iPhone or Xiaomi in 2020: an objective comparison of flagships and budget models

Choosing between iPhone and Xiaomi in 2020 is not just a matter of preference, but a strategic decision that will affect the smartphone experience for years to come. This year, both brands introduced models that are radically different in philosophy: Apple has staked on optimization and the ecosystem, and Xiaomi has staked on innovative hardware at an affordable price. But what really matters to the user? Is it worth overpaying for the apple logo or is the Redmi K30 Pro able to compete with the iPhone 11?

In this comparison, we will analyze real performance tests in 2020, not theoretical benchmarks, and analyze the nuances of cameras (including night shooting and video). 4K), We're going to look at autonomy in terms of everyday tasks and we're going to look at the pitfalls of ecosystems, and we're going to focus on the current models, the iPhone 11, the iPhone. SE (2020, Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro and Redmi K30 Pro – they formed the market of premium and flagship killers in that period.

Spoiler: If you want maximum performance for reasonable money, the answer might be surprising, and if the priority is long-term support and stability, it's not as clear-cut as it seems.

1.Performance: A13 Bionic vs Snapdragon 865

In 2020, the Apple A13 Bionic (installed in the iPhone 11 and SE 2020) was still the king of single-threaded performance, ahead of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 in the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro by 20-25% in the Geekbench 5 tests. However, in multi-threaded tasks, the gap narrowed to 5-10%, and in real-world scenarios (for example, video rendering in Adobe Premiere Rush) the difference became almost invisible.

The main advantage of the iPhone is the optimization of iOS. Apps run instantly, and animations run at 60 Hz without slowing down even after 2-3 years of use. Xiaomi with MIUI 12 the situation is different: the interface is overloaded with functions, which sometimes leads to lags when active multitasking, but the Snapdragon 865 supports 5G (while the iPhone 11 is only 4G), which in 2020 was already relevant for large cities.

• 🏆 The winner in benchmarks: iPhone 11 (A13 Bionic)
• 🎮 Best for gamers: Redmi K30 Pro (Snapdragon 865 + 144 Hz)
• 📱 Long-term stability: iPhone SE 2020 (5 years of updates vs. 2-3 year)

⚠️ Note: If you plan to use your smartphone for professional video shooting in ProRes or working with the Internet AR-iPhone in 2020 had no alternatives. Xiaomi lagged in optimizing the camera for creative tasks.

2.Cameras: Deep Fusion vs 108MP

In 2020, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro became the first smartphone with a 108-megapixel camera (Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX), which caused a furor in marketing. However, in practice, the difference with the iPhone 11 Pro (12 MP) was not so obvious. In daytime conditions, Xiaomi produced more detailed images at 100% magnification, but Apple’s processing algorithms (in particular, Deep Fusion) better cope with noise and white balance.

Night photography is a separate story, where the iPhone 11 was a strong lead thanks to Night Mode, which even ran on the front camera. Xiaomi tried to compete with Night Mode 2.0, but the final shots were often overlit or with artifacts on moving objects. 4K video on the iPhone was also more stable due to better optical stabilization.

Fun fact: The Redmi K30 Pro with a 64-megapixel camera in real tests often outperformed the Mi 10 Pro in focus speed thanks to laser autofocus. But the iPhone SE 2020 with a camera from the iPhone 8 lost to all flagships, but offered better optimization for social networks (for example, automatic perspective correction in Instagram Stories).

3. Screen and multimedia: 60 Hz vs 90/144 Hz

In 2020, Apple stubbornly ignored the trend for high-frequency screens, leaving the iPhone 11 and SE 2020 with the classic 60 Hz. Xiaomi went all-in: the Mi 10 Pro received 90 Hz, and the Redmi K30 Pro – 144 Hz (in games), the difference is felt with the naked eye: scrolling web pages and animations in MIUI look noticeably smoother.

However, the iPhone had its trump cards:

• 🎨 iPhone screens covered 100% of color space DCIP3 (98% vs. Mi 10 Pro, which is critical for photographers.
• 🔊 Sound: stereo speakers with support for Dolby Atmos vs monodynamics in most Xiaomi (except for the Mi 10 Pro).
• ☀️ Brightness: 625 nits in the iPhone 11 vs 500 nits in Redmi K30 Pro (important for use in the sun).

⚠️ Attention: Xiaomi screens on the base AMOLED (in the Mi 10 Pro and K30 Pros are prone to pixel burnout when static elements (such as navigation bars) are displayed for a long time. iPhone 11 uses the same feature. IPS, which lacks this disadvantage, but loses in contrast.

Check out HDR10+ support (important for Netflix)

Compare refresh rate (90/144 Hz vs 60 Hz)

Estimate the brightness (minimum 500 nits for the street)

Make sure you have stereo speakers (for games and movies)-->

4. Autonomy: 18W vs 65W

In 2020, Xiaomi bet on ultra-fast charging: the Mi 10 Pro supported 65W (100% in 45 minutes), and the Redmi K30 Pro – 33W. For comparison, the iPhone 11 was limited to a modest 18W, and the kit was only a 5W adapter! However, there is a caveat: the iPhone battery (3110 mAh) is optimized so well that in tests of autonomy (for example, video playback) it lost Mi 10 Pro (4500 mAh) only 10-15%.

Real experience with this has shown:

• 🔋 iPhone 11: 6-7 hours of active screen (social networks, messengers, calls).
• 🔋 Mi 10 Pro: 7-8 and the hour, but the hour, when the 45°C).
• 🔋 Redmi K30 Pro: 5-6 hours (due to less optimized software).

Wireless charging in 2020 was the preserve of the iPhone (up to 7.5W on MagSafe accessories) and Mi 10 Pro (30W).However, Xiaomi had compatibility issues: not all wireless charging supported full power.

5. Ecosystem and Updates: iOS vs MIUI

In 2020, Apple guaranteed 5 years of updates for iPhone 11 and SE 2020, while Xiaomi officially promised only 2 years (in practice – 3 years, but with delays).This is critical if you plan to use the smartphone for a long time: by 2023, the Mi 10 Pro was left without support, and the iPhone 11 received iOS 16.

The benefits of the Apple ecosystem:

• 🔄 AirDrop and Handoff: instant file transfer between devices.
• 🎧 AirPods integration: automatic switching between iPhone and Mac.
• 📱 App Store: Apps are optimized for iOS and less often contain advertising.

The benefits of MIUI:

• 🌍 Localization: full support for the Russian language (including voice assistant).
• 🔧 Setting flexibility: the ability to finely customize (for example, changing fonts systemically).
• 💰 Price accessories: original cases and charging for Xiaomi cheaper in the future 2-3 once.

⚠️ Attention: In 2020 MIUI It contained aggressive ads in system applications (e.g., Browser or Music) that could be disabled manually, but it required deep customizations in Settings. → Additionally. → Special capabilities.

6.Price and availability in 2020

In 2020, the price gap between the flagships was huge:

It is important to consider the cost of ownership:

• 💸 Repair: Replacing the screen on the iPhone 11 cost 20-25 thousand rubles, on Mi 10 Pro — 8-12 thousand.
• 🔄 Updates: after 3 years, the iPhone remained relevant, and Xiaomi lost support.
• 📦 Accessories: the original MagSafe-charger cost 5 thousand rubles, while 65W-Charging for Mi 10 Pro – 2 thousand rubles.

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If you have a budget, consider the Redmi K30 Pro with root rights: after installing custom firmware (like Pixel Experience), it turns into an almost “pure” Android with long updates.

7. Bottom line: what to choose in 2020?

Select iPhone 11 or SE 2020 if:

Choose Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro or Redmi K30 Pro if:

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In 2020, the Redmi K30 Pro was the best choice for price/quality ratio, but only if you are willing to put up with the shortcomings of MIUI and short updates.

Alternatively, if you need a compromise, look for the iPhone XR (price dropped to 35 thousand rubles in 2020) or POCO F2 Pro (re-labeled Redmi K30 Pro with pure Android).

FAQ: Frequent questions about the 2020 pick