Why Xiaomi and Honor Comparisons Are Relevant in 2026
Choosing between Xiaomi and Honor is now more difficult than ever.Both brands offer flagship-specifications smartphones at prices 20-30% It's lower than Samsung or Apple, but if Honor was a Huawei brand before, it's after the separation of the company. 2020 In the past year, the company has radically changed its strategy - now it uses Qualcomm and MediaTek processors, rather than its own Kirin chips. Xiaomi, in turn, continues to increase exclusive chips: from charging to charging. 210W to Leica cameras.
In this article, we will analyze the real differences between Xiaomi and Honor smartphones based on tests from 2026, rather than marketing statements. You will learn which brand is better suited for gaming, video shooting, long-duration autonomy or working with applications. We will compare flagships (Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Honor Magic6 Pro), mid-segment (Redmi Note 13 Pro+ vs Honor 90) and budget models (Poco X6 vs Honor X9b).
Spoiler: There's no clear winner. Xiaomi is winning in performance and ecosystem, and Honor is winning in design and software optimization. But let's get a little bit more into it.
1. Performance: chips, benchmarks and real speed
Xiaomi’s main difference from Honor in 2026 is its approach to hardware. Xiaomi is actively using overclocked versions of chips (for example, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in Xiaomi 14 Ultra runs 10% faster than in other flagships), while Honor is betting on the balance of performance and energy efficiency.
According to the results of tests AnTuTu 10 and Geekbench 6 (January 2026), the gap between the flagships of the two brands is only 5-7% in favor of Xiaomi. But in real-world scenarios – launch games (Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile) or multitasking – Honor Magic6 Pro shows more stable performance thanks to better optimization of MagicOS (shell based on Android 14).
- 🔥 Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (3.3GHz), 24GB of RAM, Cooling with Steam Camera
- ⚡ Honor Magic6 Pro: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (3.2GHz), 16GB of RAM, graphics accelerator GPU Turbo
- 📊 Redmi Note 13 Pro+: MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Ultra is the best chip in the segment up to 30,000 ₽
- 💰 Honor 90: Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 – loses to Redmi in performance, but wins in the display
It is important to consider that Xiaomi often limits performance in budget models (Poco M6 Pro with Helio G99 loses even Redmi 12 with the same chip due to throttling). Honor, on the contrary, even in cheap smartphones (Honor X7b) uses more modern processors (Snapdragon 680 instead of Helio G88 competitors).
⚠️ Warning: If you plan to play on a smartphone, avoid Xiaomi models on Helio G chips (Poco M series, Redmi A) - they warm up and brake after 20 minutes of gaming session. X8a) It is equipped with a colder Snapdragon. 6xx.
2.Cameras: Leica vs Honor's standalone development
In 2026, Xiaomi continued to cooperate with Leica, and Honor completely switched to its own image processing algorithms. The results are surprising: according to the DXOMARK tests (February 2026), the Honor Magic6 Pro beat Xiaomi 14 Ultra in video shooting (163 vs 158 points), but lost in photos (158 vs 161).
The main differences are:
| Criteria | Xiaomi 14 Ultra (Leica) | Honor Magic6 Pro | Redmi Note 13 Pro+ | Honor 90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core module | 50 MP, 1 inch, f/1.6 | 50 MP, 1/1.3”, f/1.4 | 200 MP, 1/1.4”, f/1.67 | 200 MP, 1/1.4”, f/1.9 |
| zoom | 3.2x and 5x optical | 2.5x and 5x optical | 2x optical | Digital to 100x |
| Video 4K | 60 fps, Dolby Vision | 60 fps, HDR10+ | 30 fps | 30 fps |
| Night photography | Best in class. | Weaker by 10-15% | Good for the price. | Medium |
Key point: Xiaomi offers more natural colors (thanks to Leica Authentic and Vivid profiles), and Honor offers more vivid and contrasting shots (Honor Image Engine algorithms increase saturation). If you care about the accuracy of shades (for example, for professional shooting), choose Xiaomi. If you like Instagram shots with juicy colors, Honor.
Which smartphone is better at taking portraits?
3. Displays: 120Hz vs 144Hz, OLED vs LTPO
Honor is traditionally strong in screens: even the budget Honor X9b received AMOLED with a frequency of 120 Hz, while Xiaomi in the same price category (Poco X6) offers IPS with 90 Hz. In the flagship segment, the gap is smaller, but there are nuances:
- 🌈 Xiaomi 14 Ultra: LTPO OLED 2K, 1-120 Hz, brightness 3000 Support for Dolby Vision
- 🔍 Honor Magic6 Pro: LTPO OLED 2K, 1-120 Hz, but with dynamic blurring P3 (Improves clarity when scrolling)
- 💡 Redmi Note 13 Pro+: AMOLED FHD+, 120 Hz, but without adaptive frequency
- 🖥️ Honor 90: AMOLED 1.5K, 120Hz, 3840Hz PWM (less-flicker)
For gamers and content lovers, the tangent frequency (how many times a second the screen reads the touches) is critical. Here, the Honor Magic6 Pro breaks out from 480 Hz against 240 Hz on Xiaomi 14 Ultra. The difference is noticeable in shooters like PUBG Mobile, where reaction speed is important.
⚠️ Note: In budget models Xiaomi (Redmi) 13C, Poco M6) used IPS-low contrast screens (1000:1 vs 1,000,000:1 y) AMOLED). If you want to see black (for example, for movies), choose Honor. X8a Honor 90 Lite – they are cheaper but with a AMOLED.
4. Battery and charging: who is faster, who is longer?
Xiaomi remains the leader in charging speeds: the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ supports 120W, and the Xiaomi 14 Pro – a record 210W (full charge in 12 minutes).But Honor compensates for this with more capacious batteries and optimized power consumption. For example, the Honor Magic6 Pro with a 5600 mAh battery holds a charge 15-20% longer than the Xiaomi 14 Pro with 4880 mAh.
Autonomy comparison (PCMark Work 3.0, 2026):
| Model | Capacity (mAh) | Charging (max.) | Opening time (screen) | Full charge time. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi 14 Ultra | 5300 | 90W (wireless 80W) | 10 hours 15 minutes | 35 minutes |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | 5600 | 80W (wireless 66W) | 12:40 min | 40 minutes |
| Redmi Note 13 Pro+ | 5000 | 120W | 8:30 min | 19 minutes |
| Honor 90 | 5000 | 66W | 9:50 min | 45 minutes |
For travel or long-term use without an outlet, it’s better to choose Honor — even with less powerful charging, their smartphones live longer. If you care about battery recharge speed (for example, you often forget to charge your phone at night), Xiaomi is out of competition.
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To extend the battery life of Xiaomi smartphones, disable Ultrafast Charging in settings (Settings → Battery → Charging).This will reduce the speed from 120W to 60W, but increase the battery life by 20-30%.
5.Software: MIUI vs MagicOS
Both brands use Android 14, but the shells are radically different. MIUI 15 (from Xiaomi) offers more features (like MIUI+ for PC sync or Game Turbo for gamers), but suffers from advertising in system applications and over-animation. MagicOS 8.0 (from Honor) is minimalist, faster and devoid of advertising, but poorer on "chips".
Key differences:
- 📱 MIUI 15: support for themes, widgets for the desktop, built-in Screen Recorder with recording system sounds
- ⚡ MagicOS 8.0: Magic Capsule (dynamic island like on iPhone), Magic Text (screen recognition), Yoyo Assistant (voice assistant)
- 🔒 Home News Honor updates firmware for longer (4 years vs 3 years for Xiaomi for budget models)
- 🛑 Deficiencies: MIUI It is slowed down on weak smartphones (Redmi). A2), MagicOS does not support Russification of some system menus
If you want stability and no lag, choose Honor. If you want maximum customization (change icons, fonts, animations), take Xiaomi, but be prepared for occasional reboots and advertising in Mi Browser or Mi Video.
Disable personalized advertising in Settings → Privacy → Advertising
Remove Mi Browser, Mi Video, Mi Music
Install an alternative launcher (e.g. Nova Launcher)
Disable push notifications in Settings → Notifications-->
Price and Price/Quality: Which is Better?
In 2026, Xiaomi has risen in price: the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra costs from 120 000 ₽, while Honor Magic6 Pro - from 100,000 ₽ The difference is smaller in the middle segment: Redmi Note 13 Pro+ (35 000 ₽) vs Honor 90 (38 000 ₽). But here Xiaomi offers better performance, and Honor offers a more premium design and screen.
Price comparison (March 2026, Russia):
| Segment | Xiaomi model | Price (₽) | Honor model | Price (₽) | What's better? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flagship | Xiaomi 14 Ultra | 120 000 | Honor Magic6 Pro | 100 000 | Honor (cheaper by 20%) |
| Medium. | Redmi Note 13 Pro+ | 35 000 | Honor 90 | 38 000 | Xiaomi (best chip) |
| Budgetary | Poco X6 | 22 000 | Honor X9b | 25 000 | Honor (AMOLED vs IPS) |
| Ultrabudget | Redmi A2+ | 9 000 | Honor X7b | 12 000 | Xiaomi (cheaper by 25%) |
Conclusion: in the budget segment (< 20 000 ₽) Xiaomi is better than Xiaomi (better hardware for the same money) On average and premium, Honor offers more balanced devices with better screens and design. Exception: if you want maximum performance (games, video editing), Xiaomi remains out of competition.
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In 2026, Honor became a more premium brand, while Xiaomi focused on technical innovation (charging, cameras). If you want status and design, choose Honor. If you want record-breaking specs, Xiaomi.