Do note that we’ll be comparing the Galaxy Z Flip 5G here, not the regular Z Flip. The two devices are quite similar, though, but they do come with different SoCs, and the sheer 5G connectivity factor is different. Still, they’re very similar, so the vast majority of what is said here appeals to the Z Flip as well. Having said that, we’ll compare the two phones across a number of categories, starting by listing their specifications. Let’s start the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold comparison, shall we.
Specs
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Design
The differences in design are easily notable here. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G folds vertically, while the Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold folds horizontally. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G is a lot smaller when folded, than the Mi MIX Fold in that very same state. As already mentioned, one is a phone that folds, the other is essentially a tablet that folds. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G comes with a frame made out of metal, and a glass backplate. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold also has a frame made out of metal, while its back comes with glass or ceramic, depending on the model.
The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold is a bit taller than the Z Flip 5G, when the Z Flip 5G is unfolded. When it’s folded, it’s a completely different story. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold is a bit narrower than the Z Flip 5G when folded, though. When they’re both folded, they’re almost the same when it comes to thickness. They’re also quite similar in that regard when unfolded, which is interesting. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold is a lot heavier than the Galaxy Z Flip 5G. It weighs either 317 or 332 grams, depending on the variant, compared to 183 grams of the Z Flip 5G. Both devices are quite slippery, though the Z Flip 5G is a lot easier to use with one hand. It will also cause less hand fatigue. The Mi MIX Fold is meant to be used with two hands, there’s no way around it. It’s a completely different experience even holding these two smartphones. They are quite a bit different from the design perspective. It all depends what you’re looking for, as they’re aimed at completely different types of users.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Display
Both of these phones have two displays. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G features a 6.7-inch fullHD+ (2636 x 1080) main display. This is a foldable Dynamic AMOLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate. It supports HDR10+ content. The second panel on the phone is considerably smaller. It measures 1.1 inches, and it’s a Super AMOLED display. It’s located on the back of the device, next to the phone’s rear-facing cameras. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold, on the other hand, comes with an 8.01-inch main display with fullHD+ (2480 x 1860) resolution. This is a foldable AMOLED display, which can project 1 billion colors, and supports HDR10+ content. It also comes with Dolby Vision support, but it’s a 60Hz display. The second panel on the phone serves as the main display when the phone is folded. It is an AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision support. We’re looking at a screen resolution of 2520 x 840 here. That display is quite tall and narrow, it has a 27:9 aspect ratio. Displays on both smartphones are really good. The main display on the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, and both on the Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold do project really rich colors, deep blacks, and good viewing angles. It is worth noting that the main display is considerably more prone to damaging, though, especially the one on the Mi MIX Fold, as it comes with a layer of plastic on top of the display. The Z Flip 5G is not much better in that regard, even though it has UTG on top of its display. The point is, you’ll have to be careful with the main displays on both phones. That is to be expected for foldables these days, though.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Performance
The performance on both smartphones is really good, as you’d expect. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G comes with the Snapdragon 865+ SoC, while the Mi MIX Fold includes a newer Snapdragon 888 SoC. Both of those chips are performance machines, and the difference in performance is not something you’ll see in use. They’re partnered with fast storage, UFS 3.0 flash storage in the case of the Z Flip 5G, and UFS 3.1 in the case of the Mi MIX Fold. Both phones have more than enough RAM as well. The Z Flip 5G comes with 8GB, while the Mi MIX Fold comes with either 12 or 16GB of RAM. In regards to regular, everyday tasks, such as browsing, opening / closing apps, multimedia consumption, shooting images, and so on, both phones perform great. You’ll hardly see any stutter in their performance. Do note that the global variant of the Mi MIX Fold was not available at the time of writing this article, only the Chinese one. So we’ll have to wait and see how the global model performs, but chances are it will be similar to the Chinese variant. Even if you’re planning to do some gaming on these two phones, it can easily be done from a performance standpoint. I did feel a bit odd gaming on foldable smartphones as their main displays do feel a bit different under the finger compared to regular ones. Still, the experience is really good on both phones, as there’s much canvas to work with, not to mention that both are more than powerful enough to handle pretty much every game for Android.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Battery
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G comes with a 3,300mAh battery. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold, on the other hand, offers a 5,020mAh battery pack. The Mi MIX Fold’s battery is considerably larger, but that’s not surprising considering that device has two large displays, one of which has a high refresh rate. Battery life on both phones is quite good, though, even though the Mi MIX Fold offers a bit more in that regard. Do note that the Mi MIX Fold still did not arrive in a global variant, and the Chinese model doesn’t have Google services, so it’s a bit hard to judge at the moment. Regardless, for most users, both of these smartphones will be more than enough during the day. The Z Flip 5G can provide over 5 hours of screen-on-time, depending on your usage, of course. The Mi MIX Fold goes over 6 hours of screen-on-time with ease, and can push well over that number. Those numbers will depend on your usage. Not only what apps you’re using, but if you’re gaming, which display you use more, and so on. So, your mileage may differ quite considerably compared to these numbers. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G supports 15W wired charging, and 9W wireless charging. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold, on the other hand, comes with 67W fast wired charging support. It does not support wireless charging. The Mi MIX Fold clearly offers much faster charging than the Z Flip 5G, but it does not come with wireless charging. So, there’s a tradeoff on both sides, it all depends on what you need.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G includes two 12-megapixel cameras on the back (main and ultra-wide), and a single 10-megapixel unit on the front (its main display). The Mi MIX Fold has three cameras on the back, including a 108-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel telephoto / macro one, and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide one. A single 20-megapixel camera sits on the front side of this phone, on its main display.
That being said, the camera performance on both phones is quite good. Neither of them are the best out there, though. During the daytime, both phones capture really good photos with plenty of detail, good dynamic range, nice colors, and plenty of sharpness. Oversharpening is not an issue with either phone, luckily. Telephoto shots are better on the Mi MIX Fold, as it has a telephoto camera, while ultra-wide shots are excellent on both. When it comes to low-light shots, well, things are a bit different. Both phones do allow enough light to enter a shot, but the Mi MIX Fold tends to mute colors a bit. Colors are more pronounced on the Z Flip 5G. You won’t notice much grain on either phone, while they do a good job in general. There are quite a few phones out there that do a better job in low light, though. Both of these can compete without a problem, though.
Audio
The audio department is… well, dominated by the Mi MIX Fold. That handset comes with four Harman Kardon speakers, while the Galaxy Z Flip 5G has a single speaker tuned by AKG. That single speaker is really good, but when you compare it to the setup on the Mi MIX Fold, it’s less than impressive. The sound from the Mi MIX Fold’s speaker is not only louder, but it’s richer / deeper, without a doubt. The difference is quite noticeable. There is no audio jack on either one of these smartphones. You’ll have to utilize a Type-C port, or connect your headphones via Bluetooth. Speaking of which, Bluetooth 5.0 is included on the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, while the Mi MIX Fold offers Bluetooth 5.2 connection. The sound coming from a good pair of headphones will be more than good for most people. Audiophiles may have some complaints, though, but that would be the case with pretty much every smartphone.
