Xiaomi 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: The Ultimate Showdown

The Xiaomi 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G are both compelling mid-range smartphones vying for your attention. Both offer premium features at competitive prices, but which one truly comes out on top? This comprehensive comparison will break down every aspect, from display quality to camera performance, to help you make the right choice.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G edges out the Xiaomi 12 thanks to its superior battery life and more versatile charging options. While the Xiaomi 12 boasts a brighter display and a slightly faster chipset, the S21 FE's overall package provides better long-term value and usability.

PHONES
Phone Names	Xiaomi 12	Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 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, 42, 48, 66 - International	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - International	1, 3, 5, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1600/200 Mbps, 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China	41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA

Launch
Announced	2021, December 28	2022, January 04
Status	Available. Released 2021, December 31	Available. Released 2022, January 07

Body
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame
Dimensions	152.7 x 69.9 x 8.2 mm (6.01 x 2.75 x 0.32 in)	155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm (6.13 x 2.93 x 0.31 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	179 g or 180 g (6.31 oz)	177 g (6.24 oz)
	-	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~419 ppi density)	1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density)
Size	6.28 inches, 95.2 cm2 (~89.2% screen-to-body ratio)	6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1100 nits (peak)	Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+
	-	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)	Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 1Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 2
Chipset	Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)	Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2
GPU	Adreno 730	Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2
OS	Android 12, MIUI 13	Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
	UFS 3.1	-

Main Camera
Features	Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single	32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm	32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm
Triple	50 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 12mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm 5 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto macro), AF	12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 76mm (telephoto), 1/4.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm
Video	8K@24fps (HDR), 4K@30/60fps (HDR10+), 1080p@30/120/240/960fps, 720p@1920fps, gyro-EIS	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR, panorama	HDR
Single	32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm	32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm
Video	1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers	Yes, with stereo speakers
	24-bit/192kHz audio Tuned by Harman Kardon	32-bit/384kHz audio

Comms
Bluetooth	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive	5.0, A2DP, LE
Infrared port	Yes	-
NFC	Yes (market/region dependent)	Yes
Positioning	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
Radio	No	Unspecified
USB	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG	USB Type-C, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 or 6e (market dependent), dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
	Virtual Proximity Sensing	Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Samsung DeX (desktop experience support)

Battery
Charging	67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 39 min 50W wireless, 100% in 53 min 10W reverse wireless	25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless
Type	Li-Po 4500 mAh	Li-Ion 4500 mAh

Misc
Colors	Gray, Blue, Purple, Green	White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive
Models	2201123G, 2201123C	SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3
Price	$ 284.99 / € 149.99	€ 199.00 / $ 143.95 / £ 154.99 / ₹ 29,990
SAR	1.09 W/kg (head) 0.91 W/kg (body)	0.77 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	0.60 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body)	0.95 W/kg (head) 1.48 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	Endurance rating 82h	Endurance rating 92h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-25.3 LUFS (Very good)	-26.9 LUFS (Good)
Performance	AnTuTu: 985115 (v9) GeekBench: 3652 (v5.1) GFXBench: 75fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Xiaomi 12

Brighter Display
Faster Chipset (generally)
Faster Wireless Charging
Stylish Design

Shorter Battery Life
Potential for Thermal Throttling
Camera Processing Less Consistent

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

Longer Battery Life
More Versatile Charging Options
Established Software Ecosystem
Consistent Camera Performance

Lower Max Brightness
Slightly Slower Processor
Design Less Distinctive

Display Comparison

The Xiaomi 12 takes the lead in display brightness, measuring 896 nits compared to the S21 FE's 792 nits. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal), resulting in vibrant colors and deep blacks. However, the S21 FE's display might be slightly more color-accurate out of the box, depending on calibration. Both use AMOLED technology, ensuring smooth scrolling and excellent viewing angles.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but the S21 FE's software processing often produces more consistent and pleasing results. The Xiaomi 12's camera can sometimes struggle with dynamic range and color accuracy in challenging lighting conditions. Both offer excellent video recording capabilities, but the S21 FE might have a slight advantage in stabilization.

Performance

The Xiaomi 12's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 generally offers a slight edge in raw performance over the S21 FE's Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100 depending on the region). This translates to slightly faster app loading times and smoother performance in demanding games. However, the 8 Gen 1 is known to run hotter under sustained load, potentially impacting long-term performance. The S21 FE's chipset remains very capable for everyday tasks and most games.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G clearly wins in the battery department, boasting an endurance rating of 92h compared to the Xiaomi 12's 82h. This translates to significantly longer battery life on a single charge. The S21 FE also offers faster wired charging (25W vs 67W) and wireless charging (15W vs 50W), although the Xiaomi 12 charges wirelessly faster.

Buying Guide

The Xiaomi 12 is ideal for users prioritizing a vibrant display and raw processing power for gaming or demanding apps. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is a better choice for those who value long battery life, a more established software ecosystem, and a more balanced overall experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which phone has better gaming performance?

The Xiaomi 12 generally offers slightly better gaming performance due to its more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. However, thermal throttling can be a concern under sustained load.

❓ Is the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G worth buying in 2024?

Yes, the S21 FE 5G remains a compelling option in 2024, especially considering its price. It offers a well-rounded experience with good battery life, a capable camera, and a reliable software ecosystem.