Xiaomi or Honor: Which phone is better to buy in 2026? 10 criteria

Why is the choice between Xiaomi and Honor so difficult?

Choosing Xiaomi and Honor is not just a comparison of two brands, but a confrontation between two philosophies: innovative minimalism versus balanced functionality. Both manufacturers offer smartphones with excellent price-performance ratio, but their approaches to design, software and even marketing are fundamentally different.

If you’re looking for a phone with the highest performance for the lowest possible amount of money, Xiaomi has traditionally led the way in this segment with its Redmi Note and POCO series. But Honor, having split from Huawei in 2020, is ramping up the pace: their Honor Magic flagships are now competing with Xiaomi 14, and the Honor X budget models have become a real alternative to Redmi. In this article, we’ll break down 10 key parameters — from the processor to the ecosystem — so you can make an informed choice without a doubt.

It's important to understand that there's no universal answer, it depends on your priorities, some people are critical about autonomy, some people are critical about the quality of photos at night, and some people want maximum performance for games. We analyzed the current models of 2023-2026, the AnTuTu tests, DxOMark tests, and user feedback to provide objective data, not subjective opinions.

1. Performance: Who is faster in gaming and everyday tasks?

If you plan to play Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile or mount video on your phone, this section is for you. Xiaomi traditionally equips its flagships with the most powerful processors on the market: for example, Xiaomi 14 Ultra runs on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and POCO F6 Pro runs on Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. This guarantees maximum performance in benchmarks:

• 📊 Xiaomi 14 Pro: ~2,100,000 points in AnTuTu (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3)
• 📊 Honor Magic5 Pro: ~1.6 million points (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2)
• 📊 POCO F5: ~1,050,000 points (Snapdragon 7)+ Gen 2) - the best choice in the budget

Honor is not far behind: their flagships now use Qualcomm chips, but in the mid-range, they often save money by installing their own MediaTek Dimensity processors (for example, the Honor 90 Lite has a Dimensity 6020).

A critical nuance: Xiaomi is actively optimizing its firmware for games through the Game Turbo mode, while Honor relies on the overall smoothness of the interface (Magic UI). If you are interested in maximum FPS in games, take Xiaomi or POCO. If you need a balanced phone for work and entertainment, look at Honor.

⚠️ Attention: Budget segment (up to 20,000) ₽) Honor often uses legacy processors (like the Snapdragon 680 in Honor). X7a). Check the year of the chip’s release on gsmarena.com before buying it – if it’s over 2 years old, autonomy and performance will be worse than expected.

2. Cameras: Who shoots better day and night?

Photos are one of the most subjective criteria, but we rely on DxOMark data and real-world tests. Xiaomi is traditionally strong in detail and color reproduction, especially in flagships:

• 📸 Xiaomi 14 Ultra: 1st in the ranking of DxOMark (152 points) thanks to 1-inch sensor and optics Leica
• 📸 Honor Magic5 Pro: 5th place (145 points), but better shoots portraits
• 🌃 Xiaomi leads with Night Mode 2.0 algorithms, but Honor gives more natural colors

In the budget segment, the picture is different: Honor often beats Redmi in the quality of the main camera. For example, the Honor X9a (100 MP) shoots better than the Redmi Note 12 Pro (50 MP) due to better processing.

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If you are interested in video, pay attention to stabilization: Xiaomi uses hybrid stabilization (OIS + EIS), and Honor – only optical (OIS) in top models.

3. Autonomy: Who lives longer without a power outlet?

The battery issue is one of the most painful. Xiaomi and Honor go their separate ways:

• 🔋 Xiaomi delivers more capacious batteries (5000-5500 mAh even in the mid-range) and supports ultra-fast charging (up to 240 watts in the Redmi Note 12 Turbo).
• 🔋 Honor is betting on energy efficiency: their processors and screens are optimized for long-lasting performance. X9a 4800mAh battery lives longer than Redmi Note 12 with 5000mAh.

According to the GSMArena test (playback video at 50% brightness):

• Honor Magic5 Lite: 22 hours 30 minutes
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro: 18 hours 45 minutes
• POCO X5 Pro: 16h 10min (due to powerful processor)

Charging is a separate story. Xiaomi offers a record 240 watts (full charge in 9 minutes in the Redmi Note 12 Turbo), but that shortens battery life. Honor is limited to 66-100 watts, but their batteries last longer.

⚠️ Note: If you plan to use the phone for more than 2 years, avoid models with charging power over 120W - the battery degrades faster.Optimum: 67-80W (for example, Honor 90 or Xiaomi) 13T).

4. Screen: AMOLED vs LCD, 120 Hz vs 90 Hz

Screen quality has a direct impact on usability, with Xiaomi clearly leading the way:

• 📱 AMOLED It is also available in budget models (for example, Redmi Note 13 Pro for 25 000). ₽).
• 📱 120Hz has become the standard for all Xiaomi phones priced from 20 000 ₽.
• 📱 Honor saves: in Honor X7a (15 000 ₽) worth LCD 90 Hz, and AMOLED It only appears in models from 30,000 ₽.

If you want deep black, high contrast and smoothness, go for Xiaomi. Honor only offers good screens in premium models (for example, the Honor Magic5 Pro with 6.81 LTPO OLED 120 Hz).

5.Software: MIUI vs Magic UI

The operating system is something you'll interact with every day, and brands have very different approaches.

• 🤖 MIUI (Xiaomi): ✅ Maximum customization (themes, widgets, gestures) ❌ Lots of pre-installed software (especially in global versions) ❌ Advertising in system applications (disabled in settings)
• 🤖 Magic UI (Honor): ✅ Clean interface without advertising ✅ The Best Optimization for Multitasking ❌ Less opportunities for fine-tuning

Xiaomi offers more features (like Second Space for separating workspace and personal space), but suffers from slowdowns over time.Honor bets on stability and minimalism, but their shell is less flexible.

According to a 4PDA survey, 68 percent of MIUI users complain of freezing after a year of use, while Magic UI has a 42 percent rate. If you care about long-term smoothness, Honor wins.

Make sure your phone supports global firmware (if you are not buying in Russia)|Check the presence of Russian in Magic UI (Some of the Honor models don’t have it)|Turn off the adverts in MIUI through settings → Memory. → Cleanup|View feedback on the stability of a particular model in the forums-->

6.Price and price/quality ratio

One of the key factors in choosing is to compare prices for similar models (as of June 2026):

Conclusions:

• 💰 Budgeted to 20,000 ₽ Xiaomi offers the best hardware for the same amount of money.
• 💰 In the 25,000-40,000 segment ₽ Honor often wins in design and camera.
• 💰 In the premium segment, the difference is minimal, but Xiaomi supports updates longer.

7. Design and assembly: who's more reliable?

Honor traditionally wins in design: their phones are thinner, lighter and look more premium. For example, the Honor 90 weighs only 183 g at a thickness of 7.8 mm, while the Xiaomi 13T is 193 g and 8.6 mm.

• 🛡️ Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Aluminum 7000 Series + Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• 🛡️ Honor Magic5 Pro: Aluminum 6000 Series Body + Gorilla Glass 5 glass glass
• 💧 Both brands offer IP53 (Splash protection, but only Xiaomi 14 has a IP68 (waterproof).

According to service centers, Honor is more likely to break when falling because of more fragile glass.If you care about safety margin, choose Xiaomi with Gorilla Glass Victus.

8. Ecosystem and additional chips

Both brands offer unique features that can be crucial:

• 🌐 Xiaomi: Integration with the smart home Mi Home (more than 400 compatible devices) Mi Share feature for fast file transfer between Xiaomi devices Support wireless charging in flagships (up to 50 watts in Xiaomi 14 Pro)
• 🌐 Honor: Honor Share technology for communication with laptops and tablets (similar to Apple Continuity) Stylus support in some models (for example, Honor Magic) V2) Closer integration with Huawei Mobile Services)

If you already have Xiaomi's smart appliances (robot vacuum cleaner, light bulbs, cameras), it makes more sense to stay in this ecosystem. If compatibility with Honor/Huawei laptops is important, choose the second brand.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions