Apple has raised the bar with the new iPhone 18 Pro, but Samsung has several flagship smartphones capable of going head-to-head with Apple’s latest Pro model.
The iPhone 18 Pro comes with Apple’s new A20 Pro chip, a 6.3-inch OLED display, a 48MP triple-camera system and a new variable-aperture main camera. Apple has also introduced improvements to battery life, video recording and sustained performance.
However, Samsung’s 2026 smartphone lineup offers alternatives with powerful processors, high-resolution cameras, 120Hz displays, advanced AI features, long-term software support and, in the case of its foldables, form factors Apple does not offer in a conventional Pro phone.
Here are three Samsung phones that can compete with the iPhone 18 Pro.
1. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is Samsung’s most direct conventional rival to the iPhone 18 Pro.
It features a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and Quad HD+ resolution. It also weighs 214g, putting it only slightly above the 211g iPhone 18 Pro despite having a significantly larger screen.
Samsung gives the S26 Ultra a 200MP main camera alongside 50MP ultra-wide, 50MP telephoto and 10MP telephoto cameras. Its zoom system includes 3x and 5x optical zoom, as well as up to 100x digital zoom. The phone can also record 8K video.
The iPhone 18 Pro, meanwhile, uses three 48MP cameras and introduces a variable-aperture 48MP main camera, allowing users to select different aperture settings for greater control over exposure and depth of field.
Samsung also gives the S26 Ultra a 5,000mAh battery, S Pen support and Samsung DeX, turning the phone into a more PC-like productivity device when connected to a compatible display.
For buyers comparing the two, the key difference is that Samsung puts greater emphasis on display size, zoom flexibility, stylus input and productivity, while Apple’s Pro model focuses heavily on its A20 Pro-powered performance and camera system.
2. Samsung Galaxy S26
The standard Galaxy S26 is another Samsung phone worth considering against the iPhone 18 Pro, particularly for users who want a smaller flagship.
The Galaxy S26 has a 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate, matching the iPhone 18 Pro’s 6.3-inch screen size. It is also substantially lighter at 167g, compared with 211g for Apple’s phone.
Its camera setup consists of a 50MP main camera, 10MP telephoto and 12MP ultra-wide camera. Samsung provides 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom, while the phone can record 8K video.
The S26 also packs a 4,300mAh battery and supports Samsung DeX. Samsung lists up to 30 hours of video playback for the device, although battery claims from different manufacturers should not be treated as directly comparable because testing methods can differ.
The iPhone 18 Pro has more advanced Pro-level camera hardware, including three 48MP cameras and variable aperture on its main camera. But the Galaxy S26 offers a compact 6.3-inch 120Hz flagship experience in a considerably lighter body.
3. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8
The Galaxy Z Fold8 takes a different approach to competing with Apple’s Pro lineup.
Rather than trying to imitate the conventional smartphone design, Samsung turns the phone into a foldable device that can function as both a smartphone and a larger tablet-like screen.
The Z Fold8 has a 5.5-inch cover display and a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display when opened. Both screens support refresh rates of up to 120Hz. The device weighs 201g and measures only 4.5mm thick when unfolded.
Samsung equips the Fold8 with a 4,800mAh battery and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor. Storage options include 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.
Its rear camera system includes dual 50MP cameras, while Samsung says the phone can record 8K video. It also supports Samsung DeX, giving the Fold8 additional productivity capabilities beyond those of a conventional smartphone.
The iPhone 18 Pro remains a traditional 6.3-inch smartphone, while the Fold8 can transform into a much larger 7.6-inch display. That makes Samsung’s foldable particularly relevant to consumers who prioritise multitasking, large-screen content consumption and mobile productivity.
Vanguard News
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