Xiaomi vs Samsung: an objective comparison of smartphones on 10 criteria [2026]

Why is the choice between Xiaomi and Samsung so difficult?

The choice between Xiaomi and Samsung smartphones in 2026 has become more difficult than ever. Both brands offer devices for every budget – from affordable models for 15,000 rubles to flagships for 150,000+. But if before Samsung was associated with premium quality, and Xiaomi – with a price-performance ratio, today the boundaries are blurred: the Chinese manufacturer released Xiaomi 14 Ultra with a Leica camera, and the Korean giant – a line of Galaxy A with prices like the Redmi Note.

According to Counterpoint Research (Q1 2026), Samsung holds 20% of the global smartphone market and Xiaomi holds 14%, but in Russia and the CIS the situation is reversed: Xiaomi’s share reaches 30% due to aggressive pricing. However, the figures do not reflect the main thing: which brand is best for your tasks? In this guide, we will compare devices on 10 criteria – from performance to ecosystem – so you can make an informed decision.

Spoiler: In 2026, Xiaomi first overtook Samsung in charging speed (210W vs. 45W) and autonomy in the budget segment, but lagged behind in support of updates and software optimization. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg – let’s dig deeper.

1.Performance: Snapdragon vs Exynos vs Dimensity

If you choose a smartphone for gaming, video editing, or multitasking, CPU and RAM are key, and brands’ strategies are radically different:

• 🔥 Xiaomi uses Qualcomm Snapdragon chips (even in budget Redmi) and MediaTek Dimensity chips (in models) POCO). Flagships (Xiaomi 14 Pro) receive top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with clock speeds up to 3.3 GHz.
• ⚡ Samsung shares a line: flagships (Galaxy) S24 Ultra – on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (special version with acceleration up to 3.39 GHz), and budget (Galaxy) A54) — On the Exynos 1380.
• ⚠️ Samsung Galaxy A on Exynos often lose Redmi with Snapdragon in benchmarks: the difference in AnTuTu can reach 30% in favor of Xiaomi.

But benchmarks aren’t everything. Samsung is better at optimizing hardware: even the Galaxy A34 with Dimensity 1080 runs smoother than the POCO X5 Pro with the same chip. And the Galaxy S24+ flagships beat the Xiaomi 14 in heat tests thanks to its improved cooling system.

⚠️ Note: If you buy a Samsung Galaxy A with Exynos, check out the support 5G — In some regions (for example, in Russia), these models come with stripped down modems and work only in networks. 4G.

2. Screen: AMOLED vs Dynamic AMOLED 2X

The screen is something you interact with 90 percent of the time, and here Samsung has traditionally led the way with its own matrix production, but Xiaomi is actively catching up:

• 🌈 Samsung is using Dynamic AMOLED 2X supportive HDR10+ and up to 120 Hz even in the middle segment (Galaxy) A74). Flagships (S24 Ultra) get brightness up to 2600 nits.
• 💡 Xiaomi in flagships (14 Ultra) installs AMOLED Samsung Display, but with its own color reproduction settings ("Vivid" and "Cinema" modes) — AMOLED from BOE Visionox with the worst viewing angles.
• 🔍 Key difference: Samsung offers adaptive refresh rate (from the top) 1 Hz 120 Hz), which saves charge. Xiaomi has fixed models in most models 60/90/120 Hz.

For comparison, the Xiaomi 13T Pro has a peak brightness of 2800 nits, but in real conditions (in sunlight) is inferior to the Galaxy S23+ due to the worst anti-reflective glass processing. And in the budget segment of the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with 120 Hz, OLED bypasses the Galaxy A34 with 90 Hz AMOLED in smooth scrolling.

3.Camera: Leica vs Samsung Expert RAW

Photography is one of the most controversial issues, with Xiaomi partnering with Leica, and Samsung developing its own processing algorithms, with results varying depending on the scenario:

• 📸 Daytime shooting: Xiaomi 14 Ultra with Leica Summilux lens (aperture) f/1.6-f/4.0) bypasses the Galaxy S24 Ultra in detail, but loses in natural colors (Xiaomi pictures are often oversaturated).
• 🌙 Night shooting: Samsung's Nightography algorithms do better at noise, but Xiaomi wins in dynamic range thanks to its larger sensor size (1" vs 1/1.3").
• 🎥 Video: Galaxy S24 Ultra takes off 8K@30fps with autofocus, and Xiaomi 14 Pro is limited 4K@60fps. Xiaomi has a logarithmic profile for professional post-processing.

In the budget segment, the gap is huge: Redmi Note 13 Pro+ with a 200 MP camera on paper looks impressive, but in practice loses the Galaxy A54 due to a weak image processing (ISP). Photos with Redmi often get blurred when zoomed in, and the video suffers from compression artifacts.

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To get the best photo quality on Xiaomi, turn off the “AI camera” mode in the settings and use the manual mode (Pro Mode) with saving in RAW. On Samsung, activate Expert RAW (downloaded separately from the Galaxy Store).

4. Battery and charging: 210W vs 45W

If you want a smartphone that doesn't run out in a day and charges in 10 minutes, Xiaomi is out of the competition.

• ⚡ Xiaomi offers the fastest charging on the market: Redmi Note 13 Pro+ supportive 210W (0-100% in 9 minutes, and Xiaomi 14 Pro — 120W wireless.
• 🔋 Samsung lags behind: even flagships are limited 45W (wired 15W (Galaxy batteries keep the charge longer thanks to One optimization UI.
• ⚠️ Fast charging Xiaomi accelerates battery wear: after 500 cycles, the capacity drops by 20-25%, while Samsung – by 10-15%.

For example, the Galaxy S24 Ultra with a battery of 5000 mAh in active use (social networks, messengers, 2 hours of video) will live 1.5 days, while the Xiaomi 14 Pro with 4880 mAh – only a day. But if you often forget to charge the phone, Redmi with 210W will save the situation: 5 minutes on charging will give 50% of the battery.

Use the original chargers

Don't discharge below 20%

Update the software (new versions optimize energy consumption)

Turn off background activity of unnecessary applications-->

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi chargers on 120W+ Incompatible with most other brands (including Samsung), using non-original adapters can cause cables to overheat and even catch fire.

5.Software: MIUI vs One UI

The operating system determines how comfortable you will be using your smartphone, where Samsung is traditionally stronger.

• 🤖 One UI (Samsung: 4 years of OS updates + 5 years of security (even for the Galaxy A) Integration with the Samsung ecosystem (laptops, watches, TVs) Less advertising and bloatware (pre-installed apps).
• 🧩 MIUI (Xiaomi: 2–3 years of updates (except flagships); more customization options (themes icons, animations); Advertising in system applications (disables in the region settings).

Critical: Xiaomi often forgets about updates for budget models. For example, the Redmi Note 11 (2022) never received Android 14, while the Galaxy A52 (the same year) is already on One UI 6.1. If you want long-term support, Samsung is out of competition.

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If you buy Xiaomi, immediately after buying, turn off advertising: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 10 times), then in Additional → Special Features → Get recommendations and deactivate all switches.

6.Price and price/quality ratio

Budget is often a deciding factor. Let's compare what brands offer in different price categories (prices are relevant for Russia, June 2026):

Conclusion: in the budget and mid-range segment, Xiaomi offers more hardware for the same money, but in the premium Samsung benefits from long-term support and ecosystem.The exception is the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, which is not inferior to the Galaxy in terms of photographic capabilities. S24 Ultra, but cheaper by 20,000 ₽.

7. Ecosystem and additional chips

If you already have a gadget from one of the brands, the choice can be predetermined:

• 🌐 Samsung: Integration with Windows (your phone app) Samsung Pay with support MST (It works even with conventional terminals. Dex Mode — connect to the monitor as a PC. Compatible with Galaxy Watch, Budds, SmartThings.
• 🏠 Xiaomi: Mi Home ecosystem (smart home: light bulbs, robot vacuum cleaners, cameras) HyperOS (new shell from 2026) promises better optimizations IR-Even in budget models, own fitness trackers (Mi Band) are 2-3 times cheaper than the Galaxy Fit.

Key point: if you want Windows compatibility or an ECG smartwatch, go for Samsung. If you plan to build a smart home based on a single brand, Xiaomi is cheaper and more functional.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions