The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has not officially started sales yet, but early battery tests are already creating a lot of discussion online. A reviewer recently compared the phone with several premium flagship devices to see whether its 5,000mAh battery can still compete in today’s smartphone market.
The results were quite surprising and important for anyone planning to buy a new flagship phone this year.
Samsung Still Using a 5000mAh Battery
Samsung upgraded the battery size of its Ultra series back in 2020 with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, increasing it to 5,000mAh.
Now in 2026, the latest Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra still uses the same battery capacity. That means five years have passed without a battery size increase in Samsung’s Ultra lineup.
Meanwhile, many Chinese smartphone brands have already crossed the 7,000mAh battery mark, making larger batteries the new standard for flagship devices.
Battery Test Results: Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Other Flagships
A YouTube battery test by tech reviewer TechDroider compared several top flagship smartphones with mixed usage. The test included browsing, gaming, video streaming, and camera use.
Here are the results:
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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – 8 hours 40 minutes
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Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra – 9 hours 8 minutes
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Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max – 9 hours 41 minutes
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Xiaomi 17 Pro Max – 10 hours
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OnePlus 15 – 12 hours 31 minutes
Even though Samsung improved battery life slightly compared to the previous model, it still falls behind many competitors.
Why Phones With Bigger Batteries Last Longer
Phones like the OnePlus 15 come with a 7,300mAh battery, while Xiaomi’s flagship packs a massive 7,500mAh battery.
That extra 30–40% battery capacity gives these phones a huge advantage in endurance tests. As a result, they can easily run several hours longer than the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Samsung’s Battery Concerns After Note 7
Many experts believe Samsung is still cautious because of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 battery incidents from years ago.
Because of that history, the company has been careful with battery size and safety. However, this conservative approach may now be affecting battery performance compared to other brands.
Future Battery Technology Could Change Everything
Samsung has hinted that future devices may use Silicon-Carbon (Si/C) battery technology.
This new battery solution could allow smartphones to have larger battery capacity without making the phone thicker or heavier. If Samsung adopts this technology, future Ultra models may finally compete with the massive batteries used by Chinese brands.
Final Thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra shows a small improvement in battery life compared to its predecessor, but the 5,000mAh battery is starting to feel outdated in 2026.
With competitors offering 7,000mAh or larger batteries, Samsung may need to rethink its strategy if it wants to stay competitive in the flagship market.
Still, if the company successfully introduces Silicon-Carbon batteries in future models, we could soon see a major battery upgrade in the next generation of Galaxy devices.