Introducing the Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Unveiling the Powerhouse Smartphone with Qualcomm’s Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Chipset! Xiaomi has just lifted the curtains on its newest flagship, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Boasting the cutting-edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, this device promises unparalleled processing power and a seamless user experience.
In the realm of photography, Xiaomi continues its partnership with Leica to deliver exceptional imaging capabilities. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra features a state-of-the-art quad rear-camera setup, headlined by a groundbreaking 50-megapixel main sensor. With enhanced light-gathering capabilities and a versatile 23mm equivalent focal length lens, expect stunning shots even in low-light conditions.
But that’s not all – powering this technological marvel is a robust 5000mAh battery, supporting lightning-fast 90W charging. What’s more, Xiaomi introduces HyperCharge technology to wireless charging, delivering a blazing-fast 80W charging speed.
When it comes to visuals, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra takes the lead with its dazzling display. With a peak brightness of 3000 nits, compared to its predecessor’s 2600 nits, enjoy unparalleled clarity and vibrancy, even under direct sunlight.
Excited to experience the Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s camera prowess, display brilliance, and long-lasting battery life? Stay tuned as we delve into a comprehensive review, coming soon to provide insights into this flagship’s unparalleled user experience!
xiaomi 14 ultra specs
| NETWORK | Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2 | |
| CDMA 800 | ||
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | ||
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 – International | |
| 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 – China | ||
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA – International | |
| 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA – China | ||
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| LAUNCH | Announced | 2024, February 22 |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Available. Released 2024, February 22 |
| BODY | Dimensions | 161.4 x 75.3 x 9.2 mm (6.35 x 2.96 x 0.36 in) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 219.8 / 224.4 / 229.5 g (7.76 oz) | |
| Build | Glass front (Shield Glass), glass or eco leather back, titanium (grade 5) or aluminum alloy frame | |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
| DISPLAY | Type | LTPO AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1000 nits (typ), 3000 nits (peak) |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio) | |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) | |
| Protection | Xiaomi Shield Glass / Xiaomi Longjing Glass |
| PLATFORM | OS | Android 14, HyperOS |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | |
| CPU | Octa-core (1×3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3×3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) | |
| GPU | Adreno 750 |
| MEMORY | Card slot | No |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM | |
| UFS 4.0 |
| MAIN CAMERA | Quad | 50 MP, f/1.6-f/4.0, 23mm (wide), 1.0″-type, 1.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS 50 MP, f/1.8, 75mm (telephoto), 1/2.51″, 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF (10cm – ∞), OIS, 3.2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.5, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.51″, 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF (30cm – ∞), OIS, 5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/1.8, 12mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.51″, 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D, (depth) |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Leica lenses, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, 67mm filter ring holder (optional) | |
| Video | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@24/30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480/960/1920fps, gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision HDR 10-bit rec. (4K@60fps, 1080p) |
| SELFIE CAMERA | Single | 32 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.14″, 0.7µm |
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| SOUND | Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | |
| 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res & Hi-Res Wireless audio |
| COMMS | WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LHDC | |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| Infrared port | Yes | |
| Radio | No | |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort, OTG |
| FEATURES | Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, color spectrum, barometer |
|---|---|---|
| Two-way satellite communication |
| BATTERY | Type | 5000 mAh, non-removable – International 5300 mAh, non-removable – China only |
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 90W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 33 min (advertised) 80W wireless, 100% in 46 min (advertised) 10W reverse wireless |
| MISC | Colors | Black, Blue, White, Titanium Gray |
|---|---|---|
| Price | € 1,469.00 / £ 1,299.00 |
| TESTS | Performance | AnTuTu: 2014262 (v10) GeekBench: 7060 (v6) 3DMark Wild life: 17244 (offscreen 1440p) |
|---|---|---|
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | |
| Loudspeaker | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) | |
| Battery (new) |
Active use score 11:25h
|
Design, build quality, handling
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra embraces continuity in its looks, and, in many ways, it resembles the previous model, maintaining a distinct character that sets it apart from the competition. That’s not to say there aren’t some stylistic changes, and Xiaomi’s also done a few things differently when it comes to materials, but the broad strokes are familiar.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra (left) next to Xiaomi 13 Ultra
Most visible is, of course, the camera bump on the back, the ever-growing circle now even larger than before. It houses more or less the same hardware, so the increase in diameter may very well be a cosmetic development, though the new lenses on the telephotos and the main camera may have had their say.
Gone is the hump that made a more gentle transition towards the camera circle and now the camera assembly sticks out more prominently.
The back is once again made of synthetic leather-like material, but Xiaomi says this new ‘nano-tech’ formulation is six times as wear-resistant as the one used on the old model. It certainly feels very soft and grippy – more pleasant than the 13 Ultra, though a year of use may have had its toll on that one, making the comparison a little flawed.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra (left) next to Xiaomi 13 Ultra
Just like on the 2023 model, and unlike any other phone from other makers, the 14 Ultra’s frame flows from the sides into the back – it’s not just a unique look, but it must also help with durability, we reckon. Xiaomi says it’s using a new aluminum alloy that they call 6M42, which we can’t find any reliable third-party info on. They claim a 1.38x improvement in strength and twice the rigidity; only that’s compared to the 13 Pro and not the 13 Ultra.
Speaking of materials, it has to be pointed out that the Chinese market gets a few more options other than the white (our review unit) and black aluminum/leatherette versions that the international model comes in. We have to say that the glass-backed blue color is a very appealing hue, and we’d have been properly annoyed that we couldn’t have it if it were ceramic – now we’re just moderately annoyed.
Additionally, there’s another black option with a titanium frame (as opposed to aluminum) where the otherwise golden ring around the camera is also in the same gunmetal gray color. As a result, this one is a bit more incognito, but it also potentially offers even better durability. In China, that version is 13% more expensive than the plain 16GB/1TB option, which is, in turn, pricier than the 16GB/512GB option that the world is getting. So, if the titanium version were to be sold globally, it would be something like €1900. Ouch.
Over on the front, there are material changes too. Xiaomi has replaced the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus of the predecessor with an in-house Xiaomi Shield Glass, which their lab tests show to offer 10 times better drop resistance than the 13 Ultra. The real-world implications of this are hard to quantify, but if they say it’s 10 times better in the lab, it has to be at least somewhat better in real life.
Victus on the 13 Ultra, Xiaomi Shield Glass on the 14 Ultra
Underneath that glass is the 6.73-inch OLED display, and below that is the optical fingerprint reader. It’s placed conveniently high up on the screen, so you don’t have to think twice where it is – your thumb should just hit it naturally.
Unchanged is the IP68 rating on the Ultra, so there’s extra peace of mind in adverse weather. Of course, that goes with the usual fine print that the ingress protection deteriorates over time, and you’d better not deliberately test its limits in the first place.
Photography kit unboxing and hands-on
As with the 2023 model, there’s a dedicated optional set of accessories for the 14 Ultra that make what was already a camera with a phone attached to it into even more of a camera. The Photography kit comes in at €200, and while it does sound like a lot when taken in isolation, the number is a mere 13% on top of the phone’s asking price, so it’s probably not that big of a stretch if you appreciate the aesthetic and extra functionality.
The kit includes a nice case in black (the one we got) or white (the one we wish we’d gotten), with a matching color detachable right hand grip. Mind you, just because China has both, doesn’t mean the world does.
Next come two different-colored decorative rings for the camera bump, and another ring that’s threaded for standard 67mm lens filters. The rings are now locked into place and there’s a dedicated button to release them, as opposed to the lock-less bayonet design on the previous version that left the possibility for more easily losing the rings. Also included is a lanyard that attaches to the grip, for extra peace of mind.
The case can be used without the grip, which exposes the phone’s Xiaomi logo through a slot in back. The slot is there for a functional reason though – it’s used to latch the grip to the case. The grip has a built-in 1,500mAh battery and a USB-C port, so it adds some longevity to the phone/camera ensemble, while also allowing it to be charged without disassembling.
Xiaomi hasn’t just re-released the old accessory in a fit for the new phone though – they’ve added some extra functionality. In addition to the two-stage shutter release button (with a very nice feel, we might add) and the zoom rocker around it, there’s also now a dial and an extra button. The dial operates exposure compensation by default, but can be alternatively set to control aperture on the main camera, among other things. By default, the red dot button is used to start video recording.
We’ll reiterate that the extra €200 may sound like a hefty sum to pay for ‘a case’, but the kit is more than that and adds further utility in more ways than one – there’s the obvious photography aspect, but let’s not forget that it’s also a power bank of sorts (if rather small). Weighing the value proposition in it is going to be a personal choice, of course, but if a simple ‘FineWoven’ (not even leather) iPhone case can command a €70 price tag, the Xiaomi photo kit is almost a bargain.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra Photography kit
Bright 6.73-inch OLED with 12-bit color and Dolby Vision
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra features a 6.73-inch OLED display with a 1,440×3,200px resolution and a 1-120Hz refresh rate capability – the same numbers as on the 13 Ultra. It’s once again a 12-bit panel (so, theoretically, 68 billion colors) and HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are both supported.
The official specs mention both 1920Hz PWM for dimming, as well as DC dimming, so the panel likely employs both methods depending on the brightness level, which was also apparently the case with the previous model.
Xiaomi promises an increase in peak brightness (from 2,600 to 3,000nits) and that’s the only immediate difference in the specs, inconsequential as it may be.
In our testing, we did pick up a small increase in brightness compared to the older model when the phone was placed under bright light and adaptive brightness was enabled. The 1,281 nits we measured aren’t industry-leading or anything, but the number is excellent nonetheless.
Xiaomi is also now letting you flip a toggle in settings to get a 200-ish-nit brightness boost when operating the slider manually – we got 710nits with the ‘Sunlight mode’ setting enabled and 493nits with it turned off (which was the ballpark of the 13 Ultra’s manual result).
Refresh rate
Refresh rate handling is rather straightforward on the 14 Ultra. There’s the usual adaptive behavior, and the phone will dial down to 10Hz (most of the time) or 1Hz (in some instances) when you’re not interacting with it and it’s displaying static content. Dedicated refresh rate modes will be engaged for the respective video frame rates. Games that support high frame rates will be allowed to roam free and the phone will stay in 120Hz mode for those.
The 60Hz and 120Hz settings act as ceilings and the adaptive behavior will still be in place, just like in the Default mode (though the 120Hz mode might be a little more aggressive at maintaining 120Hz).
Streaming and HDR
The 14 Ultra supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision standards and we got HDR streams from both Netflix and YouTube. The Widevine L1 compliance means that DRM-protected content can be streamed at the maximum available resolution (typically 1080p).
The 14 Ultra and its HyperOS also support Google’s Ultra HDR standard for capturing and displaying 10-bit images from compatible phones across different apps. You’ll get boosted highlights in your own photos in the in-house gallery, as well as in Google Photos, and the effect can also be observed with other compliant photos in Chrome.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra battery life
Our new Active Use Score is an estimate of how long the battery will last if you use the device with a mix of all four test activities. You can adjust the calculation based on your usage pattern using the sliders below. You can read about our current battery life testing procedure here. For a comprehensive list of all tested devices so far, head this way.
The global version of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, which is the same capacity as the one on the 13 Ultra from last year. The Chinese 14 Ultra is treated to a minor upgrade – to 5,300mAh, but we don’t get those extra mAhs.
Much like the 13 Ultra, the 14 Ultra doesn’t exactly win our hearts with its endurance, though it is generally a step up. The most significant improvement is in the gaming test, where the new model has added 33% to the underwhelming 5 hours of the 13 Ultra – not enough to outlast competitors, but at least no longer miles behind them.
The 11 hours in the web browsing test make for an okay showing, and so too is the call time, but the video playback longevity is below average. Overall, the 14 Ultra’s battery life isn’t class-leading, but it’s not a deal-breaking result either.
Charging speed
The 14 Ultra ships with the same 90W HyperCharge adapter that we received with the 13 Ultra. Xiaomi says that the phone should be able to charge from empty to full in 33 minutes and that’s more or less what our experience was. Our power meter showed a momentary 78W value but was happier to hover around the 75W mark where it stayed for about the first 3 minutes of the process before the power gradually dropped – as expected.
As before, beware that you must have the “Boost charging speed” toggle enabled in settings to get the highest possible speed – out of the box, it’s disabled.
Compared to the predecessor, the 14 Ultra was slightly slower to the 15-minute mark, but was already ahead at the half-hour checkpoint and also made it to 100% slightly faster. The 13 Pro from last year with its 120W charging was noticeably faster, we’ll admit, and a few of this year’s flagships also have an edge on the 14 Ultra. Still, we find no grounds for complaint when it comes to charging speed.
We also tried a third-party 65W USB Power Delivery adapter, and that got us to 50% in 30 minutes and 100% in 80 minutes – not impressive, but a decent result for those times when you’ve forgotten the proprietary adapter.
The 14 Ultra supports wireless charging, and Xiaomi rates it at 80W. According to the company’s data, a full charge from flat should take 46 minutes with the right stand (a brand new product, launched alongside the Ultra).
We don’t doubt that something close to that number is possible in real life, since their wired charging speed claims were pretty accurate to our own measurements. That said, we haven’t been able to test it.
It’s worth pointing out that the stand doesn’t ship with an adapter, and its specs say it requires a 120W power brick to reach the maximum power output. Since the phone itself comes with a 90W adapter, you’ll need to factor in the purchase of an extra 120W adapter to make the most out of the stand. On the other hand, even with the supplied 90W unit hooked up to the stand, you’d probably be able to get pretty decent speeds.
Speaker test
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra carries over the speaker setup from the previous model. It features one unit firing out the bottom, and another one at the top directing sound both upward through four holes on the top plate and sort of forward/upward through a slit at the edge of the display glass – that would be the earpiece.
Bottom speaker • Top speaker • Earpiece slit
The top speaker gets the left channel in vertical orientation, and channels are switched to match the landscape orientation. The two speakers each output their respective channel but also an attenuated version of the opposite channel.
In our testing, the 14 Ultra matched the previous model’s ‘Very Good’ rating for loudness, with an ever so slightly higher numerical result. Essentially, all potential competitors are in the same ballpark for loudness, though the Galaxy S24 Ultra does manage to make a grander impression.
The new phone improves on its already nice-sounding predecessor with a slightly livelier midrange, while maintaining good bass levels and clean treble. Neither the vivo or the Oppo are any serious competition, to our ears at least, but if forced to pick, we’d still probably prefer the Galaxy.
The two telephotos now focus close
The 14 Ultra doesn’t make radical changes to the camera system – at least at first glance. Last year’s model had things pretty well dialed in, so there wasn’t a whole lot of room for improvement. That said, the improvements that are there are most welcome.
The most significant development overall is in the close-focusing capabilities on the two telephoto cameras (which have kept the same sensors as on the previous model). The 3.2x zoom camera can now focus on objects as close as 10cm, while the periscope 5x unit’s minimum focusing distance is specced at 30cm. Sure, that same longer telephoto lens is also now brighter, but the f/2.5 vs. f/3.0 improvement will be harder to spot.
The lens is where one of the two changes to the main camera can be spotted – a lot more easily than the move from the IMX989 to the newer LYT-900 sensor. The new optics are now brighter (f/1.63 vs. f/1.9), but the aperture can be adjusted continuously throughout the whole range – not just stopped all the way down to f/4.0, which was the case on the 13 Ultra. The diaphragm uses 6 blades, but they’re notched in such a way so as to make a dodecagonal shape.
The stepless adjustment is available in the Pro mode, while in the regular Photo mode you get the wide open f/1.63, the fully stopped down f/4.0, and intermediate steps at f/2.0 and f/2.8.
The ultrawide camera’s specs remain unchanged from the previous generation, and it’s still the same IMX 858 sensor as on the two teles. It’s paired with an AF-capable lens that’s on the wider end of the ultrawide spectrum. The selfie camera isn’t much different this year either, relying on a 32MP OmniVision sensor and a fixed-focus lens – we’ve never been fans of this, but Xiaomi keeps using it.
- Wide (main):50MP Sony LYT-900 (1″, 1.6µm – 3.2µm), f/1.63-f/4.0, 23mm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; 4K@120fps
- Ultrawide: 50MP Sony IMX858 (1/2.51″, 0.7µm-1.4µm), f/1.8, 12mm, PDAF; 4K@60fps
- Telephoto 1, 3.2x: 50MP Sony IMX858 (1/2.51″, 0.7µm-1.4µm), f/1.8, 75mm, PDAF (10cm – ∞), OIS; 4K@60fps
- Telephoto 1, 5x: 50MP Sony IMX858 (1/2.51″, 0.7µm-1.4µm), f/1.8, 120mm, PDAF (30cm – ∞), OIS; 4K@60fps
- Front camera: 32MP OmniVision OV32B40 (1/3.14″, 0.7µm-1.4µm), f/2.0, 22mm, fixed focus; 4K@60fps
Main camera
The main camera of the 14 Ultra captures great-looking photos, as expected. Detail is excellent and is rendered in a relatively natural way, with only particularly intricate textures that outresolve the 12MP image getting a more artificial look. Noise is very well controlled.
The auto white balance was consistently accurate and we encountered no blunders in the area. Color saturation is well judged producing expressive results without going too far. Dynamic range is nicely wide too.
Daylight samples, main camera (1x)
If you’d like to get some artificial vignetting and a moodier look, the Leica Authentic mode is your thing. It isn’t ours, though.
Daylight samples, main camera (1x), Leica Authentic
We explored a little how the variable aperture affects sharpness. In good light the phone will normally set it at f/2.0, which is typically ever so slightly sharper than the f/1.63 setting, with further stopping down making little to no difference, particularly with subjects closer to infinity.
Daylight samples, main camera (1x): f/1.63 • f/2.0 • f/2.8 • f/4.0
More evident is the effect on depth of field, particularly with nearby subjects. With those, you’ll oftentimes want to stop down a little to make sure you get more of your subject in sharp focus.
Daylight samples, main camera (1x): f/1.63 • f/2.0 • f/2.8 • f/4.0
You can also check out a few photos of our resident people shots model, in both Photo mode and Portrait mode.
Daylight samples, main camera (1x), Photo mode
Daylight samples, main camera (1x), Portrait mode, 23mm
For completeness’ sake, here’s also a handful of full-res samples. When examined at 1:1, these probably have a bit of extra detail in there, but there’s also a more water color-y look to it.
Daylight samples, main camera (1x), 50MP
The 50MP mode serves more as our segue into the 2x zoom level samples. The Xiaomi does a great job here, showing very good detail even when pixel peeping. It’s still not as amazing as the vivo X100 Pro is at 2x, but it’s just a notch below and perfectly good enough.
Daylight samples, main camera (2x)
Faces also look well detailed at this zoom level, particularly in Photo mode. Portrait mode does add a bit more softness on the subject, but the results remain good, both at the 50mm and the 35mm simulated focal lengths.
Daylight samples, main camera (2x), Photo mode
Daylight samples, main camera (2x), Portrait mode, 50mm
Daylight samples, main camera (2x), Portrait mode, 35mm
3.2x telephoto camera
At 3.2x zoom the Xiaomi 14 Ultra shows a noticeable improvement in sharpness compared to the previous model, delivering what are quite possibly the sharpest 3x images we’ve seen to date. No complaints on global parameters either – dynamic range is excellent, auto white balance is on point, colors are vibrant.
Daylight samples, telephoto camera (3.2x)
It’s great for people too, whether in Photo mode or Portrait mode.
Daylight samples, telephoto camera (3.2x), Photo mode
Daylight samples, telephoto camera (3.2x), Portrait mode, 75mm
But the real treat comes with closeups. Even at minimum focusing distances, the 14 Ultra’s 3.2x maintains excellent sharpness and is capable of some stunning results.
Daylight samples, telephoto camera (3.2x), closeups
It’s one of the areas where the generational difference is most obvious – the 13 Ultra at minimum focusing distance can’t get anywhere near the new model’s reproduction ratio.
Daylight samples, telephoto camera (3.2x), closeups: 14 Ultra • 13 Ultra
The 14 Ultra also does quite well at 3.2x zoom when shooting at the nominal 50MP resolution, though we’re not entirely sure why you’d want to be doing that since there’s the 5x telephoto to bring things closer.
Daylight samples, telephoto camera (3.2x), 50MP
5x telephoto camera
The revamped 5x telephoto doesn’t disappoint either, capturing great photos during the day. It’s also an expert at closeups, as promised, almost matching the 3x camera for reproduction, while letting you keep your distance from your subject.
Daylight samples, telephoto camera (5x)
Here too you can see the level of improvement compared to the old model, when it comes to closeup photography.
Daylight samples, telephoto camera (5x), closeups: 14 Ultra • 13 Ultra
There’s no Portrait mode beyond 75mm, but you can take regular photos of people at 5x just fine.
Daylight samples, telephoto camera (5x), Photo mode
You can also shoot at 5x zoom at 50MP resolution, getting some questionable results.
Daylight samples, telephoto camera (5x), 50MP
If you’re after more reach, however, you’re better off pinching to 10x (or using the onscreen dial, or better yet the Photography kit’s rocker). The images we got have very good sharpness, better than what the Galaxy S24 Ultra can muster. Contrast can be a bit much though.
Daylight samples, telephoto camera (5x), 10x zoom
Ultrawide camera
The ultrawide camera will not be ruining the overall impression. Other than a bit more graininess, there’s little in the way of flaws in its photos and even that is barely prominent enough to be mentioned. Very good detail, great colors and dynamic range, close focusing for some exaggerated perspectives – there’s a lot to like here.
Daylight samples, ultrawide camera (0.5x)
You just might be able to make a case for the 50MP mode on the ultrawide, though you might have to look long and hard to find extra detail.
Daylight samples, ultrawide camera (0.5x), 50MP
Selfies
The selfies from the Xiaomi are good, but not our favorite. Skin tones and colors in general are likable and we have no complaints about dynamic range. But the continued insistence to output selfies at the nominal 32MP doesn’t sit well with us and the fixed focus is also not up to the Ultra standard.
Selfie samples
Low-light photo quality
Main camera
With everything set to Auto, the 14 Ultra’s main camera captures excellent low-light photos. It does pleasing exposures that retain a lot of the highlight data, while also doing a great job with shadow development – the 14 Ultra gives us a touch brighter shadows than direct competitors and we’d say that is our preferred approach. Even in mixed lighting the auto white balance is dependable and color rendition is easy on the eyes.
Viewing from up-close, there’s very good detail and the Xiaomi strikes a nice balance between retaining actual information and disposing of noise. The Galaxy S24 Ultra, for example, leaves more noise but has a slight edge in detail, while the Find X7 Ultra can be a bit softer than the Xiaomi.
Low-light samples, main camera (1x)
At 2x, the 14 Ultra’s output varies from very good in better-lit scenes to meh in darker settings. You’ll always be getting excellent exposures, dynamic range and colors, it’s just that the darker scenes will be softer on a pixel level.
Low-light samples, main camera (2x)
3.2x Telephoto camera
Even in the dark, the 3.2x telephoto will hardly leave you wanting. Exposures are on point, dynamic range is very good, and there’s plenty of fine detail.
Low-light samples, telephoto camera (3.2x)
5x Telephoto camera
The 5x telephoto is a bit less excited about shooting in low-light. Its dynamic range is somewhat limited and with the phone prioritizing for highlights, you may often get shots that are darker than ideal. It will also tend to render warmer light sources too orange for our liking. Given a decent amount of light, however, it will still capture a lot of detail.
Low-light samples, telephoto camera (5x)
Ultrawide camera
The ultrawide delivers more of an okay showing at night. Its colors are a little anemic and detail is somewhat sketchy when viewed from up close.
Low-light samples, ultrawide camera (0.5x)
Video recording
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra can record video up to 4K60 with all of its cameras – the four on the back and the front-facing one. The rear ones can also do 4K24 in addition to 4K30, and they’re also capable of 8K at both 30fps and 24fps. The main one, meanwhile, is also capable of 4K120.
The default codec is still h.264 for all but 8K capture, where you only get h.265, but you can switch to h.265 for all your videos. Dolby Vision capture is also on the menu, but just for the main camera in 4K at either 30fps or 24fps.
Video stabilization is available in all resolutions and frame rate combos (except for 4K120) and can’t be disabled in the regular video mode, though there is a toggle in settings that can switch it off for recording in Director’s mode.
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The Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s video quality is quite possibly the best we’ve got at the moment. All four rear cameras are expertly matched in overall look and have great dynamic range and color reproduction. 4K24 and 4K30 clips from each camera look identical and have excellent detail (okay, more like ‘very good’ on the ultrawide), while the 60fps modes are ever so slightly softer, but far from being actually soft. The main camera’s 4K120fps is actually the sharpest of them all.
Stabilization is also great on the 14 Ultra. The main camera and the ultrawide turn walking shake into a gentle float, and all four cameras pan smoothly and keep things nicely steady when just pointed in one direction.
At night, the Xiaomi does reasonably well too. Its main camera is about on par with the Galaxy S24 Ultra for detail, but has wider dynamic range, though the Find X7 Ultra might be a little better still. The ultrawide suffers from a bit of desaturation and noise performance isn’t great. The 3.2x telephoto is significantly better than the Galaxy’s, but a notch below the one on the Find X7 Ultra. When it comes to the longer telephoto, the Xiaomi’s 5x is perhaps a little better than the Find’s 6x, the Galaxy being further behind.
