Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra was recently launched, and the camera ranking is not what many people expected. DxOMark report has given it 157 points, which means it sits at number 18 on the global performance list. As per the numbering, the phone from Samsung stands behind the Oppo Find X8 Pro, Oppo Find X7 Ultra, Huawei Mate 60 Pro+, and even the iPhone 16 Pro – all the smartphones which are priced lower than the Samsung’s high-end model.
Galaxy S26 Ultra camera ranking raises concerns: Top smartphones in DxOMark camera rankings
After looking at DxOMark’s rankings, Samsung could not crack the top 10. Instead, Huawei’s Pure 80 Ultra took the crown with a huge score of 175. Right behind it, the Vivo X300 Pro pulled in 171 points. Oppo Find X8 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro tied at 168, and the Vivo X200 Pro scored 167.
Top smartphones in DxOMark camera rankings
There are more affordable smartphones available in the market, which are lower in the price tag and will be costing around the same as the Oppo Find X9 Pro, Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Honor Magic8 Pro – outperforming Samsung too.
Improvements in camera performance
Despite dropping lower in the rankings, the new Galaxy S26 Ultra has some positives. DxOMark pointed out the camera does better in low light than the previous model and delivers more natural colour. Talking about the xoom feature- it is pretty flexible, which remains a strong suit for Samsung.
Key weaknesses highlighted by DxOMark
Still, the report highlights a few problems. The S26 Ultra is not consistent in low-light—it does not hold up well against Apple’s latest flagships. Autofocus gets shaky in dim settings, especially if HDR is on. Portrait shots miss some fine detail, and sometimes the exposure feels off, which hurts the overall image quality.
Premium price, but tough competition
Samsung’s positioning the S26 Ultra as a premium device, but it’s clear the top price does not automatically mean the best camera performance. With Huawei, Vivo, and Oppo pushing the envelope with their camera tech—and often at a lower price—Samsung’s got real motivation to step up its game next round.