The high-end of 2021 arrive loaded with features, with innovative technologies and maximum power, making it difficult for us to stay with one of them. Among the most prominent we have to talk about the Xiaomi Mi 11 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 , the top mobiles of the popular smartphone firms with which they want to conquer the market.
To help you decide between the Chinese manufacturer and the Korean manufacturer, we are going to compare point by point what stands out the most in both models. Finally, we will draw some conclusions, to identify why each user should buy one model or another. There have been important changes in these generations compared to their predecessors, so we are going to look at evolution.
Screens and design as a differentiating point
In other years the change has been minimal in this regard, but this year the two brands have chosen to change the design of their smartphones to make them unique. On the part of Xiaomi we come across a terminal made of glass and metal, which on the back opts for a square camera module that can be recognized with the naked eye. Meanwhile, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 has changed the dynamics and opts for a material where plastic and aluminum predominate in its frames, which is integrated with the rear cameras. Here the design of the cameras is even more exclusive and we had not seen anything similar to date.
The screens also arrive loaded with changes, with a hole for the selfie camera that changes position between Xiaomi and Samsung. We can also see that the size difference in the screens is outstanding , with 6.81 inches in Xiaomi and 6.2 inches in Samsung. In both cases we have Amoled technology but the resolution is higher in Xiaomi reaching WQHD + and staying in Full HD + for the S21.
Regarding the refresh rate we have a tie, since they share 120 Hz, with a touch response of 480 Hz on the Xiaomi Mi 11. Both integrate HDR 10 +, as well as Corning Gorilla Glass Victus against bumps and falls, to which it is added IP68 resistance only for the Galaxy S21. Another highlight of the screens is that Samsung forgets about curves and Xiaomi gives them priority in this case.
Snapdragon vs Exynos
One of the most classic disputes in mobile technology meets again to decide between buying the Xiaomi Mi 11 or the Galaxy S21. These are two chips with the maximum power, starting with Xiaomi’s Snapdragon 888 , which is manufactured in 5 nanometers and allows a frequency of 2.84 GHz, which is combined with the Adreno 660 GPU. By Samsung the jump has been much more relevant in this Exynos 2100 , also with 5 nanometers and a frequency of 2.91 GHz, where the only thing to improve could be the ARM Mali-G78 GPU.
The options are varied in both cases, with 8 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB in Xiaomi, along with a superior edition of 12 GB and 256 GB of internal memory. Samsung allows us to buy the S21 with 8 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of internal memory. In both cases we have UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR 5 RAM , losing in both phones the option to expand them through Micro SD.
Two kings in chambers
Another important aspect to decide and choose the Mi 11 or the Galaxy S21 is in the rear and front cameras. The two opt for a triple rear lens, where the main sensor gives the Mi 11 as the winner with its 108 Mpx for the level of detail, although in both we see good results, since the 108 Mpx are used occasionally. Both main sensors have a similar aperture of f / 1.8 on Samsung and f / 1.85 on Xiaomi.
The next lens is the 12.2 Mpx wide angle on Samsung and 13 Mpx on Xiaomi, offering viewing angles of 120º and 123º respectively. Finally to the telephoto lens, here Samsung is an enigma to Xiaomi in the long distance thanks to its 64 Mpx lens with 3x hybrid zoom, leaving behind the Mi 11 with 5 Mpx with only 30x digital zoom that focuses in AI.
Ahead, the selfie camera of both models is very good, with 20 Mpx for the specifications of the Xiaomi Mi 11 and 10 Mpx on Samsung, the results are good even in difficult situations thanks to the aperture f / 2.3 and f / 2.2. Samsung and Xiaomi video recording offers optical stabilizer with 4K HDR10 + capabilities at 60fps on the S21 and 4K at 60fps on the Mi 11.
Battery and connectivity
Few buts can we put these models that offer us 4G and 5G to navigate at maximum speed outside the home. Also in positioning they have GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou and Galileo. NFC technology for mobile payments is also present in both, as well as a different Bluetooth, 5.0 for Samsung and 5.2 on the Mi 11.
In the battery we see another difference, since the largest capacity is in the Mi 11 with its 4,600 mAh compared to the 4,000 of Samsung . We will have to see it in action to know in autonomy how this translates. Both integrate wireless charging and reverse charging , highlighting that Xiaomi offers a charger if we request it and Samsung does not include it in Spain. The fast charge available is 25W in Samsung and 55W in Xiaomi.
We face MIUI 12.5 and One UI 3.0
The system that both mobiles integrate changes widely and is something to value. On the one hand we have MIUI in its latest version for the Mi 11 , which offers a lot of customization and a layer that can sometimes overwhelm us with so many options. It comes with Android 11 and is expected to be updated at least during the next two versions of the system. On the other hand, the S21 comes with One UI 3.0 and Android 11 as standard , with three years of guaranteed updates and a layer that offers everything you need and that is much more European.
Prices and purchase recommendation
If we look at the prices we can see that the first-hand difference is wide, although its official prices for the Xiaomi Mi 11 and the first sales of the S21 in Spain are yet to be known. For now, the cheapest version of Samsung with 128 GB is on pre-sale from 859 euros , while the Mi 11 would arrive for approximately 600 euros.
The characteristics of both mobiles have left us with a good taste in our mouths and the decision is not easy, we are facing two mobiles that stand out by themselves and where the similarities are clear, but in camera and design Samsung seems to be the winner, although on screen and Xiaomi battery has the upper hand. The cape will be an important point when deciding, although looking at the prices we can recommend waiting for the Mi 11 to arrive in Spain and the S21 to drop in price, at which point both are paired and the purchase will be clearer.