In recent years, you might get used to the fact that Xiaomi always launches two new flagship mobiles at the beginning of the year, a smaller basic model and an “all-in” Pro device. Of the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro that arrived a year ago, only the former received a successor model this year, or more precisely, the Pro is only and exclusively available in China.
The good news, however, is that in 2024 we will also receive an Ultra model above the Pro, but now we will first present the Xiaomi 14, which is the most captivating due to its compact design and debuted at MWC 2024 in Barcelona, in more detail.
Small
The Xiaomi 14 is essentially the same as the Xiaomi 13, and its weight has only increased by a few grams. The flat-ironed side frame is made of aluminum, as before, and the IP68 dust and water resistance is ensured as before.
Slightly larger and heavier than the Samsung Galaxy S24 and the Apple iPhone 15 Pro, the new Xiaomi arrived in the Jade Green color variant, and its easily smudged back is reflected to such an extent that you can even use it to apply makeup.
Not the smallest, but plenty of lovable size
© Ferenc László
The display surrounded by only 1.61 mm thick bezels is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus instead of Gorilla Glass 5.
The left edge is completely bare, the usual pair of volume buttons and the power button can be found on the opposite side. The infrared port has been moved from the top edge to the rear camera island, so the TV or air conditioner can now be remotely controlled while the display is facing us.
The Dolby Atmos-supported stereo speakerphone sounds great, and we should also mention the four microphones, the stronger than ever vibration motor, and the fast and accurate fingerprint sensor integrated into the display. The latter can be used, among other things, for heart rate measurement.
The glossy back panel gets dirty easily
© Ferenc László
More light!
Perhaps only the 6.36-inch diagonal of the OLED screen has not changed (S24: 6.2 inches, iPhone 15 Pro: 6.1 inches). Due to the higher resolution, the pixel density has increased from 414 to 460 ppi, which is not yet the level of the Pro 522, but it is certainly worth celebrating, and we can safely say that the image quality is quite excellent.
The point peak brightness has increased from 1900 to 3000 nits, the screen with a huge viewing angle is clearly visible even in bright sunlight. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support are not new, but LTPO technology is very much so. Thanks to the latter, the refresh rate can now vary in a wide range between 1 and 120 Hz, which has a good effect on consumption.
Completely flat display
© Ferenc László
The visual appearance of the display, which can be woken up simply by lifting and/or double tapping, can be customized in detail. Of course, there is the AOD function, which, unlike cheaper Redmi phones, can be active not only for a short time, but also permanently.
The 32 megapixel resolution of the camera integrated in the middle-upper part of the display remains the same and unfortunately we still don’t get autofocus, but now Xiaomi has finally managed to increase the video resolution from Full HD to 4K, while the speed has also increased from 30 to 60 frames/ increased to seconds.
8.3 millimeters thick
© Ferenc László
Photos
Fortunately, the central unit of the massive rear Leica camera island has not been increased in resolution, but rather in sensor size, which is particularly useful when shooting in poor lighting conditions.
Compared to last year’s Pro and Ultra, the still smaller chip size is effectively offset by the improved brightness from f/1.8 to f/1.6, and since we rarely need 50 megapixel photos, 12.5 megapixel binning shots are taken by default.
The main camera has seven lens elements
© Ferenc László
The adjustable aperture of the even more serious Xiaomis is disappointing, but there are no complaints regarding the image stabilizer and the laser-supported super-fast and accurate focusing. In Vibrant mode, shots can be taken with vivid and lifelike colors in Authentic, and for advanced photographers there is the Pro mode with lots of manual settings.
The ultrawide camera has a slightly wider viewing angle, while its resolution has catapulted from 12 to 50 megapixels. There are no complaints regarding the image quality this time either, but it’s a shame that the autofocus was omitted from this module.
Despite the many options, the camera UI is easy to use
© Ferenc László
The zoom camera with optical image stabilization, which is still capable of 3.2x optical zoom and has a brightness of f/2, now has a resolution of 50 megapixels instead of the previous 10, and since it has a minimum object distance of 10 centimeters, we can take great tele macros with it. The digital zoom has a maximum magnification of 60x, which falls short of the 100-120x production of some rivals.
The 8K video resolution may be familiar from its predecessor, and unfortunately its speed has not increased from 24 to 30 fps. Only the main camera is capable of 8K, in the case of the other two modules we have to get by with 4K/60 fps. According to our information, the camera of some test devices can show a fogging phenomenon under certain conditions, in the case of the phone we received, we did not experience this despite the massive skinning.
1x zoom value
© Ferenc László
Detail of the image above
© Ferenc László
Interiors
With MIUI 14, based on Android 13, an era in the life of the manufacturer came to an end, Xiaomi 14 already launched with the first version of HyperOS based on Android 14. The name is slightly misleading, because instead of landslide-like changes, we get a fine-tuned user interface, which is not only tasteful and fast, but also easy to use.
The very serious pace is due not only to in-depth optimization, but also to the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which together with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of flash memory promises long durability. There is no sign of slowing down, minor or major jolts, the Xiaomi 14 is lightning fast under all conditions, but it can heat up noticeably during prolonged skinning.
5 Gbit/s is the new peak wired speed
© Ferenc László
There is no MicroSD expansion option, but it is not really missing either. Wi-Fi 7 is lightning fast when paired with the right router, just like 5G mobile internet, the version number of Bluetooth increased from 5.3 to 5.4 brought lower consumption, better stability and increased security.
Finally, the USB has also been speeded up, thanks to the 3.2 wired data transfer, even larger files can be copied to the computer very quickly.
The battery capacity has increased from 4,500 to 4,610 mAh, which is not yet the level of the Pros, but it is already very close to it, and the 1-1.5 day operating time can be achieved even with heavy use. On the wired charging front, progress has been made from 67 to 90 W, so a full charge now only takes half an hour.
It’s a fact that some cheaper Xiaomi mobiles are now capable of 120 W, but the Xiaomi 14 can’t be complained regarding either, since Apple and Samsung still only stumble at 20-45 W, and of course, unlike their Chinese rivals, they don’t they give you a charging head and silicone at the basic price.
Wireless charging is still 50 watts, in this case a full charge takes regarding three quarters of an hour.
Rich standard equipment
© Ferenc László
Ultradurva
While Xiaomi’s previous Ultra devices were for the most part only available to a limited extent or not at all, according to the promises, Hungarian customers will soon be able to get their hands on the 14 Ultra.
The 6.73-inch display of the novelty, which will be thoroughly tested by us later on, looks very similar to its predecessor, has become brighter and more resistant to external influences. The high-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset is also available this time, the memory is 16/512 GB – the battery, which can be charged by wire with 90 W and wirelessly with 80 W, has a capacity of 5000 mAh, compared to the Chinese market version, which has a capacity of 5300 mAh (there is no other difference).
A version with a titanium frame is also made
© Xiaomi
The 50 megapixel resolution and 0.5x, 1x, 3.2x and 5x magnification values of the four rear cameras have not changed, but a lot of fine-tuning has been done.
The main camera, which is still 1 inch in size, but equipped with a new generation Sony sensor, can now be adjusted to a larger aperture range, between f/1.6 and f/4, and for the first time steplessly, completely freely.
Closed aperture
© Ferenc László
Open aperture
© Ferenc László
The wide-angle camera beats Xiaomi 14’s similar unit mainly due to its higher brightness and autofocus. The 3.2x zoom module boasts f/1.8 brightness, and the 5x zoom camera also has an excellent f/2.5 brightness, beating the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max in this regard. he orders it behind him.
The 30-centimeter close point of the 5x telephoto unit, the AI-supported 30x ultrazoom, the 8K video recorder, and the 4K/120 fps mode of the main camera are also promising.
The 3000 nit display has a QHD+ resolution
© Xiaomi
There is a brand new Sony LYT-900 sensor in the main camera
© Xiaomi
Conclusion, prices
The Xiaomi 14 is much more than a simple wrinkle patch and can even encourage Xiaomi 13 users to switch devices. In addition to the friendly compact design, there is a beautiful display, super fast processor, advanced camera, reasonable operating time and basic price fast charger – apart from a few small things, there is really no reason to complain.
By comparison, a year ago the 8/256 GB Xiaomi opened at HUF 13,390. Among the slightly smaller rivals, the Galaxy S24 with 8/128 GB currently costs HUF 370,000 and 8/256 GB costs HUF 400,000, while the iPhone 15 Pro costs HUF 500,000 to 750,000.
The price tag of the 16/512 GB Xiaomi 14 Ultra, intended to rival the HUF 610-790 thousand Galaxy S24 Ultra and the HUF 600-800 thousand iPhone 15 Pro Max, is HUF 600 thousand.
For both new phones, the manufacturer promises four generations of Android updates and regular security updates for five years.
You can find our other tests here. If you want to know regarding them regularly, like them the Facebook page of the HVG Tech section.
