Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G emerges as the more balanced choice. While the Redmi K40 Pro+ boasts comparable processing power, the S21 FE’s superior display brightness, wireless charging, and more polished software experience justify its slightly higher price point.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro+ | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 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, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/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 / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, February 25 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 04 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | 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 (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | 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 SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | 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 | 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 108 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.52", 0.7µm, 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 | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+ | 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 |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 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 | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C, 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, 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 | Black, White, Aurora | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | - | 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 470 EUR | € 199.00 / $ 143.95 / £ 154.99 / ₹ 29,990 |
| SAR | - | 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 Redmi K40 Pro+
- Potentially lower price point
- Snapdragon 888 offers strong performance
- 33W fast charging is respectable
- MIUI software can be polarizing
- Charging speed is slower than S21 FE
- Display brightness likely lower than S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Brighter and more color-accurate display
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Refined Samsung One UI software
- Exynos variant may exhibit more throttling
- Charging speed is slower than some competitors
- Potentially higher price
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 792 nits, compared to an unspecified brightness for the K40 Pro+. This makes the S21 FE more usable outdoors under direct sunlight. Both devices likely utilize AMOLED panels, but Samsung’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests deeper blacks. While both will offer vibrant colors, the S21 FE’s superior brightness and potentially better color calibration provide a more visually pleasing experience for content consumption.
Camera Comparison
Both devices feature capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited. The focus should be on image processing. Samsung typically leans towards vibrant, saturated colors, while Xiaomi often aims for a more natural look. The presence of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on both is crucial for stable video recording and sharper low-light photos. The usefulness of a 2MP macro camera on either device is questionable, as image quality is typically limited. Without specific sensor size details, it’s difficult to definitively declare a camera winner.
Performance
Both phones can be equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm), meaning core performance – CPU and GPU – will be very similar in those configurations. However, the S21 FE also comes in an Exynos 2100 (5nm) variant. While the Exynos 2100 has slightly higher clock speeds on its Cortex-X1 core (2.9 GHz vs 2.84 GHz), real-world performance differences are often minimal. Thermal management will be crucial; the Snapdragon 888 is known to throttle under sustained load, and the S21 FE’s cooling solution will determine how effectively it mitigates this. Both devices utilize an Octa-core CPU configuration with the same Cortex-A78 and A55 cores, ensuring a smooth multitasking experience.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G has an endurance rating of 92 hours, indicating solid battery life. The Redmi K40 Pro+’s battery capacity is not specified, but its 33W wired charging is slower than the S21 FE’s 25W wired charging, and the S21 FE adds the convenience of 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. The S21 FE reaches 50% charge in 30 minutes, while the K40 Pro+ takes 52 minutes for a full charge. While faster charging is desirable, the S21 FE’s overall endurance and wireless charging capabilities give it an edge.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro+ if you prioritize maximum performance-per-dollar and are comfortable with Xiaomi’s MIUI software. It’s ideal for demanding gamers and power users who want a Snapdragon 888 without breaking the bank. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you value a refined user experience, a brighter and more color-accurate display, and the convenience of wireless charging. It’s the better option for everyday users who appreciate Samsung’s ecosystem and software features.