This week brought us the refined Galaxy Z Fold 4 from Samsung which improves upon its predecessor without being revolutionary. Xiaomi also launched a new foldable called the Mix Fold 2, and if it was ever released outside of China it could provide the sort of competition that Samsung needs to continue innovating in the foldables segment. Packing in the very same Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, the Mix Fold 2 is thinner, bigger, and more affordable than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4.

On paper at least, the Mix Fold 4 would appear to have improved upon the Mi Mix Fold from 2021 in a number of areas. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset is accompanied by 12GB of RAM and storage options of 256/512GB and even 1TB, which is pretty much the same as the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Where Samsung lags behind by offering mediocre charging speeds of just 25W on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 (and other flagships), the Mix Fold 2 supports 67W wired fast charging which Xiaomi claims will fully recharge the 4,500mAh battery in 40 minutes as opposed to the Fold 4 only managing a 50% charge in half an hour.

This is where the two devices go there separate ways, though, because Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 2 boasts a 6.55-inch OLED cover display with 2520 x 1080 resolution while the 8.02-inch internal display is also OLED but has a 2160 x 1914 resolution. Both panels offer 1,000 nits peak brightness and have 120Hz refresh rates.

Similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Xiaomi’s new foldable sports a 50MP (IMX766) main rear camera, and also has a 13MP ultra-wide lens and an 8MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom for company. A 20MP selfie camera resides in a central punch-hole on the cover display. The rear cameras sport Leica-certified Summicron lenses, much like we used to see on Huawei phones in the past.

Let’s not forget the design of the Mix Fold 2 which has been trimmed down to just 5.4mm when unfolded, and 11.2mm when folded. In visual terms, the Mix Fold 2 looks sleeker, more modern and polished than its competition.

It’s also cheaper than the Fold 4 thanks to it being starting from CNY 8,999 (~$1,335) in China, although it’s anyone’s guess as to whether the Mix Fold 2 might cost a little more if it was to be released in international markets.

It’s not all plain sailing for Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 2 though, because the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is well ahead in a few vital areas. First of which is that Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 will be sold in almost every region whereas it’s likely that, like the Mi Mix Fold before it, the Mix Fold 2 will only be available within China. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 also offers a much more coherent software experience with optimized apps, the Flex mode which orients apps to fit a folded display, and its close partnership with Microsoft whose apps suite is also optimized for the foldable display.

Thirdly, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 also boasts IPX8 water resistance which is a novelty in the foldable segment (other than the Galaxy Z Flip 4, of course).

The one thing that is clear is that consumers in western markets desperately need a true competitor to Samsung in the foldable segment to bring about more innovation, and perhaps more importantly, more affordable devices.

You can check out the full specs of Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 2 below:

He's been an Android fan ever since owning an HTC Hero, with the Dell Streak being his first phablet. He currently carries a Realme GT Neo 2 in his pockets, a Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 in his backpack, and thinks nothing of lugging a 17-inch laptop around the world. When not immersed in the world of Android and gadgets, he's an avid sports fan, and like all South Africans, he loves a good Braai (BBQ).