Xiaomi vs Huawei | Which is Better?

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Stuck between choosing Xiaomi or Huawei for your next smartphone? Check out which brand is better in the Xiaomi vs Huawei comparison.

Although I have been quite partial to Xiaomi and its products, I have used other phones like Huawei over the years as well and they are quite good, to be honest. From personal experience, I’ve seen that both companies have their specializations.

For example, while Xiaomi dominates the Internet of things ecosystem and software to a certain degree, Huawei is the king when it comes to manufacturing and overall market experience. Xiaomi and Huawei have been duking it out for as long as I can remember and have been extremely close in their race to the top. So, check out our guide on Xiaomi vs Huawei for all the details.

The race to the top has been quite close. With Samsung and Apple alternating between numbers 1 and 2, Xiaomi has always stagnated in the 4th position while Huawei has maintained a consistent 3rd. It was only earlier this year, that Xiaomi managed to push Huawei down for the first time in overall sales.

Although it is a great accomplishment for the company, this “win” doesn’t really apply to a battle between their smartphones. And this is what we’ll be looking at today. Here’s our specific take on Xiaomi vs Huawei.

Related: Xiaomi vs Samsung

Xiaomi vs Huawei

When it comes to a question which is better? It’s honestly complicated. While it is easy to compare specs between the manufacturers, both consumer electronics giants have unique factors that really set them apart. For example:

Business Model

Although both companies specialize in selling multiple phones in the low to mid-range market, their goals are quite different.

• Xiaomi doesn’t focus isn’t actually on selling smartphones. Their grand vision is actually selling multiple digital products through their smartphones. They want to emulate Apple in this regard and sell things similar to Apple pay, and iTunes through their phones. So, arguably they haven’t doubled down on the Hardware.

• Huawei on the other hand is much different. They are a traditional Smartphone manufacturer with years of experience in their manufacturing process. So, as you can imagine their polar opposite expertise results in Amazing quality phones with a superior build. Most importantly, they also have amazing logistics, unlike Xiaomi which primarily Distributes its products online.

• Unlike Huawei, Xiaomi’s International game is strong. While Huawei is primarily focused on the local market and a few other countries, Xiaomi has taken over countries like India and completely dominated all the low and mid-segment sales. So, in terms of overall international market share, Xiaomi is a step ahead. Most importantly, they dominate the low to mid-smartphone spaces with their Aggressive prices.

Verdict: In terms of the Business model we’ve determined Xiaomi to be the winner as they have a lot more potential to grow as a company.

Marketing

When it comes to marketing their products, both companies are quite different. Huawei has taken the more traditional approach of old-school advertisements, using A-list celebrities as brand ambassadors, and even using large-scale events to showcase their products. Huawei is also amazing when it comes to on-ground campaigns.

• They have creates massive on-ground campaigns using billboards. Huawei isn’t just the poster child for the traditional market but a great example of what you can achieve when the traditional market is done right on a global scale.

• Xiaomi On the other hand is the polar opposite when it comes to its marketing strategy. They primarily focus on marketing through Internet channels and barely have any traditional campaigns. Not only has Xiaomi doubled down on their internet marketing strategy using Ads and other methods but they have also traded in the traditional A-list celebrity Brand ambassadors for small-scale social media influencers. Not only does this help in generating loads of sales but it also causes community-level engagement.

• This is why even though Xiaomi is barely a decade old, it has still managed to grow to the level of Huawei and even overtake it in under 10 years. Their strategy proves that not only is it working for them but it is the strategy with the most potential.

Verdict: This is why when it comes to marketing Xiaomi Is the clear winner. Xiaomi is also dominating them with their

Customer Service

Customer service is a huge deal. Not only does it entail the financial transaction and delivery of the smartphone but also the service they provide once the product is purchased.

• When it comes to customer service Huawei depends on their local warehouses to fulfill orders and with them having strong logistics, there are virtually no issues from the payment process all the way to the delivery.

• Xiaomi on the other hand has a relatively weaker transaction process. because they primarily ship from China or one or two locations in a different country. Their shipping charges are quite high. They also take a much longer time to deliver because they deliver it through third-party services.

• When it comes to the service they provide after the purchase of the product Huawei is clearly on another level precisely due to their many centers. Unlike Xiaomi which barely has a few.

Verdict: So, when it comes to Customer service Huawei is the clear winner.

Xiaomi vs Huawei: Flagships

Xiaomi 12S Ultra vs Huawei Mate 50 Pro

The Xiaomi 12S UItra and the Huawei Mate 50 Pro are each brand’s newest flagships. Both phones offer some of the best specs in a smartphone. You will get awesome displays, superfast performance, and outstanding cameras regardless of which one you choose. 

Both smartphones have identical screen specs. The 12S Ultra features a 6.73-inch AMOLED screen compared to the 6.74inch AMOLED screen on Mate 50 Pro. Both screens are 10-bit and have a 120 Hz refresh rate. They are smooth, bright, vibrant, and amazing, can’t go wrong with either. 

Under the hood, both smartphones have the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and so both the Xiaomi 12S Ultra and the Huawei Mate 50 Pro perform similarly. However, you can get 12GBs of RAM if needed with the 12S Ultra. 

Cameras are where you will notice a difference between both smartphones, albeit a tiny one. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra has 50MP (Wide) + 48MP (Periscope) + 48MP (Ultrawide) setup while the Huawei Mate 50 Pro has a 50MP (Wide) + 64MP (Periscope) + 13MP (Ultrawide) setup. 

For photography, booth smartphones perform exceptionally well, however, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra has more natural bokeh thanks to its larger sensor. Huawei on the other hand has better video recording capabilities. And for selfies, the Huawei is a tad bit better with clarity and dynamic range. 

So far, both devices feel like an even match and that continues in the battery department too. Thanks to similar battery capacities, 4860 mAh on the Xiaomi and 4700 mAh on the Huawei, and the same processor, both last for a day and more.

Even the charging speeds are similar with the 12S Ultra supporting 67W wired and 50W wireless charging, compared to Huawei’s 66W wired and 50W wireless charging. This is pretty much the same in practical use. 

Overall, both the Xiaomi 12S Ultra and the Huawei Mate 50 Pro are amazing devices. They offer some of the most impressive camera technology and don’t have any obvious downsides. If I had to pick one, I would choose the Xiaomi 12S Ultra for its design and MIUI. But it’s super close!

Specifications

Parameters	Xiaomi 12S Ultra	Huawei Mate 50 Pro
Design
Display	6.73 inches AMOLED Display	6.74 inches AMOLED Display
Processor	Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1	Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
Cameras	50MP (Wide) + 48MP (Periscope) + 48MP (Ultrawide)	50MP (Wide) + 64MP (Periscope) + 13MP (Ultrawide)
RAM	8/12 GB	8 GB
Storage	256/512 GB	256/512 GB
Battery	4,860 mAh	4,700 mAh
Pros	Excellent display for content consumption. Speedy performance for gaming and productivity. Amazing cameras.	Awesome display for outdoors and indoors No compromises performance Amazing cameras for any situation and condition
Cons	Charging technology could have been better. No secondary screen on the back, unlike its predecessor.	Charging could have been better

Smartphones

When it comes to a comparison of Xiaomi and Huawei Smartphones, it’s not straightforward as they dominate two completely different aspects.

• While Xiaomi has brilliant software and UI/UX, it also comes with a relatively weak build. Even the software comes with a bit of bloatware. Huawei, on the other hand, has a great build and design. However, it doesn’t have a good UI. In fact, it doesn’t have google digital products which is the worst drawback.

Verdict: When it comes to smartphones, Xiaomi takes the cake.

Xiaomi vs Huawei – Cameras

There is one aspect where there is no competition and that is cameras. Huawei wins this hands down, with no questions asked. The Huawei Mate series and P series have incredible Leica cameras that are the best in the world. In fact, Huawei competes with the likes of Apple when it comes to the Camera.

Xiaomi’s camera phones have only gotten better in the recent past and the Mi 11 Ultra is a good example of an amazing camera smartphone. But neck to neck with Huawei? It’s no match!

Xiaomi Vs Huawei: Pricing

Xiaomi and Huawei generally target different audiences at different price points. Xiaomi does better for budget-conscious buyers, while Huawei targets a premium audience more. 

Across all its smartphones, Xiaomi has priced them appropriately making them the better brand for customers who want the most value for their money. This doesn’t mean Huawei has bad pricing, they are just slightly more expensive for what you get. 

Xiaomi vs Huawei: Software

This is a slam dunk for Xiaomi as the brand is not hit with bans in the US and by Google. Xiaomi can use Google apps and services on their smartphones and other devices, while Huawei can’t. Google services are amazing and the alternatives offered by Huawei are not up to the same level. And the cross-platform integration of Google is simply unmatched. Xiaomi easily wins in terms of Software.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra vs Huawei P40 Pro Plus

Huawei’s P-series has been going toe to toe with the flagships from both Samsung and Apple. In fact, this series which is known for its camera came extremely close to ranking first last year. However, everything changed when Xiaomi launched the Mi 11 series this year. Now it’s become a full-blown brawl between the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra vs Huawei P40 Pro Plus. Both are camera phones and are extremely close in build and specs. So, which phone is the ultimate winner? Let’s find out.

• Since both phones are known for their cameras, let’s compare both and determine the best. The cameras of both phones are pretty out of this world. The Huawei P40 Pro Plus has a Penta camera setup, while the Mi 11 has 3. While this seemingly has sorted out the winner. Determining the winner depends on a lot of other factors.

• For example, while both have wide-angle cameras Huawei has night vision while Xiaomi is still in the process of developing this feature for its device. However, when it comes to HDR and video stabilization Xiaomi is far ahead of Huawei. Huawei also has a feature that lets it automatically set the exposure which Xiaomi clearly lacks. This is an extremely useful and important feature.

Verdict: It’s a draw. Both have their pros and cons with neither dominating the other with their camera.

Xiaomi vs Huawei – Overall Verdict

Although it is a relatively close competition. Xiaomi as a business is the winner. However, when it comes to the question of the smartphones themselves, it’s honestly a draw. Or rather a question of personal preference. If you are purely looking for a camera phone with a good design then Huawei is worth investing in. However, if your looking for a good performance-based phone then Xiaomi is at the top.

Overview of Xiaomi

Xiaomi is a Chinese multinational consumer electronics giant based in Beijing. Although famous for primarily being a smartphone manufacturer, Xiaomi is also known for its prowess in the IoT/ Smart home space. They’ve taken of the home appliances market among many others like laptops, cameras, and apparel with their numerous sub-brands.

Overview of Huawei

Unlike Xiaomi that’s less than a decade old, Huawei has been in the communications game since the 1980s. They have been a leading global provider of smart devices and communication technology-related products/infrastructure. With over 190,000 employees, this traditional company operates in more than 170 countries and serves close to 3 billion people.

Is Xiaomi better than Huawei?

Honestly, as a company, Xiaomi has the most growth potential. However, considering real-time data, Huawei is dominating the flagship space with its brilliant hardware and design, While Xiaomi is dominating the low and mid-range space. When it boils down to the specifics, Xiaomi is great when it comes to software and UI/UX and Huawei is great at the build quality. So, it actually is a conundrum and a very personal question. If you’re into camera and hardware then Huawei is your phone. However, if performance and UI.UX is your thing then Xiaomi is the absolute best.

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