The heart of the mobile communications world in Europe is currently beating at the MWC, the largest mobile communications trade fair on the continent. Here, everything revolves around the latest trends and innovations in the field of mobile communications. Among the shiny new products, two models in particular have attracted attention: the Xiaomi 14 and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
These two flagships have been highly anticipated and aim to raise the bar in terms of performance, design and user experience. We take a first look at the striking new features and improvements that Xiaomi presented at MWC this year. Stay tuned to find out what makes the new Xiaomi smartphones so special!
Design and appearance: A comparison to the predecessor
From Old to New
When developing the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Xiaomi has followed a surprising design philosophy: for the first time, Xiaomi remains true to its design line and relies on subtle adjustments instead of radical changes. This approach shows a new level of maturity and confidence in its own product design. While the basic appearance is retained, with clear edges and a slightly rounded back that were already seen on the Xiaomi 13, it is the details that make the difference. It is precisely in the camera module that the changes in the design of both devices are most noticeable.
Variety of materials and colors: elegance in every detail
With the latest models, the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Xiaomi has expanded the color palette and material selection to meet the different preferences of users.
Color variety and design of the Xiaomi 14
The Xiaomi 14 is available in black, white and green in Europe, while there is an exclusive pink variant in China. This choice of colors reflects the versatility and individual style of users. The device impresses with its compact design with clear edges and a gently rounded back that ensures a pleasant feel. The front is characterized by thin screen bezels around the 6.36-inch display, which is surrounded by a sturdy aluminum frame. Gorilla Glass Victus protects the front by ensuring scratch resistance and minimal reflections.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Elegance meets technology
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra, on the other hand, is limited to the classic colors black and white, emphasizing its elegant lines. The Ultra model features a nano-tech back made of vegan leather, which is inspired by classic analog cameras and gives the smartphone a distinctive texture and a luxurious look. The frame is made of aluminum and ensures increased stability and durability.
The front is dominated by an almost edgeless All Around Liquid Display, which with its slightly curved sides and corners ensures an immersive viewing experience. Instead of conventional Gorilla Glass, Xiaomi uses the specially developed Xiaomi Shield Glass for the 14 Ultra, which offers optimal protection against damage.
More than just compact
The Xiaomi 14 sets new standards in terms of compactness and lightness, which sets it apart from its predecessor, the Xiaomi 13. With a size of 152.8 x 71.5 x 8.2 mm, the standard model of the Xiaomi 14 already offers impressive handiness.Interestingly, the phone model with the nano-leather back weighs only 188 grams, despite a minimal increase in thickness to 8.28 mm. This makes it 4 grams lighter than the standard model of the Xiaomi 14, which weighs 192 grams.
Despite the minor adjustments in size and weight, the Xiaomi 14 remains close to the compact dimensions and lightweight design of its predecessor. This once again underlines the handiness and compactness of Xiaomi's devices.
Elegance and ergonomics combined
The introduction of the nano-leather back on the Xiaomi 14 is not only an aesthetic upgrade, but also a practical improvement. The material not only offers an appealing feel and a luxurious look, but also helps to reduce the weight of the device, which further improves handling and comfort. This conscious choice of high-quality materials and the pursuit of an optimal balance between form and function show how Xiaomi is continuously working to refine its products to offer users an even better experience.
Fine-tuning: size and weight optimized
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra shows subtle but significant adjustments in its physical makeup compared to the previous model, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra. Despite minimal changes in dimensions to 161.4 x 75.3 x 9.2 mm compared to the 163.18 x 74.64 x 9.06 mm of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, the size of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra remains almost unchanged. It has become minimally smaller and thicker, with the changes being barely noticeable.
The slight weight reduction to 219.8g compared to the 227g of the previous model is also notable. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has thus become lighter, which helps make it an impressive package of advanced technology in a handy device that is barely noticeable both in the hand and in the pocket.
Xiaomi 14 vs 14 Ultra: These are the technical differences
Xiaomi 14:
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Display: 6.36 inch OLED, 2670x1200 pixels, LTPO with up to 120Hz
- RAM: 12 GB
- Internal memory: 256, 512 GB
- Camera: Triple camera setup with 50 MP main camera, 50 MP ultra-wide-angle camera and 32 MP telephoto camera
- front camera with 32 MP
- Battery: 4610 mAh Charging with 90 watts via cable and 50 watts wirelessly
- Dimensions/Weight: 152.8 x 71.5 x 8.2 mm / 193 g
Xiaomi 14 Ultra:
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Display: 6.73 inch AMOLED, 3200 x 1440 pixels, LTPO with up to 120 Hz
- RAM: 16 GB
- Internal memory: 512 GB
- Camera: Main camera, ultra-wide angle, telephoto camera and periscope camera with 50 MP
- front camera with 32 MP
- Battery: 5000 mAh with 90W wired charging, 80W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging
- Dimensions/Weight: 161.4 x 75.3 x 9.2 mm / 219.8 g
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 power under the hood
The heart of the new Xiaomi models is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor.In the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, the Qualcomm chip with a clock speed of 3.3 GHz, paired with the Adreno 750 GPU, ensures powerful performance. The Xiaomi 14 promises equally impressive performance. This means that even the most demanding apps and games should be handled without any problems.
Storage diversity meets performance
Especially with Xiaomi, you notice that the manufacturer relies on powerful phones with a large internal memory to ensure good performance in everyday life. Let's start with the Xiaomi 14, which comes in two versions: one with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB UFS 4.0 storage and the other also with 12 GB RAM and twice the storage with a capacity of 512 GB.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra goes one step further. It comes standard with a whopping 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, which promises a smooth and fluid user experience.
In terms of storage, the Ultra model only offers one variant with a capacity of 512 GB. However, this should be more than enough for most people.
Camera: More than just snapshots
The camera systems of the Xiaomi 14 series have undergone significant upgrades. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra boasts a state-of-the-art 50 MP Sony LYT-900 1″ main camera sensor, which offers a variable aperture of ƒ/1.63 – ƒ/4, Leica Summilux optics and optical image stabilization (OIS). This is complemented by a 50 MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 50 MP telephoto camera with 3.2x zoom and a 50 MP periscope camera with 5x zoom, which together cover a wide range of photographic possibilities.
The Xiaomi 14 offers a versatile triple camera: a 50 MP Leica Summilux main camera with ƒ/1.6 and OIS, a 50 MP ultra-wide-angle camera with ƒ/2.2 and a 32 MP telephoto camera with ƒ/2.2. For selfies, there is a 32 MP front camera with ƒ/2.0. With this setup, you can take impressive shots from expansive landscapes to detailed portraits.
Longer mobile phone use and fast charging
The battery technology of both models has been optimized to ensure a longer usage time. Starting with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, which is equipped with a large 5000 mAh battery that allows for a longer usage time. While the battery size has not changed compared to its predecessor, the charging technology has been improved: In addition to 90 watts of charging via cable, it also supports 80 watts of wireless and 10W reverse wireless charging. Reverse wireless charging allows you to charge other devices wirelessly by simply placing them on your smartphone.
The Xiaomi 14 has a larger 4610 mAh battery compared to its predecessor with 4500 mAh. The Xiaomi smartphone is charged with fast 90W wired and 50W wireless charging. Unfortunately, reverse wireless charging was not carried over from the predecessor.
Officially waterproof with IP protection
The Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Ultra smartphones have the IP-68 protection standard. This means they are protected against dust and water and can survive up to 30 minutes in 1.5 meters of water. With this protection, the phones offer users more safety in everyday life as they are protected against rain, splashes and dust, which increases their durability and reliability.
MIUI 14: The latest features and improvements
Xiaomi is introducing HyperOS, a new operating system based on Android 14.As the successor to MIUI 14, it promises seamless interaction between all Xiaomi devices. Small adjustments such as the redesigned control center already point to a more pleasant user experience.
MIUI 14 introduces a host of new features and improvements that take the user experience on Xiaomi devices to a new level. Particularly worth mentioning are the new lock screens, which come with iOS-like swipe functionality and individual customization options. These gestures allow for seamless browsing and personalized use.
HyperOS: A game changer?
With the release of HyperOS, Xiaomi is facing a potential game changer. This new operating system could be an answer to MIUI's image problems and usher in a new era of interconnectivity for Xiaomi devices.
Since HyperOS is visually very similar to MIUI, it allows intuitive use for users who already have Xiaomi devices, allowing them to quickly find their way around.
This is what the technology YouTubers say about the cell phones
Design and materials: A touch of elegance that says Computerbild
Advantages of the Xiaomi 14:
- Design and materials: Elegantly designed, high-quality materials
- Display: Very bright HDR display with over 2800 nits
- Connections and audio: USB-C with 3.2 standard, stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos
- Performance: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor for strong performance and efficiency
- Battery life and fast charging: Improved battery, 90-watt fast charging, wireless fast charging
- Camera: Triple camera with up to 50 megapixels, developed with Leica
Disadvantages of the Xiaomi 14:
- The Xiaomi 14's camera is versatile, but in low light it performs slightly weaker than top models from Google, Samsung, and Apple.
- Optical zoom limited to 3.2x, digital interpolation at higher zoom levels, may not provide the same image quality as other high-end smartphones.
Technikfaultier's Blick: Light and shadow of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Advantages of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra:
- High-quality design: Aesthetic housing with premium look and feel, glossy surfaces for a luxurious appearance.
- Camera: 50 megapixel main camera with 1 inch OmniVision sensor for precise images, adjustable aperture and 3.2x optical zoom.
- Fast charging: Up to 90 watts for wired and up to 80 watts for wireless charging for fast charging without tangled cables.
- Improved vegan leather: Nano technology makes the vegan leather six times more resistant, high-quality material for robustness and aesthetics.
Disadvantages of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra:
- Price: The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is more expensive compared to the Xiaomi 14.
- Clunky design and handling: The large camera module could lead to awkward handling.
- Lack of unique features: The Xiaomi 14 Ultra may not stand out from the competition with unique features.
- Difficulty using the infrared sensor: The placement of the infrared sensor on the back could make it difficult to use.
availability and pricing
The Xiaomi 14 has been officially available directly from the manufacturer for a few days now and offers its customers two attractive variants: the 12/256 GB version for €999 and the 12/512 GB version for €1099. The brand's premium model, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra with 16/512 GB, is available for €1,499. Both the Xiaomi 14 and the Ultra are likely to fall in price over time, similar to their predecessors. Here, the Xiaomi 13 is currently €200 cheaper and the Ultra variant is even €500 cheaper than at market launch.
Conclusion: Xiaomi 14 and 14 Ultra – A look at the flagships
The Xiaomi 14 and 14 Ultra smartphones are undoubtedly technological masterpieces that attract attention with their impressive specifications and innovative features. With a focus on performance and user experience, Xiaomi is setting new standards in the mobile world.
Design and materials: elegance meets robustness
Xiaomi follows a remarkable design philosophy based on subtle refinements rather than radical changes. Both the Xiaomi 14 and the 14 Ultra differ little from their predecessors and impress with high-quality materials and elegant design. The phones are available in a small selection of color options.
Performance and Innovation: The Future of Mobile
Equipped with powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processors, generous RAM and expandable storage, the Xiaomi 14 models set new standards in terms of performance and multitasking. In addition, the advanced camera systems offer impressive image quality and a wide range of photographic options.
Battery life and charging innovations: For a long period of use
The optimizations in battery technology, supported by fast wired and wireless charging, promise a longer service life and a fast energy supply, making users more productive and flexible.
Expert assessments and user feedback: Positive, but with reservations
The technology experts agree that the Xiaomi 14 series offers impressive technology and convincing performance. However, they are also critical and criticize the points regarding the price and design.
Recommendation and conclusion: For technology lovers and demanding users
In conclusion, the Xiaomi 14 and 14 Ultra smartphones are an excellent choice for tech lovers and demanding users looking for top performance and innovative features. Despite some reservations about the price, these devices offer an impressive combination of design, performance and innovation that makes them a worthwhile investment. For users who are not willing to spend that much money, looking at the previous generation could also be a good option.
