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Preview of Xiaomi 14: First thoughts, main elements, camera configuration and more
Our first thoughts on Xiaomi's latest compact flagship and a quick peek at the soon-to-be-released Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Xiaomi recently introduced its premier 14 series of smartphones in India. The Xiaomi 14 was anticipated to be the highlight, however, the 14 Ultra stole the show. Although the Ultra won't be available in India until April 2024, the Xiaomi 14 can now be bought online and in physical stores. We had the opportunity to try out the device, and these are our first thoughts.
The Xiaomi 14's design is visually appealing, particularly due to its compact structure. It's refreshing to see Xiaomi introduce a compact Android flagship phone in India, a type of phone that has become exceedingly uncommon. The company has succeeded in maintaining a weight significantly less than 200 grams, even with its aluminium casing and glass rear. The device is safeguarded against dust and water damage thanks to an IP68 rating. The design bears a resemblance to Apple iPhone Pro models, specifically the frame and the rectangular camera set-up on the back.
Despite the design influences, the phone has an appealing appearance and, crucially, fits comfortably in the hand. It's the perfect size with a thickness of 8.2 mm, a solid hold, and balanced weight distribution. You can mostly use it with one hand thanks to its relatively smaller screen and genuinely slim bezels. The buttons are well-positioned on the sides, making the volume and power buttons easily reachable without causing any thumb discomfort.
The Xiaomi 14 boasts a 6.36-inch LTPO AMOLED screen with a flexible refresh rate that can reach up to 120 Hz, and a pixel resolution of 2670 x 1200. This 12-bit display supports an impressive 68 billion shades of color and has a maximum brightness level of 3000 nits. The screen, which is HDR10+ and Dolby Vision certified, also features a Pro HDR display and is safeguarded from scratches by a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus layer. The display renders text and images clearly, with vibrant colors. We will discuss the color accuracy and contrast once we have conducted our tests.
The Xiaomi 14 is a premier series from the brand, and it is equipped with the most advanced and potent Qualcomm SoC available, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. In India, this phone is available in only one version with 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB UFS 4.0 built-in storage. Unquestionably, the device's hardware is extremely robust and should be capable of competing directly with other existing top-tier phones in the nation.
The Xiaomi 14 series' success hinges on its cameras, as they are designed to be camera-focused phones, developed jointly with the renowned German camera maker, Leica. We have not yet tested the camera, so we will not comment on the image quality. However, it appears that Xiaomi's collaboration with Leica is more extensive than the partnership between Hasselblad and OnePlus, given Xiaomi's use of Leica's extensive hardware and software knowledge.
Regarding the cameras, it features three 50MP units at the rear. The first one is the main camera equipped with a Light Fusion 900 image sensor, Leica Summilux lenses, and optical image stabilization (OIS). The next is an ultra-wide fixed-focus camera with a field of view of 115 degrees. I was initially worried about the absence of autofocus on this camera since it could eliminate the possibility of macro photography. However, Xiaomi has allocated this task to the third camera – a 75mm floating telephoto module also with OIS.
The camera has the ability to capture macros from a distance of 10 cm, but that's not all it offers. Being a telephoto camera, it can provide up to 3.2X optical zoom and is designed to excel in portrait photography. The array of rear cameras offer four distinct focal lengths (35 mm, 50 mm, 75 mm, and 90 mm) for various portrait techniques. Moreover, it comes with a plethora of settings and features that professional photographers would find more useful than those who prefer point-and-shoot photography.
The phone comes with a 32MP front-facing camera, ideal for selfies and video chats. The Xiaomi 14's back cameras have the ability to record videos at a maximum of 8K resolution at 24 frames per second, as well as 4K HDR videos with HDR10+ or Dolby Vision at either 30 or 60 frames per second. The camera specifications seem impressive, and we can't wait to thoroughly test them out. Our final review of the phone will provide a comprehensive breakdown of the camera's performance. Keep an eye out for updates.
Despite its small form, the Xiaomi 14 boasts an impressive battery life with a capacity of 4610 mAh, ensuring you more than a day's use with moderate activity. Accompanied by a 90W rapid charger, the company guarantees a full charge in just over 30 minutes. Additionally, the phone offers 50W fast wireless charging, which is estimated to fully charge the battery in an additional 15 minutes.
The Xiaomi 14 is currently available in India for a price of Rs 69,999, which comes with 12GB RAM and 512GB of internal storage. This is the only model of the phone that's available in the local market. The smartphone also comes with a one-year warranty. Additionally, there are several enticing initial sale promotions, including a Rs 5,000 immediate discount for HDFC and ICICI credit card owners, as well as credit and debit card EMI users. An exchange bonus of Rs 5,000 is also available for certain phones. Hence, with the right combination of phone and card, you could potentially purchase the Xiaomi 14 for a reduced price of Rs 59,999.
Extra details: How does the Xiaomi 14 Ultra stand out? If I recall correctly, this is the first occasion that Xiaomi is releasing its Ultra model in India. Despite some similarities with the Xiaomi 14, such as the processing hardware and the HyperOS software which is based on Android 14, the Ultra variant is quite unique. The design is entirely different, featuring a round camera module and a vegan leather back. The device is also noticeably larger. It boasts a larger, higher-resolution (QHD+) 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED screen that carries over the best traits of the Xiaomi 14 display.
The back camera setup has also been modified, and it's not just about the addition of a fourth 50MP camera module. The types of sensors used have also changed, with Xiaomi choosing to use exclusively Sony sensors in the 14 Ultra. The primary camera boasts a Sony LYT-900 sensor, and the remaining three are equipped with Sony IMX898 sensors. The partnership with Leica is also prominently featured in this phone.
The device boasts a mix of a 50MP primary camera with a larger pixel size and optical image stabilization (OIS), a 50MP floating telephoto lens with OIS and a 3.2X optical zoom capability, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 5X optical zoom, and finally, a 50MP ultra-wide lens with a wider 122-degree field of view and autofocus, that also allows you to take close-up shots from a distance of just 5 cm. More details about the Xiaomi 14 Ultra will be shared as we approach its launch date on April 12. The device is set to retail at Rs 99,999, and prospective buyers might be treated to some special offers during the launch.
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