Xiaomi 17 Ultra vs Galaxy S26 Ultra: Comparing the 2026 flagships

Specs comparison table

Price and Availability

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is currently available for pre-order, and will launch officially on March 11th. The handset has a starting RRP of £1279/$1299.99 and comes in a choice of five colours: Black, White, Cobalt, Violet and Sky Blue.

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Both run on Qualcomm’s flagship processor, but Galaxy S26 Ultra has a custom version

As will likely be the case with most of the best Android phones of 2026, both the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Galaxy S26 Ultra are equipped with Qualcomm’s flagship processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. However, in true Samsung fashion, the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s version is a custom-made process specifically designed for Galaxy smartphones (aptly titled Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy).

Although we haven’t reviewed either phone yet, our experience with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 has been extremely positive. During our time with other handsets sporting the chip, we found things ran quickly and smoothly, and even intensive tasks were handled with ease. With that in mind, we can expect a similar performance from both the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Galaxy S26 Ultra. 

Either way, the Qualcomm chip is not only known for its speed and efficiency, but also for its ability to run on-device AI without a hitch. This is especially noteworthy for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is fitted with Samsung’s entire Galaxy AI toolkit including Circle to Search and Gemini access.

Galaxy S26 Ultra is thinner and slightly lighter

Although both handsets are equipped with a 6.9-inch display, their measurements differ slightly. While the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is 8.9mm thick, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is just 7.9mm – making it the thinnest Galaxy Ultra model ever. Considering the S26 Ultra still includes the S-Pen, this is a pretty impressive feat.

Despite the difference in thickness, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is only slightly lighter than the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. While the Galaxy S26 Ultra weighs 214g, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra weighs up to 219g (for the Starlit Green model, whereas Black and White weigh 218.4g), so the difference between the two shouldn’t be particularly noticeable. 

Galaxy S26 Ultra sports a Privacy Display

Perhaps one of the most exciting new features of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is its clever built-in Privacy Display which shields itself away from prying eyes. The Privacy Display is customisable too, which means you can choose to set it on a per-app basis or even just hide specific areas of your display instead. 

Sure, this might not be the main reason you choose the Galaxy S26 Ultra over the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, however it’s still a brilliant addition that we wish was available on more smartphones. 

Xiaomi 17 Ultra supports faster and wireless charging

Samsung has never been famed for its mighty batteries and super speedy charging, and although the S26 Ultra sees some improvements over its predecessors, its specs don’t quite measure up to the Xiaomi 17 Ultra’s own. Even so, we should note that we’ve always found recent Samsung Galaxy handsets offer a comfortable all-day battery life.

Firstly, there’s a pretty large difference between battery sizes. While the Galaxy S26 Ultra has an average-sounding 5000mAh cell, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra sports a 6000mAh battery instead. In addition, the Galaxy S26 Ultra supports 60W and 25W wireless charging too, with the former promising 75% charge in just 30 minutes. It’s certainly an improvement over the 45W of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but it undoubtedly falls short of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra’s whopping 90W. 

Not only that, but the 17 Ultra also benefits from 50W wireless charging too.

Galaxy S26 Ultra has four rear lenses

It’s fair to say that both the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Xiaomi 17 Ultra have their eyes set on the best camera phone title and, although we haven’t reviewed either yet, their respective specs sound promising. 

The Galaxy S26 Ultra sees more of a tweak rather than an overhaul from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the promise of brighter images captured from the 200MP main and 50MP telephoto lenses. Although we would have preferred more of an upgrade, considering the Galaxy S25 Ultra captured brilliant images in most lighting conditions, it’s somewhat understandable why Samsung kept things similar.

Otherwise, the Galaxy S26 Ultra also sports a 50MP ultrawide and another 10MP telephoto too, making for a total of four rear lenses.

In comparison, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is made up of three rear cameras that were co-engineered with Leica: a 50MP main, 50MP ultrawide and a mighty 200MP telephoto which promises to reach an optical zoom of up to 17.2x. That’s an impressive claim, and one we’re keen to put to the test. 

For especially keen photographers, you also have the option to purchase additional kits to further enhance your snaps. There’s the standard Photography Kit which weighs just 48g and features a two-stage shutter button and a video recording button for precise control, while the Photography Kit Pro boasts an integrated 2000mAh battery which doubles as a power bank and a detachable shutter button.

Early Verdict

Both the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Galaxy S26 Ultra are undoubtedly promising flagship Android smartphones, so choosing between them might be a difficult undertaking. Sure, both offer premium features but the Galaxy S26 Ultra does benefits from the inclusion of a Privacy Display and Galaxy AI.

That’s not to say the Xiaomi 17 Ultra doesn’t sport impressive features, as the Android boasts a mighty battery, speedy charging and Leica cameras too. 

We’ll have to review both handsets before coming to a clear verdict. Once we do, we’ll be sure to update this versus.