Xiaomi 12T vs Galaxy A73: better Chinese or Korean premium intermediary? | Comparative

The Xiaomi 12T and the Galaxy A73 are similar when it comes to delivering an advanced experience. Even with many differences between them, they have some features present in top-of-the-line models, but without the same high cost.

Between the Chinese premium intermediary and the Korean one, which one has the best consumer experience? TudoCelular tells you in detail.

Starting with the design, here we have two smartphones made of plastic on the sides, with a matte finish. The 12T is distinguished by its rear made of glass and features a camera block that highlights the main sensor, placed in a square with a black background. The A73, on the other hand, has the familiar look of its predecessor, with a spine in the same color as the cover to contain the sensors.

Korean may not be smaller in width and height than Chinese, but at least it’s the thinner and lighter of the duo. The Galaxy also has an IP67 certification, which guarantees superior protection against dust and liquids than the rival’s IP53.

On both sides, we find a notch in the form of a hole in the screen. Both are also similar in the use of a biometric reader under the screen. The Xiaomi even comes with the infrared emitter, which allows you to also use it as a remote control for your TV.

Only Samsung has put a microSD card storage expansion slot on its device. In terms of connectivity, these cell phones have sixth-generation Wi-Fi and NFC, for approximation payments. The Chinese Bluetooth 5.3 is above the 5.0 present in the Korean.

We have a balance of benefits for each side. So we started with a draw.

These two devices bring an AMOLED panel, with practically the same 6.7 inches. There is a small advantage of the Galaxy in size and frontal use. In any case, you won’t have any problems regarding the brightness level and the wide viewing angle.

The A73 has a standard Full HD+ screen, while the 12T has a slightly higher resolution, but it doesn’t reach Quad HD. The Chinese display is also of the 12-bit generation, which reproduces 68 billion colors, well above the Korean in this regard.

At least, both offer Gorilla Glass 5 and a refresh rate of 120 Hz, so as not to disappoint in terms of protection and fluidity. Xiaomi even inserted the touch sensor differential at 480 Hz, which decreases latency in games.

The benefits of 12T outweigh those of the competitor. That’s why we give him a point.

In terms of audio, the duo has a stereo system, consisting of two speakers. This helps to have a greater immersive experience for the user, especially when listening to music or watching movies.

The two deliver good sound power, but Xiaomi does better by not distorting at maximum volume. It also stands above the Galaxy in overall quality, as it has a better balance between bass, mids and highs.

Do not expect any physical connector for headphones or an adapted accessory in the package.

It’s one more point for 12T.

These devices come out of the box equipped with Android 12 factory installed. Despite the Chinese seeking to improve in terms of updates, it still does not reach the four updates of the “little robot” guaranteed by the Korean for its intermediary. Not to mention that Samsung pays more attention to monthly security packages.

At least fluidity won’t be a problem in these models. Even more so with high screen refresh rates for both sides. 5G is also present in them, which allows for a fast and state-of-the-art mobile network.

You’ll still see cool features on the duo, like a side menu for app shortcuts. The 12T also provides a heart rate sensor built into the fingerprint reader. The A73, on the other hand, stands out for its Smart View, Always-on Display and other tools present in the other intermediaries of the brand.

With good features on both sides, longevity ends up breaking the tie for the Galaxy.

The 12T is powered by the Dimensity 8100-Ultra platform, versus the Snapdragon 778G inside the A73. Which one provides the fastest performance? In our tests, Xiaomi’s cell phone was still a little faster in the first round, but it failed to reopen in the background. Therefore, Samsung won by almost eight seconds, despite the weaker chip.

Benchmarks show that the potential of the Chinese hardware could be greater, as it beats the Korean both in Geekbench and in AnTuTu. At least, games won’t be a problem for these smartphones. You’ll be able to run even the heaviest ones with very high quality and activated extras, without affecting the smoothness of the image.

For faster multitasking, the point goes to the Galaxy.

Battery is a strong point of these two devices. Manufacturers did not invent and put a capacity of 5,000 mAh in their premium intermediaries. We saw in our standardized tests that the difference was not that big. The duo lasts around 26 hours on a single charge, with a few minutes of advantage for the Chinese.

What will distance one from the other is the loading. The 120 W adapter sent by Xiaomi allows you to reach 100% in less than half an hour. On the other hand, Samsung’s 15 Watt takes more than two hours to complete the process.

Thus, 12T returns to score a point.

Both in one and in the other, we find a set of rear cameras led by a main one of 108 MP. Despite the same resolution, the Galaxy gets more right in contrast and HDR, apart from the superior photos with night mode.

Their ultrawide offers good quality overall, despite limitations in low-light locations. The advantage of 12T is in the control of blurring in the corners of the image. Their macro lacks autofocus, but the A73 registers in more detail.

Samsung is the only one to come with a dedicated blur sensor. It does a good job and ranks above portrait mode only by competitor software.

For the complete set, the Korean is in front and takes the point.

Their camcorder can record in 4K but limited to 30fps because of the restrictions of each mobile platform. Their focus could be more agile, but stereo sound capture is good quality on them. The Galaxy is the only one of the pair to provide optical stabilization, which helps to deal with shakes better than the Xiaomi electronics.

In other words, one more point for the A73.

The front camera of the two works well for portrait mode and does not suffer major quality drops at night. The problem is that the 12T’s pixel compression compromises the sharpness of daytime shots compared to the A73’s results. Not to mention that the Galaxy is the only one of the duo to also film from the front in 4K.

That is, Samsung scores again.

Of these devices, only the Galaxy A73 was officially launched in Brazil. It arrived at a suggested retail price of R$3,800. In the current market, the Samsung model can now be found for BRL 3,000, the same value as the Xiaomi 12T at retail through importers.

With no difference in costs, we closed the duel with one point for each.

In this confrontation between the Chinese and the Korean, Samsung ended up winning. But Xiaomi was not far behind. The 12T offers a premium build, a lower latency display and higher quality sound. Not to mention the battery that lasts longer and takes less time in the socket.

On the other hand, Galaxy A73 is dust and water resistant, will be updated for a longer period and is the fastest when it comes to multitasking performance. But the big strength here is in its set of cameras, superior both in photos and selfies and in videos.

Both can be found for the same price at national retail. So which one to choose? The Galaxy is certainly the best option when it comes to cameras and performance. But if your focus is multimedia, you won’t have any problem if you prefer to take Xiaomi, even behind in the general scoreboard of this clash.

RESULT

Xiaomi 12T: 5 POINTS

• Premium construction and more modern look
• Screen with more colors and less latency
• higher quality sound
• Longer battery life and shorter charging time
• Same price in current Brazilian market

Samsung Galaxy A73: 7 POINTS

• Stronger, thinner and lighter design
• Longer lasting system
• Faster multitasking performance
• Rear cameras with higher quality photos
• Videos with better stabilization system
• Front camera with sharper selfies and 4K footage
• Same price in current Brazilian market

Between the 12T and the A73, which would be your preference at the time of purchase? For you, which one of them weighs more the qualities or the defects? Answer us in the space below.

• The Xiaomi 12T is available on Amazon for R$ 3.029.
• The Samsung Galaxy M33 is not yet available in Brazilian stores. To be notified when it arrives.

(updated March 04, 2023 at 21:34)