Head to head

Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S24

Xiaomi 14 Ultra leads 13 to 1 on the 14 rankable specs, but Samsung Galaxy S24 costs $600 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: Xiaomi 14 Ultra lists 219.8 g (Xiaomi sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 167 g (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: Xiaomi 14 Ultra lists 6.73 inches (Xiaomi sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 6.2 inches (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: Xiaomi 14 Ultra lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) (Xiaomi sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S24 lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: Xiaomi 14 Ultra lists 16 GB LPDDR5X (Xiaomi sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 8 GB (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: Xiaomi 14 Ultra lists 5x optical (up to 120x digital) (Xiaomi sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 3x optical (30x digital Space Zoom) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your phone.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 13 to 1

Buy the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Leads 13 of 14 rankable overall specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 takes 1.
Size: 6.73 inches vs 6.2 inches
RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 8 GB
Samsung Galaxy S24 is $600 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.

Check first: the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has under 5 years of OS updates. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

13 Xiaomi 14 Ultra14 rankable of 48 specsSamsung Galaxy S24 1

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No stylusrow
No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Trips:Xiaomi 14 Ultra · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Trips:Xiaomi 14 Ultra · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · No
No charger in the boxrow
Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.
Clear:Xiaomi 14 Ultra · Yes (90W adapter in box)Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · No
Under 5 years of OS updatesrow
Security patches stop sooner and resale value falls faster.
Trips:Xiaomi 14 Ultra · 4 major Android OS updates + 5 years se…Clear:Samsung Galaxy S24 · 7 major OS updates + 7 years security p…
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:Xiaomi 14 Ultra · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · No

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

6 of 6 differ

Weight

Xiaomi

219.8 g

Samsung

167 g

Size

Xiaomi

6.73 inches

Samsung

6.2 inches

Chipset≠

Xiaomi

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)

Samsung

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)

RAM

Xiaomi

16 GB LPDDR5X

Samsung

8 GB

Max optical zoom

Xiaomi

5x optical (up to 120x digital)

Samsung

3x optical (30x digital Space Zoom)

Capacity

Xiaomi

5,000 mAh (5,300 mAh CN model)

Samsung

4,000 mAh

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

Xiaomi 14 Ultra

Upfront list price$1,399

3-Year Estimated Total$1,399

Samsung Galaxy S24

Upfront list price$799

Essential add-ons (25W USB-C charging brick (no charger in box))+$25

3-Year Estimated Total$824

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Xiaomi: What to watch for

Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

Samsung: What to watch for

Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra$1,39913 wins

Samsung Galaxy S24$7991 win

Body Display Platform Memory Rear camera Front camera Battery & charging Audio Connectivity Features

39 of 48 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Body

leads 1-0

Body specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S24.
Dimensions	161.4 × 75.3 × 9.2 mm	147.0 × 70.6 × 7.6 mm
Weight	219.8 g	167 g (wins this row: lower)
Build	Xiaomi Shield Glass front, vegan leather back, aluminum frame	Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front/back, Armor Aluminum 2 frame
Water / dust rating	IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min)	IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min)
Colors	Black, White	Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow
Stylus	No	No

Display

leads 4-0

Display specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S24.
Type	LTPO AMOLED, 68B colors	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X
Size	6.73 inches (wins this row: higher)	6.2 inches
Resolution	1440 × 3200 (WQHD+) (wins this row: higher)	1080 × 2340 (FHD+)
Pixel density	~522 ppi (wins this row: higher)	~416 ppi
Refresh rate	1–120 Hz dynamic	1–120 Hz LTPO
Peak brightness	3,000 nits peak (wins this row: higher)	2,600 nits peak
HDR	Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG	HDR10+
Protection	Xiaomi Shield Glass	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Always-on display	Yes	Yes

Platform

3 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S24.
Operating system	HyperOS based on Android 14	Android 14, One UI 6.1
Software support	4 major Android OS updates + 5 years security	7 major OS updates + 7 years security patches
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)
CPU	8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)	8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)
GPU	Adreno 750	Adreno 750

Memory

leads 2-0

Memory specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S24.
RAM	16 GB LPDDR5X (wins this row: higher)	8 GB
Storage	512 GB UFS 4.0 (wins this row: higher)	128 GB UFS 3.1
Storage options	512 GB / 1 TB	128 GB / 256 GB
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

leads 3-0

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S24.
Main	50 MP 1-inch Sony LYT-900, f/1.63–f/4.0 variable aperture, 23 mm, OIS	50 MP, f/1.8, 24 mm, 1/1.56", Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
Ultrawide	50 MP Leica, f/1.8, 12 mm, 122° FOV (wins this row: higher)	12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°
Telephoto	50 MP 3.2x optical (75 mm, f/1.8, OIS) + 50 MP 5x periscope (120 mm, f/2.5, OIS) (wins this row: higher)	10 MP, f/2.4, 67 mm, 3x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS
Max optical zoom	5x optical (up to 120x digital) (wins this row: higher)	3x optical (30x digital Space Zoom)
Stabilization	OIS on main and both telephoto cameras	OIS on main and telephoto lenses
Video	8K 24/30 fps, 4K 24/30/60/120 fps, 10-bit Log, Dolby Vision	8K 30 fps, 4K 60 fps, 1080p 240 fps

Front camera

leads 1-0

Front camera specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S24.
Selfie camera	32 MP, f/2.0, 22 mm (wins this row: higher)	12 MP, f/2.2, 26 mm, Dual Pixel PDAF
Selfie video	4K 60 fps	4K 60 fps

Battery & charging

leads 3-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S24.
Capacity	5,000 mAh (5,300 mAh CN model) (wins this row: higher)	4,000 mAh
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	90 W HyperCharge (100% in ~33 min) (wins this row: higher)	25 W fast wired (50% in 30 min)
Wireless charging	80 W wireless HyperCharge (100% in ~46 min)	15 W Fast Wireless
Reverse wireless	10 W reverse wireless	4.5 W Wireless PowerShare
Charger in box	Yes (90W adapter in box) (wins this row: has it)	No

Audio

1 differences

Audio specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S24.
Speakers	Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio	Stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Headphone jack	No	No

Connectivity

5 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S24.
Cellular	5G (sub-6)	5G (sub-6 + mmWave)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.3
NFC	Yes	Yes
USB	USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1
SIM	Dual nano-SIM	Dual nano-SIM + eSIM

Features

3 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is Xiaomi 14 Ultra, right column is Samsung Galaxy S24.
Biometrics	Optical in-display fingerprint + AI Face Unlock	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint + Face unlock
Extra controls	Optional Leica Photography Kit with physical shutter button	Power and Volume keys
Standout features	Leica Summilux lenses, 1-inch sensor, Stepless variable aperture	Circle to Search, Live Translate, Note Assist, Samsung DeX

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra source Samsung Galaxy S24 source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Xiaomi 14 Ultra

Grey import in the US; official in other regions. Photography juggernaut with 1-inch LYT-900 sensor, stepless variable aperture, and quad Leica camera array.

Quad 50MP Leica cameras with 1-inch stepless variable aperture
Exceptional manual photography and 8K log video controls
Bright C8 AMOLED display with 90W fast charging

What you give up

Bulky camera bump affects flat tabletop resting
HyperOS software has more bloatware than stock Android

Full Xiaomi 14 Ultra specs →

Pick this one if

Samsung Galaxy S24

Compact Android powerhouse with 6.2-inch 120Hz LTPO display, 3x telephoto, and Galaxy AI suite.

Extremely lightweight and compact 167g pocket-friendly design
Dedicated 3x optical telephoto camera on a base model
Bright 2,600 nit 1-120Hz LTPO display

What you give up

Charging capped at 25W wired
Base model starts with 128GB UFS 3.1 storage

Full Samsung Galaxy S24 specs →

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

For photos, buy the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Leads 4 of 4 rankable photos specs.
Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 3x optical
Ultrawide: 50 MP Leica, f/1.8, 12 mm, 122° FOV vs 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°
Samsung Galaxy S24 is $600 cheaper. Pay the difference only if max optical zoom matters to you.

Battery & updates

All-day battery, fast top-ups and years of software support

For battery & updates, buy the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Leads 3 of 3 rankable battery & updates specs.
Capacity: 5,000 mAh vs 4,000 mAh
Wired charging: 90 W HyperCharge vs 25 W fast wired
Samsung Galaxy S24 is $600 cheaper. Pay the difference only if capacity matters to you.

Games & video

Games and streaming: chip, refresh rate, brightness, speakers

For games & video, buy the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Leads 3 of 3 rankable games & video specs.
RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 8 GB
Size: 6.73 inches vs 6.2 inches
Samsung Galaxy S24 is $600 cheaper. Pay the difference only if ram matters to you.

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra spec sheet Samsung Galaxy S24 spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Xiaomi 14 Ultra ↗ · Samsung Galaxy S24 ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S24?

Samsung Galaxy S24 costs $600 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Samsung Galaxy S24?

Both has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

Which is better for photos, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S24?

For photos, buy the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Leads 4 of 4 rankable photos specs. Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 3x optical

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 34 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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