Here’s how their cameras, displays, battery life and other core specifications compare.

Cameras

There’s a lot of overlap when comparing the camera systems of these three flagships. Each has an advantage over the others in some way; some are rather substantial, while most are only small differences.

The three phones use main-camera sensors that are effectively the same size, all coming in at Type 1/1.3 (72mm²). The notable difference is resolution: the Galaxy S26 Ultra uses a 200MP main camera, compared with 50MP on the Pixel 11 Pro and 48MP on the iPhone 18 Pro. Despite the variety in resolutions, all three models will, by default output at lower resolutions; the iPhone and Galaxy at 24MP, the Pixel at 12.5. They all, however, offer modes that let you use the sensor’s full resolution, but due to the nature of Quad Bayer sensors, they’re typically best used in good lighting where you don’t need maximum dynamic range.

Apple

Apple’s main camera has its own edge, though, as it’s the only one here with a variable-aperture lens (though Samsung briefly experimented with something similar around a decade ago). It can be set to F1.48, F1.8, F2.8 or F4, promising a bit more creative control and exposure flexibility, especially when shooting video.

Samsung has the broadest rear-camera system, adding a dedicated 3x camera between its main and 5x cameras. Its long telephoto reaches 111mm equiv., narrowly exceeding the Pixel’s 106mm and iPhone’s 100mm equiv. lenses, and the 67mm equiv. provides a nice bit of flexibility that the others don’t. However, the Pixel’s telephoto sensor remains the largest in that class of the group.

All three phones support close-focus shooting with their ultrawide cameras, though, naturally, each brand handles it slightly differently and uses distinct names. Apple lists macro photography, Google specifies Macro Focus on the Pixel 11 Pro ultrawide, and Samsung’s Focus Enhancer can automatically switch to the Galaxy S26’s ultrawide camera for nearby subjects.

Video

Google

On the video side of things, Apple lists the most extensive video feature set. The iPhone 18 Pro records 4K Dolby Vision video at up to 120 fps and supports ProRes, ProRes Raw with external recording, Apple Log 2 and ACES color workflows. It is also compatible with Genlock, which lets the iPhone 18 Pro synchronize its frame timing with other cameras and video devices.

Lastly, the iPhone has finally caught up with the Pixel and Galaxy phones with the addition of manual camera controls for aperture, shutter speed, white balance and histogram monitoring (which also work in photo mode).

The Pixel 11 Pro records up to 4K/60p on the phone itself, while its 8K/30p option uses cloud-based processing. It also offers separate modes for low-light video, extra handheld stabilization and enhanced zoomed video, plus a post-capture tool for reducing distracting background sounds.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra records up to 8K/30p and 4K/120p. It also supports Samsung’s Advanced Professional Video codec, an open, professional-oriented format intended to preserve more image information while using storage more efficiently than conventional uncompressed video. Samsung also includes an enhanced stabilization mode designed to keep handheld footage level during movement (a feature Apple replicates with the iPhone’s “Action” mode).

Displays and battery

While all three sit in the flagship-phone class, Samsung takes a different physical approach with the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s substantially larger display. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro share the smaller 6.3-inch format, while the Samsung is closer in scale to Apple’s Pro Max-class phones and Google’s Pixel Pro XL models.

The three offer the same 120Hz maximum refresh rate, and their pixel densities are broadly similar despite their different screen sizes and resolutions. The Pixel has the highest stated brightness rating, while the iPhone’s specification is specifically an outdoor-brightness figure.

In terms of battery specs, Apple rates the iPhone 18 Pro for up to 36 hours of video playback and it says the phone can reach 50% charge in around 15 minutes with a compatible 60W-or-higher USB-C adapter. The Pixel 11 Pro has a stated 30-plus-hour mixed-use runtime and charges to 55% in around 30 minutes with a 30W USB-C PPS charger. Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra supports up to 60W wired charging, and the company promises up to 31 hours of video playback.

Size and weight

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is much taller and wider than the iPhone 18 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro, reflecting its 6.9-inch display and four-camera system. At 214g, it is also the heaviest, though only by a small margin. It’s just 3g heavier than the iPhone and 10g heavier than the Pixel, but it is thinner than both.

Key differences

Outside the camera system, the three phones still share a premium baseline: all start with 256GB of storage, use USB-C, support Wi-Fi 7 and are rated IP68 for dust and water resistance. The main hardware differences are scale and camera configuration rather than basic connectivity or durability.

Apple supports MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging, including up to 25W MagSafe charging, while Google’s Pixel 11 Pro supports the Qi2.2-based Pixelsnap accessory system. Samsung supports wired, wireless and reverse wireless charging, and its Ultra model adds S Pen support and a built-in Privacy Display feature.

Software remains a fundamental distinction. The iPhone 18 Pro runs iOS 27 and integrates with Apple’s hardware and services. The Pixel 11 Pro runs Android with Google’s Pixel interface and a stated seven years of operating system, security and feature updates. The Galaxy S26 Ultra runs Android with Samsung’s One UI, Galaxy AI tools and S Pen software features.

The three phones are also close in price. In the U.S., the Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at $1300, the Pixel 11 Pro at $1099 and the iPhone 18 Pro at $1199. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra’s larger display, S Pen support and fourth rear camera position it differently from the two 6.3-inch Pro models, but it also places all three phones within a $200 launch-price range.