Xiaomi MIX FOLD 3 vs Samsung Fold5: Which is better
What's the story
Xiaomi has launched its third-generation foldable smartphone in an attempt to up the ante against Samsung, the South Korean conglomerate that currently leads the foldable smartphone segment globally. The MIX FOLD 3 shares a lot in common with the Galaxy Z Fold5, including the form factor and Qualcomm's flagship chipset. Let's see if Xiaomi's flagship foldable can outperform Samsung's new and refined offering.
Design
Both phones have a side-mounted fingerprint reader
The MIX FOLD 3 uses Xiaomi's proprietary hinge technology with a 3-stage connecting rod. The Galaxy Z Fold5 has what Samsung calls a 'Flex Hinge.' Both sport an inward-folding design, with a minimal gap between the two halves. Xiaomi's model is slimmer when folded (10.86mm v/s 13.4mm) or unfolded (5.26mm v/s 6.1mm). However, it is marginally heavier (259g v/s 253g) than Samsung's Fold5.
Display
They get Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on the outside
The MIX FOLD 3 packs an 8.03-inch QHD+ OLED foldable display with LTPO technology and a 6.56-inch Full-HD+ AMOLED cover screen. Both support HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and 2,600-nits peak brightness. The Galaxy Z Fold5 has a 7.6-inch QHD+ AMOLED main screen with HDR10+ and 1,750-nits brightness, and a 6.2-inch HD+ cover screen. Both phones offer up to 120Hz refresh rate for their displays.
Cameras
The MIX FOLD 3 flaunts a 5x periscope zoom lens
The MIX FOLD 3 boasts LEICA-tuned quar cameras, consisting of 50MP (OIS) main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP (OIS, 3.2x) telephoto, and 10MP (OIS, 5x) periscope lens. It features a 20MP camera on the outer and inner screens. The Galaxy Z Fold5 includes a 50MP (OIS) main, 12MP ultra-wide, and 12MP (OIS, 3x) telephoto sensors. It has 10MP (outer) and 4MP (inner, under-display) cameras.
Internals
MIX FOLD 3 packs bigger battery and offers faster charging
The MIX FOLD 3 and Galaxy Z Fold5 are powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, configured with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. They boot Android 13 with MIUI Fold 14 and One UI 5.1.1, respectively. The Xiaomi model has a bigger battery (4,800mAh v/s 4,400mAh), along with faster wired (67W v/s 25W) and wireless charging (50W v/s 15W) than the Fold5.
Price
What about the pricing and availability?
The MIX FOLD 3 starts at CNY 8,999 (roughly Rs. 1,03,600) for the 12GB/256GB trim and goes up to CNY 10,999 (around Rs. 1,26,700) for the 16GB/1TB variant. It will go on sale in China starting August 16. The Fold5 will be available in India from August 18, starting at Rs. 1,54,999 for 12GB/256GB and going up to Rs. 1,84,999 for the 12GB/1TB configuration.
Verdict
Xiaomi's foldable is better but its availability remains a concern
Xiaomi's MIX FOLD 3 offers better value for your money but unfortunately, it will remain exclusive to China, meaning you won't find it in other markets. When compared to the Galaxy Z Fold5, the phone offers a slimmer design, a better camera system, more RAM, a bigger battery, and faster charging. It is also less expensive.