Xiaomi 14 Ultra Review: A Camera Beast with a Stunning Design

What is the Xiaomi 14 Ultra?

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is the latest and most advanced smartphone from the Chinese company Xiaomi. It is the successor of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, which was a popular and well-received device in 2023. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra aims to improve on the previous model by offering a more refined design, a more powerful processor, a larger and better display, and a quad-camera system with Leica lenses.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is not officially announced yet, but some sources have leaked its possible price and launch date. According to Gizmochina², the Xiaomi 14 Ultra could arrive at a shocking price of $1,499, which is much higher than the previous Xiaomi 13 Ultra that started at $999⁵. The reason for the price hike could be the premium features and specifications of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, such as the Leica quad-camera system, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and the LTPO AMOLED display

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is expected to launch in China on February 24, 2024, and in India on March 7, 2024²³. However, there is no official confirmation from Xiaomi yet, so these dates and prices are subject to change. The global availability of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is also unknown at this point, as Xiaomi has not expanded to some regions like the U.S. yet.

What are the features and specs of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra?

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is a flagship smartphone that boasts impressive features and specs. Here are some of the highlights of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra:

• Display: The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a resolution of 1440 x 3200 pixels and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The display supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ and has a peak brightness of 1500 nits. The display also has a micro-curved design that improves the grip and look of the device
• Processor: The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which is a 4 nm octa-core processor with a clock speed of up to 3.3 GHz. The chipset also has an Adreno 750 GPU, a Hexagon 8 AI engine, and a Spectra 800 ISP. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is one of the most powerful and efficient processors in the market, and it supports 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and NFC
• Memory: The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has four memory options: 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, and 1TB 16GB RAM. The storage is based on UFS 4.0, which is faster and more reliable than the previous UFS 3.1. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra does not have a card slot for expandable storage
• Camera: The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a quad-camera system on the back, which consists of a 50 MP main camera, a 50 MP periscope telephoto camera, a 50 MP telephoto camera, and a 50 MP ultra-wide camera. All the cameras use Sony sensors and Leica lenses, and they support multi-directional PDAF, laser AF, and OIS. The main camera also has a variable aperture of f/1.6 or f/4.0, and a 67mm filter ring holder (optional). The Xiaomi 14 Ultra can capture stunning photos and videos in various scenarios, such as low-light, zoom, ultra-wide, and portrait modes. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra can also record 8K videos at 24fps, 4K videos at 60fps, and 1080p videos at up to 1920fps. It also supports Dolby Vision HDR 10-bit recording for 4K and 1080p videos. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a 32 MP selfie camera on the front, which supports HDR and panorama. The selfie camera can record 1080p videos at 30fps or 60fps
• Battery: The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a 5300 mAh battery, which is non-removable and supports fast charging. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra can charge at 90W with a wired charger, 50W with a wireless charger, and 10W with a reverse wireless charger. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra can also use PD 3.0 and QC 4 for charging. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra can last for a day or more with moderate usage, and it can charge from 0% to 100% in about 40 minutes with the wired charger
• Design: The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), an eco-leather back, and an aluminum frame. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is IP68 dust and water-resistant, and it supports dual SIM. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a fingerprint scanner under the display, which is optical and fast. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also has stereo speakers, an infrared port, a USB Type-C 3.2 port, and a DisplayPort. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack, but it supports 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res audio. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra comes in black color, and it may have other color options in the future
• Software: The Xiaomi 14 Ultra runs on Android 13, which is the latest version of the operating system. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also has MIUI 14, which is Xiaomi’s custom user interface. MIUI 14 has many features and customizations, such as a control center, a super wallpaper, a floating window, a game turbo, a second space, and a dark mode. MIUI 14 also has some bloatware and ads, which may annoy some users

What are the pros and cons of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra?

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is a remarkable smartphone that has many advantages, but it also has some drawbacks. Here are some of the pros and cons of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra:

Pros:

• The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a stunning design, with a micro-curved display, a leather back, and a camera-like design.
• The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a powerful performance, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, up to 16GB of RAM, and UFS 4.0 storage.
• The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a superb camera, with a quad-camera system with Leica lenses, a variable aperture, a 67mm filter ring holder, and 8K video recording.
• The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a fast and long-lasting battery, with 90W wired, 50W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless charging.
• The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a large and beautiful display, with a 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED screen, a 120Hz refresh rate, and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support.

Cons:

• The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is very expensive, with a rumored price of $1,499, which is much higher than the previous model and some of its competitors.
• The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is not widely available, as it is not confirmed to launch in some regions like the U.S. and Europe.
• The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a mediocre selfie camera, with only 32 MP resolution, 0.7µm pixel size, and 1080p video recording.
• The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has no headphone jack, which may disappoint some users who prefer wired headphones.
• The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has some bloatware and ads, which may affect the user experience and privacy.

How does the Xiaomi 14 Ultra compare with other smartphones?

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is a flagship smartphone that competes with other high-end devices in the market. Here are some of the comparisons of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra with some of its rivals:

• Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is another camera beast that has a 108 MP main camera, a 10 MP periscope telephoto camera, a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, and a 40 MP selfie camera. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra also has a 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, up to 16GB of RAM, and a 5000 mAh battery. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a similar price and performance as the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, but it has a better selfie camera and a wider availability. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a larger display,