Samsung, Realme and Xiaomi are using different chipsets
Design and functionality are both part of their focus.
Samsung Galaxy M34 has launched in the market this week, which is another budget 5G device that buyers can consider for their usage. The successor to the Galaxy M phone has got a slew of upgrades, uses Samsung’s custom Exynos chipset but more importantly, promises a longer software support than most brands in this segment. The Galaxy M34 5G is priced at around Rs 18,000 which has become the entry-level for a 5G smartphone in the Indian market over the past 12 months, but that doesn’t mean buyers are scarce for choices.
In fact, you have brands like Realme, Xiaomi and even OnePlus that have models catering to the needs of different users with their unique proposition. The Samsung Galaxy M34 5G faces competition from the recently launched Realme Narzo 60 and the popular Redmi Note 12 5G and over here we give you a detailed comparison between these three phones.
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Samsung Galaxy M34 5G vs Realme Narzo 60 vs Redmi Note 12 5G: Specs at Glance
Specs
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G
Realme Narzo 60
Redmi Note 12 5G
Display
6.5-inch Full HD+ AMOLED
6.43-inch Full HD AMOLED
6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED
Refresh rate
120Hz
90Hz
120Hz
SoC
Exynos 1280
Mediatek Dimensity 6020
Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
RAM
Up to 8GB
Up to 8GB
Up to 8GB
Storage
Up to 128GB
Up to 256GB
Up to 256GB
Rear Camera
50MP + 8MP ( ultrawide) + 2MP (macro)
64MP + 2MP (macro)
48MP + 8MP (ultrawide) + 2MP (macro)
Front Camera
13MP
16MP
13MP
Battery
6000mAh battery with 25W fast charging
5000mAh battery with 33W fast charging
5000mAh battery with 33W charging
Operating System
Android 13
Android 13
Android 12
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G vs Realme Narzo 60 vs Redmi Note 12 5G: Price in India
The Samsung Galaxy M34 5G price in India starts at Rs 17,999 for the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant. The 8GB RAM model with 128GB of internal storage costs Rs 18,999.
The Narzo 60 5G also comes with different RAM and storage options. You have the base variant of 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage priced at Rs 17,999, and the 8RAM with 256GB of storage model costs Rs 19,999.
Redmi Note 12 comes with 128GB storage and you can get 4GB and 6GB RAM, priced at Rs 17,999 and Rs 19,999, respectively.
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G vs Realme Narzo 60 vs Redmi Note 12 5G: Design
The phone’s back panel is made of plastic and it has a glossy finish. It has a big capacity which makes it rather bulky, even though you can comfortably use it with one hand. The Samsung logo is at the back and you get the familiar vertical triple camera module that has become synonymous with Samsung phones these days. There’s nothing flashy about the device and that might work for some of you.
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Coming to the Realme Narzo 60 5G, the phone is a breath of fresh air in the segment with its faux leather finish at the back and a giant circular camera module to boot. The frame of the phone is made of plastic but the Narzo 60 5G easily manages to stand out because of its design aesthetics and uniqueness.
The Redmi Note 12 5G also is quite popular but now carries a design that has gone by its due date. The triple cameras are packed within a rectangular module on the back which is a mix of glass and polycarbonate that makes it look premium and offer some solidity at the same time even though it weighs around 188 grams.
Going by the recent trends, we have to give Realme Narzo 60 5G our vote with its premium-ish design and finish that is different from the crowd in the segment.
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G vs Realme Narzo 60 vs Redmi Note 12 5G: Display
Samsung has offered a 6.5-inch AMOLED display on the Galaxy M34 5G that gives you Full HD+ resolution with 120Hz refresh rate. You get it with a water drop notch which houses the front camera and the chin at the bottom is quite thick.
Realme has gone for a relatively smaller 6.43-inch Super AMOLED display that produces Full HD+ resolution but with a 90Hz refresh rate. The screen has an 85.7% screen-to-body ratio, gets a punch-hole cutout on the front to house the selfie camera and is provided with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for protection.
Redmi Note 12 gets the biggest display of the lot with a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen offering Full HD+ resolution with 120Hz refresh rate and gives you 1,200 nits of peak brightness. Xiaomi is giving Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection layer on the screen.
We would have gone with Samsung had it not been a water drop notch on the screen, so our next pick here is the Redmi Note 12 5G.
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G vs Realme Narzo 60 vs Redmi Note 12 5G: Performance and UI
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G is powered by an octa-core Exynos 1280 processor that is paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Samsung gives you the Android 13-based One UI as the software and the company claims the phone will get four years of Android software updates and five years of security patches, which is impressive.
The Realme Narzo 60 5G is using the Dimensity 6020 chipset, also with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage. The Narzo 60 5G runs on Realme UI 3.0, which is based on Android 13.
Redmi 12 5G has gone with a different approach by opting for the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 processor that comes with 4GB or 6GB RAM with up to 5GB virtual RAM. It offers 128GB storage and support for microSD cards up to 1TB. The Redmi Note 12 5G also boots MIUI 13 but is based on Android 12 which is disappointing.
Both Samsung and Realme have a case for improved performance and also at least giving you Android 13 out of the box, which Xiaomi fails to do.
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G vs Realme Narzo 60 vs Redmi Note 12 5G: Cameras
Samsung’s new M-series phone has a triple-camera setup that includes a 50MP primary camera with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP macro sensor. For selfies and video-calling purposes, the handset relies on a 13MP camera.
Realme Narzo 60 5G has a 64MP primary camera and a 2MP depth-sensing camera for portrait shots. The device has a 16MP selfie camera.
Xiaomi’s phone has a 48MP primary sensor at the back, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro lens. At the front you have a 13MP shooter for selfies and video calls.
The fact that Samsung is offering OIS on its primary rear camera tilts the whole equation in its favour, while the Redmi Note 12 comes close second.
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G vs Realme Narzo 60 vs Redmi Note 12 5G: Battery
Samsung is offering a massive 6,000mAh battery but it supports 25W fast charging.
Realme Narzo 60 5G features a decent 5000mAh battery that supports 33W wired fast charging. And the Redmi Note 12 is also given a 5,000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging.
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G vs Realme Narzo 60 vs Redmi Note 12 5G: Verdict
When you go through the specs of these phones, you tend to realise that Samsung may have a solid offering on its hands. The Galaxy M34 5G has a 120Hz AMOLED display, reliable hardware, capable cameras and long battery life. Not to forget the continuous support with four OS updates. The Narzo 60 also has its strong points with the design, classy display and fast-charging battery. The OS is heavy on bloatware. The Redmi Note 12 5G scores with its design, display, cameras and battery.
However, its performance might be lagging behind the other two phones. And yes, offering Android 12 on a phone when the 14 version is due, is not an ideal selling point. All three phones have their strong points, but the most practical of the lot has to be the Samsung Galaxy M34 5G because it offers more positives than the rest.
