Redmi K30 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G: A Deep Dive into Performance and Value
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing value and raw performance, the Xiaomi Redmi K30 Ultra emerges as the winner. Its Dimensity 1000+ chipset delivers comparable, and in some cases superior, performance to the Exynos 990 (and even the Snapdragon 865 variant) found in the S20+, coupled with faster 33W charging. The S20+ 5G counters with a more refined software experience and wireless charging.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi Redmi K30 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S20+ 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, 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 - SM-G986B |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G986B |
| EDGE | No | - |
| GPRS | No | - |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, August 11. Released 2020, August 14 | 2020, February 11 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2020, March 06 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.3 x 75.4 x 9.1 mm (6.43 x 2.97 x 0.36 in) | 161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8 mm (6.37 x 2.90 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 213 g (7.51 oz) | 188 g (6.63 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.0 cm2 (~90.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.6 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | 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 |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 1000+ (7 nm) | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - USA |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MC9 | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA |
| OS | Android 10, MIUI 12 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 64 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.4, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm 5 MP, f/2.2, 50mm (telephoto macro), AF Auxiliary lens | - |
| Single | 8 MP, AF | - |
| 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 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, f/1.0, (depth) |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps; gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | Motorized pop-up 20 MP, (wide) | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, 720p@120fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, 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 (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 33W wired, PD, QC4, 100% in 58 min | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Talk time | Up to 11 h 30 min (multimedia) | - |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Moonlight White, Midnight Black, Mint Green | Cosmic Black, Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud White, Aura Red, Aura Blue |
| Models | M2006J10C | SM-G986, SM-G986F, SM-G986F/DS, SM-G986U, SM-G986U1, SM-G9860, SM-G986B/DS, SM-G986N, SM-G986B, SM-G986W, SCG02 |
| Price | About 250 EUR | $ 174.17 / C$ 684.99 / € 299.97 |
| SAR | - | 1.08 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.57 W/kg (body) |
Xiaomi Redmi K30 Ultra
- Faster 33W charging
- Potentially better raw performance with Dimensity 1000+
- More affordable price
- Likely less refined software experience (MIUI)
- No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G
- Premium build quality and design
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- More polished software experience (One UI)
- Slower 25W charging
- Exynos 990 potentially prone to throttling
- Higher price
Display Comparison
While both devices feature 120Hz displays, the specifics differ. The Galaxy S20+ 5G boasts a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, known for its vibrant colors and excellent outdoor visibility, though specific nit brightness isn't provided. The K30 Ultra’s display specs are not provided, but given its price point, it likely utilizes an IPS LCD panel, potentially sacrificing some color accuracy and contrast compared to Samsung’s AMOLED. The S20+’s higher resolution (likely 1440p vs. the K30 Ultra’s 1080p) contributes to a sharper image, though the difference is less noticeable on a smaller screen.
Camera Comparison
Camera performance is difficult to assess without detailed sensor information. The Galaxy S20+ 5G likely features a more sophisticated camera system with larger sensors and advanced image processing algorithms, benefiting from Samsung’s long-standing expertise in mobile photography. The K30 Ultra’s camera specs are not provided, but its price suggests a less premium sensor setup. The S20+’s inclusion of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) is a significant advantage for capturing stable photos and videos, particularly in low-light conditions. The K30 Ultra’s camera system is likely focused on providing a versatile experience, but may not match the S20+’s image quality in challenging scenarios.
Performance
The chipset is the core battleground. The Redmi K30 Ultra’s Mediatek Dimensity 1000+ (7nm) features an octa-core CPU with Cortex-A77 cores clocked at 2.6GHz, offering strong multi-core performance. The Galaxy S20+ 5G’s Exynos 990 (7nm+) – or Snapdragon 865 (7nm+) in the US – presents a more complex picture. The Exynos 990’s Mongoose M5 cores, while clocked slightly higher at 2.73GHz, have historically been less efficient than the Cortex-A77, potentially leading to thermal throttling under sustained load. The Snapdragon 865 variant in the US model offers better sustained performance and efficiency. Both phones utilize similar RAM configurations, but the K30 Ultra’s LPDDR5 RAM may provide a slight edge in memory bandwidth.
Battery Life
The Redmi K30 Ultra’s 33W wired charging is a clear advantage over the Galaxy S20+ 5G’s 25W charging. The K30 Ultra can reach 100% charge in just 58 minutes, while the S20+ takes considerably longer. The S20+ 5G offers 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the K30 Ultra. While battery capacity isn’t specified for either device, the faster charging of the K30 Ultra mitigates the impact of a potentially smaller battery, providing quicker top-ups throughout the day.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi Redmi K30 Ultra if you need uncompromising performance for gaming and demanding tasks, prioritize fast charging speeds, and are comfortable with Xiaomi’s MIUI software. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G if you prefer a more polished software experience, require wireless charging and reverse wireless charging capabilities, and value the brand recognition and ecosystem of Samsung.