Single-threaded performance is where Apple’s chipsets have always dominated for years, with its A19 and A19 Pro extending that win column once more. However, this streak is currently being threatened by the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is said to ship with Qualcomm’s faster Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. In the latest benchmark comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is barely faster than its upcoming competitor, which can only mean that this year can potentially be the one where Qualcomm dethrones its rival with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro.
A19 Pro is only 3.5% faster than overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the single-core test, but the latter manages a 17.6% lead in multi-core results
Given the Galaxy S26 series’ launch just around the corner, Samsung’s top-end flagship has been retested on Geekbench 6, with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy’s performance cores running at 4.74GHz instead of 4.61GHz. Comparing the scores against the A19 Pro below, Apple’s high-end A-series SoC is only 3.54 percent faster, with the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 obtaining a decent 17.6 percent lead thanks to the increased number of cores and frequency.
Geekbench 6 single-core results
- Galaxy S26 Ultra (Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5) - 3,761
- iPhone 17 Pro Max (A19 Pro) - 3,894 (3.54 percent faster)
Geekbench 6 multi-core results
- Galaxy S26 Ultra (Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5) - 11,454 (17.6 percent faster)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max (A19 Pro) - 9,741
What’s interesting about these results is that the last time the Galaxy S26 Ultra went through a Geekbench 6 benchmarking run, the scores were slower than our personal Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 results obtained on the REDMAGIC 11 Pro. For reference, our single-core and multi-core scores were 3,696 and 11,654, respectively, with the higher results on the Galaxy S26 Ultra in the latest test indicating some optimization improvements.
Of course, we will wait for commercial units to come through and then compare the latest results. While we are impressed with what the Galaxy S26 Ultra has achieved, it is important to note that Geekbench 6 only displays a sliver of the flagship’s performance. Given that the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 runs hotter than the standard version, it is necessary to discuss its sustained performance capabilities, and even though the Galaxy S26 Ultra is equipped with a vapor chamber, the increased frequencies will be a major test for Samsung’s latest and greatest.
News Source: Geekbench 6
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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