Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 2 vs Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4: foldable smartphones compared. Which is better?

We take a look at how the two latest foldable smartphones from Xiaomi and Samsung compare when it comes to design, features, performance and battery

While the Xiaomi’s hardware looks superior, Samsung’s hinge feels sturdier. Likewise, Samsung’s software can do more – even if Xiaomi’s is better looking

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Who made the better foldable smartphone, Xiaomi or Samsung? We take a look at the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 (right) and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. Photo: Ben Sin

Published: 5:15pm, 29 Aug 2022

Xiaomi’s launch of its Mix Fold 2 less than a day after Samsung introduced the Galaxy Z Fold 4 earlier this month shows that competition in the foldable smartphone market is heating up.

At first glance, and going purely by its hardware, the Chinese release seems more impressive – but how does it stack up against its rival from the South Korean electronics giant?

Design and hardware

Both Samsung’s Galaxy Fold 4 and Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 2 are devices that fold like a book, and while Samsung practically invented this form factor, the Xiaomi phone trumps Samsung’s in several key areas.

The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 (right) can fold entirely shut while the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 cannot. Photo: Ben Sin

The first and most important: Xiaomi managed to shave significant thickness and weight off its Mix Fold 2, resulting in a device that seems impossibly thin when unfolded (5.4mm or 0.2 inches, barely thicker than the USB-C port housed at the bottom of the device), and only 11.2mm when closed like a book (this is barely thicker than an iPhone 13 Pro Max with a case).

This sleek design is an engineering marvel; all previous foldable phones of this type, including Samsung’s new Fold 4, felt significantly thicker than a normal phone when folded. The gap in size is compounded by the fact that Samsung’s foldables still cannot fold entirely flat, while Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 2 can fold shut.

The Fold 4 (left) is officially rated IPX8 for water resistance, while Xiaomi’s phone has no such rating. Photo: Ben Sin

Then there is the folding screen: both panels are of similar technology – plastic OLED panels covered by a layer of “ultra-thin glass” – but the difference in hinge designs means Samsung’s display still exhibits a harsh crease that can be felt by touch, while Xiaomi’s crease is fainter and harder to notice. If we are just looking at the foldable aspects, Xiaomi’s hardware looks objectively superior.

But Samsung notches victories in several areas. The Fold 4 is officially rated IPX8 for water resistance, while Xiaomi’s phone has no such rating.

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