Why buy an iPhone when you have Xiaomi? - A fair comparison of 10 criteria

The question, “Why iPhone if you have Xiaomi?” becomes more relevant in 2026, when Chinese brands catch up with Apple in terms of build quality, performance and even ecosystem, but offer prices 2-3 times lower. On the one hand, the iPhone remains a symbol of status and reliability, on the other hand, Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO offer the same features (and sometimes more) for half the cost. So where is the catch?

This article isn’t about convincing you to ditch iOS for MIUI. It’s about putting down the real differences between ecosystems that affect everyday use, not just the price tag. We’ll compare smartphones on 10 key metrics — from the camera to durability — and show you where Xiaomi can actually replace the iPhone and where it’s best not to save.

Spoiler: The answer is not clear: If you want maximum performance over 5+ years, stable updates and seamless work with other Apple devices, the iPhone is justified. If the priorities are price/quality ratio, flexibility of settings and innovative chips (for example, ultrafast charging or folding screens), Xiaomi often wins. Let's get into more detail.

1.Price: How much does the "Apple" status cost?

The most obvious argument in favor of Xiaomi is cost. Even the flagship models Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Mix Fold 3 cheaper than the base iPhone 15 by 30-50%. And if you compare with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the difference is 100-150 thousand rubles in the Russian realities of 2026.

• 💰 Brand and ecosystem: Part of the cost of an iPhone is the entrance fee to Apple's closed world (AirDrop, Continuity, iCloud, etc.) Xiaomi has an ecosystem, too, but it is less developed.
• 📱 Long-term support: iPhone gets updates 5-7 years, Xiaomi 3-4 years (even flagships). This affects the resale: in 3 years, the iPhone will lose 30-40% of the value, and Xiaomi – 60-70%.
• 🔧 Service and repair: Replacing the screen on the iPhone costs 2-3 times more, but original parts are easier to find.

Xiaomi offers a more honest pricing policy: there is no artificial overstatement of memory prices (unlike Apple, where +128 GB are worth as a separate smartphone). For example, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ with 512 GB of memory is cheaper than the iPhone 15 with 128 GB – while the characteristics are comparable in 2026.

2.Performance: Myths about the “eternal” iPhone

The legend that the iPhone never brakes has long been debunked. Yes, Apple's A16/A17 Pro chips still lead the benchmarks, but the gap with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (in Xiaomi 14) or Dimensity 9200+ (in RedMagic 8S Pro) is only 10-15% in real-world tasks.

• 🎮 Games: On Xiaomi with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1/2 You can play Genshin Impact at maximum settings with FPS It is higher than the iPhone (thanks to better cooling).
• 🔋 Trottling: iPhone more throttling performance when heated. Xiaomi in flagships uses liquid cooling and graphite gaskets.
• 🛠️ Optimization: MIUI Sometimes it slows down due to background processes, but this is solved by disabling unnecessary services (which can not be done on iOS).

The main advantage of the iPhone is long-term stability. In 4 years, the iPhone 12 will work smoother than the Xiaomi Mi 11 (even after resetting to factory settings), but if you change your smartphone every 2-3 years, you will not feel the difference.

3.Camera: Who shoots better in 2026?

It depends on the model and the conditions.

• 📸 Daytime pictures: Xiaomi flagships (14 Ultra, 13T Pros are not inferior to the iPhone in detail, and sometimes exceed in dynamic range (thanks to the sensors Sony) IMX890/989).
• 🌙 Apple is leading the way here – Deep Fusion and Night Mode algorithms better cope with noise and preserve natural colors.
• 🎥 Video: iPhone will definitely win over any Android smartphone for stabilization (especially in Cinematic Mode) and sound processing.
• 🔍 Zoom: Xiaomi 14 Ultra with periscope 5x Optical zoom bypasses the iPhone 15 Pro Max (3x), But loses in software processing.

Example: comparing the iPhone 15 Pro and Xiaomi 13 Ultra in DxOMark (2023) shows that they scored almost the same number of points (155 vs 150) in the photo, but the iPhone is ahead of the video by 20 points. If you shoot a lot of videos for social networks, iPhone is out of competition. If you need detailed photos for printing, Xiaomi is not worse.

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If you care about the camera, look at the Xiaomi 14 Ultra with variable aperture (f/1.6–f/4.0) — a unique feature that even the iPhone doesn’t have. It allows you to adjust the depth of field right during shooting.

4. Ecosystem: Why does the iPhone lock the user?

The main advantage of the iPhone is not the smartphone itself, but the Apple ecosystem. If you already have a MacBook, iPad, Apple Watch or AirPods, then the transition to Android will be painful.

• 🔄 Continuity: Copy text on iPhone and paste on Macbook, automatically connect to Wi-Fi from other devices.
• 📁 AirDrop: Instant file transfer between Apple devices (on Android analogue – Nearby Share, but runs slower).
• 🎧 Seamless work with AirPods: automatic switching between iPhone and Macbook, spatial sound.
• 🔒 iCloud: Sync notes, reminders, photos (on Android you will have to use Google Photos, but there are no editing tools there).

Xiaomi also has an ecosystem (MIUI+), but it only works with the brand’s devices (Xiaomi Book laptops, Mi Watch smartwatches, Mi Smart Speaker speakers).

⚠️ Note: Features like Mi Share (similar to AirDrop) are often buggy when transferring files between different Xiaomi models, not to mention compatibility with other brands.

If you're not tied to the Apple ecosystem, Xiaomi offers more freedom: you can choose any headphone, smartwatch or laptop without being branded, but if you already have Apple devices, the transition to Android will be a constant inconvenience.

5. Software: iOS vs MIUI

This is not a good comparison for Xiaomi, but not for all of them.

• 🔄 Updates: iPhone gets updates 5-7 years, Xiaomi 3-4 years (and not all models). For example, Redmi Note 10 (2021) will not get Android 14.
• 🛡️ Security: iOS is closed, there are almost no viruses. Android has to install antivirus (although with Google Play Protect, the risks are minimal).
• ⚙️ Settings: MIUI It allows you to customize everything from icons to gestures. On iOS, even changing the default browser is difficult.
• 📱 Trashware: Xiaomi often preinstalled unnecessary apps (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music) that can’t be removed without root rights.

Key point: MIUI has gotten a lot better in recent years, MIUI 14 has removed most of the ads, improved animations, added ultra-saving battery mode, but if you care about stability for years to come, iOS is out of the competition.

Remove unnecessary applications (via Settings → Apps)

Disable animations (Settings → Special. features → Remove animations)

Clear the cache (Settings → Memory → Cleaning)

Disable Auto-Run Applications (Settings → Battery → Auto-Run)

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6. Battery and charging: where Xiaomi bypasses the iPhone by an order of magnitude

One of the iPhone’s weakest points is battery and charging speed. Even in 2026, flagship iPhones don’t support fast charging out of the box, and battery capacity is often inferior to the budget Redmi:

• 🔋 Capacity: iPhone 15 Pro Max – 4422 mAh, Xiaomi 14 Ultra – 5300 mAh, Redmi Note 13 Pro+ — 5,000 mAh.
• ⚡ Fast charging: Xiaomi offers a fast charging 120W–200W (Full charge in 15-20 minutes, iPhone – maximum 27W (1.5 hours to 100%).
• 🔄 Wireless charging: Xiaomi has models with 50W–80W wireless charging (for example, Mix 4), iPhone — only 15W.
• 📉 Degradation: Batteries in Xiaomi last 3-4 years with intensive use, in iPhone – 4-5 years (but after 800 charging cycles, the capacity drops by 20 years%).

Apple uses more efficient processors, so with the same capacity, the iPhone often holds the charge longer. But if you care about charging speed (for example, you often forget to charge the phone at night), Xiaomi is the clear winner.

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If you travel frequently or forget to charge your phone, Xiaomi’s 100W+ charging support will save you hours of time per year.

7 Design and Assembly: The Myths of Cheap Plastic

The stereotype that Xiaomi is “cheap plastic” is outdated 5 years ago. Today, even the budget Redmi have glass back panels, and flagships (Xiaomi 14, Mix Fold 3) are not inferior to iPhones in premium:

• 🏆 Materials: iPhone 15 Pro — titanium case, Xiaomi 14 Ultra — aluminum with ceramic coating.
• 💧 Water protection: Both brands have flagships IP68, But Xiaomi often saves on seals in budget models.
• 🔧 Repairability: iPhones are harder to disassemble (glue, proprietary screws), but the parts are original. Xiaomi has easier to change the screen or battery, but often come across fakes.
• 🎨 Design: Xiaomi experimenting with shapes (like the Mix Fold 3 with a frameless screen), Apple sticking to a conservative style.

The main difference is attention to detail. iPhones have no backlashes, all buttons respond perfectly, and the body joints are adjusted to the micron. Xiaomi (especially in budget models) can have gaps between the screen and the frame or creaky buttons.

⚠️ Note: If you take Xiaomi from an official store, you risk running into a “gray” import with unoriginal parts. mi.com/global/verify.

8. Long-term perspective: what will happen in 3-5 years?

If you plan to use a smartphone for longer than 3 years, the iPhone is a more reliable choice.

• 📱 Support for updates: iPhone 6s (2015) received iOS 15 in 2021, Xiaomi Mi 6 (2017) stopped updating after Android 9.
• 💰 Resale cost: After 3 years, the iPhone loses 30-40% of the price, Xiaomi - 60-80%. For example, the iPhone 12 (2020) in 2026 can be sold for 30-40,000 rubles, and Xiaomi Mi 10 - a maximum of 10-15 thousand rubles.
• 🔧 Repairs and parts: It's easier to find original parts on an iPhone even after 5 years. Xiaomi often has to wait for deliveries from China.
• 🎯 Performance: Apple chips are optimized so that even older models work smoothly. On Android, even flagships start to slow down over time.

But there is a downside: in 3-4 years, the iPhone may be obsolete due to the lack of modern chips (for example, a folding screen or ultra-fast charging) that Xiaomi already has.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions