What you need to know
- The global launch of Xiaomi 14 comes a day ahead of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, where several other brand launches are anticipated.
- Xiaomi maintains the squared-off, iPhone-style design from Xiaomi 13 for the Xiaomi 14.
- Xiaomi emphasizes its collaboration with Leica, featuring a Leica-branded 50MP main sensor, 3x telephoto, and 50MP ultrawide for the standard model.
- The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also makes its global debut, offering powerful photography with a one-inch-type sensor, variable aperture, and a unique 1,024 stops.
Xiaomi made waves in November by being the first to release a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 phone with the Xiaomi 14 series in China. Now, the global launch we've been waiting for is here.
The global launch of the Xiaomi 14 is just a day ahead of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) kick-off in Barcelona, where more launches from brands like Honor, Tecno, Nothing, and more are also expected. Unfortunately, the Pro variant is not going global.
Of course, we're already clued in on what the Xiaomi 14 is packing, thanks to its debut in China. It was among the first smartphones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and Xiaomi's fresh HyperOS user interface is in the mix too.
When it comes to design, Xiaomi stuck with the squared-off, iPhone-style vibe from the Xiaomi 13. The Xiaomi 14 also comes with a 6.36-inch 1200 x 2670 AMOLED screen. The display brings the heat with a peak brightness of 3000 nits.
Xiaomi is doubling down on its Leica collaboration. The phone is rocking a Leica-branded 50MP main sensor, a 50MP telephoto camera (75mm), and a 50MP ultrawide shooter.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra makes its global debut too
On top of the standard variant, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra finally makes its global debut a few days after its launch in China. The top-of-the-line model brings some serious photography muscle with a main camera flaunting a big one-inch-type sensor (the Sony LYT-900) and a variable aperture ranging from f/1.63 to f/4.0, offering a whopping 1,024 stops.
Highlighting the phone's photography chops, Xiaomi is reintroducing its photography kit for the 14 Ultra, featuring a camera grip and shutter release button for the handset.
While the accessory looks cool, the real deal is found inside the phone. Next to the main 50MP one-inch-type sensor are three more 50MP cameras: a telephoto with 3.2x optical zoom, a periscope with 5x optical zoom, and an ultrawide with a wide 122-degree field of view.
Just like the standard variant, the 14 Ultra runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, and its screen specs mirror those of the 14 Pro. That said, the 14 Ultra edges out the 14 Pro in battery capacity with a rating of 5,300mAh compared to 4,880mAh.
However, it's worth noting that while the 14 Pro boasts a maximum fast charging speed of 120W, the 14 Ultra comes in at 90W. Additionally, the 14 Ultra supports wireless fast charging at up to 80W.
Android flagship phones often compete fiercely to deliver a top-notch camera experience. In the early days, it was all about the megapixel wars, but we've learned that megapixels don't tell the whole story.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi takes a different approach, seeking the sweet spot between versatility, higher megapixels, and quality sensors. The new Xiaomi 14 Ultra seems poised to be the ultimate camera smartphone this year, striking that perfect balance.
