Xiaomi 14 review

Xiaomi’s flagship vary of smartphones for 2024 is right here and though we don’t get the Professional, the common Xiaomi 14 and 14 Extremely make for a formidable duo. 

It’s the common on check right here, which could not be as headline-grabbing because the Extremely, however a superb smartphone in nearly each respect. 

It is available in at £849 within the UK and has all of the issues we wish to see in a recommendable flagship, together with a top-notch show (and a compact one at that), wonderful cameras co-developed with Leica, clean efficiency, speedy charging and extra.

The telephone is worthy – which I assumed it would after simply 24 hours – of a really excessive rating however let’s delve deeper to search out out. 

Discover out what handsets rank in our round-up of the very best smartphones.

Design & Construct 

• Compact and trendy 
• IP68 
• Three colors 

I’ve little or no to complain about on the subject of the design and construct of the Xiaomi 14. It’s a correct little stunner and it doesn’t trouble me that the feel and appear hasn’t change a lot in comparison with the Xiaomi 13. 

It’s not a compact telephone just like the iPhone minis and Sony Xperia Compacts of yesteryear, nevertheless it’s definitely one of the crucial pocket-friendly flagships of 2024. 

The premium design appears each bit the half, from the tiny bezel across the display screen to the luxurious watch-esque texturing across the digicam module. 

I’m not tremendous eager on the shiny chrome impact of the body however the rear cowl of my Jade Inexperienced pattern is uncommon and lovely.  

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It does, nevertheless, have two issues. The primary is that it sounds a bit hole in the event you give it a faucet within the center, however a lot worse is how simply it attracts fingerprints and different grubby marks.  

The shiny end of this 3D curved glass again solely appears nice for the primary 30 seconds out of its field. Xiaomi does present an honest darkish gray silicone case nevertheless it’s a disgrace to cowl up the great inexperienced. 

From the appears of it the white colourway is equally shiny however the black choice has a matt end, so it could be your greatest wager. 

It’s a disgrace because the telephone feels very stable and sturdy so I’d be blissful utilizing it with out a case for essentially the most half. The Gorilla Glass Victus entrance comes with a display screen protector utilized and the telephone is IP68 rated so absolutely mud and water-resistant, as a flagship ought to be. 

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The problems listed below are frequent within the smartphone world so it’s not like getting a rival goes to be massively completely different, I simply crave a telephone that isn’t a slippery fingerprint magnet and never in a boring color.

The important thing issue right here within the wider market is that the Xiaomi 14 is without doubt one of the most compact and straightforward to deal with flagships you will get. It’s 8.2mm thick and 193g, which has similarities to the Pixel 8. 

Haptic suggestions is mostly good, although the best way it responds isn’t my favorite. It’s principally fast and sharp however can get a bit buzzy at occasions, to the extent that it turns into audible. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to simply alter the vibration degree in Settings.

Display screen & Audio system 

• 6.36-inch AMOLED 
• 1-120Hz 
• Stereo audio system 

At 6.36-inch and utilizing AMOLED expertise, the show may sound like the identical as its predecessor, nevertheless it will get a couple of upgrades that make for a pleasant step up. 

The marginally larger Full HD+ (2670 x 1200) decision is welcome nevertheless it’s the addition of LTPO panel tech that’s extra vital right here. It means the refresh charge can scale from 120- all the way down to 1Hz to avoid wasting battery when the next charge is just not wanted. 

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It additionally will get a brightness enhance to a theoretical peak of 3000 nits. I measured it with auto-brightness switched off at an honest 702 nits and had no issues utilizing it in any state of affairs. 

Together with the aforementioned slither of a bezel and options reminiscent of a contact 240Hz sampling charge and help for HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient, the Xiaomi 14’s show is attractive – there’s nothing I can complain about. 

The under-display optical fingerprint scanner works very nicely with a excessive degree of accuracy. It’s simply maybe barely low down by way of placement for me however solely by a bit. 

Though there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack, that’s not a shock for a 2024 flagship telephone.

In the meantime, the stereo audio system on supply listed below are first rate with loads of quantity out there. The mid-range is wealthy and excessive finish crisp, whereas the dearth of bass is quite common on telephones.

Chris Martin / Foundry

Specs & Efficiency 

• Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 
• 12GB RAM 
• 256/512GB storage 

I’ve completely no quibbles with efficiency on this telephone. I didn’t anticipate to, however can verify: on the subject of efficiency, the Xiaomi 14 is a pocket rocket. 

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 may not be overclocked just like the ‘for Galaxy’ model present in Samsung’s S24 vary nevertheless it’s a lot quick sufficient to fulfill energy customers. 

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The chip is paired with a really wholesome 12GB of RAM, no matter whether or not you select to get 256- or 512GB of inner storage. Take into consideration that properly as there’s no microSD card slot right here and with solely £50 further to double the storage, that might be an actual boon down the road.

Processor, RAM and storage are all an enchancment on the Xiaomi 13 for a similar worth which is a uncommon factor to see.

The whole lot occurs with lightning pace on the Xiaomi 14, from navigation to loading apps. Double tapping the current apps button to change to your final used app occurs in a flash. 

It may deal with gaming very nicely certainly, with the flexibility to play essentially the most demanding video games reminiscent of Genshin Influence on the highest settings with out dropping frames or any type of noticeable lag. 

The telephone will get heat in the direction of the highest after an prolonged interval of gaming, however by no means sufficient to fret about. Xiaomi’s ‘IceLoop’ cooling system appears to do the job nicely. 

Xiaomi 14 benchmarks

By way of different core specs, you couldn’t actually ask for extra from the Xiaomi 14. It has each Bluetooth 5.4 (with AptX Adaptive/LDAC/LHDC 5.0 help) and Wi-Fi 7 (with Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 Cell Connectivity System) help – these are the very newest requirements on the time of writing.

There’s additionally GPS, NFC, an IR blaster (sure that’s very helpful for controlling the TV when your one-year-old has hidden the distant), 5G and dual-SIM with help for 2 nano SIMs or one bodily and one eSIM.

Cameras & Video

• Triple 50Mp rear cameras with Leica 
• 32Mp selfie cam 
• DSLR-level outcomes 

Pictures is an space the place the Xiaomi 14 has obtained a big improve over its predecessor. 

A trio of 50Mp rear going through cameras (co-developed with iconic digicam firm Leica) makes for a formidable setup. The Xiaomi 13 had one 50Mp shooter however 12- and 10Mp ultrawide and telephoto choices alongside it respectively. 

After vital testing, the Xiaomi 14 comes out as among the best digicam telephones that we’ve ever examined. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

The mixture of a 23mm (equal) f/1.6 principal digicam with a big 1/1.31-inch sensor, 14mm f/2.2 ultrawide and 75mm f/2.0 floating telephoto – all at excessive decision – is unbelievable. It feels such as you’re carrying round a compact DSLR with interchangeable lenses, simply with out having to bodily swap them spherical. 

Xiaomi affords completely gorgeous picture high quality on the 14, no matter which digicam you employ. Thought it’s the primary digicam that I used essentially the most, and it’s the one that basically stands out. Outcomes look nothing in need of DSLR-level with eye-opening element for starters. 

What I discovered significantly spectacular is the best way the Xiaomi 14 captures mild. It’s really difficult to place into phrases for some photographs however there’s a extremely moody and intriguing high quality to them – see the instance under (albeit compressed for on-line viewing) the place the sunshine is coming in from the window and particular person hairs are crisp. 

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The digicam is fast to reply, capable of focus and recognise faces with ease and virtually all the time will get key settings like publicity and ISO proper. The element in shadows in astounding and I really like the pure bokeh of the primary lens, which makes portrait mode virtually redundant. 

It’s maybe a bit too shallow now and again (verify the hazy fringe of the ice cream under) however this solely occurs hardly ever. Color is true to life with the app set to the Leica Genuine mode, however you’ll be able to shortly faucet within the high nook to change to a extra saturated look with Leica Vibrant in the event you choose. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

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As per the portrait mode, I additionally didn’t discover I wanted to manually choose Evening mode both, such is the low mild efficiency of the telephone. I feel the outcomes communicate for themselves.

Transferring to the telephoto lens (initially discovered on the Xiaomi 13 Professional) you’ll be able to shoot an at optical zoom of three.2x which is barely greater than the S24 and S24+ (each 3x). That apart, it’s the standard that’s the important thing factor right here because of the mix of excessive decision, OIS (optical picture stabilisation) and quick f/2 aperture. 

See for your self within the samples under. You may zoom as much as 60x in digital cropping nevertheless it’s no shock that issues begin to get pixelated when you hit even half that determine. 

The ultrawide is maybe the least spectacular of the three nevertheless it’s nonetheless much better than most available on the market. It’s simply that the opposite two cameras are so spectacular, and I discovered them extra helpful in my pictures than the ultrawide. 

It doesn’t have OIS or as spectacular an aperture, however high quality remains to be excellent and color is near the opposite cameras, too. The pliability of a wider discipline of view will all the time be helpful.

I discovered the cameras sensible to work with with out delving too far into the settings – congrats to Xiaomi for making the digicam app so clear and user-friendly. However you are able to do issues like shoot in RAW, at 50Mp decision or with customized settings in Professional mode in the event you like.

Across the entrance is a 32Mp selfie digicam with f/2 aperture. It’s according to different flagship front-facing cameras, providing good element and loads of options – together with a portrait mode with depth management and evening mode. 

You may also make use of ‘dynamic framing’ (aka cropping) to decide on between 0.8x and 1.0x relying on how a lot you’re making an attempt to suit into the shot. Nonetheless, not like some telephones, it doesn’t robotically transfer between them.

Chris Martin / Foundry

Transferring onto video and the Xiaomi 14 continues to impress with the flexibility to shoot in as much as 8K/24fps, however most will wish to knock it all the way down to 4K to get 30- or 60fps and Dolby Imaginative and prescient HDR. 

I discovered video footage to be top quality, clean, detailed and vibrant. Audio high quality can also be above common, because of an array of 4 microphones. 

My on gripe right here is that though the app affords you a pleasant zoom wheel which easily zooms out and in such as you’ve acquired an old-fashioned camcorder, it can swap between the rear cameras while you get to sure ranges and the transition is commonly jarring.  

Even so, I’m blown away by the cameras on the Xiaomi 14 and the Xiaomi 14 Extremely is much more spectacular on paper, particularly with the alluring Pictures Equipment, although it comes at a worth. 

And in the event you don’t wish to take my phrase for it, the 14 is ranked third in its class by DXOMark on the time of writing, behind solely the Pixel 8 and iPhone 15. Although it will get a decrease rating, these rivals don’t have a telephoto lens.

Battery Life & Charging 

• 4610mAh 
• 90W HyperCharge 
• 50W wi-fi HyperCharge 

A 4610mAh battery is a bit under the oh so frequent 5000mAh capability, however don’t fear an excessive amount of. 

I might personally quite take this and have the dimensions and weight advantages that include it, particularly as I can verify that battery life is first rate regardless of its below-average capability.

Chris Martin / Foundry

You will get by means of a day of assorted utilization with an inexpensive quantity of display screen on time with round 50% left, so it is a two-day telephone in some conditions. Nonetheless, if duties like gaming are a part of your each day routine, then I might anticipate it to want charging at bedtime. 

In our common PCMark for Android battery check with the display screen set to 200 nits the Xiaomi 14 lasted a decent 12 hours and 43 minutes. 

It’s not onerous to maintain the Xiaomi 14 topped up although, so I didn’t actually do the cost at evening factor. With 90W wired and 50W wi-fi ‘HyperCharge’ quick charging out there, small bursts of cost go a good distance. 

Xiaomi supplies the 90W adapter within the field, too, and with this, you will get from 0% to 43% in simply 15-minutes after which 82% in half an hour in my testing. Rather a lot quicker than the Pixels and Galaxys of this world.

It additionally helps 10W reverse wi-fi charging so you’ll be able to high up different devices, maybe your wi-fi earbuds case, by inserting them on the again of the Xiaomi 14. 

Software program & Apps 

• HyperOS 
• Android 14 
• Good software program help 

Though the Xiaomi 14 comes with the shiny new HyperOS (model 1.0) over Android 14. However don’t get too excited in the event you suppose the HyperOS software program is a departure from the longstanding MIUI.  

Should you’ve used MIUI earlier than, a lot of the working system will probably be acquainted right here. The truth is, it’s troublesome to identify any main variations. 

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It’s definitely a greater expertise than MIUI was a couple of years in the past and with a while spent tinkering, might be fairly nice. It’s possible you’ll even just like the cut up notification and fast settings panels on both aspect of the selfie digicam, iOS-style. 

These can no less than be pulled down with out reaching the highest of the show however no shortcut for the primary settings menu is a mistake, which means you have to go away the app icon model someplace useful. 

It appears for each good factor, there’s a draw back. 

Many customers will love the GameTurbo mode, which not solely offers a efficiency enhance however has numerous helpful options and instruments. And you should utilize apps in floating home windows nevertheless it’s not all the time intuitive or simple to make use of.

The largest downside, as ever, is the big quantity of bloatware. It feels such as you’ve picked up another person’s telephone after setup such is the quantity of apps already vying in your consideration. 

There’s a complete folder of ‘Extra apps’ together with the likes of Fb, Reserving.com and AliExpress. And who wants three net browsers? Chrome, Opera, and Mi Browser are all pre-installed.

Chris Martin / Foundry

Certain, most might be uninstalled however I don’t wish to spend time doing boring admin on my new telephone to get issues tidied up, thanks. 

The agency doesn’t listing it on the web site or retailer however has confirmed to me that the Xiaomi 14 will get 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of safety updates. 

It’s not so long as Samsung or Google (each seven for flagships) nevertheless it’s definitely not dangerous.  

Worth & Availability 

The Xiaomi 14 arrives within the UK with a beginning worth of £849 (the identical because the Xiaomi 13) which will get you the 256GB mannequin or you’ll be able to double this to 512GB for £899. 

Xiaomi has varied affords on the official Mi retailer together with a free Xiaomi Pad 6 in the event you pre-order together with 3-months of YouTube Premium and 6-months of 100GB Google One storage. 

Nonetheless, the telephone isn’t out there on contract, so that you’ll have to purchase outright and pair with SIM-only deal. As common, the telephone isn’t out there within the US, although you might be able to import onee

The value places the Xiaomi 14 in competitors with the likes of the Google Pixel 8, iPhone 15, Samsung Galaxy S24 and OnePlus 12. 

All of that are stable selections in 2024 however the Xiaomi 14 stands in excellent stead amongst these titans in addition to what we rank as the very best smartphones you should buy. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

Do you have to purchase the Xiaomi 14? 

By no means a easy query to reply however you need to undoubtedly give the Xiaomi 14 critical consideration in the event you’re searching for a top-notch flagship in 2024. 

I personally love this compact and excessive efficiency handset. In numerous methods, it outpaces rivals from the large names. 

The design is attractive in virtually each approach, I simply want this Jade Inexperienced colourway wasn’t a fingerprint magnet. 

There’s little or no to complain about on the subject of {hardware} right here. The show is gorgeous (and extra compact than most), efficiency is blazingly quick, charging is fast and the cameras are astounding. 

The important thing query right here is whether or not you wish to pay greater than the likes of the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 when HyperOS is a step down and software program help, although first rate, isn’t as lengthy. 

I’m severely tempted (with some consumer interface tweaking) to make use of it as my principal machine, which is about as excessive as reward will get from a expertise journalist. 

Specs

• Android 14 w/ HyperOS 1.0
• 6.36in FHD+ AMOLED 1-120Hz show, 240Hz contact sampling, HDR10+, Dolby Imaginative and prescient
• In-display fingerprint sensor
• Corning Gorilla Glass Victus entrance
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
• 12GB RAM LPDDR5X
• 256/512GB UFS 4.0 non-expandable storage
• 50Mp, f/1.6, principal digicam with OIS
• 50Mp, f/2.2 wide-angle digicam
• 50Mp, f/2 telephoto digicam with OIS
• 32Mp, f/2.0 front-facing digicam
• Twin audio system with Dolby Atmos
• 5G
• WiFi 7
• Bluetooth 5.4
• USB-C port
• IR blaster
• Twin-SIM
• 4610mAh battery
• 90W quick charging
• 50W wi-fi charging
• 10W reverse wi-fi charging
• 152.8 x 71.5 x 8.2mm
• 193g
• Launch colors: Black, White, Jade Inexperienced