iPhone 17 Air vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

iPhone 17 Air

At 5.5mm thick, the iPhone 17 Air redefines what a smartphone can look like. The all-aluminum construction is both a design statement and a compromise enabler.

• At 5.5mm, it genuinely feels like holding a credit card with a screen — the thinness is immediately striking and draws constant attention
• Despite the extreme thinness, the phone feels rigid and well-built with no flex under normal use
• Single speaker and reduced haptics are noticeable sacrifices for the thin profile — movies and music lack the immersion of other iPhones

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The S26 Ultra is the thinnest (7.9mm) and lightest (214g) Ultra ever, ditching the titanium frame in favor of Armor Aluminum. Rounder corners improve the hand feel significantly. Gorilla Glass Armor 2 protects the display. The design change from titanium to aluminum is divisive — some see it as a downgrade, others say it doesn't matter in real use.

• At 7.9mm thin and 214g, this is the thinnest and lightest Galaxy Ultra ever — noticeably more comfortable to hold than the S25 Ultra
• Rounder corners give the S26 Ultra a more comfortable grip — a welcome departure from the sharp-edged Ultra design language of recent years