Xiaomi is better than Samsung: an objective comparison on 7 key parameters

Choosing between Xiaomi and Samsung is not just a matter of preference, but a strategic decision that impacts your budget, experience and even the gadget ecosystem. In 2026, the brand gap has narrowed to a minimum: Samsung still holds the lead in the premium segment, but Xiaomi is confidently stepping on the heels of the Korean giant, offering unexpected advantages where they least expect them.

This article is not about convincing you to abandon the Galaxy S24 Ultra in favor of the Xiaomi 14 Pro. It’s about showing 7 real Xiaomi benefits that Samsung either ignores or realizes worse — from the price/quality ratio to the innovations that appear at Xiaomi years earlier.

1. Price/Quality: Why Xiaomi is Giving More for the Same Money

Xiaomi’s biggest asset is its ability to pack top-end features into mid-range and low-end devices, and let’s compare the 2026 flagships:

• 📱 Xiaomi 14 (65 000 ₽) vs Samsung Galaxy S24 (85 000 ₽): price difference of 20,000 ₽ Xiaomi offers a more powerful processor (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs Exynos 2400 in some regions), better cooling system and fast charging 90W against 25W Samsung.
• 💰 In the segment up to 30,000 ₽ Redmi Note 13 Pro+ bypasses the Galaxy A54 by all means: AMOLED-120 Hz screen (Samsung has 90 Hz), 200 MP camera (vs 48 MP) and support 120W charging.
• 🔋 Even in the Poco budget segment X6 Pro (25 000 ₽) offer 2K-A 120Hz display, whereas a Galaxy M34 The same amount is limited to full. HD+ 60 Hz.

But there's a caveat: Samsung offers longer support for updates (4 years of Android vs 3-4 years for Xiaomi). If you're critical to the long-term relevance of a smartphone, overpayment can be justified. However, in most cases, the price difference does not pay off - especially if you change your phone every 2-3 years.

⚠️ Note: Prices are relevant for Russia in June 2026. In other regions, the difference may vary due to taxes and logistics. For example, in Europe, the Xiaomi 14 costs 10-15% cheaper than in Russia, and the Galaxy S24 — more expensive%.

2.Performance and cooling: why Xiaomi doesn't brake where Samsung overheats

One of the most painful problems Samsung in recent years has become overheating processors Exynos. Even in the Galaxy S24 Ultra with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 users complain of trottling (decreased performance) at long loads — for example, in games or when shooting video in 8K. Xiaomi has solved this problem radically: all flagships are equipped with liquid cooling with a steam camera, and Xiaomi 14 Ultra even uses graphene heat sink.

Compare the test results:

• 🔥 In the test. 3DMark Xiaomi 14 Pro’s Wild Life Stress Test shows 92% stable performance after 20 cycles, while Galaxy’s S24 Ultra drops to 78%.
• ❄️ Video recording 8K within 30 minutes of Xiaomi 13T Pro heated to 42°C, and Galaxy. S23 Ultra - up to 48°C (data) DXOMARK).
• 🎮 In games (Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile) Black Shark 6 Pro (brand Xiaomi holds 60) FPS on the maximum speed without drawdowns, while the Galaxy S24+ begins to lay in 15-20 minutes.

The reason lies not only in the cooling system, but also in the optimization of MIUI. Unlike the One UI, which heavily loads the background processes, MIUI 14 allows you to manually disable unnecessary services and limit the activity of applications. This is especially noticeable in budget models: Redmi Note 12 runs smoother than the Galaxy A34 even with the same processor.

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If you play on a smartphone a lot, turn on Performance Mode (MIUI) or Game Booster (Samsung) in your settings, but remember: on Samsung, this mode can speed up battery life by 15-20%.

3.Cameras: Where Xiaomi is overtaking Samsung and where it is lagging

Samsung has traditionally been seen as a leader in mobile photography through its partnership with DXOMARK experts and advanced image processing. However, in 2023-2026, Xiaomi made a leap by signing an agreement with Leica and implementing unique shooting algorithms. Where exactly is Xiaomi better?

• 🌃 Night shooting: Xiaomi 14 Ultra uses dual LED-Night Mode 2.0 algorithm that produces 20% less noise than Galaxy S24 Ultra (GSMArena tests).
• 🔍 Zoom: While Samsung is betting on 100x Digital zoom (often useless), Xiaomi 13 Ultra offers optical 5x zoom f/1.8 — It gives you a clearer shot when you approach it.
• 🎥 Video: Xiaomi 14 Pro shoots video in Dolby Vision HDR permittingly 8K@24fps, while Galaxy S24+ limited 4K@60fps into HDR.

But there are weaknesses: Samsung is better at skin treatment (less plasticity in portraits) and offers a wider dynamic range in automatic mode. If you care about natural colors, Samsung is still ahead. If you like experimenting with manual settings and night photography, go for Xiaomi.

⚠️ Note: In Redmi and Poco models (e.g. Redmi Note) 13 Pro cameras often lose even the mid-budget Galaxy A due to weak software optimization. 13/14 — level.

4.Fast charging and battery: why Xiaomi leaves Samsung behind

If you’re tired of waiting 2 hours for the Galaxy S24 to charge, Xiaomi is a revelation.The Chinese has long been betting on ultra-fast charging, and in 2026, this has become a key advantage:

• ⚡ Xiaomi 14 Pro charges from 0 to 100% in 18 minutes (90W + 50W wireless). Galaxy S24 Ultra spends 1 hour and 10 minutes on it (45W).
• 🔋 In the budget segment of the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ offer 120W Charging is faster than any Galaxy A or Galaxy M.
• 🔄 Xiaomi uses dual batteries (two cells of 2500 mAh in Xiaomi 13 Ultra), which increases battery life by 20% compared to monolithic solutions Samsung.

But there are pitfalls: fast charging Xiaomi wears the battery harder. According to Battery University tests, after 500 charging cycles (≈1.5 years of active use), Xiaomi’s battery capacity drops by 15-18%, while Samsung’s by 10-12%. If you plan to use the phone for longer than 2 years, it’s worth turning off ultra-fast charging in settings.

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If battery durability is important to you, use a charge of no more than 30W and avoid full discharge (keep the charge in the range of 20–80%).

5. Ecosystem and software: where Xiaomi is bypassing Samsung, and where it is losing

MIUI vs. One UI is an eternal battle where everyone has their fans and haters. Let's see where Xiaomi is really better.

• 🔄 Flexibility of setting: MIUI It allows you to change icons, fonts, animations and even the size of interface elements without root rights. UI This requires third-party launchers.
• 📱 Multitasking: Xiaomi can run up to 12 apps in floating windows (Freeform mode), while Samsung limits this to 3-4 windows.
• 🌍 Localization: MIUI It's better adapted for Russia, with built-in Yandex.Mail, SberBank Online, and even government services in quick settings. Samsung doesn't have such integrations.

However, One UI has undeniable advantages:

• 🔄 Stability: MIUI Sometimes suffers from occasional lags (especially on budget models), whereas One suffers from occasional lags. UI It works smoothly even on weak processors.
• 📅 Long-term support: Samsung guarantees 4 years of Android updates and 5 years of security, while Xiaomi – 3 years of Android and 4 years of security.
• 🖥️ Windows integration: Samsung’s Link to Windows feature works better than Windows MIUI+ Xiaomi (for example, supports drag-and-drop files).

If you care about the smart home ecosystem, Xiaomi is leading the way, with its Mi Home supporting more than 4,000 devices (from light bulbs to robot vacuum cleaners), while Samsung’s SmartThings works mostly with Samsung products and several partners.

Turn off animations in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (5 times pressed) → Additional → Windows animation (select 0.5x)

Clear the cache in Settings → Memory → Clear the cache

Disable Auto-Run Unnecessary Applications in Settings → Apps → Auto-Run

Enable Performance Mode in Settings → Battery.-->

6.Innovation: What Xiaomi does first (and Samsung copies later)

Xiaomi often acts as a test driver for innovation that other brands then pick up, and here are some examples where Xiaomi was the first to do so:

• 📱 Frameless screens: Xiaomi Mi Mix (2016) became the first mass-produced smartphone with a screen-to-body ratio of 91.3%. Samsung released a similar Galaxy S8 only a year later.
• ⚡ 100W+ Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra (2020) was the first to receive charging 120W. Samsung caught up only in 2023 with the Galaxy S23 Ultra (45W).
• 🔍 Underscreen front camera: Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 (2021) was the first smartphone with a completely hidden camera under the screen. Samsung has not yet released such a solution.
• 🎮 Gaming triggers: Black Shark (a Xiaomi sub-brand) was the first to add physical buttons to the case for gamers. Samsung copied the idea only in the Galaxy S24 Ultra with Ultra-Touch.

Not all of Xiaomi’s innovations are successful, of course, as the transparent screen in the Xiaomi Mix Alpha (2019) concept never went into production, and the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner in the Mi 5s worked worse than the optical one, but the fact that Xiaomi is taking risks and experimenting forces the entire market to move forward.

In 2026, Xiaomi continues to surprise: Xiaomi 14 Ultra became the first smartphone with a variable aperture (f/1.6–f/4.0) in the main camera – this allows you to adjust the depth of field right during shooting, as on professional cameras. Samsung has not yet announced anything like this.

7.Service and Repair: Where to Fix Cheaper and Find Parts Easier

One of the most frustrating aspects of choosing a smartphone is the cost of repair, where Xiaomi has a major advantage over Samsung, especially in Russia and CIS countries:

• 💰 Price of spare parts: screen for Xiaomi 13 is worth ~15 000 ₽, whereas for the Galaxy S23 — ~25 000 ₽. Battery for Xiaomi is 2-3 times cheaper.
• 🔧 Service availability: Smaller cities are easier to find a workshop that works with Xiaomi. Samsung often requires sending to regional centers.
• 📦 Xiaomi gives 2 years warranty on smartphones (in some stores – 3 years), while Samsung is limited to 1 year.

But there's a downside: Samsung's build quality is better. For example, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has IP68 protection and a titanium body, while the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is IP68 aluminum, but less resistant to falls. If you drop your phone often, you'd better go with Samsung.

⚠️ Note: When buying Xiaomi, check if there is an official service center in your city. In some regions, warranty repairs can take up to 30 days due to logistics.

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Before buying, check the availability of spare parts for your model on sites like fix-price.com or chipdip.ru. If the screen or battery is not available for sale, repair will cost 2-3 times more expensive.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions