Phone Comparisons: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold

This time around we’re comparing two foldable smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold. These two foldable smartphones are the best the two companies have to offer in the foldable category. Truth be said, the Mi MIX Fold is Xiaomi’s only foldable smartphone. Samsung, on the other hand, has quite a few of them in their lineup, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the third-gen foldable for the company.

These two smartphones are quite different in a number of ways, but the general form factor is the same, pretty much. Both phones come with a large, foldable display, and a secondary panel on the outside. They both open up like a book, basically. We’ll start this comparison by listing their specifications, and will then compare the design, display, performance, battery, cameras, and audio aspects. Having said that, let’s kick off the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold comparison.

Specs

	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3	Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold
Screen size	Main: 7.6-inch fullHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Flex display (foldable, 120Hz) Secondary (Cover): 6.2-inch HD+ Super AMOLED display (flat, 120Hz)	Main: 8.01-inch AMOLED display (foldable, 60Hz) Secondary (Cover): 6.52-inch AMOLED display (flat, 90Hz)
Screen resolution	Main: 2208 x 1768 Secondary (Cover): 2268 x 832	Main: 2480 x 1860 Secondary (Cover): 2520 x 840
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM	12GB (LPDDR5)	12GB/16GB
Storage	256GB/512GB; non-expandable	256GB/512GB; non-expandable
Rear cameras	12MP (1.8um pixel size, Super Speed Dual Pixel OIS, f/1.8 aperture, 83-degree FoV) 12MP (1.0um pixel size, f/2.4 aperture, 45-degree view, 2x optical zoom, 10x digital zoom, telephoto) 12MP (1.12um pixel size, f/2.2 aperture, 123-degree FoV, ultra-wide)	108MP (f/1.8 aperture, wide-angle, 0.7um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF) 13MP (f/2.4 aperture, 123-degree FoV, ultrawide, 1.12um pixel size) 8MP (80mm lens, telephoto/macro, liquid lens, PDAF, 3x optical zoom)
Front cameras	Main: 4MP (f/1.8 aperture, 2.0um pixel size, 80-degree FoV) Secondary: 10MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size, 80-degree FoV)	20MP (27mm wide-angle lens, 0.8um pixel size)
Battery	4,500mAh, non-removable, 25W fast wired charging, 11W wireless charging, 4.5W Wireless PowerShare	5,020mAh, non-removable, 67W fast wired charging
Dimensions	Unfolded: 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4mm Folded: 158.2 x 67.1 x 16.0mm	Unfolded: 173.3 x 133.4 x 7.6mm Folded: 173.3 x 69.8 x 17.2mm
Weight	271 grams	317 grams (glass) 332 grams (ceramic)
Connectivity	5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, 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 11 One UI 2.5	Android 10 EMUI 12
Price	$1,799	$1,520 (China)
Buy	Samsung	Xiaomi (China only)

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Design

Both of these smartphones come with a frame made out of metal. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 includes glass on the back, while the Mi MIX Fold offers either a glass or ceramic backplate, depending on the version. They both open up like a book, and have two displays overall. The main, foldable ones, and a somewhat smaller cover display. The general form factor is pretty much the same, even though they look different.

The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold is considerably heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Its glass variant weighs 317 grams, while the ceramic one weighs 332 grams. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 weighs in at 271 grams. You’ll notice the weight difference, though both phones are quite heavy. Using either of these two phones with one hand is a chore, to say the least. When folded, you can use those cover displays with one hand, but you’ll get hand fatigue really quickly, not to mention that you’ll pinky finger will beg you to stop. All in all, both of these phones are meant to be used with two hands.

The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold is taller, wider, and thicker in both folded and unfolded formats. Both smartphones are quite slippery, as you’d expect considering their build materials. They do feel like really premium products in the hand, though. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 does look a bit more polished in our opinion, from the design perspective, but that’s to be expected as the Mi MIX Fold is Xiaomi’s very first foldable smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Display

As already mentioned, each of these smartphones has two displays. The main foldable unit, and a secondary panel that you can use when they’re folded. Let’s start with Samsung’s handset. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 features a 7.6-inch 2208 x 1768 foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display. That panel offers a 120Hz refresh rate, and its brightness peak is at 1,200 nits. This panel can project HDR10+ content, by the way. A 6.2-inch secondary display is included on the outside, and that is also a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. That panel is better protected, of course, as it comes with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold includes an 8.01-inch 2480 x 1860 Foldable AMOLED display. This panel supports 1 billion colors, and HDR10+ content. Its peak brightness is at 900 nits, and it doesn’t offer a high refresh rate. A 6.52-inch 2520 x 840 AMOLED panel is included on the outside. This panel also supports HDR10+ content, and it has a refresh rate of 90Hz. Dolby Vision support is included on both displays, by the way.

On paper, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 displays do look better, and they are better overall. The difference is not huge in terms of image reproduction, but it’s noticeable. All displays have good viewing angles, though Samsung’s get considerably brighter outside, especially the main one. A high refresh rate is also something you’ll notice in day-to-day usage, while the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s main panel also feels better in usage. It doesn’t feel as plasticky as the Mi MIX Fold’s does. This is one major improvement Samsung did in comparison to the Z Fold 2.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Performance

Both of these handsets are flagship-grade, so you’d expect them to offer excellent performance, right? Well, yes, and they do. It’s a chore to get either of the two phones to slow down in the performance department, no matter how much strain you put on them. They do a great job in regular, day-to-day usage, even if you load up some graphically intensive games on them. They don’t get too hot either, though they can get fairly warm.

Both phones are equipped with the best Qualcomm has to offer at the moment, the Snapdragon 888. Truth be said, the Snapdragon 888+ got released a while back, but the difference between those two chips is not big at all. Both phones offer UFS 3.1 flash storage, and LPDDR5 RAM as well. All in all, they’re really well-equipped from the hardware standpoint, to say the least. All that is paired up with well-optimized software, though fairly different software. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 comes with Samsung’s One UI, while the Mi MIX Fold equips Xiaomi’s MIUI skin.

These two phones are excellent for multitasking, due to the large canvas that is included, and some features that are catered towards such usage. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is arguably better for such tasks, though, mainly because you can get an optional stylus for it. Compared with that stylus, this phone can become a productivity machine. Gaming is also quite pleasant on both, though the display ratio of the inner display is not either on either of them.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Battery

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 comes with a 4,400mAh battery. The Mi MIX Fold includes a somewhat larger battery pack, a 5,020mAh unit. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold does include larger displays, even though they have a lower refresh rate, so the larger battery capacity is not that surprising. When it comes to battery life, well, things could be better, especially for the Galaxy Z Fold 3, as power users may be a bit disappointed.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 battery life is nothing to write home about. We were able to get around 4.5-5 hours of screen on time, though we did use the main display quite a bit, that’s the whole point. Considering this phone is catered towards power users, basically, and that main display is there to be used, this is not great, far from it. The device does offer worse battery life than its predecessor, the Z Fold 2.

We didn’t get to fully test the Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold, but based on what we’ve seen, its battery life is considerably better than what the Z Fold 3 has to offer. Truth be said, the Mi MIX Fold got released with Chinese software only, so we can’t really directly compare its battery life to what the Z Fold 3 has to offer.

In regards to charging, well, the Mi MIX Fold charging is faster, while the Z Fold 3 is more versatile in that regard. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 offers 25W wired charging, 11W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold supports 67W fast wired charging, and that’s it. The phone does not offer wireless charging, nor reverse (wireless) charging. It does recharge much faster than the Galaxy Z Fold 3 via wired charging, though.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold: Cameras

Camera setups on these two phones are vastly different in comparison. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 brings three 12-megapixel cameras on the back. It has a 10-megapixel unit on the cover display, and a 4-megapixel under-display camera on the main panel. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold, on the flip side, includes a 108-megapixel main camera on the back, backed by 13 and 8-megapixel units. A 20-megapixel unit is included on its cover display, while there’s no camera on the main panel.

So, the camera experience these two phones can offer is good, but not the best. Both phones generally do a good job in good lighting, while they’re good in low light as well, but not as consistent as some other phones in the market. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 doesn’t do a particularly good job with edge detection in portrait photos, while it tends to overblow some highlights from time to time. The Mi MIX Fold can deliver washed-out images at times, though it’s great for the most part. The dynamic range is excellent on both phones. The Mi MIX Fold tends to provide slightly cooler photos than the Z Fold 3, as in they have a slightly more bluish tint to them.

A 20-megapixel selfie camera on the Mi MIX Fold performs really well in general, though the images it provides are not exactly all that saturated. A 10-megapixel camera on the Z Fold 3 is quite good, but the 4-megapixel one is not. That under-display camera provides washed-out images, and simply isn’t that good, especially for selfies. It’s also not completely hidden either, as you’ll see a sort of a web on top of it, especially when you use a bright background.

Audio

In case you were wondering about the audio performance here, you’ll be glad to know it’s good, great even. Both phones offer stereo speakers, the Z Fold 3 has two, while the Mi MIX Fold has four. Samsung’s offerings are tuned by AKG, while the Mi MIX Fold packs in Harman Kardon speakers. The audio both phones provide is rich, and really well-balanced. Both sets of speakers do get quite loud, though the Mi MIX Fold has the advantages in form of numbers, and does seem to be able to provide louder sound. The distortion is minimal in both cases, though you’ll have to tune the volume quite high in order to notice anything.

Neither of the two phones has a 3.5mm headphone jack. That’s something that you’d perhaps expect in devices that large, but neither Samsung nor Xiaomi decided to implement it. Both phones do support Bluetooth 5.2, though, so if you don’t want to mess around with dongles or Type-C headphones, you can always take advantage of a wireless connection.