When should I choose Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S?

Gamers and heavy multitaskers needing high performance (Snapdragon 720G, AnTuTu ~267k). Photography enthusiasts wanting a versatile quad camera with ultrawide and macro. Users requiring long battery life (5,020 mAh) and 18W fast charging. Content creators who shoot 4K video at 30fps. Users who value newer software with Android 10 and upgrade path to Android 11. People who prefer a large 6.67-inch FHD+ display for productivity.

When should I choose Samsung Galaxy A8 Star?

Media consumers who prioritize an AMOLED display with vibrant colors and deep blacks. Selfie lovers who want a high-resolution 24MP front camera. Users who prefer a more compact 6.3-inch screen size. People who watch movies in dark environments and want superior contrast. Those who value Samsung's One UI interface.

What are the advantages of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S over Samsung Galaxy A8 Star?

6.67-inch FHD+ IPS LCD with 1080x2400 resolution and ~395 ppi offers good brightness and color accuracy.. Snapdragon 720G (8nm) with 2x Cortex-A76 at 2.3 GHz and 6x Cortex-A55 at 1.8 GHz, Adreno 618 GPU, and up to 6GB RAM scores ~267,000 in AnTuTu v8 and ~570 in Geekbench 5 single-core, delivering smooth gaming and multitasking.. Versatile quad-camera setup with 48MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, and 5MP depth sensor supports 4K video recording at 30fps and offers a dedicated macro lens.. 5,020 mAh battery with 18W fast charging scores 118 hours in endurance tests.. Ships with Android 10 and MIUI 11, with official upgrade to Android 11 and MIUI 12.5, and receives regular security updates..

What are the advantages of Samsung Galaxy A8 Star over Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S?

6.3-inch Super AMOLED display with 1080x2220 resolution and ~392 ppi delivers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and high contrast.. 24MP front camera provides high-resolution selfies.. Dual rear camera setup with 24MP main sensor and 16MP secondary sensor for standard photography.. Supports fast charging.. Samsung One UI is relatively clean..

AI comparison report

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S vs Samsung Galaxy A8 Star

By CompareAI Editorial Team · Published 2026-08-05 · How we compare

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S wins decisively overall with superior performance, battery, camera, and software, while the Samsung Galaxy A8 Star offers only a bette…

Who wins: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S or Samsung Galaxy A8 Star?

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S

Based on our analysis across 5 dimensions with 20 sources, Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S scores 8.0/10 overall while Samsung Galaxy A8 Star scores 5.8/10 overall.

Dimension	Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S	Samsung Galaxy A8 Star
Display Quality	7/10	9/10
Performance and Processing Power	8/10	4/10
Camera System	8/10	5/10
Battery Life and Charging	9/10	6/10
Software and Updates	8/10	5/10
Overall	8.0/10	5.8/10

Should I choose Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S or Samsung Galaxy A8 Star?

Verdict: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S wins decisively overall with superior performance, battery, camera, and software, while the Samsung Galaxy A8 Star offers only a better Super AMOLED display.

In a head-to-head, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S dominates with a Snapdragon 720G that scores ~267,000 in AnTuTu v8 versus ~130,000 for the Galaxy A8 Star's Snapdragon 660, offering roughly 2x better performance. Its 5,020 mAh battery with 18W charging dwarfs the A8 Star's 3,700 mAh, and its quad camera (48MP+8MP+5MP+5MP) provides ultrawide and macro flexibility the dual-camera A8 Star (24MP+16MP) lacks. The Note 9S also ships with Android 10 and upgrades to 11, while the A8 Star remains on Android 9. However, the Galaxy A8 Star's 6.3-inch Super AMOLED panel offers superior contrast and color saturation compared to the Note 9S's 6.67-inch IPS LCD, making it the only clear win for the Samsung in this comparison.

Best for Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S

Gamers and heavy multitaskers needing high performance (Snapdragon 720G, AnTuTu ~267k)
Photography enthusiasts wanting a versatile quad camera with ultrawide and macro
Users requiring long battery life (5,020 mAh) and 18W fast charging
Content creators who shoot 4K video at 30fps
Users who value newer software with Android 10 and upgrade path to Android 11
People who prefer a large 6.67-inch FHD+ display for productivity

Best for Samsung Galaxy A8 Star

Media consumers who prioritize an AMOLED display with vibrant colors and deep blacks
Selfie lovers who want a high-resolution 24MP front camera
Users who prefer a more compact 6.3-inch screen size
People who watch movies in dark environments and want superior contrast
Those who value Samsung's One UI interface

When not to compare directly

Avoid a direct comparison when the user's primary criterion is display quality—the Samsung Galaxy A8 Star’s Super AMOLED screen is its decisive advantage, even though the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S wins everywhere else.

What are the key differences between Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S and Samsung Galaxy A8 Star?

Display Quality

The Samsung Galaxy A8 Star's 6.3-inch Super AMOLED display offers superior contrast and color saturation compared to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S's 6.67-inch IPS LCD, which has lower contrast and less vibrant colors.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S features a 6.67-inch FHD+ IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, offering a pixel density of ~395 ppi. It provides good brightness and color accuracy but lacks the deep blacks and high contrast of AMOLED panels.
Samsung Galaxy A8 Star: The Samsung Galaxy A8 Star features a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2220 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of ~392 ppi. AMOLED technology delivers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and high contrast, making it superior for media consumption.
Scores — Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: 7/10, Samsung Galaxy A8 Star: 9/10
The display is the primary interface for all smartphone interactions, affecting media consumption, gaming, and readability.
Sources: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S - Full phone specifications, Samsung Galaxy A8 Star vs LG Stylo 6 - specs comparison - PhoneArena
Performance and Processing Power

The Redmi Note 9S's Snapdragon 720G outperforms the Galaxy A8 Star's Snapdragon 660 by roughly 2x in AnTuTu (267,000 vs 130,000), delivering significantly faster app loading and gaming performance.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S is powered by the Snapdragon 720G (8nm) with 2x Cortex-A76 at 2.3 GHz and 6x Cortex-A55 at 1.8 GHz, paired with Adreno 618 GPU and up to 6GB RAM. It scores ~267,000 in AnTuTu v8 and ~570 in Geekbench 5 single-core, offering smooth gaming and multitasking.
Samsung Galaxy A8 Star: The Samsung Galaxy A8 Star uses the Snapdragon 660 (14nm) with 4x Cortex-A73 at 2.2 GHz and 4x Cortex-A53 at 1.8 GHz, paired with Adreno 512 GPU and 4GB RAM. It scores ~130,000 in AnTuTu v7 and ~330 in Geekbench 5 single-core, adequate for daily tasks but struggles with heavy gaming.
Scores — Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: 8/10, Samsung Galaxy A8 Star: 4/10
Processor and RAM determine multitasking capability, app loading times, and gaming performance.
Sources: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S - Full phone specifications, Samsung Galaxy A8 Star vs LG Stylo 6 - specs comparison - PhoneArena
Camera System

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S offers a more versatile quad-camera system (48MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, 5MP depth) compared to the Samsung Galaxy A8 Star's dual camera (24MP+16MP) with no ultrawide or macro, making the Redmi more flexible for various shooting scenarios.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S features a versatile quad-camera setup with a 48MP main sensor, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, and 5MP depth sensor, as per GSMarena. It supports 4K video recording at 30fps and offers a dedicated macro lens for close-up shots, enhancing flexibility for photography enthusiasts.
Samsung Galaxy A8 Star: The Samsung Galaxy A8 Star has a dual rear camera setup with a 24MP main sensor and a 16MP secondary sensor, along with a 24MP front camera for high-resolution selfies. According to Samsung's official support page, it lacks ultrawide and macro capabilities, focusing on standard photography with a high-resolution front camera.
Scores — Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: 8/10, Samsung Galaxy A8 Star: 5/10
Camera quality is a key differentiator for social media and photography enthusiasts.
Sources: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S - Full phone specifications, Galaxy A8 Star Samsung Support Singapore
Battery Life and Charging

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S has a 5,020 mAh battery with 18W fast charging, while the Samsung Galaxy A8 Star has a 3,700 mAh battery, making the Redmi Note 9S superior in battery capacity and endurance.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S features a 5,020 mAh battery with 18W fast charging, as per GSMArena. This large capacity supports extended usage, with the device scoring 118 hours in endurance tests.
Samsung Galaxy A8 Star: The Samsung Galaxy A8 Star has a 3,700 mAh battery, as listed by Samsung Support. It supports fast charging but lacks the capacity of the Redmi Note 9S, leading to shorter battery life.
Scores — Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: 9/10, Samsung Galaxy A8 Star: 6/10
Battery endurance directly impacts daily usability and travel convenience.
Sources: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S - Full phone specifications, Galaxy A8 Star Samsung Support Singapore
Software and Updates

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S offers a newer Android 10 with an upgrade to Android 11, while the Samsung Galaxy A8 Star is stuck on Android 9 Pie, making the Redmi Note 9S better for software longevity.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S ships with Android 10 and MIUI 11, with an official upgrade path to Android 11 and MIUI 12.5, as confirmed by GSMArena. It receives regular security updates, though MIUI includes bloatware apps. The device launched in 2020, ensuring a longer software support window compared to older models.
Samsung Galaxy A8 Star: The Samsung Galaxy A8 Star launched in 2018 with Android 8.0 Oreo and Samsung Experience, later updated to Android 9 Pie and One UI. It has received limited updates since, with no official upgrade to Android 10 or beyond, and its update longevity is shorter. Samsung's One UI is relatively clean but includes some pre-installed apps.
Scores — Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: 8/10, Samsung Galaxy A8 Star: 5/10
Software determines user experience, security updates, and access to new Android features.
Sources: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S - Full phone specifications, Galaxy A8 Star Samsung Support Singapore

What are the pros and cons of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S vs Samsung Galaxy A8 Star?