Xiaomi Redmi K50 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users prioritizing sustained performance and faster charging, the Xiaomi Redmi K50 emerges as the winner. Its Dimensity 8100 offers comparable, and often superior, CPU and GPU performance to the Snapdragon 888, coupled with 67W charging. However, the S21 FE’s more refined software and potentially brighter display make it a strong contender for Samsung loyalists.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi Redmi K50 | 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, 8, 18, 19, 26, 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, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 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 |
| CDMA2000 1x | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, March 17 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, March 22 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.1 x 76.2 x 8.5 mm (6.42 x 3.00 x 0.33 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 | 201 g (7.09 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| IP53, dust and splash resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~526 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~86.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.85 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 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 | Mediatek Dimensity 8100 (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Mali-G610 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 12, MIUI 13 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 20 MP, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 48 MP, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, 119˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (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@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 20 MP, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/120fps | 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 | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), 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/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 | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC3, 80% in 30 min | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5500 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Gray, Blue, Green | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | 22041211AC | 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 480 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 K50
- Faster 67W charging
- Potentially superior sustained performance with Dimensity 8100
- Likely more aggressive pricing
- Software experience may be less refined than Samsung’s One UI
- Limited information on display specifications
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Brighter display (792 nits measured)
- Refined One UI software experience
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Slower 25W charging
- Potential for throttling with Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100
- Exynos variant may have lower efficiency
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE boasts a measured peak brightness of 792 nits, suggesting a potentially more visible display in direct sunlight. While the Redmi K50’s display specifications are not provided, Xiaomi typically utilizes high-quality AMOLED panels. The S21 FE’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) is standard for AMOLED technology, promising deep blacks. The absence of refresh rate data for the K50 is a notable omission, but the S21 FE’s 120Hz panel provides a smoother visual experience. The S21 FE’s display is likely to be more color accurate out of the box, benefitting content creators.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited. The S21 FE’s camera is described as ‘Photo / Video’ without specifics, while the K50’s is similarly vague. The S21 FE likely benefits from Samsung’s established image processing algorithms, known for vibrant colors and strong dynamic range. The absence of details regarding OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on either device makes it difficult to assess low-light performance. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on the S21 FE is likely a marketing gimmick, offering limited practical benefit compared to a dedicated main sensor. The K50’s camera performance will heavily rely on its main sensor and software optimization.
Performance
The core of the difference lies in the chipsets. The Redmi K50’s Mediatek Dimensity 8100 (5nm) features an octa-core configuration with four Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.85 GHz, while the S21 FE offers two variants: one with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) and another with the Exynos 2100 (5nm). The Snapdragon 888’s Cortex-X1 prime core (2.84 GHz or 2.9 GHz depending on the version) is theoretically faster in single-core tasks, but the Dimensity 8100’s more efficient architecture and superior thermal management often translate to more sustained performance. The Exynos 2100 variant of the S21 FE is known to be less efficient than the Snapdragon 888, potentially leading to more throttling under heavy load. The K50’s 5nm process node, like the Snapdragon 888, offers better efficiency than older nodes.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has an endurance rating of 92 hours, indicating solid battery life. However, the Redmi K50’s battery capacity is unknown. The S21 FE supports 25W wired charging, taking 30 minutes to reach 50%, and 15W wireless charging with reverse wireless capabilities. The K50 significantly outpaces this with 67W wired charging, achieving 80% charge in just 30 minutes. This faster charging is a major advantage for users who prioritize convenience. While the S21 FE’s endurance rating is respectable, the K50’s faster charging could offset a potentially smaller battery capacity.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi Redmi K50 if you need uncompromising performance for gaming and demanding tasks, and value rapid charging speeds. It’s ideal for users who prioritize specs and don’t mind a less polished software experience. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you prefer a more established brand with a refined One UI, a potentially brighter display (792 nits measured), and the convenience of wireless charging, even if it means sacrificing some raw processing power and charging speed.