Xiaomi has introduced its latest flagship smartphone, the Xiaomi 14 -- co-developed with German lens maker Leica. The device is significantly advanced compared to its predecessor, the Xiaomi 13 Pro. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and gets a new HyperOS. It is also well-equipped to compete among flagship smartphones like OnePlus 12, Vivo X100 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Design
The phones’ design stays close to its predecessor, the Xiaomi 13 Pro, and the form factor will remind users of Samsung’s Galaxy S23 because of its compact size. The device is comfortable to handle as its smooth edges don’t dig into the palm. However, the device’s glossy finish makes it slippery, and it easily attracts fingerprint smudges.
The Xiaomi 14 boasts a stylish appearance, especially in the black variant - - the one we reviewed. The aluminum frame seamlessly blends with the body colour, creating a distinct shiny look while also adding durability to the device. On the front, the phone features an extremely thin bezel, and a flat design, and is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus. Additionally, it also offers IP68 dust and water resistance.
In terms of usability, the Xiaomi 14 maintains a familiar layout with buttons and ports thoughtfully placed. The power button and volume rockers are conveniently located on the right side, and the SIM tray, USB-C port, and speaker grille are positioned along the bottom.
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Display
The Xiaomi 14 sports a 6.36-inch LTPO OLED display with a dynamic refresh rate from 1-120Hz and a resolution of 1200x2670 pixels. Users can expect a smooth touch experience with the Xiaomi 14’s 240Hz touch sampling rate. In terms of brightness, the display delivers 1,000 nits under typical conditions and peaks at an impressive 3,000 nits, ensuring clear visibility even in bright outdoor settings. It also has 12-bit colour depth support, offering more precise control over refresh rates for improved power efficiency. For those with sensitive eyes, the panel incorporates DC dimming, which can be easily toggled in the Display menu to eliminate flickering.
Moreover, the Xiaomi 14’s display is equipped to handle high-quality content with support for HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG formats. This means users can enjoy enhanced contrast, vibrant colors, and improved dynamic range while streaming content from platforms like Netflix.
OS
The Xiaomi 14 operates on the company’s newly launched custom skin, HyperOS, built on top of Android 14. This brand-new operating system offers users a fresh and optimized experience, combining the familiar functionality of Android with unique features tailored to enhance performance and usability. The phone will receive four generations of Android OS upgrades and five years of security patches.
Processor
The Xiaomi 14 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, a familiar chipset found in OnePlus 12 and the Galaxy S24 Ultra. This chipset promises a notable performance boost, with expectations set at 30% faster speeds and 20% improved efficiency compared to its predecessor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Built on the 4nm process, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 enhances the phone’s AI, gaming, audio, and camera capabilities.
Under the hood, the Xiaomi 14 features an eight-core processor configuration, including 1x Cortex-X4 prime core running at up to 3.3 GHz, 5x performance Cortex-A720 based cores clocked up to 3.2 GHz, and 2x efficiency Cortex-A520-based cores at up to 2.3 GHz. This four-cluster processor structure optimizes performance across various tasks. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset is accompanied by the Adreno 750 GPU, which promises ‘console-defying’ gaming experiences with support for 240 fps on 240 Hz displays. We tested the gaming prowess of the phone and all the top games like Genshin Impact and BGMI ran in high frame rates without any lag.
To complement the powerful processor, the Xiaomi 14 is equipped with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of ROM, ensuring smooth multitasking and ample storage space for users. Furthermore, Qualcomm highlights the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s world’s fastest stable diffusion, enabling rapid image processing for an enhanced user experience.
In addition to its impressive specifications, the Xiaomi 14’s processor performance is further highlighted by its benchmark scores. According to Geekbench 6 tests, the phone achieved a notable single-core CPU score of 2,256 and a multi-core CPU score of 6,824, showcasing its powerful processing capabilities. Furthermore, in GPU tests, the Xiaomi 14 recorded a commendable score of 13,918, indicating strong graphics performance.
Camera
The Xiaomi 14 comes with a camera setup featuring a 50MP triple-camera system developed in collaboration with Leica which we saw in the Xiaomi 13 Pro too. The configuration includes a 23mm f/1.6 Leica main camera, a 75mm f/2.0 Leica floating telephoto camera, and a 14mm f/2.2 Leica ultra-wide camera. This setup is a big leap over its predecessor, offering enhanced photography capabilities.
Xiaomi 14 sample image | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
The main 50MP camera, equipped with OmniVision OVX9000 Light Fusion 900 sensor, impresses with flagship-grade image quality during daylight. It excels in sharpness, fine detail, wide dynamic range, and accurate colour reproduction, and maintains consistent performance in both outdoor and indoor settings.
Xiaomi 14 sample image | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
The 3.2x telephoto camera, utilising a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor, delivers excellent photos across various environments. The images exhibit cleanliness, detail, and a wide dynamic range. Xiaomi has effectively matched the post-processing of the telephoto camera with the main camera, ensuring a seamless transition between the two, both in quality and rendition. The macro mode stands out, thanks to the telephoto camera’s ability to focus as close as 10cm. This feature allows for detailed close-up shots, even in challenging conditions.
Xiaomi 14 sample image | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
The Xiaomi 14 excels in low-light photography, consistently delivering impressive images. The phone delivers sharp images at night even without using the night mode. However, if you prefer not missing any details, we suggest you use the Night mode feature. Using this, the phone effectively reduces noise and enhances detail, resulting in clean, sharp, and well-exposed photos.
Xiaomi 14 night mode | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
The camera lens also delivers well-balanced portrait images. The device utilises its advanced camera technology to create beautifully blurred backgrounds that enhance the subject’s prominence, resulting in professional-looking portraits. Whether capturing portraits in natural light or utilizing artificial lighting, the Xiaomi 14 consistently delivers striking and aesthetically pleasing images, further showcasing the versatility and quality of its camera.
On the flip side, the Xiaomi 14 features a 32MP camera. The phone delivers selfies with a natural appearance, featuring bright skin tones and an accurate dynamic range. While it may not exhibit the same standout qualities as other aspects of the Xiaomi 14’s camera system, the front camera ensures users can confidently capture high-quality self-portraits that showcase their best features.
Battery
The Xiaomi 14 is equipped with a 4,610mAh battery, slightly smaller than its predecessor, the Xiaomi 13 Pro, which offered 4,820mAh. However, with the new Xiaomi HyperOS and more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, coupled with an LTPO OLED panel, contribute to enhanced battery endurance. The phone easily withstands daily tasks with enough battery power left to call it a day.
In terms of charging capabilities, the Xiaomi 14 takes the lead with its impressive 90W proprietary charging standard, offering a significant advantage over its competitors. Additionally, the phone supports 50W wireless charging for extra convenience.
Verdict
The Xiaomi 14 offers a vivid and punchy display, compact form factor (a rarity now), well-refined user interface, gritty performance, IP68 rating, durable battery, and above all, a well-engineered trio of lenses at the back, which are ready for action whenever the user needs them. Priced at ₹69,999, the Xiaomi 14 is no doubt a smartphone that will compete against flagship offerings from Samsung, OnePlus and Vivo.
Published - March 07, 2024 07:19 pm IST
