Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Xiaomi 12
34.4Performance43.2
49.1Display47.7
40.8Camera47
36.9Battery62.5
78.7Features65.3
6 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S2110 spec wins — Xiaomi 12
InnoReviews verdict
Xiaomi 12 wins this phone face-off, 50.9 to 43.6, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+26) and performance (+9). Samsung Galaxy S21 still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21
- Stronger features score: 79 vs 65
- 33% higher OS update pledge: 4 years vs 3 years
- 18% higher Peak brightness: 1,300 nits vs 1,100 nits
- Has eSIM — the other doesn't
Reasons to pick the Xiaomi 12
- Stronger performance score: 43 vs 34
- Stronger camera score: 47 vs 41
- Stronger battery score: 63 vs 37
- 317% higher Main camera: 50 MP vs 12 MP
- 233% higher Wireless charging: 50 W vs 15 W
Display
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.2 ″ | 6.28 ″+1% |
| Panel type | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2400x1080 | 2400x1080 |
| Pixel density | 421 ppi | 419 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,300 nits+18% | 1,100 nits |
| AnTuTu 10 (CPU) | 252,025Top 94% | — |
| AnTuTu 10 (GPU) | 127,819Top 79% | — |
| AnTuTu 10 (Memory) | 144,909Top 91% | — |
| AnTuTu 10 (UX) | 221,794Top 88% | — |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2100 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| AnTuTu 10 | 746,547Top 66% | 1,150,000+54%Top 37% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,430Top 52% | 1,720+20%Top 43% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 3,550Top 56% | 4,300+21%Top 45% |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 128GB / 256GB | 128GB / 256GB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 |
Camera
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 50 MP+317% |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.9 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 13 MP+8% |
| Telephoto | 64 MP | — |
| Max video | 8K@24fps | 8K@24fps |
| Front camera | 10 MP | 32 MP+220% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4,000 mAh | 4,500 mAh+13% |
| Wired charging | 25 W | 67 W+168% |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 50 W+233% |
Design
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 171 g+5% | 180 g |
| Thickness | 7.9 mm+4% | 8.2 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | — |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 12 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 2.0 |
| eSIM | Yes | No |
Software
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 12 |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) | Android 12 (MIUI 13) |
| OS update pledge | 4 years+33% | 3 years |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |