Xiaomi Mi Note 2 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 edge: Price, specifications and features compared

With dual-edged curved OLED display, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 competes with the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. We find out how they fair when pitted against each other.

Earlier today, China-based Xiaomi launched its most awaited Mi Note 2 smartphone that boasts a dual-edge curved display. Successor to the original Mi Note, the Mi Note 2 is crafted out of 3D glass and features curved edges both in the front and rear. With similar design language but a lower price tag, the Mi Note 2 directly competes against the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. We compared both smartphones on the basis of their price, specifications and features, and here’s how they fare.

Price: The Mi Note 2 is offered in two storage variants – 64GB storage priced at RMB 2,799 (approximately Rs 28,000) and 128GB storage for RMB 3,299, which is approximately Rs 33,000. There is also a global variant with 128GB storage priced at RMB 3,499, which is approximately Rs 35,000. There is no word on when Xiaomi plans to launch it in India. Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, on the other hand, is priced at Rs 50,900, which is much higher than even the most premium variant of the Mi Note 2.

Display: The Mi Note 2 features a 5.7-inch dual-edge full HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection, whereas the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge features a slightly smaller 5.5-inch Super AMOLED Quad HD display running at a resolution of 2560x1440pixels. Xiaomi has also added sunlight display pro mode to its Mi Note 2 for legibility under direct sunlight and reading mode to ensure it does not cause strain on your eyes. The display has a screen to bezel ratio of 77.2 percent andcontrast ratio of 100,000:1. Samsung has added an always-on display where a part of the screen lights up to display the time, date, notifications and more. ALSO READ: Xiaomi Mi Note 2: From dual-edge curved OLED display to 22.5-megapixel EIS camera; here are its top 5 features

Hardware: The Mi Note 2 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 quad-core chipset clocked at 2.35GHz paired with 4GB or RAM + 64GB storage or 6GB of RAM + 128GB UFS 2.0 storage. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is powered by Exynos 8890 64-bit octa-core processors and paired with 4GB of RAM. It further comes with 32GB of internal storage which is further expandable using a microSD card. The Mi Note 2, however, does not feature any slot for storage expansion.

Camera: The Mi Notes comes with a 22.56-megapixel rear camera (Sony IMX 318 Exmor R sensor) with aperture f/2.0, 80-degree field of view, and LED Flash. It also includes support for 4K video recording and electronic image stabilization (EIS), which we have already seen in the new Google Pixel and Pixel XL. Other camera features include HDR support, panorama, burst mode, facial recognition, and real-time camera filters. For selfies, the Mi Note 2 comes with an 8-megapixel front camera with ƒ / 2.0 aperture and76-degree field of view. The front camera comes with auto focus and Beautify 3.0 feature for enhanced selfies. ALSO READ: Xiaomi Mi MIX with 6.4-inch bezel-less display launched in China: Price, specifications and features

The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge comes with a 12-megapixel rear camera of aperture f/1.7 lens. It also features phase detection auto-focus (PDAF), optical image stabilization (OIS) and an LED flash. It further comes with support for HDR, 4K video recording, panorama, and slow motion video recording. The secondary camera on the Galaxy S7 edge is a 5-megapixel sensor with f/1.7 aperture and comes with auto HDR feature.

Battery and connectivity: The Mi Note 2 is armed with a 4,070mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 3.0. Connectivity wise, the Mi Note 2 comes with dual-SIM card slots, 4G LTE with VoLTE, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC and Wi-Fi 802.11ac. It also gets USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. ALSO READ: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 with dual-edge curved OLED display launched in China: Price, specifications and features

The Galaxy S7 Edge, on the other hand, comes with a 3600mAh battery with support for fast charging and wireless fast charging. It comes with the normal microUSB port and other connectivity options such as Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, dual SIM card slots and VoLTE support.

Fingerprint scanner: The Mi Note 2 comes with an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner on the front which uses Qualcomm’s Sense ID feature to precisely read a user’s fingerprints. This essentially makes the unlocking process faster than ever before. The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge features an oval fingerprint scanner that is layered beneath the home button.

Other features: Both the smartphones run Android 6.0 Marshmallow. However, the Mi Note 2 comes with Xiaomi’s own MIUI 8 on top. The Mi Note 2 is available in two color choices of glacial silver and piano black while the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge comes in Black, White, Gold, Silver, and Pink Gold color options. The Galaxy S7 edge also comes with IP68 certification for water and dust resistance and also includes a heart rate sensor at the back.

Comparison Table: