iPhone vs Samsung: Can Xiaomi Make a Surprise Win?

The Epic Battle of iPhone vs. Samsung

Apple and Samsung have been playing the game of phones for more than a decade. The two brands have been trying to outplay each other ever since the first Galaxy S was launched in March 2010. It's still one of the most exciting rivalries in the tech industry, with no winner in sight.

Case in point: iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S20.

Although they are both a couple of years old (Samsung's phone landed in March 2020, and Apple released the new iPhone in October of that year), the battle between the two flagships is still raging. And it's an epic one, too, with smartphone connoisseurs still failing to choose sides.

Why can't this debate be solved? Let's find out.

Many Comparisons between the iPhone 12 vs. S20 Have Been Made

In 2023, Apple and Samsung's fight for consumer attention is an ongoing industry stunt with avid followers. To be fair, it's not all about the publicity - both iPhone 12 and Galaxy S20 are up-to-date phones that users are still buying, even though they are now three years old.

Plus, comparing Apple and Samsung is always fun.

On the off chance that you've never stumbled upon one of the hundreds of online comparisons, we've prepared a brief side-by-side overview of iPhone 12's and Galaxy S20's specs:

Display

Samsung sports a 3200 x 1440, 6.2-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. iPhone's is slightly smaller and less sharp, with 2532 x 1170 resolution and a 6.1-inch panel. Point for Galaxy.

Camera

In this category, Samsung takes the lead with a telephoto zoom. It's a wasted advantage, though - the pictures taken with the iPhone are sharper, brighter, and have more details. iPhone's camera is superior.

Performance

There's no fair fight in this category - iPhone's A14 Bionic chip is the absolute best at the moment, making Apple's phone faster than any other competitor. The same goes for its graphic performance.

RAM and Storage

Galaxy S20 is better at storage. It boasts 12GB RAM and 128GB storage, compared to iPhone's 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The iPhone offers upgrades to 128GB and 256GB, but they cost more.

Battery

Samsung's battery lasts longer and takes less time to recharge. The Galaxy can keep going for 9 hours and 30 minutes (8 hours with 120HZ). The iPhone needs a recharge after 8 hours and 25 minutes.

Connectivity

Both iPhone and Galaxy offer support for sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G networks, although you'll have to get a Verizon-specific Galaxy model if you're not ready to let go of mmWave.

Price

In 2023, iPhone 12 has an attractive price tag of $599, while Galaxy S20 is less expensive and can be found for $520 or less at a discount, making it the best in this category.

Do we have a winner?

Surprisingly, no. Based on this comparison alone, we might dare to declare Galaxy S20 the champion. But we know better than that. Ask yourself this - can Samsung's display and battery top iPhone's performance and camera? See? It all depends on what's more important to you.

iPhone 12 and Galaxy S20 are both great phones. The rest is up to you to decide.

Why Is Xiaomi Sidelined?

For years, iPhone and Galaxy dominated the smartphone flagship debate. Both boundary-pushers, these brands represented the best from both isles - iPhone being the absolute ruler of the iOS realm, and Samsung patiently climbing the top of the sky-high Android mountain.

But then came Xiaomi, with its high-end performance and a low price tag.

When it first came to the market, Xiaomi came on strong. A blatant marketing blitz branded the new phone maker "China's Apple." That accurately describes Xiomi's first devices, which were essentially copy-pasted from iPhone and Android and then rebranded.

Xiaomi moved on from stealing Apple's designs years ago but remains overlooked despite the effort and incredible results. In 2021, Xiaomi had a 17% share of global smartphone shipments - behind Samsung's 19% and Apple's 14% - but even that wasn't convincing enough.

So, why does Xiaomi keep getting sidelined?

That's the question we're hoping to answer.

Overview of Xiaomi Redmi Note 11

All things considered, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 is a handset worth getting for its value. The attractive combination of high performance and low price is Xiomi's signature recipe, and Redmi is not an exception in this regard - if anything, it performs exceptionally for its price tag.

Let's take a look at Redmi Note 11 specs, one by one:

Display

Xiaomi never disappoints in the screen department, but we can all agree that the Redmi Note 11 has exceeded all expectations. We're looking at the 1080 x 2400, 6.43-inch AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, which is only slightly behind Samsung Galaxy S20's stunner.

Screen specs ensure a gorgeous visual experience with customizable brightness, temperature, and light/dark mode. It's good enough for streaming movies, watching YouTube, playing games, and reading eBooks. In many ways, Xiaomi's screen is on par with the iPhone.

Camera

A great camera is traditionally a privilege that only flagship users get to enjoy, so there are no surprises with Redmi Note 11 on this front. Still, it is a camera that takes decent photos. The front camera is a single 13MP wide lens, and the rear camera is a quad lens with 50/8/2/2MP.

Xiaomi's camera is definitely not powerful enough to compete with iPhone or Galaxy, but it's pretty solid for a budget phone. If you ask for too much, photos will lack saturation and sharpness. But if you avoid night mode, focus, and HDR, you'll get great social media snaps.

Performance

Redmi Note 11 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor, which is not a weak opponent to Samsung's Qualcomm SDM450 Snapdragon 450. Understandably, the performance is not as fast as you'd get with an iPhone or Galaxy, but it's still reliable and pretty impressive.

Xiaomi uses a neat software trick - by running its own MIUI 13 on top of Android, it tailors a unique user experience that combines the familiarity of Android with the low-cost effectiveness of Xiaomi. Operating the Redmi Note 11 is as smooth as in any flagship phone.

RAM and Storage

Like iPhone 12, Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 has up to 4GB RAM and a reasonable 64GB of internal storage. A more spacious 128GB is also available, just like with iPhone. If you choose a cheaper 64GB version, you can count on a microSDXC Card slot for additional storage.

Battery

The formidable 5000 mAh battery on Redmi Note 11 is worth the applause. It's easily one of the best batteries we've seen on a smartphone lately, with up to 2 and a half days of life on full recharge and just a few minutes shy of 4 hours of autonomy after a 5-minute charge.

On top of that, charging the full battery takes 1 hour and 20 minutes using a 33W charger included in the box. Users report that they can watch YouTube videos for a couple of hours and spend less than 10% of their battery, though 4G video streaming can drain it empty.

Connectivity

Unlike iPhone 11 and Samsung Galaxy S20, Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 doesn't offer 5G connectivity. Is 5G necessary in a great smartphone? Probably not, but all the new flagships have it. If 5G connectivity is an important feature to you, you can find it in the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G.

Price

In 2022, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun revealed the company's "life and death" growth plan to become "China's biggest high-end brand in the next three years." Performance-wise, this might be slightly problematic, but Xiaomi has the most competitive prices - under $200 for Redmi Note 11.

Reasons Why Xiaomi Is a Better Buy

Not only is Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 worth every penny, but it's also there to remind flagship owners of other, cheaper options. If there's anything that could turn hard-core Apple devotees away from their handsets, it's Xiaomi. And that inspires respect.

But is Xiaomi a better buy?

In terms of specs and performance, an average user that needs a smartphone for web browsing, streaming, and light gaming will find Redmi Note 11 flawless. There are no system bugs or lag time when opening and running apps and the battery is robust and dependable.

Any flaws, then?

The only downside to Redmi Note 11 that our average user might deem non-negotiable is the camera. Again, it's a capable set of lenses for Xiaomi's price, but it doesn't meet the standards set by flagships. If you post more than five photos daily, this is probably a deal-breaker.

Reasons Why iPhone 12 and Samsung S20 Are Better Options

Apple and Samsung are household names and industry darlings, and Xiaomi is having difficulty competing with them. The role of brand loyalty is of immense importance here and is a strong reason why most users will keep returning to Apple and Samsung for new iterations.

Speaking in spec terms, nobody can compete with Apple, not even Samsung. On the other hand, the Galaxy S20 has a better camera than iPhone 12. Chip and camera are the flagship's strongest selling points. Conveniently, it's what users ask for when buying a new phone.

Ultimately, it comes down to your habits and preferences:

If you're nodding yes to this, iPhone and Samsung are better options.

Bonus Advice: How to Switch Phones Flawlessly

Have you decided yet? Good job! We know that was hard.

And now for the easy part - moving your entire private and possibly professional life from your old phone to your new handset. Haven't you thought of that? Don't worry. There are a couple of solutions that can help you with that, but our top pick is Wondershare Dr.Fone.

Dr.Fone - Phone Transfer is part of a phone management kit. You can use it to move contacts, SMS, media files, and more, whether you've decided to go from Android to iOS or from iOS to Android. You can also transfer files between iOS and iOS and Android and Android. Dr.Fone is compatible with over 8000 devices.

Best of all is that you can switch phones in a few clicks.

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Here's how easy it is:

Step 1. Download and install Dr.Fone on your PC.

Step 2. Run the program and click on Phone Transfer.

Step 3. Connect both phones and select a category to copy.

Step 4. Check the box if you want to clear data on the target phone first.

Step 5. Click Start Transfer and disconnect phones after it's done.

If you don't have your PC with you, Dr.Fone will also help you transfer data from iPhone to Android using Dr.Fone - Phone Transfer app for Android and iOS-to-Android adapter.

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Conclusion

iPhone and Galaxy are simply too sleek and smooth to be replaced anytime soon, but we have to give it to Xiaomi for not giving up. The two giants are impeccable in terms of performance and camera, while Xiaomi offers a reliable processor and long-lasting battery.

Can Xiaomi get into the battle between Apple and Samsungs?

In a way, Xiaomi's handsets joined the battle long ago. They might not get the same odds and cheering, but their army of supporters is getting bigger every year.

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