Motorola has just unveiled its latest flagship Android, but how does it compare to Samsung’s nearly year-old alternative?
We’ve compared the specs of the Motorola Signature 27 to the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra to see what’s really new with the top-end Android. We also explain whether we think it’s worth splurging on the newer Signature 27, or if the Galaxy S26 Ultra remains a solid premium handset.
We’ve also rounded up the best Android phones and best smartphones too.
Price and Availability
Pre-sales of the Motorola Signature 27 will start on November 16, with an RRP of $1,599.
You may have seen in the past month or so that Samsung has quietly raised the prices of its flagship smartphones. That means although the Galaxy S26 Ultra originally had a starting RRP of £1279/$1299, buying directly from Samsung’s website means the handset now starts at £1359/$1399.99.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
Although both handsets run on Qualcomm chips, they differ with their exact offerings. The Motorola Signature 27 is among the first handsets to run on the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra runs on the year-old Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy.
Motorola explains that the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip is engineered to power advanced gaming, “enhanced camera experiences” and “next-generation AI” capabilities too. In addition, the handset is paired with Motorola’s ArcticMesh cooling system that’s 40% larger than the previous generation and helps manage heat during intensive tasks.
At the time of writing, we’ve only reviewed one handset sporting the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip – the RedMagic 12 Pro – and found it delivered some of the strongest benchmark results of any Android. With this in mind, we have exceptionally high hopes for the Signature 27’s performance.
Otherwise, despite being an older chip, you’re unlikely to be disappointed with the sheer power of the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip. During our time with the handset, we found everything from AI tasks to gaming ran quickly and smoothly, with minimal lag.
Finally, it’s worth noting that Motorola matches Samsung’s promise of seven years OS support too.
Motorola Signature 27 has a dedicated EVS action sensor – the first for a smartphone
Despite having a spot on our best camera phones round-up, and concluding that most people will struggle to find fault with its set-up, we are getting a bit bored with the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s camera line-up. While it is a solid set-up, made of a 200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP periscope and 10MP telephoto, the lack of upgrades from its predecessors means it’s starting to fall behind other flagship phones.
So, how does the Motorola Signature 27 look set to compare? According to Motorola, the Signature 27 features the brand’s “most advanced camera system to date”, with a 50MP Sony LYTIA L910 main camera, 200MP periscope telephoto with 100x Super Zoom, a 50MP ultrawide and the “first-ever dedicated EVS action sensor on a smartphone”.
The EVS action sensor helps to capture fast-moving subjects with “greater clarity and precision” to freeze motion while maximising light. This, according to Motorola, will result in more crisp and vibrant images with richer detail and more natural colour.
Motorola Signature 27 has a brighter screen, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra includes Privacy Display
Motorola also makes big promises with the Signature 27’s display. With a new Extreme AMOLED Duo display and up to a whopping 12,000 nits of peak brightness, the Signature 27 promises to be the brightest smartphone . In addition, the display is built with tandem technology which means it combines two emissive layers into one, for richer colour and better energy efficiency too.
Otherwise, the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s display remains one of the biggest selling points of the handset, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, QHD+ resolution and an LTPO-enabled 120Hz refresh rate.
Even with such an impressive spec sheet, the headline feature of the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s display is the inclusion of Privacy Display, which prevents your screen from being viewable unless viewed head-on. You can also enable Privacy Display for specific notifications and apps too, or just turn it off altogether. It’s a serious useful feature, and one we’re surprised not to have seen across more smartphones this year.
Motorola Signature 27 has a larger battery
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Signature 27 boasts a considerably larger battery compared to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. While Samsung’s flagship makes do with a 5000mAh cell, the Signature 27 benefits from a hefty 7000mAh alternative.
At 35% bigger than the previous generation, the cell promises to deliver a reliable all-day battery life. Then, when it’s time to recharge, the Signature 27 supports 90W TurboPower that can restore enough power “for the day” in 12 minutes – though we’re yet to confirm this ourselves.
Although it has a much smaller cell, we still found the Galaxy S26 Ultra able to confidently see us through an average day’s use before conking out. The handset also supports 60W fast charging, which results in a 50% charge in under 20 minutes or a full battery in 53 minutes. It’s certainly not industry leading, but it is enough for most casual phone users.
Motorola Signature 27 features Audio by Bang & Olufsen
Another exclusive feature for the Signature 27 is that it features Audio by Bang & Olufsen. This includes dedicated Sound Modes and a new speaker architecture that Motorola promises enables the Signature 27 to “preserve the character of original recordings” while delivering deep bass and clear vocals across music, films and games.
Whether this is worth considering depends on how you use your handset. If you don’t tend to wear headphones or connect your phone to an external speaker, then the Signature 27’s inclusion of Audio by Bang & Olufsen will come in handy.
With Qualcomm’s latest chip, the promise of Motorola’s most advanced camera system to date, and a larger battery, the Signature 27 looks set to be a brilliant flagship handset for Android users. However, the Galaxy S26 Ultra remains a solid option for everyday users, thanks to its reliable camera, brilliant Privacy Display and fast chip too.