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
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
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.
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.
Samsung’s hinge also feels sturdier and can stay in place at any angle (like a laptop hinge). This opens up more functional uses, as Samsung’s foldable can essentially serve as its own tripod, allowing the camera lenses to point at any angle within a 180-degree radius.
The Fold 4 also supports stylus input, though you must buy Samsung’s specific version.
The phones’ camera hardware is similar enough, with Samsung taking the edge with its zoom lens (it has a 3X zoom to Xiaomi’s 2X zoom), and the processor powering both phones is identical: Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1.
Overall, Xiaomi takes the win in look and feel, but the Samsung is more versatile and seemingly durable in the hardware department.
Software and features
Both phones run Android 12 with each brand’s flavour of Android on top. As with the hardware, Xiaomi’s MIUI is the more aesthetically pleasing in my opinion, with smoother, more whimsical animations and livelier wallpapers.
Samsung’s software is more utilitarian, and can do more things. For example, while both UIs take advantage of the tablet-sized screen when folded out for multitasking, Samsung’s system is a bit more robust – it allows users to run two apps in both vertical or horizontal split-screen mode whereas Xiaomi’s can only do the former.
Samsung also has DeX, a sandbox UI that outputs Windows-like set-up to an external monitor. The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 cannot output to an external monitor at all because it uses an older USB 2.0 standard.
And because the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 is only officially sold in China, Google apps do not come pre-installed. These can be installed easily, but are not integrated into the core UI of the Mix Fold 2 the way they are in Samsung’s Fold 4.
Performance and battery life
The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 has given me slightly better battery life because of the combination of a slightly larger battery and more aggressive software optimisation, but Samsung’s battery life is fine. Both phones can finish a full 12- or 13-hour day with plenty of juice left.
Conclusion
It’s hard to pick a clear winner. Xiaomi scores in the technical aspects – the fact it managed to make a foldable phone this light and thin – but Samsung’s software is more polished and refined.
Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 2, which starts at 8,999 yuan (US$1,310), is also priced more attractively than Samsung’s, priced at US$1,800 or equivalent in most regions (in Hong Kong, its official retail price is HK$15,598). But this price gap only matters for those living in China. Importing the Mix Fold 2 is an option, but that drives up the price, and there is no warranty.
Ultimately, Xiaomi’s foldable flexes its hardware prowess, but Samsung’s Z Fold 4 is still the mainstream foldable most interested consumers should buy.