Xiaomi launched Mi 11X and Mi 11X Pro last year in India to conquer the premium phone market in the country. The Mi 11X, in particular, was an exciting phone as it had the potential to influence the long-term dominance of many devices in the semi-premium flagship segment with its 30,000 (~$390) price tag. But it has been more than a year since the Mi 11X debuted in India. Does it still have what it takes to compete with some of the other value-added leaders of 2022? Well, that’s exactly what we’re here to find out. In this article, we will pit the Xiaomi Mi 11X against the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE to see which one is worth buying in 2022.
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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE vs Xiaomi Mi 11X: Specifications
Before we get started, let’s take a quick look at the specs to see what each of these phones brings to the table:
| Customize | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE | Xiaomi Mi 11X |
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| Front camera(s) | 32 MP, f / 2,2 | 20 MP, f/2.45 |
| ports) | USB Type C | USB Type C |
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| Programming | OneUI 4.0 based on Android 12 | MIUI 12 with Android 11 |
Looking at the table, it’s safe to say that both phones are very similar on paper when it comes to specifications. However, there are some noteworthy differences between the two in the real world. Let’s dive a little deeper into the comparison to see if the Xiaomi Mi 11X is worth picking up on the Galaxy S21 FE.
Design and display
There are a lot of differences between the Xiaomi M11X and the Galaxy S21 FE, and it all starts with the design. Mi 11X features a glass design with Gorilla Glass 5 on both sides, which gives it an overall excellent look and feel. On the other hand, the Galaxy S21 FE is unapologetic in terms of its plastic shape. The back panel of the Galaxy S21 FE, complete with its camera module, is made of polycarbonate. Samsung knows how to make plastic phones in a way that doesn’t look cheap, but we’d say the Mi 11X is still the way to go if you don’t want to compromise on build quality.
The total space of the Galaxy S21 FE is slightly smaller compared to the Mi 11X. Not to mention, it’s a few grams lighter thanks to its polycarbonate body. What we like most about the Galaxy S21 FE is that you get all the nice extras like an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, Qi wireless charging, and more. So, if these features are essential to your daily use, you might want to consider buying the Galaxy S21 FE over the Mi 11X. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is also available in more color options. You can get it in graphite, white, lavender or olive colors while the Mi 11X is available in black, white and silver colours.
Moving forward, you get a 6.4-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with the Galaxy S21 FE, and a 6.67-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with the Mi 11X. Both panels support a maximum resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. The Galaxy S21 FE display works at either 60Hz or 120Hz while the Mi 11X supports adaptive refresh rate switching, which means it can operate at 60Hz, 90Hz or 120Hz depending on the content. Both are AMOLED panels, so you’re bound to get a very similar experience overall when it comes to features like contrast ratio, deep blacks, color reproduction, and more. Both use HDR10+ certified panels, so you can play HDR content on apps like YouTube and Netflix.
It’s also worth noting that the Galaxy S21 FE has an in-display fingerprint scanner while Xiaomi has opted for a side-mounted fingerprint scanner built into the power button. It’s not necessarily a deal breaker for those considering the Mi 11X. It mostly comes down to personal preference when it comes to placing biometric scanners. Some prefer it on screen, while others may like it on the side as long as it’s easy to reach.
Hardware and performance
We’re looking at a €25,000 price difference between these two phones which also means you’re making some compromises in the specs department by choosing the Mi 11X. The Xiaomi competitor in this comparison is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 SoC which is relatively older than the Galaxy S21 FE’s Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 chips. The Snapdragon 870 SoC likely won’t win any battle against the Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, but that doesn’t mean it’s a combo bad chipset. You should be able to get through most of your daily workload without any hitches.
The base variants of both phones have 6GB of RAM with an optional 8GB upgrade, but the Mi 11X trumps 128GB of storage while the Galaxy S21 FE comes with up to 256GB of storage. Since you can’t use a microSD card to expand storage on any of these devices, it might be worth looking into the Galaxy S21 FE if you tend to use a lot of apps or take a lot of photos and videos.
As for battery life, you get a 4,500mAh battery with both phones (4,520mAh with the Mi 11X to be precise) which we think should be enough to get you a full day’s use. Of course, your mileage is bound to vary based on your usage, but the 4,500mAh battery is pretty much what we get with most phones these days. However, Mi 11X supports faster charging. You get support for up to 33W fast charging with the Mi 11X while the Galaxy S21 FE can only charge 25W. Xiaomi even bundles a 33W fast charging brick inside the case with the Mi 11X. The Galaxy S21 FE doesn’t even come with a charger inside the box, let alone a fast-charging one. Samsung tends to lose the fast charging battle against most phones and in this case it’s no different than the Mi 11X. However, the Galaxy S21 FE does support wireless charging which the Mi 11X does not.
camera
The Galaxy S21 FE and Xiaomi Mi 11X are also equipped with a different set of optics on the back. You get a powerful primary sensor with both phones that is able to take some really good shots. It’s a 12MP f/1.8 sensor on the Galaxy S21 FE versus the 48MP f/1.79 sensor on the Mi 11X. Both phones can take some really nice looking photos with the primary sensor, especially during the day when there is enough light in the scene. As an all-in-one package, the Galaxy S21 FE’s advanced camera system looks more practical. They both have an ultra-wide sensor as a secondary sensor – a 12MP f/2.2 sensor with 123° FOV with the Galaxy S21 FE and an 8MP f/2.2 sensor with 119° FOV with the Mi 11X.
Finally, the Galaxy S21 FE features an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom support. Meanwhile, Mi 11X has a 5MP telephoto lens instead of a zoom sensor. While a telephoto lens has its advantages, we think a telephoto lens is more practical and useful in more situations than a telephoto lens. We couldn’t get both phones out for a spin and take the same set of photos to compare side by side, but we leave some camera samples taken with both phones below, so be sure to take a look. The Mi 11X features a 20MP selfie camera with f/2.5 aperture, while the Galaxy S21 FE features a 32MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture. On the video front, the Galaxy S21 FE can record 4K videos at 30 or 60 fps, but the Mi 11X excels at 30 fps for 4K videos.
Xiaomi Mi 11X Camera Samples:
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Camera Samples:
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE vs Xiaomi Mi 11X: Which Should You Buy?
It’s worth noting that there’s a price difference of around €25,000 (~$320) between the two – the Galaxy S21 FE retails for INR54,999, while the Xiaomi Mi 11X will currently be INR29,999 in India. The Mi 11X is a no-brainer for those on a budget for this purchase. Despite being relatively cheaper and older in this comparison, we think the Mi 11X is still pretty good for everything it brings to the table. It may not have the most powerful internal components or the best camera setup at the moment, but it’s still pretty good considering the asking price. We think the Mi 11X is great for those who don’t have any worries about using a phone with a relatively older chip and “only” 128GB storage. Yes, the Galaxy S21 FE is more powerful and has a better camera system overall, but the Mi 11X offers a lot of value with things like an all-glass design, a beautiful Super AMOLED, and a 33W fast charger inside the box.
Outside of the relatively small set of compromises, we think the Mi 11X offers an overall great experience at a much cheaper price. It’s also running on MIUI 13 based on Android 12 and has at least two major OS updates in its belt before giving up. This doesn’t mean the Galaxy S21 FE is a bad phone. It happens to be the most expensive phone in this comparison which might not be a go-to option for most people on a budget. But if you don’t mind spending up to $25,000 more, the Galaxy S21 FE will bring you better internal features and more advanced optics along with Samsung’s promise of up to four major Android updates. You also get additional features like IP rating and wireless charging support. It mostly comes down to your personal preference and purchasing power, but it’s hard to go wrong with any of these phones.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is arguably the best phone in this comparison as long as you don’t mind paying the asking price.
The Mi 11X from Xiaomi comes with a small set of compromises but it offers excellent value for money.
So which smartphone are you planning to buy out of these two phones? Let us know by dropping a line in the comments below. If you’re leaning toward the more expensive Galaxy S21 FE, see if you can find some deals by heading over to our Galaxy S21 FE deals page. You can use these savings to get one of the best cases or some other accessories for your phone.
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