The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has been officially revealed and is set to make its debut in China before heading to the global stage on February 25 in Barcelona.
While it may appear similar to its predecessor, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has undergone design refinements. It is now 3 grams lighter, thanks to the use of titanium in the frame. Xiaomi claims that it is grade 5, similar to the iPhone, and superior to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The raised frame around the previous camera island has been replaced with a gently sloping module on the back panel.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra looks familiar
The main highlight of this phone is its cameras. Xiaomi has maintained the quad 50MP 0.5x + 1x + 3.2x + 5x setup and has made improvements to the hardware. The main camera features a 1-inch type sensor, using the latest Sony LYT-900 imager with a more advanced design and faster readout. The lens is a dual-aperture 23mm unit, offering a wider aperture range compared to its predecessor. This allows for up to 136% more light to be captured. Additionally, the main camera can capture Ultra RAW with computational processing, backing it into a DNG file with full image data.
The zoom lenses include a 3.2x 75mm f/1.8 regular lens and a 5x 120mm f/2.5 periscope lens, both sharing the same 1/2.5-inch Sony IMX858 sensor with the 12mm f/1.8 ultrawide. The 120mm periscope lens has been upgraded to an f/2.5 aperture, offering significantly improved light-gathering capabilities. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also introduces AI-powered 30x Ultra Zoom, which the company claims outperforms the competition. Notably, both zoom lenses have an impressive minimum focusing distance, with the 75mm lens capable of shooting from as close as 10cm, and the 120mm lens focusing from 30cm.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is equipped with Galaxy S24 Ultra-matching video features, including 4K at 60fps and 120fps (main camera only), as well as 8K video recording.
On the display front, the phone features a 6.73-inch 1440x3200px LTPO AMOLED panel with a maximum 120 Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+ support. The display is now brighter at 3,000 nits compared to its predecessor’s 2,600 nits. The glass on top of the display, called Shield Glass, offers 10 times higher drop resistance and enhanced clarity. The screen also features light curvature on all sides, known as an All Around Liquid display.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is powered by the latest and most powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, with options for up to 16 GB of RAM and up to 1 TB of storage. It also features improved cooling thanks to a 3x larger vapor cooling chamber.
The battery has been increased by around 6% to 5,300mAh and supports charging at up to 90W over wire or at 80W with a wireless clip. The battery is protected by the G1 and P2 surge battery chips.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also offers two-way satellite communication, with a T1 signal enhancement chip for improving cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connections.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is available in Blue, Black, and White, with three variants: a 12/256GB model priced at CNY 6,499 (€830, £710, INR 74,900), a 16/512GB model priced at CNY 6,999 (€900, £770, INR 82,100), and a 16GB/1TB model priced at CNY 7,799 (€1,000, £860, INR 91,500).
Xiaomi will be offering an upgraded Photography Kit camera accessory for the 14 Ultra, consisting of a case and an attachable camera grip with its own 1,500mAh battery and Bluetooth-enabled camera controls, priced at CNY 699 (€90, £77, INR 8,200). Additionally, a special 80W wireless charger will be available for CNY 499 (€64, £55, INR 5,800).
