What Xiaomi smartphone is the best in 2026: experts’ opinion and model analysis

Choosing a Xiaomi smartphone in 2026 is a tough task, with the brand offering dozens of models, from budget Redmis to premium MIX and Ultra, each geared to different user needs. But which one is really the best? To answer that question, we analyzed technical expert reviews, test results from DxOMark, AnTuTu and GSMArena, and took into account the real-world experience of owners.

Experts agree that there is no universal “best” smartphone, it depends on priorities. Some people care about a camera for professional shooting, some people care about autonomy for a week, and some people have maximum performance for games. In this article, we will analyze the top Xiaomi models by key categories, compare them with competitors (including Samsung and Apple), and give clear recommendations on which device to choose for specific tasks, and you will learn what hidden shortcomings are often overlooked when buying.

1.The best flagship Xiaomi: Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 3

In 2026, the title of the most technologically advanced smartphone Xiaomi is contested by two models: the classic flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra and foldable MIX Fold 3. Experts from TechRadar and XDA Developers unanimously give the first place 14 Ultra for balance – this device has no obvious weaknesses, unlike foldable devices, where there are always compromises.

What makes 14 Ultra the best choice for most?

• 📸 Camera. №1 world according to DxOMark (158 points) – four modules from Leica with variable aperture (f/1.6–f/4.0) and optical zoom 120x.
• 🔋 Battery 5300 mAh + 90W Wireless charging – full cycle in 40 minutes.
• 🎮 Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip with Loop LiquidCool cooling system – no trottling even in Genshin Impact at maximum settings.
• 💎 Screen. 2K AMOLED With a brightness of 3000 nits – the best readability in the sun among all Android smartphones.

However, MIX Fold 3 bypasses it in one thing - multi-functionality. foldable form factor with external and internal screens (both of which are not available). 2K+ LTPO) And the stylus support makes it ideal for document work and multi-tasking, but there's a big downside: the price (from 180,000). ₽) According to statistics of service centers, 12% of owners of folding Xiaomi handle breakage of loops in the first 12 months.

⚠️ Note: If you choose between 14 Ultra and MIX Fold 3, note that foldable smartphones lose up to 30% of their value when resold in a year.Flagships with classic design are a more liquid asset.

2.The best Xiaomi smartphone for gaming: Black Shark 6 Pro or POCO F6 Pro?

For gamers, Xiaomi offers two fundamentally different lines: Black Shark gaming smartphones (specialized for high loads) and POCO universal flagships with top-end hardware, but without bells and whistles. Experts from GameBench tested both models in 2026 - the results were unexpected.

Black Shark 6 Pro remains the absolute leader in FPS thanks to:

• 🎮 Physical triggers Maglev – response time of 8 ms (vs. 20 ms for touch buttons).
• ❄️ Active cooling with TEN – the temperature of the chip does not rise above 42°C Even after 2 hours of Call of Duty Mobile.
• 🔄 144 Hz screen with support DC Dimming – no flickering at low brightness.

But the POCO F6 Pro (essentially a re-image of the Redmi K70 Pro) bypasses it in autonomy and price. With an identical Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip and a 5,000mAh battery, it keeps the charge 15 percent longer thanks to an optimized MIUI, and costs 20 to 25 percent less.

⚠️ Warning: Black Shark gaming smartphones are not officially sold in Russia through the Mi Store. They can only be bought from unofficial retailers, which means there is no guarantee for software updates.

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For professional gamers participating in tournaments, Black Shark 6 Pro remains the best choice. For everyday gaming without extremes, the POCO F6 Pro is more profitable.

Best budget smartphone Xiaomi: Redmi Note 13 Pro+ or POCO X6 Pro?

In the segment up to 30,000 ₽ Xiaomi dominates with two models: Redmi Note 13 Pro+ and POCO X6 Both received high scores from GSMArena (8.8 and 8.6 respectively), but are intended for different scenarios.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ is a camera phone for the money of a middle man.

• 📸 Main camera. 200 MP (Samsung) HP3) pixelated 16-into-1 — Night pictures are not inferior to flagships 2022 year-end.
• 🔋 Battery 5,000 mAh + 120W Charging – Full charge in 19 minutes.
• 💎 Glass back panel with protection Corning Gorilla Glass Victus – a rarity for public sector.

The POCO X6 Pro, in turn, focuses on performance, and it has a Mediatek Dimensity 8300-Ultra chip (the equivalent of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in power) that beats the Note 13 Pro+ in benchmark tests by 40 percent.

• 📉 Weak 64MP camera is worse than even some models of 2022.
• 🔋 Charging. 67W (against 120W rival).
• 🎨 Plastic case - slippery and collects prints.

4.The best Xiaomi smartphone to photograph: why did experts choose the Xiaomi 13S Ultra?

Despite the release of Xiaomi 14 Ultra, many professional photographers still prefer Xiaomi 13S Ultra. the reason is the unique optics: it is the only smartphone with a Leica Summicron lens that provides natural color reproduction without the overwork typical of modern Android devices.

Key advantages of the 13S Ultra over the new 14 Ultra:

• 🎨 More “analog” rendering – photos look like they were taken on a mirrorless, not a smartphone.
• 🔍 Macro mode with a focal length of 12 mm - allows you to shoot objects from a distance of 2.5 cm without losing details.
• 📤 Support RAW 14-bit — Files weigh up to 120MB, but give full control when post-processing.

However, the model has a critical drawback: due to hardware limitations, it does not support an update to MIUI 15 based on Android 14, which means that in a year or two, the smartphone will no longer receive security updates.

⚠️ Note: If you are buying Xiaomi 13S Ultra for professional shooting, immediately purchase an external SSD-- One storage device. RAW-file ~100 MB, and the internal memory of 512 GB will be enough for only ~5,000 photos taken.

5.The best smartphone Xiaomi in terms of price / quality: Redmi K70

NotebookCheck experts named Redmi K70 "The most honest smartphone of 2026" - there is no overpayment for the brand, but the device is equipped with flagship iron at the price of the average (~40 000 ₽). What do you get for that money?

Technical specifications of Redmi K70:

• 🧠 Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip is the same as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 2023.
• 🔋 Battery 5,000 mAh + 67W Charging – enough for 1.5 days of active use.
• 💎 Screen. 2K AMOLED 120Hz and Dolby Vision support.
• 📸 Triple camera. 50+8+2 MP is not a record, but shooting in the day is not inferior to the flagships 2022 year-end.

The main compromise is the lack of official 5G support in Russia (due to sanctions restrictions on Qualcomm chips), but this is easily avoided by installing custom firmware PixelExperience, which unlocks all ranges.

5G support in your area (via the operator’s website)

Official warranty (only from authorized retailers)

MIUI (must be global, not Chinese)

Screen status (AMOLED may have broken pixels)-->

6. Which Xiaomi smartphone is better not to buy in 2026?

Not all Xiaomi models are worth noting, with experts highlighting several devices that don’t live up to their price or have critical flaws:

1. Xiaomi 12T Pro is an outdated Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip and no updates after MIUI 14.

Also, avoid Chinese versions of smartphones (marked CN in the model) that do not support:

• 🌍 Google Play Services (you have to install manually).
• 📡 Ranges 4G/5G for Russian operators.
• 🔄 Automatic updates MIUI.

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Before buying, check the IMEI of your smartphone through the service IMEI.info. If the column "Origin" indicates "China", refuse to buy - this is guaranteed to lead to problems with the software.

7. Comparison with competitors: Xiaomi vs Samsung vs Apple

To understand how good Xiaomi smartphones are, compare them with the flagships of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max on key parameters:

Conclusions:

• 📸 Xiaomi is leading in photography thanks to collaboration with Leica.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions