This time around, we’re comparing the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold. The Mi MIX Fold is Xiaomi’s very first foldable smartphone. The same cannot be said for Samsung and the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Samsung has been making foldables for a while now. These two phones do have some things in common, though, and comparing them should reveal the differences, in case you’re interested.
Xiaomi has, without a doubt, been inspired by Samsung when making this device, as it even opens in the same way as the Galaxy Z Fold 2. In this article, we’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery, cameras, and audio performance. We’ll kick things off by listing their specifications, though, as we do with every comparison on the site. So, let’s kick off the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold comparison, shall we.
Specs
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 | Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold | |
Screen size | Main: 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (foldable, 120Hz) Secondary (Cover): 6.2-inch fullHD+ Super AMOLED display (flat, 60Hz) |
Main: 8.01-inch AMOLED display (foldable, 60Hz) Secondary (Cover): 6.52-inch AMOLED display (flat, 90Hz) |
Screen resolution | Main: 2208 x 1768 Secondary (Cover): 2260 x 816 |
Main: 2480 x 1860 Secondary (Cover): 2520 x 840 |
SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
RAM | 12GB (LPDDR5) | 12GB |
Storage | 256GB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable | 256GB/512GB; non-expandable |
Rear cameras | 12MP (1.8um pixel size, Super Speed Dual Pixel OIS, f/1.8 aperture, 83-degree FoV) 12MP (1.0um pixel size, f/2.4 aperture, 45-degree view, 2x optical zoom, 10x digital zoom, telephoto) 12MP (1.12um pixel size, f/2.2 aperture, 123-degree FoV, ultra-wide) |
108MP (f/1.8 aperture, wide-angle, 0.7um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF) 13MP (f/2.4 aperture, 123-degree FoV, ultrawide, 1.12um pixel size) 8MP (80mm lens, telephoto/macro, liquid lens, PDAF, 3x optical zoom) |
Front cameras | 10MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size, 80-degree FoV) 10MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size, 80-degree FoV) |
20MP (27mm wide-angle lens, 0.8um pixel size) |
Battery | 4,500mAh, non-removable, 25W fast wired charging, 11W wireless charging, 9W Wireless PowerShare | 5,020mAh, non-removable, 67W fast wired charging |
Dimensions | Unfolded: 159.2 x 128.2 x 6.9mm Folded: 159.2 x 68 x 16.8mm |
Unfolded: 173.3 x 133.4 x 7.6mm Folded: 173.3 x 69.8 x 17.2mm |
Weight | 282 grams | 317 grams (glass) 332 grams (ceramic) |
Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C |
Security | Side-facing fingerprint scanner | Side-facing fingerprint scanner |
OS | Android 10 (upgradable) One UI 2.5 |
Android 10 MIUI 12 |
Price | $1,999 | $1,520 (China) |
Buy | Samsung | Xiaomi (not available yet) |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Design
When it comes to the design, the two phones are somewhat similar. Xiaomi did get inspired by Samsung’s design when planning for this phone, that much is obvious. Both phones open like a book, and both come with two displays. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold is considerably taller, though, while it’s also wider in both folded and unfolded states. On top of everything, it is thicker in both of those states as well.
The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold is not only larger in every measurement, but it’s also heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 2. If you thought that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is heavy at 282 grams, try handling the Mi MIX Fold at 317 or 332 grams. The glass variant weighs 317 grams, while the ceramic model is even heavier at 332 grams. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is easier to handle due to all these reasons, needless to say.
Both devices have a display camera hole on the secondary display, though that hole is placed in different spots. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 also has a display camera hole in the inner display. That cannot be said for the Mi MIX Fold, though, as it doesn’t have a selfie camera on the main display at all. Their rear-facing cameras are placed in similar spots, and both phones feel like premium devices, that’s for sure.
The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold, in some ways, is more similar to the original Galaxy Fold (second-edition), than the Galaxy Z Fold 2, at least when it comes to the design. Still, Xiaomi did a good job here, and can surely compete. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is probably a better choice for most people when it comes to the design, as it’s smaller in every dimension, and considerably lighter.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Display
Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold come with two displays. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 features a 7.6-inch 2208 x 1768 main display. That is a foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, which supports 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ content. Samsung used ultra-thin glass (UTG) here, and it’s a considerable improvement over the display on the Galaxy Fold.
The secondary display on the phone measures 6.23 inches, and offers a resolution of 2260 x 816. That is a Super AMOLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate. That display is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus, and is also flat. Both displays on the phone feature a single display camera hole, by the way.
The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold utilizes an 8.01-inch 2480 x 1860 main display. That is a foldable AMOLED display. It can project 1 billion colors, and supports HDR10+ content. That is a 60Hz panel, by the way, and it has a plastic layer on it. It supports Dolby Vision, though.
The secondary display on the Mi MIX Fold measures 6.52 inches. It is a 2520 x 840 AMOLED panel, and it supports a 90Hz refresh rate. It does support HDR10+ content, and Dolby Vision. Both displays on the phone are flat, but only the outer one includes a display camera hole.
Displays on both phones are quite good. They offer those deep blacks, and punchy colors you’d expect out of AMOLED displays. Still, the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s main panel does seem better on paper, for a reason. It is more enjoyable to use due to its higher refresh rate, and better protection on it. On the flip side, the Mi MIX Fold’s outer display offers a higher refresh rate than the secondary display on the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Chances are you’ll care more about the main panel, though, and that’s where the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has the upper hand.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Performance
Both devices are well-equipped in the hardware department. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is fueled by the Snapdragon 865+ SoC. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold does include a more powerful Snapdragon 888 processor. Both devices ship with UFS 3.1 flash storage, and fast RAM on the inside. Do note that the Mi MIX Fold global variant was not out at the time of writing this, so the software on the phone is adapted to the Chinese market.
Still, both phones manage to deliver really good performance, as you’d expect out of flagship devices. Everything is fast and fluid, as it would be on regular smartphones. Everything from opening / closing apps, multitasking, consuming multimedia, browsing, taking pictures, image editing, video editing… basically anything you can imagine works really well. The same performance transfers to games, though that’s not surprising at all.
The Mi MIX Fold will be making its way to the global market, at which point MIUI will be far more useful to global consumers. The Chinese variant of MIUI is considerably different to the global one, not necessarily in the looks department, but from the performance aspect.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Battery
Samsung crammed in a 4,500mAh battery inside the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Xiaomi, on the other hand, opted for a 5,020mAh battery pack. You’ll be glad to know that both of those battery packs are enough for these two smartphones. Both devices deliver impressive battery life, as they should, considering they’re meant to be used extensively. Even if you’re using the main display most of the time, you should be good to go.
Talking screen-on-time numbers doesn’t really make sense. Considering that both devices have two displays, your usage can differ considerably from anything we’ve seen. On top of that, Xiaomi’s foldable doesn’t run global MIUI, so sharing any specific battery information doesn’t make sense. We’ve seen excellent battery life on the Galaxy Z Fold 2, while the Mi MIX Fold, in its current form, will be a two-day battery smartphone for most people. Things will likely change somewhat with the global software.
Both phones offer fast charging, though the Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold’s is faster. That device offers 67W fast wired charging, compared to 25W wired charging on the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Both phones include chargers in the box. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 also supports 11W wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold does not, neither of those. It offers wired charging only.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Cameras
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 includes three cameras on the back. The same goes for the Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold, though the setup is different, of course. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 utilizes three 12-megapixel cameras, main, telephoto, and ultra-wide ones. The Xiaomi MI MIX Fold, on the other hand, has a 108-megapixel main camera, a 13-megapixel ultrawide one, and an 8-megapixel telephoto / macro camera.
Are the setups any good, though? Well, yes, they are. In good lighting, both smartphones do an excellent job. They capture pictures with plenty of detail, great colors, and a really good dynamic range. The white balance is usually just right as well. The same goes for their telephoto and ultrawide cameras, actually, while the Mi MIX Fold is no slouch when it comes to macro photography either.
Now, things are a bit different in low light, though. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 pulls ahead a bit. That goes for both dusk and nighttime shots. The phone is able to pull more detail from the shadows, and more importantly, it retains more colors in low light than the Mi MIX Fold. Pictures tend to look a bit muted on the Mi MIX Fold in such conditions, even in dusk scenes. Xiaomi could alter that via software updates, of course, and we’re still waiting to see how will the global variant perform in this regard.
Audio
When it comes to audio, well, both phones are well equipped, though they provide different experiences. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 comes with two speakers, and they are louder than the ones on the Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold, but not as rich. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold has four speakers, and they provide a deeper, richer sound compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 2. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 audio aspect is tuned by AKG, while the Mi MIX Fold is equipped with Harman Kardon speakers.
Neither of these two smartphones has a 3.5mm headphone jack. That is not surprising at all. You can utilize the Type-C port, or hook up your headphones via Bluetooth. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 includes Bluetooth 5, while the Mi MIX Fold comes with Bluetooth 5.2. The audio you’ll get, presuming you have good headphones, is quite good. Don’t expect miracles, though.