Choosing a smartphone in 2026 is not an easy task. Three market giants - Samsung, Honor and Xiaomi - offer devices for every taste and budget, but each has unique features.Some appreciate the flagship camera and premium design of the Galaxy S24, others are looking for maximum performance for reasonable money in the Honor Magic 6 Pro, and still others prefer the balanced specs and ecosystem of Xiaomi 14. But how not to go wrong with the choice and not overpay for unnecessary features?
In this article, we’ll look at 7 key criteria that will help you decide, from pricing and performance to autonomy and the brand ecosystem, which smartphone is best for gaming, video shooting, long work without recharging or integrating with other devices, and at the end, an honest verdict with recommendations for different categories of users.
Spoiler: If you want a smartphone with the best camera in the segment up to 60,000 ₽, It's definitely not Samsung, despite the marketing promises, but it's all in order.
1. Price and Price-Quality: Where is the best purchase?
The first thing that people pay attention to when they buy is cost, and every brand has a different strategy.
- 💰 Samsung: The most expensive flagships (Galaxy) S24 Ultra starts at 120,000 ₽), But with 4 years of Android updates and premium build. A54) They are often overrated compared to competitors.
- 💵 Honor: Aggressive pricing policy - Honor 90 offer 120-hertz AMOLED-screen 200-MP camera for 40 000 ₽, What is cheaper than Samsung’s analogues 20-30%. Flagships (Magic) 6 Pro is also cheaper than Galaxy S24+ similarly.
- 🪙 Xiaomi: The leader in price-quality ratio in the middle segment.Redmi Note 13 Pro+ post 30 000 ₽ bypasses the Galaxy A34 performance and screen. Flagships (Xiaomi) 14) cheaper than Samsung 15-20%, They are losing support for updates.
If your budget is limited to 30,000-50,000 ₽, Honor and Xiaomi offer the best hardware for the money, and Samsung only wins in the premium segment (from 80,000). ₽), Where brand, ecosystem and long-term support are important.
Lifehack: In 2026, Xiaomi and Honor are actively resetting prices on last year's models (like the Xiaomi 13T or Honor 80 Pro).If you don't need the newest processor, you can save 30-40% without losing quality.
2. Performance: Who is faster in gaming and everyday tasks?
For gamers and multitasking enthusiasts, CPU and RAM are critical parameters. Compare the top-end chipsets of 2026:
| Brand/Model | Processor | AnTuTu (scores) | Support for games (FPS in Genshin Impact) | Heat generation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (for Galaxy) | 1 520 000 | 58–60 (Ultra) | Medium (heated to 42°C) |
| Honor Magic 6 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | 1 550 000 | 59–60 (Ultra) | Low (maximum 39°C) |
| Xiaomi 14 Ultra | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | 1 600 000 | 60 (Ultra, with trottling) | High (up to 45°C) |
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ | Mediatek Dimensity 7200 Ultra | 950 000 | 45–50 (High) | Low (up to 37°C) |
The Honor Magic 6 Pro has proven to be the most balanced: it's not only the coldest among flagships, but also shows a stable 60 FPS in heavy games without trottling. the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is more powerful on paper but overheats, and Samsung loses in benchmarks due to optimization under its own One UI shell.
In the middle segment, the undisputed leader is Xiaomi with Dimensity 7200 Ultra and Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipsets. They beat the Samsung Exynos 1380 (in the Galaxy A54) in performance by 30-40%.
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If you play a lot, look for a cooling system.The Honor Magic 6 Pro uses a 10,000mm2 graphite heat tube, a record for 2026 smartphones.
3.Camera: Who shoots better in different conditions?
The camera is one of the most subjective parameters. We tested the flagships in 5 scenarios: daylight, night, portrait, 4K video and zoom.
- 📸 Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: The best 100x Zuming (even better than Huawei’s) P60 Pro, but recycling spoils natural colors. Night shooting at top level, but video 8K warm.
- 🎥 Honor Magic 6 Pro: Best Video (Stability and Color Rendering), Great Portraits Thanks to the Best Video 3D-ToF sensor. Night mode is inferior to Xiaomi.
- 🌃 Xiaomi 14 Ultra: The absolute leader of night photography thanks to the sensor Sony IMX989 (1 inch!) Daytime photos are natural, but zooming is losing out to Samsung.
If you want a universal camera for all scenarios, go for the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. If you shoot a lot of videos, the Honor Magic 6 Pro. If you like to zoom in on distant objects, only the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
In the budget segment (<25 000 ₽) Leader: Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ s 200-It's the main camera. It's bypassing the Samsung Galaxy. A34 Detailed, but loses in processing HDR.
How to check the camera before buying?
Battery and autonomy: who lives longer without an outlet?
In 2026, even the flagships learned to keep the charge all day, but there are nuances:
- 🔋 Samsung: Galaxy S24 Ultra - 5000 mAh, but because of QHD+ The screen and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 last 1.5 days with moderate use. A54 (5,000 mAh lives longer thanks to Full HD+ screen.
- ⚡ Honor: Magic 6 Pro - 5600 mAh + The most efficient processor among the flagships. When used actively (social networks, messengers, 2 hours of games) lasts for 1 day 18 hours.
- 🔌 Xiaomi 14 Ultra – 5300 mAh, but due to overheating and 4K-The screen sits down in a day, but the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ (5000mAh lives 2 days thanks to Dimensity 7200 Ultra.
The fastest charging is in Honor: 80W in Magic 6 Pro (0-100% in 30 minutes) and 100W in Honor 90. Xiaomi lags behind: even in Xiaomi 14 Pro only 67W. Samsung is in no hurry at all: Galaxy S24 Ultra charges 45W, and the kit comes with a block on 25W.
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If you need a smartphone that will live 2 days without recharging, choose among the Honor 90, Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ or Samsung Galaxy M54 (6000 mAh).
⚠️ Note: Xiaomi 14 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is not included in the charger. You will have to buy separately (issue price - 2000-3000). ₽).
5. Ecosystem and software: what is more convenient in everyday use?
A smartphone is not just hardware, it's software, and every brand has its own chips.
- 🤖 Samsung (One UI): ✅ 4 Years of Android Updates + 5 years of safety. ✅ Best Windows Integration (Link to Windows, DeX). ❌ Many duplicate services (Samsung Pay, Samsung Health, Bixby) that cannot be removed.
- 📱 Honor (Magic UI): ✅ Pure Android with minimal bloat. ✅ Smart functions (e.g, AI-real-time text recognition). ❌ Updates are coming later than Samsung (3 years of support).
- 🌐 Xiaomi (HyperOS): ✅ Maximum customization (you can change even the icons of system applications). ✅ Xiaomi Smart Home Integration (more than 400 compatible devices). ❌ Advertising in system applications (disabled manually).
If you already have Samsung appliances (like Galaxy Buds headphones or Galaxy Watches), then the smartphone of this brand will be a logical choice. For fans of “pure” Android is better than Honor, and for fans of smart home – Xiaomi.
⚠️ Note: Xiaomi and Honor do not have official support for Samsung DeX. If you need a smartphone as a replacement for a PC, only take the Galaxy S24 or Galaxy Z Fold5.
6. Design and Assembly: What's the best thing to hold in your hand?
In 2026, all three brands switched to premium materials, but the approaches are different:
- ✨ Samsung: Gorilla Glass Victus 2 + Aluminum frame. Galaxy. S24 The Ultra has a titanium bezel like the iPhone 15 Pro, but weighs 232g (10g heavier.
- 🖤 Honor: Vegan skin in Magic 6 Pro (no slides, no prints picks) Honor 90 has 3D-curved screen, but the frame is plastic.
- 🔶 Xiaomi: Xiaomi 14 Ultra - ceramic back panel (stronger than glass, but beats when falling). Redmi Note 13 Pro+ — plastic, but with IP68 (budget-straight).
The most comfortable in the hand is the Honor Magic 6 Pro (due to the curved screen and matte materials); the most premium is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (titanium + glass); the most practical is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro + (not afraid of water and dust).
The back panel should not bend when pressed
The on/volume buttons do not backfire
The screen glass does not "go away" at the edges (check with your finger)
The charging port does not stagger when connecting the cable-->
7. Additional chips: what do advanced users choose?
If you want unique features that make your smartphone stand out from your competitors, pay attention to:
- 🎮 Samsung: - S Pen in Galaxy S24 Ultra (full-fledged stylus for drawing and notes) – Samsung Knox – the best data protection for business users.
- 🤖 Honor: - AI-Portet mode in Magic 6 Pro (blurring the background in real time when video calls). - Dual wireless charger (you can charge your smartphone and headphones at the same time).
- 🔧 Xiaomi: - Infrared port (control equipment, like a remote) even in flagships (Xiaomi 14). - Mode "Ultra Battery Saver" (allows you to extend autonomy up to 3 days at the cost of turning off background processes).
If you are a blogger or video conferencing user, the Honor Magic 6 Pro is the best choice thanks to the fact that you are a blogger. AI-Samsung is good for business with Knox and DeX. And if you want maximum functionality for minimal money, Xiaomi offers more chips in the budget segment.