Xiaomi Mi 11X vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: Which Flagship Offers the Best Value?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a vibrant display and Samsung’s software ecosystem, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the better choice. However, the Xiaomi Mi 11X delivers exceptional performance for its price, making it ideal for gamers and power users on a tighter budget.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi Mi 11X | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 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, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 77, 78 Sub6 | 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 / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, April 23 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, April 27 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5) | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.7 x 76.4 x 7.8 mm (6.44 x 3.01 x 0.31 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 | 196 g (6.91 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~85.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585) | 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 SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 11, MIUI 12 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 20 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (macro) | 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 | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 20 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, 720p@120fps | 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 | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, NavIC | 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, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| - | Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 33W wired, PD3.0, QC3 100% in 52 min | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4520 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Celestial Silver, Lunar White, Cosmic Black | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | M2012K11AI | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | About 330 EUR | € 199.00 / $ 143.95 / £ 154.99 / ₹ 29,990 |
| SAR | 0.86 W/kg (head) 0.69 W/kg (body) | 0.77 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.95 W/kg (head) 1.48 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Xiaomi Mi 11X
- Excellent performance-to-price ratio
- Snapdragon 870 offers sustained performance
- Faster wired charging than S21 FE
- No wireless charging
- Display likely less bright than S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Samsung’s One UI software
- Snapdragon 888/Exynos 2100 can throttle under load
- Potentially higher price
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 792 nits, compared to an assumed lower peak brightness on the Mi 11X (data unavailable). This makes the S21 FE more usable in direct sunlight. While both likely utilize AMOLED panels, the S21 FE’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests superior black levels. The lack of refresh rate data for the Mi 11X means the S21 FE likely has an advantage in smoothness, assuming it supports a higher refresh rate. The S21 FE’s brightness is a clear win for outdoor visibility.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited. The S21 FE likely benefits from Samsung’s advanced image processing algorithms, potentially delivering more vibrant and shareable photos. The Mi 11X’s camera performance will depend heavily on its sensor size and lens quality, which are currently unknown. The presence of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on both devices is crucial for stable video recording and low-light photography. The S21 FE’s video capabilities are likely superior due to Samsung’s established expertise in this area. We'll disregard the likely inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on both devices as largely inconsequential.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Mi 11X features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G (7nm), while the S21 FE comes in two variants: Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) or Exynos 2100 (5nm). The Snapdragon 888, despite its higher clock speeds (up to 2.84/2.9 GHz Cortex-X1), is known to throttle under sustained load due to its 5nm process and power consumption. The Snapdragon 870, built on a 7nm process, offers excellent sustained performance with less thermal throttling. The Exynos 2100 variant of the S21 FE may exhibit similar throttling behavior to the Snapdragon 888. The Mi 11X’s CPU configuration (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585) is competitive, and its focus on efficiency provides a smoother long-term experience.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 92 hours, suggesting similar real-world battery life despite the Mi 11X’s smaller charging wattage (33W vs 25W). The S21 FE offers the added convenience of 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Mi 11X. While the Mi 11X claims 100% charge in 52 minutes, the S21 FE reaches 50% in 30 minutes. The S21 FE’s wireless charging capabilities provide flexibility, but the Mi 11X’s faster wired charging is still competitive.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi Mi 11X if you need raw processing power for gaming and demanding applications, and prioritize value for money above all else. Its Snapdragon 870 offers a fantastic experience without the potential thermal issues of the Snapdragon 888. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you prefer a brighter, more color-accurate display, Samsung’s One UI software, and the convenience of wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.