Xiaomi announced the new Xiaomi 14 line at MWC 2024. It wants to fully compete with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Although Mobile World Congress (MWC) does not start until Monday, Xiaomi has already presented the 14 line at a special event.
With this, Xiaomi really wants to be among the big boys. The 14 Ultra in particular has quite a bit to offer, but at quite a price tag. The smartphone costs more than the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
This is the Xiaomi 14 Ultra
The flagship of the series is the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. This one has a C8 WQHD+ 6.73-inch AMOLED screen. It has a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The peak brightness is at 3,000 nits. Like other brands, Xiaomi has swapped the curved screen for a slightly flatter screen.
Under the hood you’ll find the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. In addition, the 14 Ultra has 16 GB of Ram and 512 GB of storage. On the inside there is also room for a 5000 mAh battery, which you can charge at a rate of 90 W and wirelessly it even reaches 80 W. The battery should allow you to use it for 14.5 hours continuously.
Under the hood. (Image Jeroen Kraak/WANT)
Where Xiaomi really wants to make a difference is the camera. The Xiaomi 12S was the Chinese brand’s first phone with cameras from Germany’s Leica. The 14 Ultra just continues that. On the back of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra are four cameras. This a main camera with f/1.63-f/4.0, a 12mm ultra-wide-angle camera, 75mm telephoto camera and a 120mm periscope camera.
So all these cameras have the Leica optics and a 50 MP sensor. This allows filming in 8K 30 fps on all cameras. The main camera is the only one that supports 4K 120fps. In addition, 5x slow motion is also possible. Filming can also be done in Dolby Vision.
More expensive than the iPhone 15 Pro Max
Xiaomi also promises 4 generations of Android OS updates and 5 years of security updates. It also comes with six months of Google One and 3 months of YouTube Premium.
However, you have to save up quite a bit for this device because it will cost you 1,499.90 euros. So with these prices, it is right up against the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Turning the smartphone into a photo camera
In addition, Xiaomi is also coming out with a special Photography Kit. You slide this onto the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, making it look like you’re holding a real photo camera. In it is 1300 mAh of extra battery.
The regular 14. (Image: Jeroen Kraak/WANT)
The 67 mm filter adapter allows you to fit different filters on your camera. You also easily adjust the zoom through a gear wheel and it has a dedicated button for taking photos. This addition will be available from May 22 and will cost 199.90 euros.
Xiaomi 14 next to the 14 Ultra
At 990.90 euros, the Xiaomi 14 is still one of the more expensive smartphones on the market, despite being 500 euros cheaper than the 14 Ultra.
In terms of computing power, like the Ultra, there is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 under the hood. And even with just under 400 mAh less, it hardly underperforms the top model in terms of battery as well.
The big difference is mainly in the camera. Instead of four, the Xiaomi 14 has three cameras. With the main camera, ultra-wide-angle camera and telephoto camera, there are some minor differences compared to the 14 Ultra. For example, the aperture is slightly different.
WANT on WhatsApp
We have recently started to be featured on WhatsApp. In our channel we share the best stories, videos and exclusive content you won’t get anywhere else. Follow us here.
Also, the screen is a little different. Instead of 6.73-inches, you have to make do with 6.36-inches. It also has just a little less ppi (460 versus 522).
So if you settle for a slightly inferior camera, this is a better alternative given the price difference.
