# Apple’s Throne Is Shaking — The Galaxy S26 Ultra Just Closed the Gap Nobody Expected URL: https://technosports.co.in/galaxy-s26-ultra-just-closed-the-gap/ Published: 2026-02-17 Updated: 2026-02-17 Author: Raunak Saha **For years, Apple fans had one iron-clad comeback in every smartphone argument: single-core performance.** “Sure, Samsung has more RAM. Sure, it has a bigger screen. But nothing beats the A-series chip for raw CPU speed.” That argument just got a lot harder to make. Fresh [Geekbench 6 benchmark results spotted by WCCFtech](https://wccftech.com/iphone-17-pro-max-barely-faster-than-galaxy-s26-ultra-in-its-favorite-benchmark/) show the Galaxy S26 Ultra — powered by an overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy — sitting just **3.54% behind the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s A19 Pro in single-core performance.** Apple’s biggest advantage, in the one test that’s always been its uncontested domain, is now barely a rounding error. ## The Numbers That Are Making Apple Fans Nervous The Galaxy S26 Ultra packs a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 running at **4.74 GHz** — up from the standard 4.61 GHz — giving Qualcomm a meaningful frequency boost. Here’s how the Geekbench 6 scores stack up: | **Test** | **iPhone 17 Pro Max (A19 Pro)** | **Galaxy S26 Ultra (SD 8 Elite Gen 5)** | **Winner** | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Single-Core | **3,894** | 3,761 | Apple (+3.54%) | | Multi-Core | 9,741 | **11,454** | Samsung (+17.6%) | | Single-Core (Tom’s Guide) | **3,871** | 3,601–3,761 | Apple | | Multi-Core (Tom’s Guide) | 9,968 | **10,686** | Samsung | The story writes itself: Apple wins single-core by a sliver; Samsung dominates multi-core by a mile. ![Galaxy S26 Ultra](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-2-2-1024x441.jpg) ## Why This Benchmark Matters More Than Usual Single-core performance isn’t just a synthetic number — it’s a proxy for real-world app responsiveness. Launching apps, UI animations, scrolling, basic task switching — all of this is primarily single-threaded. Apple has held this crown convincingly since the A13 Bionic era, building an entire marketing identity around silicon supremacy. But here’s the critical context: the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 **hadn’t been fully optimised when earlier benchmark leaks emerged.** The latest Galaxy S26 Ultra test — running at 4.74 GHz versus the earlier 4.61 GHz — already shows meaningful improvement, and Samsung’s software tuning typically improves significantly post-launch. If the S26 Ultra closes even half that 3.54% gap after a few software updates, the narrative flips entirely. And multi-core is where Qualcomm’s win is already decisive — a **17.6% advantage** over Apple’s flagship in tasks like video editing, multitasking, and background AI processing. For power users and creators, this matters enormously. ## The Exynos Wildcard That Could Change Everything Here’s the plot twist nobody expected: Samsung’s own [Exynos 2600 chip](https://technosports.co.in/samsung-news/) — previously the option Galaxy fans dreaded — is showing **3,336 single-core and 11,369 multi-core** scores in early benchmarks. That means the Exynos variant is potentially close to matching Apple in single-core while *beating the Snapdragon version* in multi-core. If Samsung’s in-house chip truly delivers on these numbers when commercial units ship, it would be the most remarkable silicon comeback story in smartphone history. ## Beyond Benchmarks: The Full Picture Numbers on a screen tell only part of the story. In real-world [speed tests between the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra](https://wccftech.com/iphone-17-pro-max-vs-galaxy-s25-ultra-speed-test/), Samsung’s optimised software already outpaced Apple’s flagship in app-launching sequences, despite the A19 Pro’s theoretical advantage. The S26 Ultra inherits this software maturity. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 Ultra brings tangible advantages Apple simply can’t match right now: - **200MP main camera** with f/1.4 aperture for superior low-light - **6.9-inch AMOLED** with anti-privacy display mode - **S Pen** still included, for those who love it - **Slimmer 7.9mm profile** vs iPhone 17 Pro Max - **Bigger battery** — more internal space = longer endurance - **Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner** for biometric flexibility The iPhone 17 Pro Max counters with superior video transcoding speed (historically), tighter ecosystem integration, and Apple’s continued [software optimization longevity](https://technosports.co.in/apple-news/) — iPhones get 5–7 years of updates vs Samsung’s improving but not equal support. ![Galaxy S26 Ultra](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-2.jpg) ## What Happens When Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Arrives? The Galaxy S26 Ultra launches February 25. But the leaker who broke this benchmark story notes something ominous for Apple loyalists: *“this year could be the one where Qualcomm dethrones Apple with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro.”* If Gen 5’s overclocked version can come within 3.54% of A19 Pro, a full generational leap in Gen 6 could genuinely take the single-core crown — for the first time in years. For [Indian consumers choosing between the two flagships](https://technosports.co.in/smartphones/), pricing is the other battlefield. The S26 Ultra is expected to land at around ₹1,29,999 onwards, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max sitting at ₹1,34,900. The gap has narrowed enough that the decision now truly comes down to ecosystem and preference — not performance. ## The Verdict Apple still wins the benchmark it invented its identity around — but only by a whisker. Samsung wins everything else on paper. The real battle begins when commercial units are in reviewers’ hands on February 25. **One thing is certain:** the era of Apple’s unchallenged chip dominance is quietly, definitively coming to an end. --- *Follow our coverage of [flagship smartphone comparisons](https://technosports.co.in/smartphones/), [Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra](https://technosports.co.in/samsung-news/), and [Apple iPhone reviews](https://technosports.co.in/apple-news/) at Technosports.*