Yesterday we assisted in the launch of three entry-level phones unveiled on the same day: Redmi 9A, Redmi 9C, and Realme C11. All of them will be sold with a price tag inferior to €100, which is the reason why we decided to compare them. But they are not the only valid devices you can find for less than €100 in this second half of 2020. That is why we decided to compare one of them with other entry-level phones launched recently. In this article, we decided to compare the Redmi 9A to the amazing Honor 9A and the Samsung Galaxy M01. After checking the differences between the Redmi 9A and these two rivals, you can our previous comparison to see how it performs against the Redmi 9C and the Realme C11. If you want other entry-level comparisons between the most recent devices, let us know in the comments.

Xiaomi Redmi 9A vs Huawei Honor 9A vs Samsung Galaxy M01

Huawei Honor 9A Xiaomi Redmi 9A Samsung Galaxy M01
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 159.1 x 74.1 x 9 mm, 185 grams N/D 147.5 x 70.9 x 9.8 mm, 168 grams
DISPLAY 6.3 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 278 ppi, IPS LCD 6.53 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD 5.7 inches, 720 x 1520p (HD+), 294 ppi, PLS TFT
PROCESSOR Mediatek Helio P22, octa-core 2 GHz Mediatek Helio G25, octa-core 2.0 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, octa-core 1.95 GHz
MEMORY 3 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot 2 GB RAM, 32 GB – micro SD dedicated slot 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – micro SD dedicated slot
SOFTWARE Android 10, EMUI Android 10, MIUI Android 10, One UI
CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS
CAMERA Triple 13 + 5 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.2 and f/2.4
8 MP f/2.4 front camera		 Single 13 MP
5 MP front camera		 Dual 13 + 2 MP f/2.2 and f/2.4
5 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY 5000 mAh 5000 mAh, 10W charging 4000 mAh
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Dual SIM slot Dual SIM slot Dual SIM slot

Design

When it comes to the look, my favorite device of this comparison is the Redmi 9A. Unfortunately, it lacks a fingerprint reader, but it has a cleaner back and a compact camera module, unlike the Honor 9A. But some may prefer the Samsung Galaxy M01 due to its more compact size, given its smaller display. It has a lower screen-to-body ratio, but it is the most compact entry-level here. The color variants of the Honor 9A are awesome, but I do not like its bigger camera module. On the other hand, it is the only to offer a fingerprint reader, which is rear-mounted. The handset is even more compact than the Redmi 9A but bigger than the Samsung Galaxy M01.

 

Display

Samsung Galaxy M01 has the most compact display and it is easier to use with one hand and to keep in a pocket, but its PLS TFT display is inferior to the panels found on the Redmi 9A and Honor 9A. Not that its rivals come with amazing panels: they got below-average displays with a just acceptable HD+ resolution, but at least they are IPS panel. And they also offer a wider diagonal. If you want a higher display quality, you should go either for the Redmi 9A or the Honor 9A without thinking twice.

 

Specs & Software

The Helio G25 chipset is actually the most powerful of the trio and it offers higher CPU and GPU performance. Despite it is an entry-level SoC, it is meant for gamers thanks to its good GPU and HyperEngine technology by MediaTek. But while the Helio G25 is a better chipset, some may prefer the Samsung Galaxy M01 because it offers a Qualcomm’s SoC and 3 GB of RAM instead of 2 GB. It became extremely hard to find a Qualcomm’s chipset in the lowest price segment, but Samsung Galaxy M01 is fueled by the Snapdragon 439 which is Qualcomm’s entry-level offering. With its Helio P22, Honor 9A comes with the weakest hardware department, but it has more internal storage: 64 GB instead of 32 GB. However, in each case, you can expand the internal storage with a micro SD.

 

 

Camera

Honor 9A is the most advanced camera phone because it has a better main sensor with a brighter focal aperture, so it is able to shoot better photos in more light conditions. It is also a better camera phone because it is the only one with an ultrawide sensor. It is a low-end 5 MP lens, but better than nothing. The ultrawide sensor is paired with a depth sensor sporting a 2 MP resolution, while Samsung Galaxy M01 has just a main sensor and a depth sensor. Redmi 9A comes with just a single 13 MP sensor, so it is not the best choice for photography. Honor 9A also wins the selfie comparison thanks to its 8 MP front camera.

 

 

Battery

The huge 5000 mAh batteries found on the Redmi 9A and the Honor 9A will allow them to last a lot more than Samsung Galaxy M01 on a single charge. It is hard to say which one between Redmi 9A and Honor 9A will last more, we had no chance to test the battery life of the Redmi 9A and this comparison is only based on the specs on the paper. Samsung Galaxy M01 still delivers a very long battery life, so you may opt for this device if you want a faster battery charging since none of these handsets features a fast charging technology.

 

Price

Redmi 9A is priced just €75/$84, Honor 9A costs €114/$128, and Samsung Galaxy M01 has a €106/$119 price tag. There is not a definitive winner of this comparison: the Redmi 9A offers the highest performance and amazing battery life but a more disappointing camera department. Honor 9A has the best cameras and great battery life, but it lacks a great hardware side. Samsung Galaxy M01 sits right in the middle with decent hardware and cameras, but with a smaller battery and an inferior display.

 

 

Xiaomi Redmi 9A vs Huawei Honor 9A vs Samsung Galaxy M01: PROs and CONS

Huawei Honor 9A

PROs

  • Better cameras
  • More internal storage
  • Fingerprint reader
  • Long battery life

CONS

  • Nothing particular

 

Samsung Galaxy M01

PROs

  • Very compact
  • Very affordable
  • FM radio
  • Good hardware

CONS

  • Inferior display

 

Xiaomi Redmi 9A

PROs

  • Very affordable
  • Long battery life
  • Advanced chipset
  • IR blaster

CONS

  • No depth sensor

 

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