Samsung or Xiaomi: Which smartphone to buy in 2026? review forums and reviews

The choice between Samsung and Xiaomi smartphones in 2026 has become more difficult than ever. Both brands offer devices for every budget, from affordable models to flagships with advanced technologies. But which one is really worth your money? In forums and reviews, users argue actively: some praise Samsung for the ecosystem and build quality, others prefer Xiaomi for the ratio of price and opportunity.

We analyzed hundreds of reviews on 4PDA, Reddit, Yandex.Market and other platforms to identify the key pros and cons of each brand. In this article, an honest comparison of 7 criteria, real user cases and recommendations to help make an informed choice. And in the end, you will be asked: which brand do you choose?

Price and Price-Quality: Where is the real benefit?

If budget is your main criterion, Xiaomi traditionally leads in terms of price and opportunity.+ With a Dimensity 7200 Ultra processor and a 200 MP camera, it costs less than the Samsung Galaxy A54 But here's the nuance: cheapness is often achieved by cutting down on "little things" -- for example, lack of official water protection or lesser quality. AMOLED-screen.

On the other hand, Samsung offers more balanced devices in the mid-range: the same Galaxy A34 or A54 have an official IP67 protection rating, 4 years of Android updates and more streamlined firmware. On forums, users note that “Samsung keeps the price longer in the secondary market” – this is important if you plan to sell the smartphone in a year or two.

• 💰 Xiaomi wins: in the budget and mid-segment (up to 30 000) ₽). Examples: Poco X6 Pro, Redmi Note 13.
• 📉 Samsung wins: in long-term cost of ownership (updates, resales). Examples: Galaxy A54, Galaxy M54.
• ⚠️ The pitfall: Xiaomi often overprices new models in the first months of sales (for example, Xiaomi 14 at launch cost as much as Galaxy). S23).

On Yandex.Market, the average rating of the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is 4.7 out of 5 (by 10,000+ reviews), while the Galaxy A53 has 4.8. The difference of 0.1 points reflects Samsung’s more stable quality, but also a higher price.

2. Performance: Who is faster and more stable?

In 2026, Xiaomi is actively using Qualcomm Snapdragon and MediaTek Dimensity processors even in budget models, while Samsung in the middle segment often put their Exynos. Here lies the main conflict: users complain that Exynos warms up and sits down faster, especially in the Galaxy A-series. For example, on the 4PDA forum on the topic of the Galaxy A54, more than 200 messages complaining of overheating when playing Genshin Impact.

On the other hand, the flagship Galaxy S24 Ultra and Xiaomi 14 Ultra show comparable performance in benchmarks, but with nuances:

The critical difference is that Xiaomi is more likely to optimize firmware for games (Game Turbo mode), while Samsung is focusing on multimedia and photography. If you're a gamer, look towards the Poco F6 Pro or RedMagic (a Xiaomi sub-brand). If you want stability to work, the Galaxy S series.

⚠️ Attention: Budget Xiaomi (like Redmi 12) often has a "trottling" problem - the processor artificially limits performance when heated!

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Before buying Xiaomi, check the firmware version on MIUI Global’s website – some models (for example, for India) have stripped down features.

3.Cameras: Myths and Reality

Marketing wars between brands have been particularly intense around cameras, with Samsung traditionally betting on natural colors and good processing, while Xiaomi has been using Leica lenses with a “branded” color profile in its latest flagships.

On Reddit, the topic of r/Android conducted a survey among owners of Xiaomi 13 Ultra and Galaxy S23 Ultra.

• 📸 Xiaomi wins: in detail (thanks to the 1-inch sensor), night mode and manual settings (Leica Authentic and Vivid modes).
• 🎨 Samsung wins: in video (stabilization, 8K), Portrait mode and shooting speed (less lags during serial shooting).
• 🔍 Common minus: Both brands are very “blurred” details with digital zoom (even at the same time, the company is not a big fan). S24 Ultra with 100x zoom).

In the budget segment, the gap is more noticeable: Redmi Note cameras often lose to the Galaxy A-series. For example, the Galaxy A34 shoots video in 4K@30fps, while the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is limited to 1080p@60fps.

⚠️ Note: In budget Xiaomi (for example, Redmi) 12C) There's a lot of pink color problem in artificial light photos, and it's a hardware defect in the matrix that's not software-correctable.

4.Software: MIUI vs One UI

The operating system is something you'll interact with every day, and Samsung is clearly ahead of you: One UI is considered one of the most optimized shells of Android.

• 🔄 Long-term support: 4 years of major updates and 5 years of security (even for the Galaxy A-series).
• 🎨 Design: Minimalistic, without unnecessary "chips" (unlike the design of the MIUI).
• 🔒 Security: Built-in Knox for data protection (important for enterprise users).

Xiaomi’s MIUI, by contrast, is polarizing, with more customization (themes, animations, widgets) and more advertising in budget models and “Chinese” chips like duplicate system apps. On the Mi Community forum, users complain that bugs with notifications and autonomy have appeared since upgrading to MIUI 15.

Key differences:

Important for Russian users: Xiaomi without global firmware (for example, buying in China) may not work Google services and NFC for payment.

Turn off advertising in Settings → Memory → Clean (turn off “Recommendations”)

Install an alternative launcher (e.g. Nova Launcher)

Check the firmware region in Settings → About the phone → MIUI version

Update all apps through Google Play

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Ecosystem and additional devices

If you already have a smartwatch, headphones or other appliance, the choice of smartphone brand may depend on the ecosystem.Samsung offers one of the most advanced solutions:

• ⌚ Galaxy Watch: Full sync with Samsung Health, pressure measurement (certified).
• 🎧 Galaxy Buds: Automatic switching between devices, spatial sound.
• 🖥️ DeX: Turning a smartphone into a PC (full desktop).

Xiaomi, in turn, is betting on a smart home:

• 🏠 Mi Home: Management 200+ devices (from light bulbs to robot vacuum cleaners).
• 🚶 Mi Band: The most affordable fitness bracelets with an accurate pedometer.
• 🔋 Power Bank: Fast charging for all Xiaomi devices.

On Yandex.Market, 60% of Galaxy Watch 6 buyers also own a Samsung smartphone, while Mi Band 8 owners are more likely to use different smartphone brands, which suggests that the Samsung ecosystem is more “closed”, but also more debugged.

⚠️ Note: If you use Samsung Pay, then the pegged cards won't work on Xiaomi (and vice versa for Mi Pay.

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If you already have gadgets of the same brand, buying a smartphone of the same brand will save time to set up and avoid compatibility issues.

6. Autonomy and charging: who lives longer?

Xiaomi is a strong charger in 2026, with budget models like the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ supporting 120W (full charge in 19 minutes). But there’s a downside: high power wears out the battery faster. On the 4PDA forum, users complain that after a year, battery capacity drops by 15-20%.

Samsung, by contrast, is betting on a balance: charging is slower (maximum 45W in flagships), but the battery lasts longer. For example, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has a capacity of 5000 mAh and easily holds 1.5 days when used actively, while the Xiaomi 14 Ultra with 5300 mAh discharges faster due to a more voracious screen and processor.

If you want long-term autonomy, go for Samsung. If you want fast charging and don’t plan to use your phone for longer than 1.5 to 2 years, go for Xiaomi.

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To extend the life of Xiaomi battery, turn off ultrafast charging in Settings → Battery → Charging settings and set an 80% limit.

7.Real user reviews: what do they say on the forums?

We analyzed more than 500 reviews on 4PDA, Reddit and Yandex.Market to identify the most frequent complaints and praise.

Samsung: pros and cons on reviews

• ✅ Pluses:
• 🔝 «The screen is better than the iPhone (about Galaxy) S23 Ultra, Reddit).
• 🔄 «5 Years of Updates is a Serious One (Review) 4PDA Galaxy A54).
• 📸 «Video shoots the best Android (comparison with iPhone 15 Pro).
• ❌ Cons:
• 💸 «Price overpriced by 20-30% (frequent complaint about Galaxy S-series).
• 🔥 «Exynos is Heated Like an Iron (Galaxy Theme) A34 on 4PDA).
• 🛠️ «Screen repair costs like a new phone (Galaxy Z review) Flip5).

Xiaomi: pros and cons on reviews

• ✅ Pluses:
• 💰 «For the same money - 2 times better than iron (comparison Poco) X6 Pro and Galaxy A54).
• ⚡ «Charges in 15 minutes – it’s magic. – Redmi Note 12 Turbo).
• 🎮 «Best phone for games up to 30k (Poco) F5 Reddit).
• ❌ Cons:
• 🗑️ «MIUI It is not used for six months (a frequent complaint against Xiaomi) 12T).
• 📵 «The signal catches worse than Samsung (tests) 4G/5G on 4PDA).
• 🔕 «Cameras lie in advertising (comparison photo Xiaomi 13 Lite with reality).

Interesting fact: on Yandex.Market, the share of returns from Xiaomi is 1.5 times higher than that of Samsung (3.2% vs. 2.1%). The main reasons are screen defects and feature discrepancies (for example, the lack of NFC in some Redmi batches).

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If you want reliability, go with Samsung. If you want to put up with small bugs for high-powered hardware, go with Xiaomi.

FAQ: Frequent questions before buying