It seems that Samsung does not want to let Chinese manufacturers dominate the affordable segment anymore. Never. Every time one of the most important Chinese companies launches a new potential best-seller, Samsung is coming up with its answer. The latest one is Galaxy A70s: a mid-ranger coming with a high value for money and very interesting specifications. Did Samsung just release a valid rival for its concurrence? We will discover it together through a specs comparison with the latest value for money smartphones from Xiaomi’s and Oppo’s sub-brands: the Redmi Note 8 Pro and the Realme X2. Which of these three devices deserves to conquer the market? Let’s figure it out.
Samsung Galaxy A70s vs Redmi Note 8 Pro vs Realme X2
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro | Oppo Realme X2 | Samsung Galaxy A70s | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 161.3 x 76.4 x 8.8 mm, 199 grams | 158.7 x 75.2 x 8.6 mm, 182 grams | 164.3 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm, 183 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.53 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 395 ppi, IPS LCD | 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, Super AMOLED | 6.7 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 393 ppi, Super AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | MediaTek Helio G90T, octa-core | Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 675, octa-core 2 GHz |
| MEMORY | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, MIUI | Android 9 Pie, Color OS | Android 9 Pie, One UI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS |
| CAMERA | Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4 20 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.3, f/2.4 and f/2.4 32 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Triple 64 + 8 + 5 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.2 32 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 4500 mAh, fast charging 18W | 4000 mAh, fast charging 30W | 4500 mAh, fast charging 25W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot |
Design
The holographic effects on the rear side of the Samsung Galaxy A70s are surely suggestive, but its build quality looks inferior to the Redmi Note 8 Pro and the Realme X2. Both these Chinese mid-rangers sport an amazing glass back, but I like the Realme X2 more because it comes with a cleaner design and there is no rear-mounted fingerprint reader. In my opinion, the Realme X2 is definitely the most elegant one.
Display
AMOLED panels are currently a trend because they can deliver more brilliant colors and deeper blacks. While Samsung Galaxy A70s and Realme X2 feature an AMOLED display, Redmi Note 8 Pro has a classic IPS panel, so it loses this comparison. Samsung Galaxy A70s shows richer colors and, just like the Realme X2, it has an in-display fingerprint reader. The Galaxy A70s also comes with a slightly taller aspect ratio (20:9) which makes it even more interesting. If I had to choose depending on the display, I would go for the Galaxy A70s.
Specs & Software
If we only talk about CPU and GPU performance, then the Helio G90T chipset found on the Redmi Note 8 Pro is the best mobile platform here, even though it looks just slightly more powerful than the Snapdragon 730G found on the Realme X2. But if we also consider the energy consumption, then Snapdragon 730G wins as it is built with a more efficient 8 nm production process (against 12 nm). Redmi Note 8 Pro debuted as a gaming-centric phone too: indeed, it even features an advanced liquid cooling system. The Galaxy A70s is the most inferior one as it comes with a lower-end Snapdragon 675 SoC.
Camera
In terms of photo quality, at least judging from the specs on the paper, we believe that Samsung Galaxy A70s will be slightly better, especially when it comes to selfies, thanks to their 32 MP cameras. Between Galaxy A70s and Realme X2, the latter provides richer hardware since it sports an additional dedicated macro camera. But this does not mean it will be a better camera phone: once we tested both the algorithms, we can let you know. But given that they debuted a few days ago, we can not give you the most detailed information.
Battery
Both Samsung Galaxy A70s and Redmi Note 8 Pro feature a bigger 4500 mAh battery than Realme X2. But given that the chipset of the Redmi Note 8 Pro (and the display too) is less efficient than the Snapdragon 675, the Galaxy A70s should provide a longer battery life. Realme X2 is even more efficient than Galaxy A70s, but we doubt that its 4000 mAh battery will reach Galaxy A70’s level.
Price
You can grab a unit of the Redmi Note 8 Pro on the global market for just €250/$275, Realme X2 starts from just €210/$230 in Asia, and Samsung Galaxy A70s will carry a €380/$415 starting price. At these prices, Realme X2 looks like the most balanced value for money phone.
Samsung Galaxy A70s vs Redmi Note 8 Pro vs Realme X2: PROs and CONS
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro
PROs
- Great graphics performance
- Nice cameras
- Good battery life
- Wide display
CONS
- IPS display
Realme X2
PROs
- Amazing performance
- AMOLED display
- Great front camera
- Micro SD dedicated slot
CONS
- Nothing particular
Samsung Galaxy A70s
PROs
- Longer-lasting battery
- Great cameras
- Micro SD dedicated slot
- Great display
CONS
- Lower-end performance
