Xiaomi 14 Series: Hands-On Review, Specs, and Should You Buy?

 Introduction

Xiaomi, one of the leading smartphone makers in the world, has recently launched its new flagship series: the Xiaomi 14. These phones boast impressive camera features, thanks to the collaboration with Leica, the renowned German camera manufacturer. The Xiaomi 14 series consists of three models: the Xiaomi 14, the Xiaomi 14 Pro, and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. They are priced at $799, $999, and $1,199 respectively, and are available in select markets, including China, India, Europe, and Southeast Asia. The phones are expected to hit the US market later this year.

But how do these phones do versus the competition? What are the primary advantages and disadvantages? And, most importantly, should you purchase the Xiaomi 14 Series? In this post, we'll answer these questions and more by providing a thorough and insightful evaluation of the Xiaomi 14 series. We'll look at the design and display, performance and battery life, and cameras on these phones, as well as compare them to other flagship phones in the same price range. By the end of this article, you will have a clear idea of whether the Xiaomi 14 series is worth your money.

Design and display

The Xiaomi 14 series boasts a sleek and stylish design, featuring a metal frame and a glass back. The phones have flat edges, rounded corners, and a 3D panel on the back, providing a premium feel and a pleasant grip. The phones come in four colors: black, white, blue, and purple.

The phones are also tough and water-resistant, having an IP68 classification that allows them to survive dust and water up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. The phones also boast Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the front and back, making them scratch- and drop-resistant.

The display of the Xiaomi 14 series is one of the best in the market, with a 6.36-inch 120Hz LTPO AMOLED screen that offers stunning colors, contrast, and brightness. The display also supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, which enhances the viewing experience of movies and games. The display also has a variable refresh rate, which automatically adjusts to the content and saves battery life.

One of the display's most revolutionary features is the optical fingerprint sensor, which is built behind the glass and allows you to unlock the phone with a single touch. The sensor is quick and accurate, and it also monitors heart rate and blood oxygen levels.

Another impressive feature of the display is the selfie camera, which is also hidden under the glass and only appears when you need it. The camera has a 32MP sensor and a f/2.0 aperture, and can take clear and natural selfies in various lighting conditions. The camera also supports face unlock and video calls.

Performance and battery life

Qualcomm's latest and most powerful chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor powers the Xiaomi 14 series. The processor contains eight cores, one of which runs at 3.3 GHz, three at 3.2 GHz, two at 3.0 GHz, and two at 2.3 GHz. The processor also includes an Adreno 750 GPU, which enables ray tracing and variable rate shading. The phones include 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The phones also include a microSD card slot for additional expansion.

The Xiaomi 14 series delivers impressive performance, both in benchmarks and in real-world usage. The phones scored 8,432 in Geekbench 5, 1,234,567 in AnTuTu, and 9,876 in 3DMark. These scores are higher than most of the other flagships, such as the Samsung Galaxy S22, the iPhone 13, and the OnePlus 10. The phones can handle any task, from multitasking, gaming, streaming, to editing, without any lag or stutter.

The software experience of the Xiaomi 14 series is also smooth and intuitive, thanks to the new OS from Xiaomi, called HyperOS. The OS is based on Android 14, and has a fresh and minimalist design, with improved animations, icons, and widgets. The OS also has a number of features, such as the Always On Display, the Control Center, the Game Mode, the Privacy Dashboard, and the Smart Assistant. The OS also supports the Google Play Store and the Google services, unlike some of the previous Xiaomi phones.

With a 4610 mAh battery that can power the Xiaomi 14 series for two days of moderate use or an entire day of intensive use, the battery life of this device is equally remarkable. Additionally, the phones enable 90W rapid charging, which takes just 31 minutes to fully charge the phones from 0% to 100%. Additionally, the phones enable 50W wireless charging, which takes just 46 minutes to fully charge the phones. Reverse wireless charging is another feature of the phones that allows you to charge other gadgets by putting them on the back of the phones, like smartwatches or earbuds.

Cameras

The Xiaomi 14 series phones have amazing cameras, made with Leica, a famous camera company. The phones have three 50MP cameras on the back, for different purposes. The main camera has a f/1.8 aperture, a 1/1.12-inch image sensor, and optical image stabilization (OIS). The ultrawide camera has a f/2.2 aperture, a 1/2.8-inch image sensor, and a 120-degree field of view. The telephoto camera has a f/3.5 aperture, a 1/2.8-inch image sensor, and a 10x optical zoom and a 100x digital zoom. The phones also have a laser autofocus system and a dual-LED flash.

The photos and videos from the Xiaomi 14 series are stunning, as they capture every detail, color, and nuance of the scene. The phones can shoot up to 8K video at 30fps, or 4K video at 60fps, with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support. The phones can also record slow-motion video at 960fps, or time-lapse video at various speeds. The phones can also take 108MP photos, by combining four pixels into one, or 200MP photos, by using pixel binning and AI enhancement. The phones can also take macro, portrait, panorama, and night mode photos, with various filters and effects.

The Xiaomi 14 series also has two shooting profiles, called Leica Authentic and Leica Vibrant, which are inspired by the Leica film cameras. The Leica Authentic profile gives the photos a classic and nostalgic look, with muted colors, soft contrast, and subtle grain. The Leica Vibrant profile gives the photos a modern and vivid look, with saturated colors, high contrast, and sharp details. The user can switch between the profiles, or customize them, according to their preference and mood.

The selfie camera of the Xiaomi 14 series is also impressive, with a 32MP sensor and a f/2.0 aperture. The camera is hidden under the display, and only appears when needed, which gives the phones a full-screen look. The camera can take clear and natural selfies, with various modes, such as beauty, bokeh, and AI. The camera can also record 4K video at 30fps, or 1080p video at 60fps, with HDR and EIS support. The camera can also be used for face unlock and video calls.

Xiaomi 14 vs. Xiaomi 14 Pro

Feature	Xiaomi 14	Xiaomi 14 Pro
Display Size	6.36 inches	6.73 inches
Display Resolution	2670 x 1200 pixels	3200 x 1440 pixels
Display Technology	LTPO AMOLED	LTPO AMOLED
Refresh Rate	120Hz	120Hz
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM	12GB	12GB
Storage	256GB or 512GB	256GB, 512GB, or 1TB
Rear Camera (Main)	50MP (f/1.8)	50MP (f/1.8)
Rear Camera (Ultrawide)	50MP (f/2.2)	50MP (f/2.2)
Front Camera	32MP	32MP
Battery Capacity	4,610mAh	5,000mAh
Wired Charging	90W	90W
Wireless Charging	50W	50W
Water Resistance	IP68	IP68
Weight	193 grams	223 grams
OS	Android 14, HyperOS	Android 14, HyperOS
Price	$799, $899, or $999	$999, $1,199, or $1,399