Just like that, the first quarter of 2019 has already ended. By now, we’ve already seen the first set of flagship smartphones for 2019 from some of the top manufacturers in the industry.

For one, Xiaomi has unveiled their top-of-the-line device, the Xiaomi Mi 9, back in February. In typical Xiaomi fashion, the Mi 9 boasts a lot of proper high-end specs at almost half the cost of what the other brands are offering.

Xiaomi-Mi-9-Specs

To further insult one of its biggest competitors, Xiaomi launched the Mi 9 just a few moments before Samsung introduced theirs. On the same day, the South Korean tech giant launched their first flagship offering for 2019 — the Samsung Galaxy S10.

Just like their previous releases, the Galaxy S10 highlights top-caliber camera features, powerful performance, and other neat tricks up its sleeves.

Samsung-Galaxy-S10-Philippines

With that, here in our Xiaomi MI 9 vs Samsung Galaxy S10 specs comparison, we shall see if settling for the more economical option is actually the better option, or are you better off spending more on a pricier handset.

Xiaomi Mi 9Samsung Galaxy S10
Operating SystemAndroid 9 Pie
MIUI 10
Android 9.0 Pie
Samsung One UI
SIMDual SIM
Dual Standby
Dual SIM
Dual Standby
Hybrid
Display6.39-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED
2340 x 1080 pixel resolution
~403ppi
90.7% screen-to-body ratio
HDR10
Corning Gorilla Glass 6
6.1-inch WQHD+ Dynamic Super AMOLED
3040 x 1440 pixel resolution
~551ppi
93.2% screen-to-body ratio
Always On Display
Corning Gorilla Glass 6
Processor2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 octa-core2.7GHz Exynos 9820 octa-core
RAM6GB/8GB/12GB8GB
GPUAdreno 640Mali-G76
Storage64GB/128GB
non-expandable
128GB
expandable via microSD up to 512GB
Front camera20-megapixel
f/2.0
10-megapixel
Dual-pixel AF
f/1.9
Rear Camera48-megapixel (Sony IMX586, f/1.7) +
16-megapixel (ultra wide-angle) +
12-megapixel (2x optical zoom)
PDAF
LED flash
960fps slow-mo
12-megapixel (OIS, f/1.5-2.4) +
16-megapixel (ultra wide) +
12-megapixel (OIS, telephoto)
PDAF
LED flash
960fps slow-mo
HDR 10 video recording
AudioHeadphone jack
Single loudspeaker
Headphone jack
Dolby Atmos
AKG stereo speakers
SecurityIn-display fingerprint scanner
Face unlock
Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner
Face unlock
ConnectivityHSPA+, 4G LTE
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, 2×2 MIMO
Bluetooth 5.0
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo
NFC
IR Blaster
USB Type-C
HSPA+, 4G LTE
WiFi 802.11 ab/g/n/ac/ax, dual-band
Bluetooth 5.0
GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou
ANT+
NFC
USB Type-C
Dimensions157.5 x 74.67 x 7.61mm149.9 x 70.4 x 7.8mm
Weight173g157g
ColorsLavander Violet
Ocean Blue
Piano Black
Prism Black
Prism Black
Prism Green
Prism Blue
Flamingo
Canary Yellow
Battery3,300mAh
27W Quick Charge 4
20W fast wireless charging
3,400mAh
Fast wireless charge 2.0
Price6GB/64GB: Php22,990
6GB/128GB: Php24,990
Php49,990

Xiaomi-Mi-9-SE-Price

If we digest the table above, it’s easy to say that the Xiaomi Mi 9 is the more logical option between the two. But to give the Samsung Galaxy S10 a tap on the back, it does have some features that you can’t find on the former.

The Galaxy S10 offers a more premium and flagship smartphone feel. It has a lighter and sleeker design, and a jam-packed display features with a sharper 6.1-inch WQHD+ screen.

Samsung-Galaxy-S10-5250

Also, despite having inferior camera specs on paper, you can actually get even better images with the Galaxy S10’s 12-megapixel primary shooter. Its aperture physically changes to a wide f/1.5 for brighter and bokeh-licious image, and a narrower f/2.4 for better group photos and what not.

See also: Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, and S10e Globe Postpaid Plans

Samsung-Galaxy-S10-Smart-Postpaid

It also boasts a faster WiFi 802.11ax and a marginally bigger 3,400mAh. There’s also the stereo speakers, which I think should be a standard inclusion to most smartphones today.

But then again, if you want the more practical and logical option, then you might want to go with the Xiaomi Mi 9 instead.

Xiaomi-Mi-9-Features

For almost half the price, you’re already getting a device with a powerful Snapdragon 855 processor. The most interesting part is, it was able to overtake both the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus in the latest AnTuTu top list.

It may have an inferior screen over the Galaxy S10, but I doubt that most people would notice the difference between a FHD+ and WQHD+ panels. Actually, having a lower resolution screen is better for battery efficiency.

Xiaomi-Mi-9-Availability

To wrap it up, the Xiaomi Mi 9 was able to satisfy all of the requirements we’re looking for on a proper high-end and flagship smartphone. It has a decent screen, capable cameras, powerful processor, and more. Those are virtually all the things you’d need to have an enjoyable smartphone experience.

The Samsung Galaxy S10 was able to provide all of those, but with a few extras like having a better design and camera performance. However, is the price of Php49,990, which is almost twice the SRP of the Mi 9 at Php22,990, justifiable? You decide.

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  1. Samsung is a much better smartphone brand. However the price is on the higher side, so it really depends what budget you are looking for. For me, I will always go for Samsung.