Samsung Galaxy A05s vs Redmi 13

Despite being renowned for their high-end smartphones, Samsung are also very well known for their low end smartphones. Xiaomi’s Redmi on the other hand, made it's name in the mid-range and low-end markets. In this article we'll be comparing two of their current budget options. This is the Samsung Galaxy A05s vs Redmi 13.

The Samsung Galaxy A05s is a mid-range device from Samsung that is designed to compete favourably in the price to performance category of the mid-range market. This phone is a step up from the Samsung Galaxy A05 and a successor to last year's Samsung Galaxy A04s. It was released in October of 2023 and has sold fairly well in the market.

The Redmi 13 on the other hand is a much newer device from Xiaomi's Redmi that comes from a long line of Redmi phones. It is a budget/lower mid-range device that seeks to profit off the Redmi 's brand popularity in the low-end market. It is the successor to the Redmi 12 and was announced in June of 2024. It has had a reasonably good reception in the market.

So if you're looking for a new lower mid-range phone for personal use or for someone else, these are probably 2 of the mainstream mid-range options out there. So let's jump into a comprehensive comparison of the specifications and merits of each device. This should aid you in making an informed decision based on your preferences and priorities.

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Samsung Galaxy A05s vs Redmi 13

Body and build

Both phones are built using plastic frames but whilst the Samsung Galaxy A05s has a plastic back, the Redmi 13 has a glass back with a more premium feel. The Samsung Galaxy A05s is lighter at 194g and lacks any sort of dust and water protection whilst the Redmi 13 is heavier at 205g and has IP53 splash and dust protection.

The Samsung Galaxy A05s has dual SIM card slots and a microSD card slot as well whilst the Redmi 13 uses a hybrid SIM tray for dual SIM card slots or 1 SIM card and 1 microSD card slot.

Verdict: Redmi 13

Performance

For performance (i.e. handling of apps, software, games etc.), the Samsung Galaxy A05s has a slightly better Snapdragon 680 SoC with a microarchitecture of 4x Cortex-A73 (2.4GHz) and 4x Cortex-A53 (1.9GHz) which is paired with an Adreno 610 GPU for graphics. The Redmi 13 has to make do with a slightly slower Helio G91 Ultimate sporting 2x Cortex A75 (2.0GHz) and 6x Cortex A55 (1.8GHz) microarchitecture setup, paired with a Mali G57 MC2 GPU.

What this means is that the Samsung Galaxy A05s will handle apps, tasks, games and other software better than the Redmi 13. The difference isn't all that wide tho but it is there and whilst casual users won't notice it, experienced smartphone handlers definitely will.

Verdict: Samsung Galaxy A05s

Camera and Video

In the rear camera department, the Redmi 13 is better armed with a 108MP main camera and a 2MP macro camera. On the other hand, the Galaxy A05s sports a 50MP main camera, 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro camera. The 108MP main camera on the Redmi 13 should provide better results (photos and videos) than the 50MP main camera on the Samsung Galaxy A05s. The other macro and depth sensors are largely ineffectual and aren't really worth your time. Moving over to the front, both phones use 13MP front facing cameras for selfies.

For videos, both devices record 1080p videos at 30fps across rear and front facing cameras.

Verdict: Redmi 13

Displays

Moving on to the displays, both devices are tied here as they both use 1080p or Full High Definition resolution displays with 90Hz refresh rates. The differences between them are that the Samsung Galaxy A05s uses a PLS LCD panel whilst the Redmi 13 uses an IPS LCD panel. The IPS LCD has been a favourite of the industry for years now and that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon.

It is also important to point out that the Redmi 13 has a slightly bigger display (6.79” to 6.7”) and enjoys Corning Gorilla Glass protection as well.

Verdict: Tie

Connectivity

Both of these devices are 4G LTE devices, so you won't find 5G here. That shouldn't be a problem as 4G LTE is still very fast and is used by a majority of the world (do note that the Samsung Galaxy A05s supports faster download speeds on 4G). They also both support USB-C ports, NFC, WiFi 5 but the Redmi 13 uses a slightly better Bluetooth 5.4 as opposed to the Bluetooth 5.1 on the Samsung Galaxy A05s.

They also both have side mounted fingerprint sensors for security but the Redmi 13 also has extra features such as FM radio and an infrared port for controlling household appliances.

Verdict: Redmi 13

Battery and charging

Both phones have 5,000mAh batteries with the Redmi 13 having slightly higher 5030mAh capacity. For charging, the Redmi 13 also supports a faster 33W MI Turbo charge whilst the Samsung Galaxy A05s is stuck with a slower 25W Super Fast charge.

Verdict: Redmi 13

Pricing

Both phones are close in terms of pricing but the Redmi 13 is the more expensive device. The prices of both devices are as follows:

• Samsung Galaxy A05s (4/64) ₦172,500.00
• Samsung Galaxy A05s (4/128GB) ₦195,000.00
• Redmi 13 (6/128GB) ₦199,600.00
• Redmi 13 (8/128GB) ₦220,600.00

Note: The economy is very volatile right now and prices are subject to quickly change at a moment’s notice.

Samsung Galaxy A05s

Positives

• Better performance due to the Snapdragon 680
• Slightly lighter
• Good 1080p display with a fast 90Hz refresh rate
• Faster download speeds
• Better battery life

Negatives

• No dust and water protection
• No gorilla glass protection for the display
• Slightly weaker main camera
• Slower Bluetooth 5.1
• Lacks infrared port for controlling household appliances
• Slower charging speeds

Redmi 13

Positives

• IP53 splash and dust protection
• Better 108MP main camera
• Corning Gorilla Glass screen protection
• Better Bluetooth 5.4 support
• FM radio and Infrared blaster for control of household appliances
• Faster charging

Negatives

• Slower performance due to Helio G91 Ultimate SoC
• Slower download speeds

Conclusion

As it is with most smartphone comparisons, there's usually not a clear winner. What this author usually does is to highlight specific areas or features that could be of interest to different types of users.

For example, if you're a gamer, then I'll absolutely recommend that you pick up the Samsung Galaxy A05s as it offers the better performance due to its better Snapdragon 680 SoC. However if you are into photos and videos, you'll be better served going to the Redmi 13 due to its better cameras. Casual users can also pick up the Redmi 13 as well over the Samsung Galaxy A05s. That's it from this end, over and out.