Smartphones with Leica optics
Xiaomi 14 duo grabs Android crown
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Xiaomi introduces two new smartphones that challenge Samsung's Galaxy S24 series. The Xiaomi 14 and 14 Ultra have extremely strong internals and have eye-catching camera units with Leica optics. AI is also on board, including real-time transcription during video conferences.
At the start of the Mobile World Congress (MWC), Xiaomi is presenting its new flagships of the 14 series in Barcelona. Two of them are coming to Germany: the Xiaomi 14 and the 14 Ultra. These are devices that could provide strong competition to Samsung's new Galaxy S24 top dogs, both in terms of technical features and prices.
Bright 120Hz display, strong internals
Only the standard model comes in a pretty shade of green in addition to black and white.
(Photo: Xiaomi)
The Xiaomi 14, which is protected against dust and water according to IP68, weighs 193 grams (g) and is a quite compact device at 152.8 x 71.5 x 8.20 millimeters (mm). However, it still has a 6.36-inch AMOLED display that offers a variable refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hertz (Hz). With 460 ppi pixel density, it is very sharp and can shine up to 3000 nits bright.
The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm's current top chip Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which has 12 gigabytes (GB) of RAM (LPDDR5X). The flash memory (UFS 4.0) is either 256 or 512 GB. The battery has a capacity of 4610 milliamp hours (mAh) and can be charged from 0 to 100 percent in just over 30 minutes using the included power adapter with up to 90 watts (W). Inductively, 50 W is possible with optional accessories.
Triple camera with three 50 MP
On the back, the Xiaomi 14 has a triple camera equipped with Leica Summilux lenses. The 23 mm main camera has a resolution of up to 50 megapixels (MP), is optically stabilized (OIS) and has a fast f/1.6 aperture. There is also a triple optical magnification and 75 mm telephoto camera (50 MP/f/2.0/OIS) and a 14 mm ultra-wide-angle camera (50 MP/f/2.2). With the main camera, 8K recordings at up to 60 frames per second (fps) are possible; at 8K it is 30 fps. There is a special cinema mode, automatic focus change and recordings in Dolby Vision are possible.
The smartphone's connectivity is also up to date. Among other things, the Xiaomi 14 supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
Flagship with ultra-sharp screen
The Ultra has an aluminum unibody.
(Photo: Xiaomi)
The flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra goes one step further in almost every respect. Its display is 6.73 inches and, at 512 ppi, is even sharper than that of the standard model. The smartphone measures 161.4 x 75.3 x 9.2 mm and weighs 219 g.
The Ultra also has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but its RAM is 16 GB and there is only a variant with 512 GB of flash memory available. The battery capacity is 5000 mAh. It can even be charged wirelessly with the appropriate accessories at 90 W, so an exhausted battery should be full again in 46 minutes.
The Xiaomi 14 duo comes with the latest Android 14. The operating system is guaranteed to receive updates for four years, and security updates are available for five years.
Exciting quadruple camera
The back is covered with artificial leather, which is supposed to give the Xiaomi 14 Ultra a special camera look. The impression is reinforced by the round quadruple camera module. The 50 MP main camera (OIS) has a continuously adjustable aperture f/1.63 – f/4.0 and is intended to allow smooth exposure scenarios in various situations.
In addition to a 75 mm telephoto camera (OIS), the flagship also has a 120 mm camera (OIS) with a periscope lens that optically magnifies five times. It has an aperture of f/2.5 and also has a resolution of up to 50 MP. The ultra-wide-angle camera is the same as in the standard model.
There are various accessories for photo enthusiasts, the Photography Kit is particularly exciting. It is a case with an additional battery (1400 mAh), grip, a two-stage shutter button, a zoom lever, a customizable button for video recording and a custom control dial.
AI helps and tricks
The Xiaomi 14 duo also comes with a number of AI features. Real-time transcription allows the devices to display subtitles during video conferences, among other things. Users can search images by describing them in natural language. There are also some AI tricks for photos and videos, especially with the Ultra, where practically every function is improved by AI models.
In the near future, Xiaomi devices will work together intelligently and, among other things, automatically adapt to user habits. The focus will be on the recently introduced Xiaomi SU7 electric car.
Interesting offers for pre-orderers
The Xiaomi 14 costs just under 1000 euros with 512 GP flash memory, and around 1100 euros with 512 GB. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra costs around 1500 euros. The devices are available for pre-order now and will go on sale on March 19th. The photography kit is then also available for around 200 euros.
Those who pre-order the Xiaomi 14 will receive the Xiaomi Pad 6 for free until March 11th. The tablet costs around 300 euros online. Anyone who pre-orders the Xiaomi 14 Ultra by March 18th will receive the photography kit for free.
