Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G review: Affordable all-rounder

Xiaomi’s Redmi sub-brand has carved a distinct segment for itself through the years as a supplier of excellent-value smartphones. Its Redmi Be aware 13 Professional obtained a glowing 4.5-star overview from us final 12 months, whereas we’ve additionally been impressed by its latest forays into funds tablets.

This 12 months, it goals to keep up this efficiency with the Redmi Be aware 14 Professional 5G, one other Android gadget that provides largely premium options for a largely reasonably priced value.

As with earlier generations, the Redmi Be aware 14 Professional 5G makes its look alongside subtly completely different fashions, together with the Be aware 14 Professional+ 5G and the extra customary Redmi Be aware 14. These all come at completely different value factors and with completely different processors, digicam lenses and batteries.

On this overview, we think about whether or not the £299 Be aware 14 Professional 5G does sufficient to face out from its stablemates, in addition to from the rising ranks of appealingly reasonably priced Androids. We take a look at its efficiency, cameras, show, battery and software program, and we reply the query of whether or not it’s price selecting over its many rivals.

Design & Construct

• Smooth, curved physique with opalescent colors
• Pin-hole selfie digicam
• IP68 score

The Redmi Be aware 14 Professional 5G affords a transparent departure from the extra angular construct of the 13 Professional, with its physique sporting a extra tapered, curved design.

So whereas the 13 Professional mainly aped the flatter outlines of latest iPhone fashions, the 14 Professional goes for softer corners and edges. We additionally see one thing related with the rear digicam module, which is now housed in a squircle bump, versus one thing nearer to a basic sq..

It’s additionally positioned extra in the midst of the cellphone’s rear, which possibly seems to be extra symmetrical, however could make taking pictures rather less simple.

Simon Chandler/Foundry

Whereas the vary of colors accessible for the cellphone is kind of restricted, we actually favored the Coral Inexperienced of our overview pattern. It has a subtly opalescent shimmer that modifications shade relying on the sunshine, whereas the color itself is vibrant but tastefully understated.

It enhances the skinny bezels of the 6.67-inch show and the cellphone’s general minimalism, enabling you to make a press release with out saying an excessive amount of.

Not solely does the cellphone look fairly sharp, however it’s additionally compact and light-weight. It weighs in at 190g (6.70 oz), and whereas it has a pretty big show, its skinny bezel signifies that it doesn’t really feel outsized or unwieldy.

One other bonus is that it’s extremely sturdy for a mid-range gadget, with an IP68 score and a show made out of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. I used to be additionally happy to search out that it comes with a black silicon case in its field, whereas there’s a display protector already fitted on its show.

Display screen & Audio system

• 6.67in CrystalRes AMOLED show
• Dolby Atmos twin audio system
• 120Hz refresh price

As with so many funds and mid-range telephones today, the Redmi Be aware 14 Professional’s display is arguably its greatest function.

It contains a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel that helps a refresh price of as much as 120Hz, whereas it’s additionally able to a brightness peak of 3000 nits. This permits for some very easy and sharp viewing, one thing which can be supported by its (1.5K) decision of 2712 x 1220 pixels.

Whereas I don’t usually watch TV or movies on smartphones, the cellphone did a terrific job of rendering content material on Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video. Its 5,000,000:1 distinction ratio is one other ingredient which allows extremely detailed and wealthy pictures, and for those who’re travelling you most likely gained’t miss your own home TV that a lot.

Simon Chandler / Foundry

Extra typically, the cellphone’s 120Hz refresh price makes scrolling with the cellphone extra responsive and rewarding. Textual content and pictures pop in a pleasant method, whereas there’s an possibility to pick which apps do and don’t use the max price. This may also help you to preserve battery whereas nonetheless benefiting from easy looking.

The standard of its display can be matched by its Dolby Atmos-supporting stereo audio system, which ship nice sound for each music listeners and TV followers.

I discovered that even with pretty advanced music, completely different layers had been simply and clearly audible, with the stereo audio system offering a way of depth and three dimensions. Sure, they don’t actually handle greater volumes they usually aren’t fairly premium degree, however they are going to hold most individuals very pleased.

Specs & Efficiency

• Mediatek Dimensity 7300 Extremely
• 8GB RAM and 256GB storage
• No micro-SD card slot

With 8GB of RAM as customary and a 4nm Mediatek Dimensity 7300 Extremely chip on board, the Redmi Be aware 14 Professional is a succesful gadget for a funds cellphone.

For the overwhelming majority of duties it carried out completely effectively, opening apps and pages with none noticeable delays. I additionally discovered it greater than ample as a gaming gadget, with informal titles similar to Subway Surfers and Fortnite all working easily.

Nonetheless, I did discover that it might probably wrestle just a little for those who ask extra of it. A few the extra graphically superior Android video games, together with Asphalt 9 and Shadowgun Legends, weren’t fully lag-free after I performed them. They had been nonetheless pleasing, however anybody wanting the very best Android gaming expertise will most likely must go for a extra premium cellphone.

Simon Chandler / Foundry

Whereas the Be aware 14 Professional’s efficiency is usually good, one barely disappointing function is that it doesn’t include a microSD slot.

It’s not widespread today however might be an issue on condition that the cellphone comes solely as a mannequin with 256GB of inner storage, so customers who are likely to refill their gadgets with pictures, music and different recordsdata could must train a level of restraint.

Cameras

• 200Mp foremost rear digicam
• 8Mp ultrawide and 2Mp macro lenses
• 20Mp selfie digicam

The Redmi Be aware 14 Professional 5G stands out from the pack of mid-range telephones by advantage of its 200Mp foremost large digicam lens.

That includes optical picture stabilisation (OIS) and end-to-end AI Remosaic expertise (which permits for parallel fairly than sequential processing of pictures), Xiaomi claims it might probably seize a variety of scenes with a minimal of effort. It’s complemented by an 8Mp ultrawide lens for extra panoramic pictures, in addition to a 2Mp macro digicam for excessive closeups.

On the entire, I had enjoyable with the Be aware 14 Professional’s foremost digicam. Good pictures had been simple to absorb the overwhelming majority of circumstances, with the lens providing a naturalistic steadiness of colors. Whereas I discovered that some landscaped pictures got here out just a little undersaturated, it may simply be argued that this comes as a welcome antidote to the oversaturated pictures sure different telephones tend to take.

Both method, the extent of readability was normally excessive, with the 200Mp mode enabling an typically beautiful degree of element.

Simon Chandler/Foundry

The opposite two rear lenses had been a blended bag. The 8Mp ultrawide lens is available in very useful for those who’re somebody who likes to seize out of doors pictures, and regardless of the large distinction in megapixels its output normally holds up towards that of the principle 200Mp lens.

As for the 2Mp macro lens, I discovered that I may normally take extra pleasing closeups with the principle lens, with the macro working higher solely in good pure mild.

But whereas the macro lens might be considered a gimmick, I used to be largely impressed by the Be aware 14 Professional’s 20Mp selfie digicam. It’s able to taking deep but flattering self-portraits, with the power to essentially ramp up the ‘beautification’ stakes, for those who so want.

One other constructive phrase ought to go to the cellphone’s evening mode. Because the samples I took present, it illuminates low-light scenes with appreciable vividness, and with out making issues appear synthetic or bleary.

Battery Life & Charging

• 5110mAh battery
• 45W wired ‘turbo’ charging

That includes mainly the identical 5,110mAh charger as its predecessor, the Be aware 14 Professional is a dependable cellphone for anybody who will likely be exterior working or travelling with it. It was put by its paces at my home, with one different member of the family having enjoyable utilizing it for gaming, and I used to be happy to search out that it all the time made it to the following day.

Lighter customers will typically final two days without having to recharge, though those that hold the refresh price to 120Hz and use it closely could must plug it in by the top of the primary day.

That is mirrored in its outcomes for the PCMark battery check, which at 13 hours and 24 minutes are excellent, however not fairly sufficient to put the Be aware 14 Professional among the many greatest battery life telephones.

Simon Chandler/Foundry

One factor price stating is that the Be aware 14 Professional comes with a 45W wired charger in its field, versus the 67W charger you had with the 13 Professional. This may occasionally seem to be a downgrade, and in follow, it does end in slower charging occasions, however I typically discovered that charging was nonetheless very fast.

I clocked the cellphone at 0% to 33% in quarter-hour, and to 64% in half an hour. As such, most individuals gained’t actually discover the distinction.

Software program & Apps

• Android 14
• Three years of core Android upgrades
• 4 years of safety upgrades

At first look, evidently the Be aware 14 Professional 5G has departed from final 12 months’s mannequin by working on HyperOS over Android 14, in distinction to MIUI 14 over Android 13.

However as we’ve written earlier than with regards to different Xiaomi telephones, HyperOS is just not all that completely different from MIUI. It shares a really related design and format, that means that it’s not particularly attention-grabbing or engaging.

That stated, I did discover it largely practical and simple to make use of, with screens, apps and pages loading rapidly. There have been some delicate updates, with the drop-down management centre including a welcome shortcut for the Settings menu, as an illustration. And whereas some could complain concerning the relative lack of customisation choices, the Themes app offers you some scope for personalisation.

Simon Chandler/Foundry

It’s additionally price mentioning that, except for the same old Google apps, the cellphone provides a variety of Google AI options. This consists of Gemini (Google’s ChatGPT-like private assistant) and Circle to Search, whereas AI Erase Professional and AI Picture Growth will arrive with an replace on the finish of January.

As with most generative AI on telephones in the mean time, these are useful additions, with out being full recreation changers.

A extra constructive word is the truth that Xiaomi has dedicated to offering the Be aware 14 Professional with three years of core Android updates. This comes along with 4 years of safety patches, making the gadget comparatively future-proof for a mid-range cellphone, which may typically undergo from a scarcity of help.

Nonetheless, you’ll find longer help from the likes of Samsung. For instance, the Galaxy A16 5G has six years of help.

Worth & Availability

The Redmi Be aware 14 Professional 5G is on the market within the UK from January fifteenth, with its RRP coming in at £299. It’s available for purchase immediately from Xiaomi, or from Amazon and different third-party retailers.

As with earlier entries within the Redmi sequence, the Be aware 14 Professional 5G isn’t accessible within the US, though it is going to be accessible in Europe.

So far as options go, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G affords related specs and is £100 cheaper. The TCL 50 Professional Nxtpaper is available in at an analogous £279, with the added promoting level of an eye-friendly e-reader mode (though its cameras aren’t nearly as good).

There’s additionally the superb CMF Cellphone 1 which is simply £209.

Try out record of the very best funds telephones to see our prime suggestions.

Simon Chandler/Foundry

Do you have to purchase the Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 14 Professional 5G?

Anybody with a Be aware 13 Professional needn’t improve however this doesn’t alter the truth that the Redmi Be aware 14 Professional 5G is likely one of the greatest funds telephones you should purchase for those who’re trying on the prime finish of this value bracket.

The display is superb for the value, whereas its battery and charging capabilities are additionally spectacular. Then there’s its succesful foremost rear digicam, easy-to-use software program, and strong efficiency.

It comes beneficial however it is best to try varied cheaper rivals from the likes of Samsung, CMF and Motorola earlier than taking the plunge.

Specs

• Android 14 w/ HyperOS
• 6.67in 120Hz AMOLED
• Underscreen fingerprint sensor  
• Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (entrance solely) 
• Mediatek Dimensity 7300 Extremely
• 8GB LPDDR4X RAM  
• 256GB UFS 2.2 non-expandable storage  
• 200Mp, f/1.65 foremost digicam with OIS   
• 8Mp, f/2.2 ultrawide digicam   
• 2Mp, f/2.4 macro digicam  
• 20Mp, f/2.2 front-facing digicam   
• Twin stereo audio system  
• Twin-SIM   
• 5G   
• Wi-Fi 5  
• Bluetooth 5.4 
• IP68  
• USB-C
• 5110mAh battery   
• 45W wired charging   
• 162.33 x 74.42 x 8.4mm  
• 190g 
• Midnight Black, Coral Inexperienced, Lavender Purple