Xiaomi 17 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra are two of the most ambitious Android phones you can buy, and they cost almost the same. Both are camera-first flagships with big, bright screens and the same top-end chip, but they take different routes to the top: Xiaomi leans hard into photography hardware, while Samsung wraps its cameras in a broader, stylus-equipped package. Here is how they compare, drawn from independent expert reviews of each, with current UK prices.

At a glance

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (around £1,099.00) is the camera specialist: a one-inch main sensor, a clever continuous-zoom telephoto and an enormous, fast-charging battery. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (around £1,129.00) is the all-rounder: a versatile four-camera system, an S Pen stylus, a privacy screen and Samsung's polished software. They are priced within a whisker of each other, so this comes down to whether you want the ultimate camera or the most complete package.

Check the Xiaomi 17 Ultra price on Amazon · Check the Galaxy S26 Ultra price on Amazon

Software and experience

Both run Android, but with different skins. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra uses HyperOS, which is fast and richly featured, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra runs Samsung's One UI, adding the S Pen stylus and a deep toolbox with years of update support. If you want a stylus and Samsung's mature software, the Galaxy leads; if you are happy with HyperOS, the Xiaomi is a strong alternative.

Design and build

The two are remarkably alike in the hand. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra measures 162.9 x 77.6 x 8.3 mm and weighs 218.4 g; the Galaxy S26 Ultra is fractionally slimmer at 7.9 mm and a touch lighter at 214 g. Both are large, premium, IP-rated phones. The main practical difference is the Galaxy's integrated S Pen, which the Xiaomi does not try to match; otherwise they feel like close cousins, both sitting firmly at the very top of the Android range.

Screen

Both use large 6.9-inch OLED panels at 120 Hz, and both are superb. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra claims the higher peak brightness at 3500 nits, making it excellent in harsh sunlight. The Galaxy S26 Ultra peaks lower at around 2600 nits but adds a hardware privacy filter that stops onlookers reading your screen. It is a close call: the Xiaomi is brighter on paper, the Galaxy has the privacy trick.

Performance

There is little between them, because both run the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with 16 GB of RAM. Both are as fast as phones get, sailing through games and heavy multitasking. Whichever you pick, you are getting the current best-in-class Android performance, so this is not a category that should decide your choice — both handle demanding games and years of updates with ease.

Cameras

This is the heart of the matter, and both are exceptional. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is built around photography: a 50-megapixel one-inch main sensor for outstanding light-gathering, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide, and a standout 200-megapixel telephoto with a continuous mechanical zoom that glides smoothly through its range rather than jumping between fixed steps. The Galaxy S26 Ultra answers with a 200-megapixel main sensor and a four-camera system that includes two separate telephotos for long reach. Both are among the very best camera phones made; the Xiaomi's one-inch sensor and continuous zoom are its signature strengths, gliding smoothly between roughly 3x and 4x without the abrupt jumps of fixed telephotos, while the Galaxy offers more lenses, a higher-resolution main sensor and Samsung's consistent processing. For sheer photographic ambition the Xiaomi stands out; for versatility and reliable results across every scene the Galaxy is hard to fault.

Battery and charging

The Xiaomi has the edge here. It packs a large 6000 mAh battery and charges at 90 W wired plus 50 W wirelessly, so it lasts well and refuels quickly. The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 5000 mAh battery and 60 W charging — still good, but behind the Xiaomi on both capacity and speed. If endurance and fast top-ups matter, the Xiaomi is the stronger choice.

Price and verdict

At the time of writing the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is around £1,099.00 and the Galaxy S26 Ultra around £1,129.00, so price is unlikely to be the deciding factor.

Buy the Xiaomi 17 Ultra if photography is your priority and you want the most ambitious camera hardware — the one-inch sensor and continuous-zoom telephoto — along with the bigger, faster-charging battery and a very bright screen. It is a camera lover's flagship.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra if you want the more complete, versatile phone: the S Pen, the flexible four-camera system, the privacy screen and Samsung's long-supported software. Both are superb and cost almost the same; you are choosing between the Xiaomi's camera-first focus and the Galaxy's do-everything breadth.