Samsung Galaxy S20 5G vs Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro: Which 5G Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro emerges as the stronger contender. Its consistent Snapdragon 865 performance, significantly faster 50W charging, and competitive camera system offer a compelling value proposition, especially considering current pricing. The Galaxy S20 5G's Exynos variant introduces potential thermal concerns.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S20 5G | Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - SM-G981B | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 32, 38, 40 - Global |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G981B | 1, 3, 7, 28, 77, 78 Sub6 - Global |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) | HSPA, LTE, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 2, 5, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G981U | 1, 3, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, February 11 | 2020, February 13. Released 2020, February 18 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, March 06 | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.72 x 0.31 in) | 162.5 x 74.8 x 9 mm (6.40 x 2.94 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 163 g (5.75 oz) | 208 g (7.34 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~563 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~386 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 93.8 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 109.2 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) | Super AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ) |
| Always-on display 120Hz@FHD/60Hz@QHD refresh rate | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - USA | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA | Adreno 650 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, MIUI 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 3.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Triple-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 108 MP, f/1.7, (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, 2x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.0, (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.7x optical zoom, 5x hybrid zoom 20 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.8", 1.0µm |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video | - |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 20 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3", 0.9µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, 720p@120fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 50W wired, PD3.0 30W wireless 5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud Pink, Cloud White, Aura Red | Alpine White, Solstice Grey |
| Models | SM-G981, SM-G981F, SM-G981F/DS, SM-G981B/DS, SM-G981U, SM-G981U1, SM-G981N, SM-G981B, SM-G9810, SM-G981W, SC-51A, SCG01 | M2001J1G |
| Price | $ 158.44 / £ 144.99 / € 272.39 | About 930 EUR |
| SAR | 1.07 W/kg (head) 1.03 W/kg (body) | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.38 W/kg (head) 1.52 W/kg (body) | 0.69 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 101h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.2 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 595246 (v8) GeekBench: 3331 (v5.1) GFXBench: 42fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S20 5G
- More compact design
- US Snapdragon variant offers excellent performance
- Established brand reputation
- Exynos variant prone to throttling
- Slower charging speeds (25W)
- Potentially lower peak display brightness
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G
- Faster 50W wired charging
- Consistent Snapdragon 865 performance globally
- Brighter display for outdoor use
- Larger and heavier design
- Xiaomi’s MIUI software can be polarizing
- Less brand recognition in some markets
Display Comparison
The Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro boasts a brighter display, reaching a measured 858 nits, compared to the S20 5G’s unspecified peak brightness. This translates to better visibility under direct sunlight. Both feature infinite (nominal) contrast ratios, typical of AMOLED panels. While the S20 5G likely employs a variable refresh rate (VRR) technology, the data doesn't confirm it. The Mi 10 Pro’s higher peak brightness is a clear advantage for outdoor use.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer capable camera systems, but the Mi 10 Pro’s larger sensor size (unspecified, but generally larger than the S20’s) and potentially more aggressive image processing give it an edge in low-light photography. Both support photo and video recording, but detailed sensor specifications and OIS implementation are missing for the S20 5G. The Mi 10 Pro’s camera system is geared towards capturing detail and dynamic range, while the S20 5G leans towards a more natural color profile. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on both is largely inconsequential.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+), but the Galaxy S20 5G has a regional split, with the Exynos 990 powering global models. The Snapdragon 865 in the Mi 10 Pro offers more consistent performance and thermal management. The S20 5G’s Exynos 990, while powerful on paper with its Mongoose M5 cores, is known to throttle under sustained load. The Mi 10 Pro’s CPU configuration – 1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 – matches the Snapdragon 865’s, ensuring comparable multi-core performance. Both utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the S20 5G’s RAM speed isn’t specified, potentially giving the Mi 10 Pro a slight edge.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 101 hours, suggesting similar real-world battery life despite the unspecified mAh capacity of the S20 5G. However, the Mi 10 Pro’s 50W wired charging is a game-changer, allowing for significantly faster 0-100% charging times compared to the S20 5G’s 25W charging. The Mi 10 Pro also offers 30W wireless charging, dwarfing the S20 5G’s 15W wireless charging. The faster charging speeds of the Mi 10 Pro are a significant convenience factor.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G if you prioritize a more compact form factor and are specifically purchasing the US Snapdragon variant, benefiting from its optimized performance. Buy the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro if you value faster charging speeds, a consistently powerful Snapdragon 865 chipset across all regions, and a brighter display for outdoor visibility. The Mi 10 Pro is the better choice for power users and those seeking maximum value.