Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G: A Deep Dive Comparison
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro offers a compelling package with its Snapdragon 888 chipset and aggressive pricing. While the S21+ boasts a brighter display and wireless charging, the K40 Pro’s performance-per-dollar ratio is difficult to ignore, making it the winner for those prioritizing speed and value.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-G996U1 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G996U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1x | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G996B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, February 25 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 04 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.7 x 76.4 x 7.8 mm (6.44 x 3.01 x 0.31 in) | 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 mm (6.36 x 2.98 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 196 g (6.91 oz) | 200 g (Sub6), 202 g (mmWave) (7.05 oz) |
| IP53, dust and splash resistant | 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 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~85.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 107.8 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - InternationalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA/China |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 11, MIUI 12 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 20 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm | - |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 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 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 |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+ | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 20 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm | 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 | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (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/6e, 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, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | 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 | 33W wired, PD3.0, QC3, 100% in 52 min | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4520 mAh | Li-Ion 4800 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Aurora | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom Gold, Phantom Red |
| Models | M2012K11C | SM-G996B, SM-G996B/DS, SM-G996U, SM-G996U1, SM-G996W, SM-G996N, SM-G9960 |
| Price | About 360 EUR | $ 162.99 / £ 185.00 / € 199.00 |
| SAR | - | 0.65 W/kg (head) 0.95 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.54 W/kg (head) 1.33 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 114h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 622276 (v8) GeekBench: 3476 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro
- Faster 33W charging
- Potentially better thermal management with Snapdragon 888
- More aggressive pricing for comparable performance
- Missing display specifications (brightness, color accuracy)
- Camera specs are unknown, potentially less versatile
Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G
- Brighter display (883 nits)
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- Refined software experience with One UI
- Slower 25W wired charging
- Exynos variant may exhibit more throttling
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G features a display capable of reaching 883 nits of peak brightness, providing excellent visibility in direct sunlight. While the Redmi K40 Pro’s peak brightness isn’t specified, Samsung’s panel is likely superior in outdoor legibility. Both displays boast an 'Infinite' contrast ratio (nominal), suggesting excellent black levels. However, the S21+’s display technology isn’t specified as LTPO, meaning it lacks the variable refresh rate efficiency found in some newer panels, potentially impacting battery life during prolonged use. The K40 Pro’s display specs are missing, making a direct comparison of color accuracy and panel type impossible, but given its price point, it likely utilizes a high-quality AMOLED panel.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, lacking specific details. The S21+’s camera system is known for its versatile lens selection and strong image processing, but sensor sizes and apertures are not provided. The K40 Pro’s camera specs are also absent, making a direct comparison impossible. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on many Xiaomi phones suggests a similar sensor might be included on the K40 Pro, but its utility is questionable. The S21+’s image processing leans towards vibrant colors and strong contrast, while Xiaomi typically aims for a more natural look. Without detailed specs, assessing the low-light performance and video capabilities is impossible.
Performance
Both phones can be equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm), but the Galaxy S21+ also comes in an Exynos 2100 (5nm) variant internationally. The S21+’s Exynos version features a slightly higher peak CPU clock speed (2.9 GHz vs 2.84 GHz on both Snapdragon variants), but the core architecture is largely identical. The K40 Pro’s Snapdragon 888 benefits from a potentially more optimized thermal solution given Xiaomi’s focus on gaming. The Snapdragon 888 is known to throttle under sustained load, and the K40 Pro’s cooling system could mitigate this. Both phones utilize Octa-core CPUs with 1x Cortex-X1 prime core, 3x Cortex-A78 performance cores, and 4x Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, ensuring smooth multitasking and app performance. The K40 Pro’s RAM configuration is unspecified, but the S21+ likely uses LPDDR5, contributing to fast app loading and system responsiveness.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G has an endurance rating of 114 hours, indicating solid battery life. It supports 25W wired charging, PD3.0, 15W wireless charging (Qi), and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Redmi K40 Pro, with 33W wired charging (PD3.0, QC3), charges faster, reaching 100% in 52 minutes. While the S21+ offers wireless charging convenience, the K40 Pro’s faster wired charging is more practical for quick top-ups. The K40 Pro’s battery capacity is unspecified, but the S21+’s 114-hour endurance suggests a comparable battery size. The faster charging speed of the K40 Pro partially offsets any potential battery capacity difference.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro if you need uncompromising performance for gaming and demanding tasks, and prioritize value for money. You’ll benefit from the Snapdragon 888’s power and a fast-charging experience. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G if you prefer a more refined software experience, a brighter and potentially more color-accurate display, and the convenience of wireless charging, even if it comes at a higher price.