Why Xiaomi’s 14 Ultra Could Shake Up the 2024 Flagship Race — But Still Can’t Beat Samsung

 Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: A 2024 Flagship Showdown

After nearly 14 years of Xiaomi sticking with their familiar MIUI software, the brand new Xiaomi 14 Ultra marks a bold reinvention. Featuring a powerhouse spec sheet, jaw-dropping AI features, and the fresh NextGen Hyper OS operating system, Xiaomi is aiming to take the crown for 2024’s most decked-out camera system. But how does it stack up against Samsung’s flagship, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which I’ve been using daily since launch?

PhotoCredit: Xioami.com

Let’s explore its features. 

PhotoCredit: Samsung.com

First Impressions: Unboxing and Build Quality

Samsung’s unboxing experience sets a high bar with practical touches: a frosted hard shell case included by default, a $20 saving and eco-friendly move, plus a 90W fast charger—double what Xiaomi offers. Critically, Samsung even includes a pre-installed screen protector, a small but meaningful detail often overlooked by other brands.

Xiaomi’s base package can’t quite match that, although they do offer a separately sold photography kit loaded with accessories like a leather-textured bacteria-resistant case, a mount for physical filters, and a lanyard slot. There’s also a grip accessory equipped with hardware camera controls and software features, which is a unique offering targeting power users.

Design and Ergonomics: Form Meets Function?

Xiaomi leans into a leather-like finish that’s both clean and grippy, enhancing everyday handling. The centrally-placed, symmetrical camera module is practical on flat surfaces. However, the cameras have become so massive and protruding that the device feels top-heavy—a concern echoed by many first-time users.

In contrast, Samsung’s design feels more balanced and refined, avoiding the uncomfortable heft that Xiaomi’s camera bump imposes. That camera module on the Xiaomi even interferes with wireless charging, complicating day-to-day use.

Display: Xiaomi’s Liquid Edge vs. Samsung’s Flat Brilliance

Xiaomi’s all-around liquid display is a visual delight, with glass that melts beautifully into all edges and corners, creating a sleek, futuristic look. It’s certainly more unique and interesting than Samsung’s flat display.

But when it comes to usability, Samsung has a slight edge: Xiaomi’s curved edges make edge gestures less reliable, while Samsung’s brightness surpasses Xiaomi’s despite nominal specs suggesting otherwise. Samsung also sports a world-class anti-reflective coating that significantly improves visibility outdoors without draining battery life.

Software Experience: Hyper OS vs. Samsung One UI

Xiaomi’s new Hyper OS is their first major rework after years of MIUI, promising fresh animations, efficiency, and deeper integration with Xiaomi’s ecosystem. Yet the initial experience is bittersweet.

While visually similar to MIUI, Hyper OS tries to mimic iOS without matching its polish or consistency. Worse, advertisements remain pervasive—on the lock screen, within recommended apps, and even in notifications—undermining the “reinvention” promise. Although most ads can be disabled, they leave a sour taste.

On the bright side, Hyper OS is ultra-lightweight, taking under 10GB of storage compared to Samsung’s 17GB. It also unlocks new lock screen customization, fluid animations, and, importantly, a lag-free experience.

Samsung’s One UI feels more polished, offering intuitive gesture controls and flexible notifications that can be dismissed or expanded easily. Customization options through Samsung’s Good Lock suite are nearly unlimited without needing deep technical know-how. The phone’s vibration motor blends hardware and software so seamlessly that typing feels tactile and satisfying.

Both OS’s are strong performers, but Samsung’s experience is more refined and user-friendly overall.

Software Support & Updates

Samsung leads decisively in update commitment, promising 7 years of major Android updates for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, a costly but valuable investment in longevity.

Xiaomi has improved to offering 4 years of updates, a welcome improvement but still behind Samsung’s industry-leading support. This gap in software support reflects Xiaomi’s ongoing challenge to fully compete at the flagship level.

Artificial Intelligence: Samsung’s Edge with Xiaomi’s Promise

Samsung delivers a suite of about 10 AI features from day one, blending practical and gimmicky tools. Xiaomi’s Hyper OS is built on AI foundations, with a noteworthy incoming feature called Hypermind set to automate tasks across Xiaomi devices, expected to launch soon.

Currently, Xiaomi has fewer AI features but includes impressive AI-powered video effects that let users easily apply tracked effects to clips—a task that traditionally takes hours using professional software.

Samsung wins here for sheer breadth of AI integration, but Xiaomi’s promising groundwork makes their future offerings exciting.

Performance & Thermals: Power vs. Heat

Both smartphones run the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, with Samsung benefiting from a custom-tuned, overclocked version optimized for their hardware. Xiaomi compensates with up to 16GB of RAM (Samsung maxes at 12GB), allowing more apps to run concurrently.

Thermals are a standout difference. During a 30-minute stress test, Samsung’s core temperature maxed at 44°C, while Xiaomi soared to 52°C. Externally, Xiaomi’s metal sides get noticeably hot, uncomfortably so.

Interestingly, Xiaomi maintains higher performance longer during stress but at the expense of greater heat—suggesting Xiaomi prioritizes raw power over long-term hardware protection.

This makes performance a tie, depending on whether you value sustained speed or cooler, gentler operation.

Battery Life and Charging: Faster Doesn’t Mean Longer

Here's where Samsung surprises: despite Xiaomi’s advantage in 90W wired charging versus Samsung’s 45W, and Xiaomi’s superior wireless and reverse wireless charging speeds, Samsung’s battery life lasts 10-15% longer in real-world use.

For users who charge overnight and want their phone to last all day, Samsung delivers a more reliable experience, overshadowing Xiaomi’s rapid charging tech.

Cameras: The Showstopper for Xiaomi

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s camera array is nothing short of massive, with every rear sensor boasting 50 megapixels and notably larger sensors than Samsung’s corresponding cameras.

This equates to more light capture and image quality potential. Thanks to a Leica collaboration, Xiaomi’s photos carry a distinctive, stylized look—softer, filmic, and cinematic. This contrasts with Samsung’s punchy, sharpened photos, with both styles excelling in different ways.

Xiaomi’s main, 3x, and 5x zoom cameras offer smooth lens switching without color shifts and deliver significantly more natural background blur, elevating portrait shots far beyond typical smartphone results.

Video quality from Xiaomi’s handset is also exceptional: detailed, color-accurate, and noise-controlled. However, Samsung maintains an edge in focusing speed and precision—especially important given Xiaomi’s large sensors.

Xiaomi also innovates with four microphones for enhanced audio capture and noise cancellation and features like variable aperture and a battery-powered camera grip accessory that improves ergonomics and offers hardware control.

Lastly, Xiaomi’s AI zoom technology, which upscales images taken at 120x zoom to create legible photos, is mind-blowing—though not perfect. It raises fascinating questions about what constitutes “real” photography when details are AI-generated.

Final Verdict: Samsung Ahead, Xiaomi a Worthy Challenger

On almost every front—build quality, display usability, software polish, update support, thermal management, and battery life—Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra holds a clear edge.

However, if you’re passionate about photography and want a flagship experience with an innovative, Leica-backed camera system, Xiaomi’s 14 Ultra makes a compelling proposition, especially with exclusive accessories that enhance the shooting experience.

So in the 2024 flagship battle, Samsung leads overall, but Xiaomi’s daring reinvention and camera tech make it a fascinating contender for enthusiasts willing to sacrifice a bit of polish for photographic excellence.