Xiaomi or Samsung: a detailed comparison of smartphones 2026 for informed choice

Choosing between Xiaomi and Samsung smartphones in 2026 is harder than ever.Both brands offer devices on every budget - from the available models for 15,000 ₽ to premium flagships for 150 000 ₽. But what are the criteria that should be decisive? Should we overpay for the Samsung brand with its ecosystem, or Xiaomi offers the best value for money?

In this article, we will analyze key aspects: from processor performance (Snapdragon vs Exynos) to software support (MIUI vs One UI), compare cameras in real-world conditions and figure out which models are better suited for gaming, photography or long-term battery life. And at the end you will find a unique table comparing 10 popular models of both brands by 7 parameters - such analysis you will not find even on large technical portals.

1.Performance: Snapdragon vs Exynos vs Dimensity

The main difference between Samsung and Xiaomi is the approach to choosing processors, Xiaomi traditionally uses Qualcomm Snapdragon chips (less commonly MediaTek Dimensity), while Samsung divides its flagships into versions with Snapdragon (for the US / China) and Exynos (for Europe / Russia), which creates unequal conditions even within the same line.

According to the results of the tests AnTuTu 10 and Geekbench 6 in 2026:

• 🏆 Productivity Leader: Xiaomi 14 Ultra (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3) overtakes the Galaxy S24 Ultra (Exynos 2400) on 12-15% multithreaded.
• 🔥 Best choice for gamers: Redmi K70 Pro with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Loop LiquidCool cooling system shows stable 120 FPS Genshin Impact on maximum settings.
• ⚠️ Problem chip: Exynos 2400 in Galaxy S24+ warm up to 47°C when charging + game that's 8°C higher than Xiaomi 14.

It’s important to consider that Samsung optimizes its software for Exynos, but in real tests the difference with Snapdragon is noticeable. For example, the rendering time of 4K video in Adobe Premiere Rush on the Galaxy S24 Ultra (Exynos) takes 4 minutes 12 seconds, while the Xiaomi 14 Pro copes in 3 minutes 45 seconds.

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If you choose the Galaxy S24 for Europe, check the model processor by serial number on the website Samsung. versions with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 are marked as SM-S928B/DS (only Exynos are available for Russia).

2. Screen: AMOLED vs Dynamic AMOLED 2X

Samsung has traditionally led the way in display production, and its Dynamic AMOLED 2X in the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy Z Fold5 flagships confirms this. But Xiaomi is not far behind: the Xiaomi 14 Ultra screen with a resolution of 3200×1440 and support for Dolby Vision received an A+ rating from DisplayMate - the highest possible score.

Let's compare the key parameters:

The main advantage of Samsung screens is adaptive refresh rate up to 1 Hz in Always-On Display mode (Xiaomi has a minimum of 10 Hz), which saves up to 15% of battery life per day when used actively.

3.Camera: Leica vs Samsung Expert RAW

Photos are one of the key criteria of choice: Xiaomi cooperates with Leica, offering unique color profiles (Leica Authentic and Leica Vibrant), while Samsung relies on artificial intelligence (Scene Optimizer and Expert RAW features).

Results of DXOMARK tests (2026):

• 📸 Best Main Camera: Xiaomi 14 Ultra (152 points) vs Galaxy S24 Ultra (148) The difference is particularly noticeable in the nighttime shooting and detail.
• 🌃 Night photography: Xiaomi uses Sony sensor IMX989 (1 inch) with pixels of 2.4 μm, which gives 30% less noise at ISO 3200+.
• 🎥 Video 8K: Galaxy S24 Ultra is recording video 8K@30fps Super Steady Stabilization, Xiaomi 14 Pro is limited 8K@24fps.
• 🔍 Zoom: Galaxy S24 Ultra offers 100 offers× digital zoom (10)× Optical, but Xiaomi 14 Ultra gives a sharper image at 30× The Leica Vario-Summilux Algorithm.

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If you care about photography, choose Xiaomi 14 Ultra for static shots and Galaxy S24 Ultra for video and dynamic scenes.

In the budget segment (<25 000 ₽) The leader is the Redmi Note. 13 Pro+ camera-wise 200 MP (Samsung) ISOCELL HP3), galaxy A54 Detailed, but loses in color processing.

⚠️ Note: In Xiaomi models below the Redmi Note 12, there is often a problem with overheating of the camera during long shooting 4K. For example, Poco X5 Pro shuts down video recording after 12 minutes due to cooling system limitations.

4.Software: MIUI vs One UI

The operating system is something you'll interact with on a daily basis. Xiaomi offers MIUI 14 (based on Android 14), and Samsung offers One UI 6.1.

The benefits of One UI:

• 🔄 Long-term support: Galaxy S24 Android will get updates until 2028 (4 OS versions), while Xiaomi 14 will only get updates until 2026.
• 📱 Integration with the ecosystem: seamless work with Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Buds and Samsung Dex PC.
• 🗑️ Less Bloatware: The Galaxy has 12 system applications (you can disable), Xiaomi has 24 (including Mi Browser, Mi Video, GetApps).

The benefits of MIUI:

• ⚡ Speed: Animations in the MIUI 20% faster thanks to Snapdragon processor optimization.
• 🎨 Flexible customization: The ability to change icons, fonts and even system sounds without root rights.
• 🔋 Power efficiency: Ultra Battery Saver mode in MIUI Extends autonomy by 30% due to aggressive restriction of background processes.

Disable Advertising in MIUI: Settings → Memory → Cleanup → Settings → Disable “Recommendations”

Remove unnecessary applications through Settings → Applications → Delete

Activate Game Turbo for Gamers: Settings → Special Features → Game Turbo

Update the firmware to the latest version via Settings → About the phone → System update

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The main disadvantage of MIUI is advertising in system applications (for example, in Files or Themes), it can be turned off, but it requires 5-7 manual actions. There are no ads at all in One UI.

5. Battery and charging: who lives longer?

Autonomy is one of the most subjective parameters, but we analyzed the data from the PCMark Battery Test 3.0 and real-world user reviews.

Samsung is traditionally conservative in terms of battery capacity (maximum 5000 mAh in flagships), while Xiaomi installs 5500-6000 mAh batteries even in mid-budget models.

• 🔋 Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ (5000mAh video viewing (50% brightness) runs 18 hours 42 minutes vs 14 hours 15 minutes on the Galaxy A54 (5,000 mAh).
• ⚡ Xiaomi 14 Pro supports 120W quick-load (0-100% post 19 minutes, whereas the Galaxy S24 Ultra is limited 45W (0-100% post 65 minute).
• 🔄 Reverse charging: Only Xiaomi offers wireless charging of other devices with power 10W (Samsung has a maximum. 4.5W).

But there’s a caveat: Samsung uses more durable batteries, and according to Battery University’s tests, the Galaxy’s batteries lose only 12 percent of their capacity after 500 charging cycles, compared to 18-20 percent for Xiaomi.

⚠️ Note: In Xiaomi models with support 120W charging (Xiaomi) 13T Pro, Poco F5 Pro) you can't use non-original chargers, this causes the power controller to overheat and can cause the phone to fail. Always check the Mi Turbo Charge certification on the adapter.

6.Price and price-quality ratio

The most obvious argument for Xiaomi is price, even Xiaomi’s flagship models are 20-30% cheaper than Samsung’s.

• 💰 Xiaomi 14 (12/256 GB) — 79 990 ₽ vs Galaxy S24 (8/256 GB) — 99 990 ₽.
• 📱 Redmi Note 13 Pro+ (12/512 GB) — 34 990 ₽ vs Galaxy A54 (8/256 GB) — 39 990 ₽.
• 🎮 Poco F5 Pro (12/256 GB) — 39 990 ₽ vs Galaxy S23 FE (8/256 GB) — 54 990 ₽.

But the savings have the flip side:

• 🛠️ Service support: In Russia, 400 service centers Samsung vs 120 centers Xiaomi (data for 2026).
• 🔄 Software Updates: Galaxy S24 Android 18 will be available, and Xiaomi 14 will be Android 17.
• 💎 Premium: Galaxy Corps S24 Ultra made of titanium and ceramics vs aluminum and glass Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

If your budget is limited 20 000-30 000 ₽, Xiaomi offers the best specs for that money, but if you're willing to invest in long-term use (4-5 Overpayment for Samsung can pay off due to long-term support and reliability.

7. Additional chips: What do brands offer?

Both manufacturers add unique features that can be decisive when choosing:

Exclusive Xiaomi chips:

• 🔊 Harman Kardon speakers in Xiaomi 14 and Redmi K70 Pro (volume 85 dB vs 78 dB on the Galaxy) S24).
• 📡 Support for satellite communication in Xiaomi 14 Ultra (free) SOS-messages via BeiDou).

Exclusive Samsung chips:

• ✍️ S Pen in Galaxy S24 Ultra with input delay of 2.8 ms (vs 9 ms for Apple Pencil 2).

If you care about multimedia (sound, screen) or performance, Xiaomi offers more, and if security, ecosystem, or long-term support is the priority, Samsung is the choice.

Comparative table of top models of 2026

To make the selection easier, we have compiled the key parameters of 10 popular models in one table:

As you can see from the table, Xiaomi leads in terms of price-characteristics, while Samsung offers premium and long-term support.

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If your budget is up to 40,000 ₽, Redmi Note 13 Pro+ POCO F5 Pro will give you the specs of a 2022 flagship. If you budget 80,000+ ₽, The choice between Xiaomi 14 and Galaxy S24 Depends on priorities: camera/performance vs ecosystem/reliability.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions