/1.3", OIS) + 10MP 3x telephoto (f/2.4, 1/3.94", OIS) + 50MP 5x periscope (f/2.9, 1/2.52", OIS) + 50MP ultrawide (f/1.9, 1/2.5"); 12MP front | 50MP main (f/1.7, 1/1.3", OIS) + 48MP 5x periscope (f/2.8, 1/1.95", OIS) + 48MP ultrawide (f/1.7, 123 degrees, 1/2.51"); 42MP front |
| Water and dust | IP68 (1.5m for 30 mins) | IP68 (1.5m for 30 mins) |
| Size and weight | 7.9mm thick, 214g | 8.5mm thick, 226g |
| Software | One UI 8.5 (Android 16) at launch, One UI 9 (Android 17) now | Android 17 at launch, Android 17 now |
| Updates | 7 years promised | 7 years promised |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7 tri-band, Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C 3.2 with DisplayPort 1.2 and DeX, UWB | Wi-Fi 7 tri-band, Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C 3.2, UWB, satellite SOS |
| Modem | Snapdragon 5G modem integrated in the chipset (exact model not officially stated) | MediaTek 5G modem (model not officially named) |
| Speakers and haptics | Stereo speakers (rated Very good by GSMArena, -25.9 LUFS); S Pen included | Stereo speakers (rated Very good by GSMArena, -25.0 LUFS); HiLight rear LED system |
| Screen flicker (PWM) | No high-frequency PWM dimming (GSMArena); touch sampling not officially stated | Not officially stated |
| Cooling | Cooling hardware not officially detailed; GSMArena found significant CPU throttling under sustained load | Not officially stated; GSMArena found CPU throttling under sustained load |
| Colours | Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold | Canyon, Olive, Fog, Obsidian |
Where to buy
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra₹1,54,999
- Google Pixel 11 Pro XL₹1,34,999
Store links may earn Tuvvo a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our rankings.
Waiting for a better price?See it here next time you open Tuvvo if any of these phones drops in price.
Common questions
- Which is better, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra or Google Pixel 11 Pro XL?
- It's close. Buy Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra if you want more speed for games. Buy Google Pixel 11 Pro XL if you want to spend less.
- Which has the better camera?
- They are about even on camera.
- Which has the better battery life?
- They are about even on battery.
- Which is faster for gaming?
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is faster for games and heavy apps.
- How much do they cost?
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra costs ₹1,54,999, Google Pixel 11 Pro XL costs ₹1,34,999.
- Which gets software updates for longer?
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: 7 years, now on One UI 9 (Android 17). Google Pixel 11 Pro XL: 7 years, now on Android 17.