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Both Samsung and Xiaomi released some very compelling foldables recently, and we’re here to compare them. We’ll compare the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 2. Both of these unfolded book-style. Unfortunately, though, at the time of writing this article, the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 was exclusive to China. We’re hoping that will change soon, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
Samsung has a monopoly in the global foldable market, pretty much, and it would be nice to see more competition out there. Xiaomi would definitely provide it. The MIX Fold 2 is quite a capable and compelling smartphone, and it has its pluses in comparison to the Galaxy Z Fold 4. We’ll first list the specifications of the two phones, and will then compare them across a number of categories.
Specs
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 | Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 | |
| Screen size | Main: 7.6-inch fullHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (foldable, 120Hz) Secondary (Cover): 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (flat, 120Hz) |
Main: 8.02-inch fullHD+ Foldable LTPO2 OLED display (foldable, 120Hz) Secondary (Cover): 6.56-inch FullHD+ AMOLED display (flat, 120Hz) |
| Screen resolution | Main: 2176 x 1812 Secondary (Cover): 2316 x 904 |
Main: 2160 x 1914 Secondary (Cover): 2520 x 1080 |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| RAM | 12GB (LPDDR5) | 12GB (LPDDR5) |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable | 256GB/512GB/1TB; non-expandable |
| Rear cameras | 50MP (f/1.8 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.0um pixel size, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS) 10MP (telephoto, f/2.4 aperture, 67mm lens, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom) 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 123-degree FoV, 12mm lens, 1.12um pixel size) |
50MP (f/1.8 aperture, 1.0um pixel size, OIS, PDAF) 8MP (telephoto, f/2.6 aperture, 45mm lens, Dual Pixel PDAF, 2x optical zoom) 13MP (f/2.4 aperture, 15mm, 123-degree ultrawide, 1.12um pixel size) |
| Front cameras | Main: 4MP (f/1.8 aperture, 26mm lens, 2.0um pixel size, under-display) Secondary: 10MP (f/2.2 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.22um pixel size) |
Cover display: 20MP (27mm lens, 0.8um pixel size. |
| Battery | 4,400mAh, non-removable, 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, 4.5W Wireless PowerShare | 4,500mAh, non-removable, 67W wired charging |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3mm Folded: 155.1 x 67.1 x 15.8mm |
Unfolded: 161.1 x 144.7 x 5.4mm Folded: 161.1 x 73.9 x 11.2mm |
| Weight | 263 grams | 262 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, 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 12 One UI 4.1.1 |
Android 12 MIUI Fold 13 |
| Price | $1,799 | $1,335 |
| Buy | Samsung | China only |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 2: Design
These two smartphones are of the same type, though there are design differences, of course. First and foremost, the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 is a lot thinner, that goes for both folded and unfolded forms. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 measures 6.3mm of thickness when unfolded, compared to 5.4mm of the MIX Fold 2. When folded, Samsung’s foldable measures 14.2-15.8mm, compared to only 11.2mm of the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2. The difference is quite considerable, especially when folded.
The MIX Fold 2 feels like a large smartphone when folded, while you’ll definitely notice the extra thickness on the Fold 4, and thus always know it’s a foldable. Also, the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 does not have a camera on its main display. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 does have one, it’s an under-display one, but still visible. Both include a centered display camera hole on the cover display, and thin bezels.
They look notably different from the back
The back sides, where the main cameras sit, are also different. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a nicer-looking camera island where cameras are vertically-aligned. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 comes with a rectangular strip at the top, which looks a bit odd, but it’s not too large. Both phones are quite slippery, so do note that. Both feel nice when they’re being folded, but do note that you can’t really fold the MIX Fold 2 halfway, like you can the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
The two phones weigh about the same. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is shorter, and narrower, but it does include smaller displays. Both devices are made out of metal and glass. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 offers IPX8 certification for water resistance, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 does not. And last, but not least, the MIX Fold 2 sits flat when folded, without a gap in the middle. The same cannot be said for the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 2: Display
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 includes a 7.6-inch main display with a 2176 x 1812 resolution. This is a foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It gets up to 1,200 nits of brightness, and it supports HDR10+ content. The cover display on the phone measures 6.2 inches, and offers a resolution of 2316 x 904 pixels. This is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection.
The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2, on the flip side, has an 8.02-inch main display. That display has a resolution of 2160 x 1914, and it’s a Foldable LTPO2 OLED display. It can project up to 1 billion colors, and it’s a 120Hz panel. HDR10+ is supported, as is Dolby Vision. The phone’s display gets up to 1,300 nits of brightness, at its peak. Schott UTG glass is used here. The cover display on the phone measures 6.56 inches, and it’s an AMOLED panel. That display also offers a 120Hz refresh rate, and it supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. This panel also gets quite bright at 1,300 nits maximum brightness. It’s protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus.
Both phones offer excellent displays
The displays on both smartphones are truly excellent. That actually goes for both sets of displays. All of them offer a high refresh rate, and hit all the right spots, while they also feel nice to use. They all get really bright, even in direct sunlight. Not as bright as the brightest panels on smartphones, but not far from it. The colors are vivid on all of them, and they have great viewing angles. Chances are you won’t have complaints on either of them.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 2: Performance
The performance is, of course, really important, especially when you talk about phones that are this expensive. You’ll be glad to know, though, that both of these phones deliver in that regard. Both smartphones are fueled by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, and include 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. They also offer UFS 3.1 flash storage, though several different flavors are available for both phones.
Android 12L comes pre-installed on Samsung’s device, with the company’s custom skin. Android 12 is included on the MIX Fold 2, with Xiaomi’s skin. That being said, the experience of using these two is a bit different in comparison, but they both deliver in the performance department. Regardless of whether you’re browsing the web, editing a picture, or playing games, both of these phones handle all that without a problem.
You should not experience any lag, only occasional stutters, as on any other phone, but those are quite minimal as well. Qualcomm and TSMC did a great job with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and it shows. The two phones are also well-optimized.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 2: Battery
Spoiler alert, both of these phones do a good job in the battery department. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 includes a 4,400mAh unit, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 has a 4,500mAh battery on the inside. The difference is minimal, but the MIX Fold 2 does have noticeably larger displays. We cannot really talk about exact numbers, as your usage will differ from the user next to you. That is especially true when it comes to foldable smartphones.
If you end up using the main display all the time, doing your best to ignore the cover display, you’ll drain the battery really fast. If you end up using the two phones as most users would, combining the two, you’ll likely get a really good battery life. Intensive gaming can change that, but for the most part, these two phones offer good battery life. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 does seem to be a bit ahead in that regard, but this is a version without Google services, so… it’s not exactly a fair comparison.
When charging is concerned, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is more versatile, but the MIX Fold 2 offers faster charging. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 supports 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 comes with 67W wired charging only. Do note that Samsung’s smartphone does not include a charging brick, but Xiaomi’s does.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Xiaomi MIX Fold 2: Cameras
Both of these phones include a 50-megapixel main camera. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 also has a 10-megapixel telephoto unit, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 includes an 8-megapixel telephoto camera, and a 13-megapixel ultrawide unit. Are the pictures any good? Well, yes, they are, though they’re not the best around. Both phones are actually quite compelling in the audio department.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is an improvement compared to its predecessor. It delivers sharper photos, that are also more vivid at the same time. It also does a better job in low light. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 camera performance may not be on the same page as the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, but it’s not bad at all. Leica obviously does a great job, both with its lenses and photo styles. That phone provides really vivid photos, that perform really well in low light as well.
The telephoto camera on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 does a better job overall, and it offers more zoom. Ultrawide cameras are good on both phones, but the Galaxy Z Fold 4 probably has an advantage in this area as well, though the difference is not that big. All in all, both phones do take good pictures.
Audio
Those of you who expected an audio jack on these two phones, well, you’re out of luck. Neither one of them does, so you’ll have to use a Type-C port, or Bluetooth. Both phones include Bluetooth 5.2, which is a good thing.
Both devices do include stereo speakers, though. The ones on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 are tuned by AKG, while the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2’s are tuned by Harman Kardon. Both sets of speakers sound really nice. They’re loud and rich, and even provide some bass.