Are you thinking of upgrading to a flagship smartphone this 2020? Here we have two of the best options to choose from.
First, we have the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, a first of its kind device from the Galaxy S series, joining the vanilla Galaxy S20 and the S20 Plus.
It goes without saying that this is currently the best smartphone that Samsung ever made. But is it the best device you can get, overall?
On the other corner, we also have the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro — a flagship device that was announced just a day after Samsung’s Unpacked. It is joined by a smaller brother, the Mi 10, also one of the best smartphones Xiaomi has ever released.
So, which between these two devices is best for you? We find out in our Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro versus Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra specifications and features comparison.
| Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro | Galaxy S20 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 10 MIUI 11 | Android 10 Samsung One UI 2.0 |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| Display | 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution ~386ppi HDR10 90Hz refresh rate | 6.9-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED display 3040 x 1440 pixel resolution, ~511ppi HDR 10+ 120Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | 2.84GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G octa-core | 2.7GHz Exynos 990 octa-core processor (international) 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 octa-core processor (US) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Mali-G77 MP11 (international) Adreno 650 (US) |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB | 12GB/16GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB non-expandable | 128GB/256GB/512GB expandable via microSD up to 1TB |
| Front camera | 20-megapixel f/2.0 | 40-megapixel front camera, f/2.2 |
| Rear Camera | 108-megapixel primary (f/1.69) 20-megapixel (ultra-wide f/2.2) 8-megapixel (Telephoto, OIS) 12-megapixel (Portrait lens) 50x hybrid zoom 8K video recording PDAF OIS LED flash | 108-megapixel (f/1.8) 12-megapixel (ultra-wide) 48-megapixel (Telephoto, OIS) ToF depth sensor 100x hybrid zoom 8K video recording PDAF OIS LED flash |
| Audio | Stereo speakers No headphone jack | Dolby Atmos AKG stereo speakers No headphone jack |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner Face unlock | Ultra-sonic fingerprint scanner Face unlock |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE 5G WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.1 Dual-band, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS NFC USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE 5G (select markets) WiFi 802.11 ab/g/n/ac/ax, dual-band Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS FM Radio USB Type-C |
| Other features | 10W Reverse Wireless Charging | IP68 water and dust resistant Wireless PowerShare |
| Dimensions | 162.6 x 74.8 x 8.96 mm | 166.9 x 76.0 x 8.8mm |
| Weight | 208g | 220g |
| Colors | Blue Pink Green | Cosmic Black Cosmic Gray |
| Battery | 4,500mAh 50W wired fast charging 30W wireless fast charging 65W wired charging compatible | 5,000mAh non-removable Fast wireless charging 45W wire charging |
| Price | 8GB/256GB: CNY4,999 (~Php36,200) 12GB/256GB: CNY5,499 (~Php39,800) 12GB/512GB: CNY5,999 (~Php43,400) | 12GB/128GB: Php69,990 |
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra surely has overtaken the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro in some areas.
It starts with the display. The Galaxy S20 Ultra boasts a bigger 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen, with a sharper QHD+ resolution, and a smoother 120Hz refresh rate.
That easily outshines the 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen that the competition has. The 90Hz refresh rate is still better than most smartphones, but it’s nothing against the 120Hz of the Galaxy S20 series.
Moreover, Samsung was able to beat Xiaomi by having a bigger 5,000mAh battery on the Galaxy S20, versus the 4,500mAh capacity on the Mi 10 Pro.
Of course, both devices come with flagship chipsets. They are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processors. However, the Galaxy S20 Ultra model that will be arriving in most countries, especially here in the Philippines, will come with Samsung’s own Exynos 990 processor.
Where the Galaxy S20 Ultra shines is its storage expandability, which the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro lacks. This is necessary since both devices can record 8K videos, and a minute of 8K video usually weighs around 600MB.
But if you don’t care about any of that, then you might be better off with the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro. Other than saving a lot of cash, it appears that the Mi 10 Pro has better cameras. That’s if we judge it by the specs list and the recent findings of DxOMark, who considered the Mi 10 Pro as the best camera phone in the market today
Both devices are equipped with a 108-megapixel primary shooter. But the 20-megapixel ultra-wide on the Mi 10 Pro easily outshines the 12-megapixel of the Galaxy S20 Ultra.
To Samsung’s credit, the 100x Space Zoom really makes you feel like having a real telescope in your pocket. However, it only has a ToF depth sensor, which I bet you’d never really use.
With that, you might find the 8-megapixel and 12-megapixel portrait lens combo on the Mi 10 Pro more useful.
Another big win that the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro has over the Galaxy S20 Ultra is in its charging technologies. While it may have a smaller battery, the Mi 10 Pro do come with a faster 50W fast charger (versus 45W) and a whopping 30W wireless fast charging. As if that’s not enough, you can use your laptop’s Type-C charger on this thing as it can support up to 65W of power.
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Easily the biggest win for the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro is the price. You can get the top-of-the-line model and it will still be cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra’s base model. The most expensive variant has a price tag of for CNY5,999 (~Php43,400), which is still cheaper than the Galaxy S20 Ultra’s Php69,990 retail price.
The best part is, the highest-end Mi 10 Pro model already comes with a 12GB/512GB configuration, while Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra only has 12GB + 128GB RAM and storage.
But, you might have to wait a little longer as Xiaomi is yet to announce the official pricing and availability details of the Mi 10 Pro in the Philippines. On the other hand, the Galaxy S20 Ultra will already hit the shelves beginning March 6, 2020.