Xiaomi has been collaborating with Leica on their flagship smartphones’ camera optics since last year’s Xiaomi 13 series, and now they have just announced the global launch of the Xiaomi 14 Series featuring Leica Summilux optics. Well, to clarify — it’s a global launch as long as you don’t include the United States, which is, unfortunately, pretty typical with many of the cool smartphones coming out of China these days. So, what does the Xiaomi 14 series bring to the table beyond excellent cameras?
Xiaomi 14 in White, Xiaomi 14 Ultra in Black, and Xiaomi 14 in Green.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra: A Flagship Smartphone with Plenty of Photography Perks
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra boasts a unique circular camera module and a flat back design; it will be available in Black and White. It features the robust Xiaomi Guardian Structure (a high-strength aluminum frame), nano-tech vegan leather, and Shield Glass, offering improved durability and aesthetics.
Xiaomi Shield Glass combines with the 14 Ultra’s all-around Liquid Display to achieve a consistent curvature on the sides and corners to seamlessly blend the visual and tactile appeal of a flat screen with the comfortable feel of a curved edge on the back of the device.
You’ll get immersive visuals on Xiaomi’s 6.73″ AMOLED WQHD+ (3200 x 1440) display, with 522 pixels per inch (ppi), a variable 1-120Hz refresh rate for smooth viewing, and a peak brightness of 3000 nits.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra boasts an advanced quad-camera system that delivers exceptional versatility and quality for your photography and videography. Its main camera features a variable aperture ranging from ƒ/1.63 to ƒ/4.0, ensuring seamless exposure adjustments across various lighting conditions.
Equipped with a large 1″ LYT-900 image sensor, it offers an impressive dynamic range of up to 14 exposure value (EV), ensuring top-notch image quality even in challenging situations.
The quad-camera setup includes the Leica 75mm floating telephoto camera, the Leica 120mm periscope camera, and the Leica 12mm ultra-wide camera, opening up creative possibilities when using the 14 Ultra.
One of the standout features of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is its ability to shoot in 8K resolution at 30 frames per second (fps) across all four cameras. With Leica optics and a 50-megapixel sensor, Xiaomi is touting the 14 Ultra’s ability to capture stunning clarity in 8K videos, which makes professional-level post-production editing possible.
The main camera supports 4K resolution at 120 fps for impressive slow-motion effects and full-range zooming at 60 fps.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also supports Dolby Vision shooting at 4K resolution and 60 fps, with built-in stabilization for smooth video capture. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, a 4-mic array enables high-quality surround and directional sound recording.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also introduces a new Movie mode tailored for professional videography, featuring cinematic industry practices, such as the 2.39:1 aspect ratio and the 180º shutter rule for an authentic cinematic look and motion blur in videos.
The MasterCinema feature encodes HDR videos in 10-bit Rec.2020, so you can capture richer details, highlights, and shadows compared to the previous 8-bit BT.709 standard, which is particularly noticeable on HDR screens.
Director mode will provide a professional-grade interface with advanced parameter controls and log format recording for flexible post-production adjustments.
The optional Xiaomi 14 Ultra Photography Kit has been specifically designed for photography and videography enthusiasts. It includes a dedicated grip and case with extended features such as a two-stage shutter button, a zoom lever, a customizable video recording button, and an additional custom dial.
The 14 Ultra’s Photography Kit can also double as an external charging battery bank, with an extra 1500mAh for topping off your battery during extended shooting sessions.
Xiaomi 14: Perfect for Those Who Prefer a Smaller Flagship Smartphone
If you prefer something a little more compact, the Xiaomi 14 will fit the bill. Its gently 3D-curved glass back is designed to provide a comfortable and secure grip during longer periods of use.
The Xiaomi 14 takes a minimalist design approach; rather than placing the second stereo speaker on the top of the device, it’s at the top of the display, and the infrared port has been placed within the camera module, resulting in a clean appearance on the top and side frames.
The Xiaomi 14 has a vivid 6.36″ CrystalRes AMOLED 1.5K (2670 x 1200) Gorilla Glass Victus display with 460ppi for detailed visuals. With a peak brightness of 3000 nits, colors will be vibrant and clear, even in direct sunlight.
The 1 to 120Hz variable refresh rate will ensure a smooth viewing experience, whether you’re browsing, reading, or gaming. The ultra-thin bezel design with a slim 1.71mm bottom bezel adds to the immersive viewing experience.
The Xiaomi 14 offers users a versatile photography experience with its triple-camera setup, covering a wide focal range from 14mm to 75mm. Engineered with Leica Summilux optical lenses and an upgraded ƒ/1.6 aperture on the main camera, it is paired with the Light Fusion 900 image sensor to provide up to 13.5 EV of dynamic range.
The Leica 14mm ultra-wide camera boasts an enhanced resolution of 50 megapixels, while the Leica 75mm floating telephoto lens offers a minimum focus distance of just 10cm.
A Flagship Processor for a Flagship Series
Both Xiaomi 14 series devices are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform, which offers enhanced CPU and GPU performance and features advanced cooling technology for smooth operation.
Battery and Charging
The 14 series utilizes Xiaomi’s Surge battery management system to ensure extended battery life throughout the day.
The Xiaomi 14 has a 4,610mAh battery with 90W HyperCharge and 50W wireless HyperCharge, while the Xiaomi 14 Ultra features a 5,000mAh battery with 90W HyperCharge and 80W wireless HyperCharge technology.
This is even faster wireless charging than OnePlus, OPPO, realme, Vivo, and IQOO are offering, so consider this to be Xiaomi laying down the gauntlet; we’ll see how BBK Electronics replies soon enough.
Operating System and AI Technology
The Xiaomi 14 Series runs on Xiaomi HyperOS, designed for a comprehensive smart ecosystem, focusing on system fluidity, connectivity, intelligence, and security. It integrates cutting-edge AI technology for features like real-time transcription, image search, portrait enhancements, and proactive intelligence through Xiaomi HyperMind.
The Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Ultra will include four generations of Android OS upgrades and five years of security patches. When you buy either of the devices, you can get 100GB of Google One cloud storage for six months and three months of YouTube Premium with ad-free access to YouTube and the YouTube Music app.
Integration with Google Photos
Xiaomi has also announced that with the 14 series, there is a new integration with Google Photos, so you can securely back up your photos and videos directly to Google Photos from the Xiaomi Gallery rather than downloading Google Photos as a separate app.
This integration will enable you to view, edit, and share your content from Google Photos as a direct integration part of your Xiaomi camera’s Gallery interface. In Spring 2024, this function will be available to Xiaomi device users worldwide.
Availability
The Xiaomi 14 will be available in Black, White, and Jade Green starting at €999, and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra will be available in Black and White, starting at €1,499, with the optional Xiaomi 14 Ultra Photography Kit starting at €199.
I have the Xiaomi 14 in to try, and while the display on this phone is a little smaller than I am used to, the size is still quite nice. I appreciate that Xiaomi has returned to my preferred flat display rather than trying to prolong the fallacy that a curved screen offers a “more premium experience.” Trust me: this flat screen is exquisite.
The phone feels great in my hand; the gorgeous display and the cameras are excellent; it’s a really fantastic phone thus far!
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