Zenfone 12 Ultra vs Galaxy S26 Ultra

Phone 1

Phone 2

Winner

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Lifespan decides this one: the Galaxy S26 Ultra is supported until Mar 2033 at $13.61 per month of safe use, while the Zenfone 12 Ultra runs out in Feb 2029 ($29.99/month). On a which-lasts-longer question, that's not a tie — it's the whole answer.

Value Score: Zenfone 12 Ultra 58 · Galaxy S26 Ultra 77 — methodology

The lifespan decider

When specs are close, support length decides it — this is what each phone costs per month of safe use.

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra $950

Buy with care$29.99/mo

2025◆ Buy-by Feb 20272029

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra $1099

Safe to buy$13.61/mo

2026◆ Buy-by Mar 20312033

Category by category

Display

Zenfone 12 Ultra 70Galaxy S26 Ultra 100

The Galaxy S26 Ultra's screen is the better one — 6.9-inch dynamic ltpo amoled 2x, qhd+, 1–120hz, up to 2600 nits, with anti-reflective privacy display.

Performance

Zenfone 12 Ultra 98Galaxy S26 Ultra 100

Performance is a wash — same chip tier.

Camera

Zenfone 12 Ultra 79Galaxy S26 Ultra 96

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has the stronger camera system (4 real rear lenses vs 3).

Battery

Zenfone 12 Ultra 90Galaxy S26 Ultra 80

5,500mAh vs 5,000mAh — the Zenfone 12 Ultra lasts longer between charges.

Software longevity

Zenfone 12 Ultra 38Galaxy S26 Ultra 96

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is supported until Mar 2033 — 49 months longer than the Zenfone 12 Ultra.

Value

Zenfone 12 Ultra 58Galaxy S26 Ultra 77

Overall value goes to the Galaxy S26 Ultra at $13.61 per month of safe use.

Full spec table

Spec	Zenfone 12 Ultra	Galaxy S26 Ultra
Price (street)	$950	$1099
Display	6.78-inch AMOLED, FHD+, 144Hz, Gorilla Glass Victus 2	6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, QHD+, 1–120Hz, up to 2600 nits, with anti-reflective Privacy Display
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm)	Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
RAM	12GB/16GB	12GB
Storage	256GB/512GB	256GB/512GB/1TB
Battery	5,500 mAh	5,000 mAh
Charging	65W wired, 15W wireless	60W wired, 25W wireless
Rear cameras	50MP main, 32MP telephoto, 13MP ultra-wide	200MP main, 50MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto 3x, 50MP telephoto 5x periscope
Dimensions	163.8 × 77.0 × 8.9 mm	163.6 × 78.1 × 7.9 mm
Weight	220 g	214 g
Water resistance	IP68	IP68
Supported until	Feb 2029	Mar 2033

Zenfone 12 Ultra full verdict →Galaxy S26 Ultra full verdict →Longevity master board →

Scores and verdicts are computed from our verified database — see exactly how. Specs from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers.