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 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.
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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.
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 — 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, 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 — iPhones get 5–7 years of updates vs Samsung’s improving but not equal support.
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, 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, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, and Apple iPhone reviews at Technosports.
