Between the Galaxy A36 and Xiaomi 16 Ultra, the Galaxy A36 comes out ahead in weight and promised os updates, while the Xiaomi 16 Ultra wins on antutu and front camera. Overall, the Galaxy A36 scores 61.5 and the Xiaomi 16 Ultra scores 74.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Xiaomi 16 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 12.8 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the Galaxy A36 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight, promised os updates.
Pick the Xiaomi 16 Ultra if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are antutu, front camera, wired charging, among others.
Both ship with comparable main camera, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Xiaomi 16 Ultra is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Samsung - Galaxy A36 wins
- ▲Weight — 34.00 g less. 195 vs 229.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 5).
Why Xiaomi 16 Ultra wins
- ▲AnTuTu — 360.94% more. 2950000 vs 640000.
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 122.22% more. 100 W vs 45 W.
- ▲RAM — 100.00% more. 16 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Pixel density — 35.58% more. 522 ppi vs 385 ppi.
- ▲Battery capacity — 20.00% more. 6000 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP67).
- ▲Screen size — 0.45% more. 6.73 " vs 6.7 ".
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 195 glead | 229 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 9.2 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP67 | IP68lead |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 " | 6.73 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 385 ppi | 522 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1900 nits | 3200 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 6000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 W | 100 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 0 W | 80 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 yearslead | 5 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy A36 or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra has 20.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 6000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy A36 or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Galaxy A36 is 34g lighter — 195g vs 229g.
Is Galaxy A36 waterproof?+
Galaxy A36 has an IP67 rating.
Does Xiaomi 16 Ultra support 5G?+
Yes, Xiaomi 16 Ultra supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy A36 or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy A36 or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra has a 50 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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