Weeks after it was revealed to the public, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is real and the upper circle of the 2024 range is close to closing (only Huawei is missing). We indicated in the beginning of our article Compared to the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, it is actually a continuous mobile.Although it doesn’t take away how great this could be. Plus, it’s a path other giants like Samsung and Apple have been following for years.
Speaking of giants, Xiaomi’s ultra-premium smartphone needs to start justifying its value if it hopes to gain a foothold in the market. What is the best way to do this? Comparing him to his peers. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the most complete terminals ever created for Android, so it plays in the same league as Xiaomi. Which of them should you buy? You will find it below in this comparison of Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
Specifications Comparison Chart: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Practically the same design as last year, but the details make the difference (and in favor of the Galaxy S24 Ultra)
When we point out the continuity between the big brands, the most obvious thing is the design, although you will find it in other elements of this pair. Both the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and the Galaxy S24 Ultra are almost carbon copies of the previous generation, with very minor changes that don’t make a big difference.
On the one hand, Xiaomi has once again opted for a giant circular camera module, although we like it a lot. Now there are not only one, but four colors, three with vegan leather (black, gray and white) and one with a glass back (blue). In the case of the Galaxy, we find again the design seen from the S22 UltraAlthough this time the glass backs are available in seven different colors.
Both devices have IP68 protection, but the rest is where the similarity ends, because the rest comes with numbers. Why do we say that? Check out the following points.
Titanium Structural Frames: It is one of the great novelties of both, but it is available in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra only in a special and more expensive version. Of course, Xiaomi uses grade 5 titanium and Samsung uses grade 2. Sound: Both have hi-res stereo speakers, but eXiaomi has 24-bit sound and Samsung has 32-bit. Protective Tempered Glass: Xiaomi 14 Ultra uses Dragon Crystal Glass, which is stronger than Gorilla Glass Victos. However, the Galaxy S24 is playing in a different league without the Ultra Gorilla Glass armor.
Finally, remember that the Galaxy S24 Ultra has an S Pen, a feature you won’t find in its rival. Considering this and everything above, the design point remains in Samsung.
The screens are the same, but brighter!
Like the design, the screens of this pair of mobile phones will receive a few changes compared to their 2023 counterparts. In fact, the only new feature is that they are brighter and the Galaxy S24 Ultra abandons the concave panel to change to a flat one.
In both cases we are talking about AMOLED screens 120 Hz adaptive refresh rates, QHD+ and HDR10+ resolution. However, Samsung offers a maximum of 2600 nits and Xiaomi’s 3000 nits 15% more brightness. This small detail gives the point to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, although it is not a relevant difference.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in both beasts, but Xiaomi takes the lead with up to 16 GB of RAM
It’s really absurd to talk about power at these market levels, as all the devices have amazing performance. There isn’t an app or game below the top of the range, but we’re here to find the best, right?
The first thing you need to know is that both phones have Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the best Qualcomm chip at the moment. However, the performance of this pair is not exactly the same, although we can talk about technical correlation.
the reason? As shown in the graphs below, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is 9% better than the Galaxy S24 Ultra in AnTuTu 10. But in the Geekbench 6 single-core test, the roles are reversed, with Samsung outperforming Xiaomi by 12 percent. in other words: Depending on the reference, one or the other will be superiorBut the truth is they are very equal.
Now, does it change when we put other variables into the equation? If we talk about storage, no, because both UFS 4.0 chips have 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB. But there are differences with RAM, both have LPDDR5X, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra is sold with only 12 GB and the Xiaomi with 12 or 16 GB. This last configuration helps in multitasking situations, an advantage that should not be overlooked.
Although Android 14 is on both, the software battle is won by Samsung due to the long support period
Both the Xiaomi 14 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra launched with Android 14, so they are equal. However, their respective customization layers separate them a bit and support ends up deciding the battle in this segment.
It has proven countless times that a UI is a customization layer designed for productivity. live Excellent multi-window systemThe best resource management and SPen-compatible apps for multitasking.
Meanwhile, HyperOS as a new layer still has to prove its worth, but it already stands out in two areas: first, the excellent level of customization that comes from MIUI; And second, that It is specially designed for communication. Among modern devices.
In other words, both layers have something of their own: a UI to work independently and excel. HyperOS to control other gadgets. Depending on what you choose, one or the other will work for you.
Now, Samsung’s tipping point is after-sales support. Xiaomi offers four years of Android updates Maintenance for your terminal (up to Android 18) and an additional year. Meanwhile, Samsung has jumped on the Google bandwagon and will update the Galaxy S24 Ultra for seven years, up to Android 21 and patches.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra cameras look better on paper, but we need to see more
After its recent launch, we still don’t have a photographic comparison of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. With that in mind, we can stay strictly technical, but first you need to know two things.
The first thing is that both devices have very similar cameras to their 2023 counterparts. In fact, only the main camera in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra changes, from the Sony IMX989 sensor to the Sony LYT-900, both 50 MP. Meanwhile, on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, only the periscopic telephoto lens changes, going from 10MP (IMX754) to 50MP (IMX854). The rest of the cameras are repeated.
Another thing you should know is that last year there was a connection between the previous generation devices. Galaxy S23 Ultra and Xiaomi 13 Ultra scored 140 points each. In DxOMark tests, so they are equal. In the year We will see the same situation in 2024, but until then we cannot leave only technical aspects. This is how everyone’s camera works:
Main camera: 50 MP Sony LYT-900 sensor for Xiaomi and 200 MP Samsung HP2 for Galaxy. The opening of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is slightly higher (f / 1.6 vs. f / 1.7) and variable (up to f / 4.0), allowing better passage and management of light to the sensor. Samsung’s 200MP is joined to create 12MP images (by default), which helps improve quality. Periscopic telephoto lens: both with 50 MP sensors and 5x optical zoom. however, Xiaomi has more IMX858 than Samsung IMX854., as well as a much better aperture (f/2.5 vs. f/3.4) and Dual Pixel PDAF. Telephone lens: Xiaomi 14 Ultra uses IMX858But this time with a better aperture (f/1.8) and 3.2x optical zoom. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is clearly underpowered with a 10MP IMX754 sensor, f/2.4 and 3x zoom. Ultra wide angle; Xiaomi again goes for 50 MP IMX858 with f / 1.8But this time with a viewing angle of 122º. Meanwhile, Samsung stuck with the 12 MP IMX564 f/2.2 and 120º field of view. Front Camera: Xiaomi equips a 32 MP sensor which looks better. however, The Galaxy has a better focusing system. (Dual Pixel PDAF) for the 12 MP sensor.
By the way, Xiaomi has optics and color correction made by Leica. Crystals are better quality than Samsung and give less distortion, color management is definitely superior.
In terms of battery, the difference is small, but Xiaomi beats the Galaxy three times in terms of charging
As always, the last part of the comparison is energy and Xiaomi wins in both parts of the analysis.
With a 5300 mAh battery, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has 6% more capacity than the Galaxy S24 Ultra (5000 mAh). It’s a small difference, but where it’s ugly is in charging.
Xiaomi has 90W fast charging and 80W wireless charging. Meanwhile, the Galaxy sticks to 45W and 15W respectively. We will talk Double the power of wired charging and more than five times the power of wireless chargingabsolute madness.
Conclusion: Should you buy Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Galaxy S24 Ultra?
At this point, it’s clear that both phones are monsters and very similar. On the one hand, the Galaxy S24 Ultra wins in design (better resistance, sound and S Pen) and software (productivity and support). On the other hand, Xiaomi wins with the screen, cameras and battery. The differences in performance are not significant, so let’s leave them equal.
So, we recommend you to go for one or the other depending on your needs. For example, if you want a versatile mobile with excellent functions for work, go for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. On the other hand, if you prefer more mobile Focused on multimedia, stay with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. And prices don’t matter? We have something to say about it.
At the time of writing this comparison, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is not yet available internationally, so we only know the price in China (from 6,499 yuan, with an exchange rate of 835 euros). Obviously this won’t be worth it in Spain, but let’s look back.
Xiaomi 13 Ultra is sold for 1,499 euros in the 12 GB + 512 GB version. We expect similar pricing this year, overcoming the RAM and storage differences. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24 Ultra starts at €1,459 for the 12GB + 256GB version. They are only 50 euros difference, so there is no change in our conclusion.
