The sub-$200 smartphone market is fiercely competitive. Both the Xiaomi Redmi 9T and the vivo Y20 2021 aim to deliver essential smartphone functionality at an accessible price. However, they take different approaches, with Xiaomi prioritizing battery endurance and faster charging, while vivo focuses on a more streamlined user experience. This comparison dissects their key differences to help you choose the right device.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Xiaomi Redmi 9T is the better choice. Its Snapdragon 662 chipset offers a noticeable performance advantage over the Helio P35 in the vivo Y20 2021, and the 18W charging significantly reduces downtime. While both offer similar battery life ratings, the Redmi 9T’s faster charging is a crucial advantage.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 38, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2020, December 30. Released 2021, January 13 | 2021, January 08 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2021, January 18 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic frame, plastic back |
| Dimensions | 164.4 x 76.3 x 8.4 mm (6.47 x 3.00 x 0.33 in) | 162.3 x 77.3 x 9.6 mm (6.39 x 3.04 x 0.38 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 192 g (6.77 oz) | 198 g (6.98 oz) |
| | - | Water-repellent coating |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~270 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.51 inches, 102.3 cm2 (~81.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.53 inches, 104.7 cm2 (~83.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD, 400 nits (typ) |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (4x2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6765 Helio P35 (12 nm) | Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 (11 nm) |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8320 | Adreno 610 |
| OS | Android 10, Funtouch 11 | Android 10, MIUI 12 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM |
| | eMMC 5.1 | UFS 2.1 - 64GB
UFS 2.2 - 128GB |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm
2 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lens |
| Triple | 13 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF
2 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lens | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Single | 8 MP, f/1.8, (wide) | 8 MP, f/2.1, 27mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | - | 24-bit/192kHz audio |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | No | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio | FM radio |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 10W wired | 18W wired
2.5W reverse wired |
| Type | 5000 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Dawn White, Nebula Blue | Carbon Gray, Twilight Blue, Sunrise Orange, Ocean Green |
| Models | V2043, V2048 | J19S, M2010J19SG, M2010J19SY |
| Price | About 120 EUR | € 87.56 |
| SAR | - | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.60 W/kg (head) 0.81 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing |
|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | Rp 2,272,000 |
| 64GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 168.78 |
| Tests |
|---|
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 150h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: 1594:1 |
| Loudspeaker | - |
-25.6 LUFS (Very good)
|
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 177917 (v8)
GeekBench: 1400 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 5.8fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo Y20 2021
- Faster Snapdragon 662 processor
- 18W fast charging
- 2.5W reverse wired charging
- MIUI software can be bloated
- Build quality may feel less premium
Xiaomi Redmi 9T
- Simpler, less cluttered software experience
- Potentially more streamlined user interface
- Competitive price
- Slower Helio P35 processor
- Slow 10W charging
Display Comparison
The Redmi 9T boasts a measured peak brightness of 437 nits and a 1594:1 contrast ratio, providing a reasonably viewable experience, especially outdoors. While the Y20 2021’s display specifications aren’t provided, it’s likely to offer similar contrast. The Redmi 9T’s higher brightness is a tangible benefit for users who frequently use their phones in sunlight. Both displays share the same contrast ratio, suggesting similar panel technology and quality within their price bracket. Neither device is expected to feature high refresh rate panels, focusing instead on power efficiency.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but detailed camera specifications are limited. Without sensor size or aperture information, a direct comparison is difficult. However, the Redmi 9T is often available in configurations with a 13MP main sensor, which is a common standard for this price point. The Y20 2021’s camera is likely to be similarly equipped. The presence of a dedicated night mode on the Redmi 9T, a common feature in Xiaomi’s software, suggests a greater emphasis on low-light photography capabilities. The usefulness of the often-included 2MP macro cameras on both devices is questionable, offering limited practical benefit.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Xiaomi Redmi 9T’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (11nm) is demonstrably more powerful than the vivo Y20 2021’s MediaTek Helio P35 (12nm). The Snapdragon 662 utilizes Kryo 260 Gold cores clocked at 2.0 GHz alongside Kryo 260 Silver cores, offering a more efficient and capable architecture compared to the Helio P35’s Cortex-A53 configuration. The 11nm process node of the Snapdragon 662 further contributes to better power efficiency and sustained performance. This translates to smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and a more responsive user experience on the Redmi 9T. The Helio P35, while adequate for basic tasks, will struggle with more demanding applications.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 150 hours, indicating comparable battery life under similar usage conditions. However, the Redmi 9T’s 18W wired charging is a significant advantage over the Y20 2021’s 10W charging. This means the Redmi 9T can be charged from 0-100% much faster, reducing downtime. The Redmi 9T also supports 2.5W reverse wired charging, allowing it to act as a power bank for smaller devices, a feature absent on the Y20 2021.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo Y20 2021 if you prioritize a simple, uncluttered Android experience and are willing to trade performance for a potentially smoother, less resource-intensive interface. Buy the Xiaomi Redmi 9T if you need a phone capable of handling more demanding tasks, appreciate faster charging speeds, and don't mind a more feature-rich (and potentially slightly more complex) MIUI software experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Does the Snapdragon 662 in the Redmi 9T struggle with graphically intensive games like PUBG Mobile?
While the Snapdragon 662 isn't a gaming powerhouse, it can handle PUBG Mobile at medium settings with reasonable frame rates. Expect some occasional stuttering during intense firefights, but it's generally playable. The Helio P35 in the Y20 2021 will likely require even lower settings and may exhibit more significant performance drops.
❓ How much does the MIUI software on the Redmi 9T impact performance and battery life?
MIUI is known for its feature set, but it can also be resource-intensive. It includes pre-installed apps (bloatware) and background processes that can consume RAM and battery. However, Xiaomi provides options to disable or uninstall many of these apps, allowing users to optimize performance and battery life to some extent.
❓ Is the 10W charging on the vivo Y20 2021 realistically usable for daily charging?
10W charging is quite slow by modern standards. Expect it to take over 3 hours to fully charge the device from 0%. This is best suited for overnight charging, but it's inconvenient if you need a quick top-up during the day.
❓ What kind of storage and RAM options are available for each phone, and how does that affect performance?
The Redmi 9T is available in 64GB/4GB RAM and 128GB/6GB RAM configurations. The Y20 2021's RAM/storage options aren't specified, but generally, more RAM (6GB vs 4GB) improves multitasking performance, while more storage (128GB vs 64GB) allows you to store more apps, photos, and videos without performance degradation.
