This is the second year Xiaomi and Leica have teamed up to produce a smartphone with amazing digital camera capabilities. This year changes were made to the processor chip and the lens. Are the small changes made enough or are the issues of last year reoccurring? Here's my full review for the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
SPECIFICATIONS
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
6.73″ LTPO AMOLED screen,
WQHD+, 120Hz, Dolby Vision
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor (4nm)
1 x 3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 chip
3 x 3.2 GHz Cortex-A720
2 x 3.0 GHz Cortex-A720
2 x 2.3 GHz Cortex-A520
Adreno 750 Graphics Chip
RAM 16GB LPDDR5X
Internal Storage 512GB UFS 4.0
Primary Camera 50MP f/1.6, OIS (Wide Angle)
50MP f/1.8, (Ultra Wide Angle)
50MP f/1.8, OIS (Telephoto 3.2X)
50MP f/2.5, OIS (5X Telephoto)
3D ToF
Selfie Camera 32 Megapixel f/2.0
5000 mAh battery
90W wired charging
80W wireless charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM nano / 5G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
Waterproof IP68
Scan System Under-screen fingerprint scanner
Sale Price RM 5199 (16/512GB)
SCREEN
Many have complained that Apple and Samsung like to recycle last year's device designs for this year's models. Xiaomi did it a little bit this year with a still 6.73″ WQHD+ LTPO AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. This year's panel reaches a maximum brightness of 3000 nits which is higher than last year's 2600 nits.
The screen is beautiful with accurate color display and can be viewed from various angles without any issues. Scrolling feels fast and touch detection is also very good. Likewise with the haptic system that feels very realistic. HDR content with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision formats can also be displayed without any issues. Netflix, Prime, Disney+ Hostar and YouTube can all be played at the highest quality.
BIOMETRIC
The under-screen fingerprint scanner is of the optical type but still fast. Unlocking using the face is also no less great. Overall the biometric system on the 14 Ultra is as good as any other flagship device on the market right now.
DESIGN
The notable change this year lies in the back panel which is now flat and no longer has two different tiers for the large camera hump. The rounded camera bump is still there but with a flat back panel, it feels easier to hold. The panel also has a rough vegan leather finish. This texture makes the 14 Ultra very comfortable to hold especially when taking pictures.
This is important because the 14 Ultra is a top-heavy device. The big camera hump I mentioned above makes it want to fall over frequently. I have to put the finger higher on the back to prevent it from rotating and falling down accidentally. This also causes if I want to take pictures vertically, my fingers often block the lens.
I had to relearn holding the phone with the 14 Ultra because of the heavier than normal top. Fahim who reviewed 13 Ultra last year also said this was an issue he faced last year.
The power button and audio adjustment are placed on the right side. It's all sturdy and easily accessible. At the top there is a speaker hole and no IR emitter. It's a bit awkward to see a Xiaomi device that doesn't have this feature because all these years they've been adamant about keeping it. Then below there is the SIM tray, the USB-C charging jack and another speaker button
The body passes the IP68 standard so the owner does not have to worry about it getting wet in the rain or when water is spilled on it during Eid. In terms of design it is a beautiful device but has a lack of balance issue which makes it a little scary if used without any frame. The large glass panel on the camera surface is prone to damage if the device is dropped.
With such a huge hump, the usual issue of not being able to lay flat on the table is the daily norm. The use of frameworks does not mitigate this issue. So get used to this device with a less conventional design.
USAGE AND SOFTWARE
HyperOS 1.0.5.0 operating system based on Android 14 is used on this device. This is a new start from Xiaomi to leave MIUI that has been used for so long. The startup is off to a good start as it's an operating system that feels lighter and smoother than MIUI. No more issues with ads appearing suddenly when apps are installed or when using Xiaomi apps.
The lock screen animation for example looks very robust especially if a dynamic background image is used. Starting with an image of the planet earth or Mars, you will be taken directly to the surface of the earth which is the background image. There are a variety of stunning landscape options.
This is helped by the 16GB LPDDR5X base RAM size which can be increased up to 24GB virtually using the Memory Extension feature. It can be turned off if not needed. During the review period I only activated 4GB of virtual RAM and the device still felt very responsive.
While all of this is great, I can't forgive the 14 Ultra for not having any built-in AI capabilities. This is a feature that exists on models in China but not yet on global devices. In 2024 AI capabilities are a must so its absence makes the 14 Ultra's software feel a little behind the competition. Until now when the AI feature update will be received by Xiaomi 14 series owners in Malaysia remains a mystery.
Speaking of software, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra also "only" received four versions of Android and five years of security patches. I only put it here because Samsung, Google and Apple offer older update support. Pixel and Galaxy S24 for example are supported for 7 years. For a modern flagship device, long-term software support is also now seen as a necessity.
BENCHMARK – Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
With Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the 14 Ultra is equipped with an "engine" that is powerful enough to run various applications, features and even AI features that will arrive. I compared the 14 Ultra with the following flagship devices – Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy), Honor Magic6 Pro (Snapdragon 8 gen 3). Vivo X100 Pro (Dimensity 9300), iQOO 12 (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), Galaxy S24+ (Exynos 2400), iPhone 15 Pro Max (A17 Pro) and iPhone 14 Pro Max (A16 Bionic).
Geekbench 6
Xiaomi 14 Ultra – 2221/6632
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – 2278/7016
Honor Magic6 Pro – 1362/4677
Samsung Galaxy S24+ – 1539/6510
iQOO 12 – 2181/6631
Vivo X100 Pro – 2071/5032
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – 2873/7228
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 2640/6820
AnTuTu 3D
Xiaomi 14 Ultra – 2,000,434
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – 1,768,765
Honor Magic6 Pro – 1,366,519
Samsung Galaxy S24+ – 1,643,090
iQOO 12 – 2,075,821
Vivo X100 Pro – 1,852,552
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – 1,523,961
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 1,455,773
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
Xiaomi 14 Ultra – 4717
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – 4657
Honor Magic6 Pro – 2,492
Samsung Galaxy S24+ – 2813
iQOO 12 – 5045
Vivo X100 Pro – 4067
Apple iPhone 15 Pro M – 3695
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 2727
The 14 Ultra performs as well as other flagship devices with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. Everything runs smoothly. Lightning fast app installation. There is nothing negative I can say about the 14 Ultra's performance. Various modern emulators can also be run at the highest settings. Although designed as a Leica digital camera with smartphone capabilities, the 14 Ultra also operates brilliantly as a portable console.
TELEPHONY And GPS
There are no issues with the 5G telephony network in Malaysia and there is very fast WiFi 7 support. Our position can also be tracked accurately and quickly. As a mobile phone the 14 Ultra works quite satisfactorily. The downside in my opinion is that it's an expensive flagship device that still doesn't have eSIM support. Only two physical nano SIMs are supported simultaneously.
CAMERA
The main camera uses a 1″ size 50MP wide-angle lens configuration, 50MP ultra wide-angle, 5X 50MP telephoto and 3.2X 50MP telephoto. On the front, a 32MP selfie camera is used. On paper, there is no difference in the camera system because the sensor is still the same size. But changes were made to Leica lenses this year for the better.
The photographic capabilities of this camera are very satisfying especially if you want images like a Leica digital camera. Leica Vibrant and Leica Authentic modes can be used. The difference is that the Leica Vibrant offers images with brighter colors while the Authentic offers images that appear darker.
Leica mode cannot be turned off completely. Although there is a filter for "Normal", I realized that the resulting picture is just the same as the Leica Authentic. In Pro mode also this happens. Each picture has been post-processed to make it different from the real situation.
So is the 14 Ultra camera any good? Good if you really want to take pictures that look cinematic with brighter colors than the real world. But I also realize there are users who want to take photos that look authentic. If you fall into this category, the 14 Ultra's camera may not be in sync with your soul.
BATTERY
Although a 5000 mAh battery is used, the usage life of the 14 Ultra is lower if I compare it to the S24 Ultra with the same battery capacity. Typically I get around 7-8 hours of SOT in moderate use and it lasts up to 16 hours. Before going to sleep the 14 Ultra's battery is almost dead and requires charging. On the S24 Ultra with the same usage I still have up to 25% battery. 14 Ultra is more battery thirsty.
It gets more noticeable if I take pictures. The battery will drain faster. I was able to use up all 1500 mAh on the Camera Grip accessory in less than an hour. Xiaomi needs to improve the software because the battery performance of the 14 Ultra is not as good as other competitors. Luckily it can be recharged in around 35 minutes using the supplied 90W charger.
AUDIO
There is a pair of stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos. The speaker system is balanced because the audio is shot sideways on the top and bottom. This balance I realize is common on devices from China. Western devices still use front-firing top speakers. Audio is loud but still clear. The only drawback is that if you are playing the first one, your hand will often cover the speaker hole.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
Here is what is received in the box with purchase.
1x Xiaomi 14 Ultra
1x Transparent frame.
1x 90W dual-pin charger.
1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
1x Manual.
1x SIM Pin.
CONCLUSION
The positive thing I can say about the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is that it's a pretty premium device from Xiaomi. There are no build quality issues or designs that seem lagging behind. In recent times Xiaomi has managed to build an image as a manufacturer of quality Android devices. The camera performance is also excellent with beautiful pictures can be taken even if you are not a photography expert. Bug-ridden MIUI software issues and ads are also no longer the case with HyperOS.
But I have an issue with the camera being in Leica mode all the time. There is no option to turn it off to take photos in auto or Pro mode. All pictures are clearly post-processed so they are different from reality. The battery is also less durable even though it is the same as competitors in the market. Finally, there are still no AI features given to the Chinese version at this point.
In Malaysia Xiaomi 14 Ultra is sold at a price of RM5199 for 16/512GB. No other models are offered. At this price I can forgive some of the shortcomings because it is cheaper than the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. If you want to play around with a Xiaomi device with a Leica camera, the 14 Ultra is the best option on the market right now.
Pro
Premium body design.
HyperOS doesn't have issues like MIUI.
The camera system is quite powerful and robust.
Fast enough charging.
Balanced audio.
IP68 waterproof.
Cons
The body is unbalanced with the camera hump too big.
Battery life is not that long.
The AI feature is still missing on the global version.