Chinese smartphone manufacturers are slowly dominating the entire industry. That’s something that prominent brands like Samsung will not permit to happen, as they are finally taking their offensive stance more seriously.
While they are still on the top spot, Samsung, alongside Apple, has experienced a noticeable decline in smartphone sales, while brands like Xiaomi are on the rise.
That’s what Samsung is trying to mend when they release the Galaxy M series. Starting off with the Samsung Galaxy M20, the South Korean brand will try to regain control as they try to offer a smartphone that provides more compelling value for the money.
But, will Samsung’s latest attempt succeed? We’ll see about that.
Today, here in our Samsung Galaxy M20 versus Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 specifications and features comparison, we’ll see how Samsung’s new gun stacks up with one of the highly-anticipated and well-celebrated bang-for-the-buck smartphone in the industry today. Let’s begin!
| Samsung Galaxy M20 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 8.1 Oreo Samsung Experience v9.5 | Android 8 Oreo MIUI 9 |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| Display | 6.3-inch FHD+ IPS display 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution ~409ppi 90% screen-to-body ratio 19:9 aspect ratio | 6.3-inch FHD+ IPS 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution, ~409ppi 81.4% screen-to-body ratio 19:9 aspect ratio Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Processor | 1.8GHz Exynos 7904 octa-core | 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 octa-core |
| RAM | 3GB/4GB | 3GB/4GB/6GB |
| GPU | Mali-G71 MP2 | Adreno 512 |
| Storage | 32GB/64GB expandable via microSD up to 512GB | 32GB/64GB expandable via microSD up to 256GB |
| Front camera | 8-megapixel Selfie Focus | 13-megapixel AI Portrait Mode |
| Rear Camera | 13-megapixel 5-megapixel (120-degree wide-angle) PDAF f/19 LED flash | 48-megapixel 5-megapixel PDAF f/1.8 AI scene detection LED flash |
| Audio | Single loudspeaker Headphone jack Dolby Atmos Widevine L1 | Single loudspeaker Headphone jack |
| Security | Fingerprint scanner Face unlock | Fingerprint scanner Face unlock |
| Connectivity | HSPA+, LTE, VoLTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 5.0 GPS FM Radio USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS FM Radio IR Blaster USB Type-C |
| Dimensions | 156.4 x 74.5 x 8.8mm | 159.21 x 75.21 x 8.1mm |
| Weight | 189g | 186g |
| Colors | Ocean Blue Charcoal Blue | Red Blue Black |
| Battery | 5,000mAh non-removable 15W fast charger | 4,000mAh non-removable Quick Charge 4.0 |
| Price | 3GB/32GB: INR10,990 (~Php8,100) 4GB/64GB: INR12,990 (~Php9,600) | 3GB/32GB: CNY999 (~Php7,700) 4GB/64GB: CNY1,199 (~Php9,200) 6GB/64GB: CNY1,399 (~Php10,800) |
We’ve done a lot of Samsung comparisons before, but this one feels really refreshing. The previous Galaxy smartphones got easily obliterated by the competition. But with the Samsung Galaxy M20, things are starting to change.
For one, it was able to match the Redmi Note 7’s large 6.3-inch FHD+ screen. Years ago, a display with this size and resolution used to be not possible for a Samsung device at this price category.
The Galaxy M20 also has the latest WiFi, Bluetooth, and USB Type-C connectivity. It even defeated the Redmi Note 7 by sporting a bigger 5,000mAh battery with a fast 15W wired charger.
However, it looks like the Redmi Note 7 still get the win on this one, which is really unsurprising considering that almost all of the devices that we stacked up against it went home a loser.
See also: Samsung Galaxy M10 vs Galaxy M20: What’s the difference?
One of its biggest lead above everyone else is its killer camera. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 brags a whopping 48-megapixel primary camera with a secondary 5-megapixel sensor. There’s also a 13-megapixel selfie snapper on the front.
That’s clearly nothing against the 13-megapixel camera that the Galaxy M20 has. Although we commend Samsung for adding a 120-degree wide-angle lens on the second 5-megapixel sensor, so it does more than just being a depth sensor.
Related: Redmi Note 7 vs ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2: Specs Comparison
Samsung built an entirely new processor for the Galaxy M20. The Exynos 7904 has two A-73 performance cores and six A-53 efficiency cores. However, that’s still nothing compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chip, which has four performance-focused cores.
Although they have the same screen, the Redmi Note 7 has a more sturdy Corning Glass 5, which Xiaomi wittingly used as a chopping board and used to crush fruits in their marketing stunts.
And of course, we have the most important part, the price. Both models will have a base model of 3GB/32GB. Samsung will be offering the Galaxy M20 for INR10,990 (~Php8,100), while Xiaomi will be selling theirs for only 3GB/32GB: CNY999 (~Php7,700).
If we’re be talking about specs — and specs alone — there’s no doubt that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 easily takes the win on this one.
However, Samsung’s popularity is one of the reasons why they are still on the top list. That influence, partnered by the improved value-for-money that devices like the Samsung Galaxy M20 offers, can do a great deal of hurting Xiaomi and other emerging smartphone brands.