ANOTHER brand new smartphone has hit the scene this year and it’s only March.
Chinese maker Xiaomi has come up with a refreshed compact handset, aptly called the Xiaomi 14.
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It’s a tad on the pricier side compared to most other Android rival brands about – but is it worth the cost?
Read on for our full verdict.
Xiaomi 14: Look and feel
The 14 isn’t too dissimilar in looks to the 13 really.
We got to review the rather safe black version with a matte back which always feels nicer in the hand – and thankfully leaves fewer finger prints too.
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There are other colours available, including white and a bolder Jade Green too.
The black version doesn’t give me much of a wow factor design-wise.
But with a 6.36-inch AMOLED display, the Xiaomi 14 is considered a compact phone and one of the benefits is you can comfortably hold and use it with one hand.
This also means it fits better in your pocket and won’t weigh you down either at 193g.
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There’s a chunky square camera module on the back that I’m not too keen on the look of but it weirdly provides some extra hand support when holding it so that’s something.
Xiaomi also has a more expensive version, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Xiaomi 14: Performance and features
The Xiaomi 14 performs nice and smoothly thanks to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor with a generous 12 GB of RAM.
So navigating between apps is seamless, and games were able to keep up too.
The handset runs on Android 14 with Xiaomi’s own HyperOS on top.
I tend to prefer the purest forms of Android but HyperOS is very customisable so you can make changes.
The real winner is something less sexy but crucial to us all – that fast charging battery
The bloatware is a turn off with apps I didn’t ask for – of course, you can just delete those.
Some of Xiaomi’s own apps are the default too when, personally, I prefer the usual Android ones from Google.
The Xiaomi 14 also supports Wi-Fi 7, the most recent standard of Wi-Fi connectivity which gives you a stronger, faster connection – and something iPhones don’t even have yet – but you’ll need a Wi-Fi 7 enabled router too to benefit from it.
Xiaomi has committed to four years of Android updates and five years of security patches which is on par with most but doesn’t beat Samsung or Google’s.
Who offers free updates longest?
The longer you receive updates, the longer you can safely continue using your smartphone – with the latest features thrown in too for free.
Samsung
For the Galaxy S24 series, Samsung said it would provide at least seven generations of OS updates and seven years of security updates.
OnePlus
At the launch of the OnePlus 12, OnePlus committed to at least four years of Android updates and five years of security updates.
Nothing
Nothing only offers three years of major Android updates and four years of security updates.
Google
For the Pixel 8, Google said that devices would receive at least seven years of support.
Xiaomi 14: Battery
The Xiaomi 14 itself holds a 4610mAh battery which is slightly lower than some Android rivals and only marginally bigger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s.
It will easily get you through the day after plenty of use with some juice to spare, so you won’t be scrambling to charge.
But the best bit is how fast it charges.
You can go from zero battery to full in around 30 minutes which is a real benefit for anyone who forgets or leaves it last minute like me.
Xiaomi 14: Camera
There are three 50-megapixel lenses on the back of the Xiaomi 14 phone co-engineered with camera giant Leica.
Among them is a telephoto lens with 3.2x optical zoom and another that’s an ultrawide lens.
There are loads of software features to take your photos to the next level, with some basic buttons or some very in-depth ones for the pros, so everyone is covered.
A simple Leica Authentic or and Leica Vibrant toggle lets you choose between a realistic style versus one that makes colours pop out more.
I personally preferred Leica Vibrant but it really comes down to taste and the sort of photo you’re taking.
The camera did struggle with fast-moving critters – in my case a squirrel – and I wasn’t so impressed with shots zoomed in too closely.
But generally photos really focus on the detail and add some beautiful texture to things like flowers, as you can see below.
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Xiaomi 14: Verdict
Starting at £849, I think the Xiaomi 14 is a bit overpriced for an Android handset at this level.
The overall physical design doesn’t give me the top level feel I’d expect with such a price tag.
That aside, there is plenty to love starting with a stellar camera.
And I’m all for faster Wi-Fi so support for the latest standard that even iPhone doesn’t have yet is great.
But the real winner is something less sexy but crucial to us all – that fast charging battery.
All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed.
Always do your own research before making any purchase.
