Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: A Generational Leap?

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, a pioneer in bezel-less design, arrived in 2018. Now, it faces off against the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, a modern powerhouse packed with cutting-edge technology. Can a phone from a bygone era even compete with today's flagship?

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra utterly dominates this comparison. While the Mi Mix 2S was revolutionary for its time, the S23 Ultra boasts a vastly superior display, camera system, performance, and battery life. It's a generational upgrade in every meaningful way.

PHONES
Phone Names	Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S	Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 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, 27, 28, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands	-	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat18 1200/100 Mbps	HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	CDMA2000 1xEV-DO	1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA

Launch
Announced	2018, March. Released 2018, April	2023, February 01
Status	Discontinued	Available. Released 2023, February 17

Body
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), ceramic back, aluminum frame	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame
Dimensions	150.9 x 74.9 x 8.1 mm (5.94 x 2.95 x 0.32 in)	163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight	191 g (6.74 oz)	234 g (8.25 oz)
	-	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 4	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Resolution	1080 x 2160 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~403 ppi density)	1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)
Size	5.99 inches, 92.6 cm2 (~81.9% screen-to-body ratio)	6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD	Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak)
	-	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (4x2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 385 Silver)	Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
Chipset	Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm)	Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPU	Adreno 630	Adreno 740
OS	Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10, MIUI 12	Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM	256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
	UFS 2.1	UFS 4.0

Main Camera
Dual	12 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, 4-axis OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, AF, 2x optical zoom	-
Features	Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama	Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad	-	200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Single	-	12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120fps, 720p@240fps	8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	-	HDR, HDR10+
Single	5 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.4µm	12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video	1080p@30fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps

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

Comms
Bluetooth	5.0, A2DP, LE	5.3, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, BDS	GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 2.0	USB Type-C 3.2, 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/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, compass	Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
	Virtual proximity sensing	Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support

Battery
Charging	18W wired, QC3 7.5W wireless (Qi)	45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Type	Li-Ion 3400 mAh, non-removable	Li-Ion 5000 mAh

Misc
Colors	Black, White	Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition
Models	M1803D5XA	SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS
Price	About 270 EUR	€ 549.90 / $ 454.99 / £ 433.00
SAR	0.54 W/kg (head) 1.59 W/kg (body)	1.12 W/kg (head) 0.92 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	-	0.96 W/kg (head) 1.40 W/kg (body)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -93.0dB / Crosstalk -92.5dB	-
Battery life	Endurance rating 59h	Endurance rating 126h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	Voice 68dB / Noise 70dB / Ring 81dB	-25.6 LUFS (Very good)
Performance	AnTuTu: 270814 (v7) GeekBench: 9158 (v4.4) GFXBench: 34fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	AnTuTu: 1241531 (v9) GeekBench: 4927 (v5.1) GFXBench: 67fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S

Innovative bezel-less design (for its time)
Compact size
Decent performance for 2018

Outdated processor
Weak camera
Poor battery life
Limited software updates

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Exceptional display
Flagship performance
Versatile and high-quality camera system
Long battery life
Fast charging
Premium design and build quality

Expensive
Large size may not suit everyone

Display Comparison

The S23 Ultra's 1274 nits peak brightness and infinite contrast ratio utterly eclipse the Mi Mix 2S's display. The S23 Ultra's Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel offers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and exceptional outdoor visibility, a level of quality the Mi Mix 2S simply can't match. The S23 Ultra also has a higher resolution and refresh rate.

Camera Comparison

The S23 Ultra's camera system is in a different league. It offers significantly higher resolution sensors, improved image processing, and advanced features like Space Zoom. The Mi Mix 2S's camera was decent for its time, but it's no match for the S23 Ultra's versatility and image quality.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23 Ultra is a significant leap over the Snapdragon 845 in the Mi Mix 2S. Expect dramatically faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and superior gaming performance on the S23 Ultra. The S23 Ultra's newer architecture and fabrication process contribute to both speed and efficiency.

Battery Life

The S23 Ultra's endurance rating of 126h is far superior to the Mi Mix 2S's 59h. The S23 Ultra also features faster charging (45W wired vs 18W) and wireless charging (15W vs 7.5W), along with reverse wireless charging, a feature absent in the Mi Mix 2S.

Buying Guide

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S is only suitable for budget-conscious users seeking a nostalgic experience or a very basic smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is for anyone who wants the best Android experience, top-tier camera capabilities, and long-lasting performance – if you're willing to pay the premium.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S still worth buying?

Only if you're looking for a very affordable, compact phone for basic tasks or a nostalgic experience. It's significantly outdated for modern usage.

❓ What are the biggest differences between these two phones?

The biggest differences are in performance, camera quality, display technology, and battery life. The S23 Ultra represents a massive upgrade across the board.