Samsung Galaxy M20 vs ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Has Samsung Finally Got it Right?

The mid-range smartphone segment is dominated by Chinese players like Xiaomi, Realme, Vivo etc. Samsung has been trying hard to establish its presence in this segment but has failed to do it so far. However, things may change in 2019. The South Korean tech giant Samsung has recently launched two budget smartphones under its new M series dubbed as Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20. The M20 is the higher variant which seems to a credible option by Samsung to take on the Chinese players. With good looks, impressive battery and great display, the phone seems to have been designed to cater to a younger audience. But is the phone equipped enough to reclaim the mid-range segment? We’ll compare the the Galaxy M20 with two of the best phones from the mid-range segment- ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, to find out if Samsung has finally got it right or not.

The comparison will be based on several key parameters such as,

• Design, Display and Dimensions
• Processor, RAM and Storage
• Software and Battery Capacity
• Camera Configuration and Features
• Price

Samsung Galaxy M20 vs ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Design, Display and Dimensions

Samsung Galaxy M20 isn’t too different looking than the other Samsung devices but it still is good looking just like other Samsung phones. The front has slightly fresh look, thanks to all-new ‘Infinity-V’ display i.e. water drop shaped notch. The back has a vertically stacked dual camera placed at the top left corner. The rear also features a fingerprint sensor which is very well placed at the center. The polycarbonate back attracts some fingerprints but that kept aside, the quality of plastic used seems to be good and the phone looks rugged enough to survive a fall or two.

The Zenfone Max Pro M2 features a plastic body with glossy finish and curved edges which makes the phone easy to hold. The rear features a dual camera setup along with LED flash. The setup is vertically placed in one row along with LED flash which gives look like triple camera setup. The fingerprint sensor is also well placed at the center. The front sports a slightly wide notch which houses the front camera, LED flash, proximity sensor, light sensor and the notification LED. The earpiece is situated right above the display notch. Overall the phone as a premium look but not extremely striking.

The Redmi Note 7 has glossy glass back finish with gradient color patterns which make the phone look really fresh and striking. It also features a vertically stacked dual rear camera module placed at the top left corner and centrally placed fingerprint sensor. The front has a water drop shaped notch which is slightly bigger than the one found on Galaxy M20. The phone comes with watertight seals for SIM card slot, USB Type-C port, and 3.5mm audio jack. This doesn’t make the phone completely water proof but can save the same from accidental water splashes.

In terms of design, our vote goes to Redmi Note 7, thanks to its gradient color patterns.

In terms of display, the Galaxy M20 is the first Samsung phone to come with the company’s new Infinity-V display wherein the V stands for the V shaped notch at the top which houses the selfie camera. It features a 6.3-inch FHD+ TFT LCD display with 1080 x 2340 pixel screen resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The display has almost zero bezels on the sides but has a visible chin though. The ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 sports a 6.26-inch IPS LCD display with screen resolution of 2280 x 1920 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19:9. The display is protected by a layer of Corning’s Gorilla Glass 6 on top. The company claimed that the Max Pro M2 is the first phone to bring Gorilla Glass 6 to affordable smartphones. The Redmi Note 7 flaunts a 6.3-inch full-HD+ (1080 x 2340 pixels) 2.5D curved glass display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The display has a tiny O-shaped notch at the top, but otherwise features very slim bezels. The Galaxy M20 gets a slight upper hand over the Redmi Note 7 here, but its only marginal.

In terms of dimensions, the Galaxy M20 has dimensions of 74.5 x 156.4 x 8.8 mm and it weighs about 186 grams. The ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 measures 75.5 x 157.9 x 8.5 mm and it weighs about 175 grams, while the Redmi Note 7 measures 159.2 x 75.2 x 8.1 mm and weighs in at 186 grams. So, the Redmi Note 7 is the slimmest of the three devices and the Zenfone Max Pro M2 is the lightest.

Samsung Galaxy M20 vs ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Processor, RAM and Storage

The Galaxy M20 is powered by an Exynos 7904 SoC, paired with 3GB and 4GB RAM options and Mali-G71 MP2 GPU. The internal storage options are 32GB and 64GB, both of which are expandable up to 512GB via microSD card. ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 draws power from Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 SoC and comes in two memory variants- 3GB RAM + 32GB inbuilt storage, and 4GB RAM + 64GB inbuilt storage. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 660 AIE chipset with Adreno 512 GPU. The RAM options include 3GB, 4GB and 6GB, while the internal storage options include 32GB and 64GB with an option to expand up to 256GB via microSD card. The Redmi Note 7 again wins the battle here as it packs the superior Snapdragon 660 processor, which is arguably the best chipset that any phone offers in this price range.

Samsung Galaxy M20 vs ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Software and Battery Capacity

The Samsung Galaxy M20 runs Android 8.1 Oreo OS based on Samsung Experience 9.5 UX and is backed by a massive 5,000mAh battery that supports fast charging via USB Type-C. The ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 is shipped with stock version of Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out of the box with some Asus apps pre-loaded and is expected to receive Android Pie update soon. There’s a 5000mAh battery underneath to keep things ticking with a 10W fast charger to speed up the charging. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 ships with Google’s latest Android Pie 9.0 with Xiaomi’s MIUI 10 on top and packs a smaller 4000mAh battery as compared to the other two. However, it makes up for its smaller battery size with support for Quick Charge 4.0.

Samsung Galaxy M20 vs ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Camera Configuration and Features

The Galaxy M20 sports a dual rear camera setup comprising of a 13-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.9 aperture + a 5-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. The front hosts an 8-megapixel sensor along with an f/2.0 aperture for selfies and video calls. The ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 also features a dual camera setup on the back consisting of a 12-megapixel primary sensor with an f/1.8 aperture + a 5-megapixel depth sensor. For selfies, there’s a 13-megapixel camera on the front along with LED flash. While, the Redmi Note 7 is equipped with dual camera setup of 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor with LED flash with f/1.8 aperture + a 5-megapixel sensor for depth information. The front features a 13-megapixel selfie sensor. Needless to mention, the Redmi Note 7 packs a good camera set up for a mid-range phone and thus it outshines the Galaxy M20 and Zenfone Max Pro M2.

Samsung Galaxy M20 vs ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Price

The Galaxy M20 base variant i.e. 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage is priced in India at Rs. 10,990 and top variant i.e. 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage is priced at Rs. 12,990. It comes in two colour options- Ocean Blue and Charcoal Black; and will go on sale in the country starting February 5, 2019.

The ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 is priced in India at Rs. 12,999 for the base variant i.e. 3GB RAM + 32GB internal storage, the mid variant i.e. 4GB RAM + 64GB internal storage variant costs Rs. 14,999 and the top variant i.e. 6GB RAM + 64GB internal storage comes for Rs. 16,999.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 is yet to be launched in India but is expected to arrive soon. In China, the phone is priced at 999 yuan, which roughly translates to Rs. 10,500 for the base variant i.e. 3GB RAM + 32GB of internal storage variant. The price in India won’t be exactly as converted above but it will be in the similar range as Xiaomi is known to launch its phones with aggressive price tags.

CompareRaja’s Verdict

The ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 is a good budget smartphone, thanks to its massive 5,000mAh battery. The Galaxy M20 is a step in the right direction for Samsung if it wants to capture a good market share in the mid-range smartphone segment. It lacks a good processor though. So, the winner is definitely the Redmi Note 7 due to its strong processor, excellent camera configuration and good display. Although the phone is yet to launch in India, the spec sheet looks too good on paper to disappoint us.

Here’s a quick specs comparison between Samsung Galaxy M20, ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 which will help you to take an informed decision.