Xiaomi 14 Ultra
(Credit: ERIC ZEMAN)
BARCELONA—Xiaomi has taken the wraps off its latest flagship devices, the camera-focused Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Ultra. The phones are both high-end devices, though the latter is bigger and slightly more specced out. While consumers in many markets around the world will be able to buy these phones, US buyers will be disappointed (but probably not surprised) to learn that Xiaomi is not offering them stateside.
The phones follow a blueprint similar to that of Samsung's Galaxy S phones in that they are generally the same with some differences here and there, mostly in the camera.
The Xiaomi 14 is the smaller of the two. It has a 6.36-inch display with a brightness of 3,000 nits and a 120Hz refresh rate, which is expected from today's flagship phones. A triple-lens camera array graces the phone's rear in a rectangular module. All three cameras (main, ultra-wide, telephoto) rate 50MP, with the zoom camera capable of 3.2x optical magnification.
If you're looking for more, the 14 Ultra steps up to a 6.73-inch 120Hz panel. It also boasts a much larger Sony LYT-900 camera sensor for the main shooter. Its big trick is the variable aperture lens, which can change from f/1.63 and f/4.0 when the scene calls for it. I've seen variable aperture cameras it other phones and can't say I saw much of a difference in the photos it took. Shoot a lot of video? The 14 Ultra supports Dolby Vision and 10-bit HDR log capture, which helps if you know what you're doing in Adobe Premiere or other video editing apps.
Other specs include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor with vapor chamber cooling, 12GB of RAM with 256 or 512GB of storage, a 4,610mAh battery with 90W wired charging, a four-mic array for sound capture, Wi-Fi 7, and an IP68 rating for protection from dust and water.
Big phones carry big prices. The Xiaomi 14, which is already available to order in select markets, runs about $1,100, while the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is closer to $1,625. They will mostly compete well with Samsung's S24 series, as well as the Honor Magic 6 Pro and Oppo Find X7.
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