First Impressions: Xiaomi 14 – A Compact Powerhouse
Price S$1178 on Shopee
Xiaomi 14 Ultra has always been in the limelight when it launched with the Xiaomi 14. Although both belong to the 14 series, the smaller Xiaomi 14 shouldn’t be overlooked for what is in the small, handy metal frame. With a 6.36-inch screen, this device is a powerhouse packed into a sleek design. Let’s dive into the features that make the Xiaomi 14 stand out from the crowd.
Performance and Efficiency
At the heart of the Xiaomi 14 lies the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile processor, tailored for the most demanding tasks while being power-efficient. This ensures all-day battery life, keeping you connected without constantly searching for a charger.
- LPDDR5X & UFS 4.0: With high-speed data transfer rates of 8533Mbps and 4.0GB/s for reading, you can expect smooth multitasking and quick app launches.
Cooling System – Xiaomi IceLoop
Staying cool means staying fast. The Xiaomi 14 boasts the innovative IceLoop cooling system, offering 3 times the thermal efficiency compared to traditional VC’s*. This ensures your device performs at its peak without the worry of overheating.
Next-Generation Leica Optics
Xiaomi has teamed up with Leica to bring you an exceptional camera experience.
- Leica Summilux Optical Lens: With an f/1.6 large aperture, this lens excels in capturing light in low-light environments, delivering outstanding color reproduction, contrast, and resolution. It’s truly a fast lens, perfect for capturing fleeting moments.
- Light Fusion 900 Image Sensor: Xiaomi’s custom image sensor features a 1/1.31″ size, 13.5EV high dynamic range, and native 14-bit color depth. This allows for capturing unprecedented detail in both light and shadow.
Triple Leica Lens Setup
- Main Camera (23mm): 50MP with a 2.4µm Super Pixel, f/1.6 aperture, and OIS.
- Telephoto Lens (75mm): Floating lens group, 10cm close-up, f/2.0 aperture, and OIS.
- Ultra-Wide Angle (14mm): 50MP, f/2.2 aperture, 115° FOV, and EIS.
Video Capabilities
The Xiaomi 14 supports end-to-end Dolby Vision, offering vibrant colors, stunning contrast, and rich details. It also features an all-new movie mode with a 2.39:1 aspect ratio.
- 8K Video Recording
- 4K Front Camera
- 10-bit Log Video Recording
Audio and Connectivity
- 4-MIC Array: Capture sound in 360°.
- Dolby Atmos® Stereo Speakers: Immerse yourself in rich, spatial audio.
The Xiaomi 14 also prioritizes connectivity with Dual SIM support (nano SIM + nano SIM or nano SIM + eSIM) and broad 5G and 4G band support, ensuring you stay connected wherever you go.
Additional Features
- IP68 Rating: Dust and water resistance for peace of mind.
- 90W Hypercharge: Charge up to 100% in just 31 minutes.
- WIFI 7 MLO Multi-link Operation: Acceleration without perception for a faster experience.
In the next few pages, we take a detail look at the Xiaomi 14 camera, video and network capabilities.
[nextpage title=”Photos taken using the Xiaomi 14″]
This is the photo and video interface. Here, you have the capability to capture stunning videos in up to 8K resolution. Additionally, it supports 10-bit log in video mode, enhancing your footage with rich color depth. Take advantage of HDR video shooting, and seamlessly edit your creations using the Xiaomi 14’s built-in video editor. This intuitive editor empowers you to export your videos in HDR, ready to be shared on platforms like YouTube, where viewers can enjoy them in glorious HDR 4K without any cumbersome export processes. While the editor may lack advanced features like voice-over, you can still personalize your videos by adding text and music effortlessly.
Here are photos that we took using the Xiaomi 14
Photo shots
[nextpage title=”Video taken using the Xiaomi 14″]
Below are two 4K video shot with Dolby Vision and edited using the internal editor of Xiaomi 14. Watch it in HDR 4K on youtube. Additional video shot using Xiaomi 14
[nextpage title=”Performance and WIFI 7 test”]
WIFI 7 test
The handset is tested against the TPLink WIFI 7 Router set to operate in MLO. The router is connected to SIMBA 2.5 Gbps Fibre Broadband. Our line speed test using a PC connected to router is about 2.15 Gbps.
Using the Xiaomi 14, we connected it to the dual band 2.4 + 5 GHz and received an impressive 1.963 Gbps for downlink which is pretty close to the wired speed test.
Geekbench
Below are the Geekbench results. With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it is one of the fastest mobile processor for android smartphones.
[nextpage title=”Conclusion”]
The Xiaomi 14 is impressively compact and easy to hold, despite its smaller screen size. Its performance is top-notch, thanks to the powerful processor. Occasionally, I notice the backplate getting warm, likely due to the efficient cooling system.
The camera system, especially the main camera, is outstanding. Even when using the telephoto lens, stabilization remains excellent. As for video capabilities, I appreciate the inclusion of 4K front and 8K back recording. The inclusion of 10-bit log is a nice touch. Handheld videos are remarkably stable, and enabling Steady Video or Steady Video Pro enhances stability further, albeit at the cost of HD (1080) resolution.
The built-in editor allows convenient HDR video editing and export. For those seeking 5G speeds, this phone supports most commonly used 5G SA and NSA bands, along with VoNR. You can opt for either SIM + eSIM or dual SIMs.
Regarding Wi-Fi, the Xiaomi 14 boasts Wi-Fi 7 and MLO support. If you have a compatible router, you can achieve blazing benchmark speeds of 2+ Gbps (I personally use a 2.5 Gbps fiber broadband service).
In summary, the Xiaomi 14 is a versatile device that excels in night photography and stable video recording. Its impressive link speeds in both 5G and Wi-Fi 7 make it a great choice.
Price
Pros
SIM+SIM/eSIM support
90W HyperCharge
IP 68 rating
Dolby Vision
WIFI 7 MLO
Cons
Limited features in video editor
4610mAh battery
Ratings
- Performance 10
- Design 10
- Features 10
- Usability 9
- Value for money 7
- Score : 9.2 / 10