Xiaomi Redmi Note 14

At Rs. 50,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model, the Redmi Note 14 is a sensible all-rounder rather than a bargain. It is strongest for buyers who keep a phone for years, and weakest for gamers.

Main advantages:

• A sharp 120Hz AMOLED screen behind Gorilla Glass 5
• A 108 MP main camera that does especially well in low light
• A 5500 mAh battery with 33W charging
• Aluminum frame, IP54 splash resistance, headphone jack and IR blaster
• A long update promise for this class

Main compromises:

• The Helio G99 Ultra is an ageing chip with modest graphics power
• UFS 2.2 storage and a hybrid SIM tray
• No ultrawide camera, which the Redmi Note 13 had
• Ads inside system apps

Alternatives: the Itel Super 26 Ultra (Rs. 47,499) is cheaper and offers a larger 144Hz AMOLED screen, a 6000 mAh battery and a 32 MP selfie camera, but charges at only 18W. The Infinix Hot 60 Pro (Rs. 66,999) has the stronger Helio G200, 45W charging and a dedicated memory card slot, but costs much more.

Verdict: a safe buy for everyday use, photos and long-term software support, especially for buyers who want a well-known brand with good resale. Gamers and heavy multitaskers should look higher.

The Redmi Note 14 uses a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel at 1080 x 2400 resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate. Text looks sharp, blacks are deep, and scrolling feels smooth. On paper it matches the Redmi Note 13's screen.

Brightness: 1200 nits in high brightness mode and 1800 nits peak, which is enough for comfortable outdoor use in this price range.

Eye comfort: 960Hz PWM dimming reduces flicker at low brightness, though some newer rivals use faster dimming.

Protection: the front glass moves up from Gorilla Glass 3 to Gorilla Glass 5, which handles drops much better.

Limitations: the bezels are slightly thicker than on the Redmi Note 13, so the front looks a little dated.

Video and sound: the stereo speakers are not very loud, but they sound clean and natural, which makes video watching more enjoyable than the price suggests. The optical in-display fingerprint scanner is quick to unlock.

The MediaTek Helio G99 Ultra (6 nm) pairs two Cortex-A76 cores at 2.2 GHz with six Cortex-A55 cores and a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. Against the Redmi Note 13's Snapdragon 685, it is about 30% faster, and the difference shows in daily use and in games.

Everyday use: social media, browsing, calls and streaming run smoothly. It is still an older chip design, so it trails newer rivals in this price range.

Gaming: several games unlock higher graphics settings than on the Redmi Note 13, but the GPU is modest, so expect medium settings in demanding titles.

Heat and sustained performance: reports differ. GSMArena found the CPU holds close to full speed without thermal throttling. In another stress test, performance fell to about 55% after 36 minutes. Either way, the phone stays cool and saves battery.

Storage: UFS 2.2 storage reads at about 1045 MB/s, which is slower than newer UFS 3.1 phones when installing or opening large apps. A memory card is even slower, so buy the 256GB model if you need space.

The rear has a 108 MP Samsung main camera (f/1.7) with two small 2 MP helper sensors. There is no ultrawide camera; the Redmi Note 13 had one, so wide group and landscape shots are now harder.

Main camera: clarity and detail are clearly better than on the Redmi Note 13. Daylight photos sometimes look slightly washed out, with colours less vivid than expected. Low-light shots are the surprise: image quality stays very solid.

Selfies: the front camera moves up to 20 MP and gives great results in good light, with well-managed colours. Bokeh mode is more accurate than before, and AI bokeh lets you change both the amount and the style of the blur after the shot. In dim light, colours wash out and photos can look like an oil painting, but Night mode fixes most of this.

Video: the rear camera records up to 1080p 60fps; the front camera is limited to 1080p 30fps. Selfie video gets muddy against strong backlight.

Editing: AI Erase removes simple objects well but struggles with complex scenes, sometimes leaving parts of a person behind. AI Sky replaces dull skies nicely, but it refuses to work on some photos.

The Redmi Note 14 has a 5500 mAh battery, larger than the Redmi Note 13's. The phone is slightly thicker and heavier as a result, but the difference is hard to notice in the hand.

Battery life: the Helio G99 Ultra draws less power than other G99 phones, and the phone limits performance under heavy load to save energy. The result is long battery backup, comfortably a full day for most users. GSMArena also rates its battery life as strong.

Charging: 33W wired charging reaches 55% in 44 minutes. That is slower than rivals such as the Infinix Hot 60 Pro with 45W charging, so a full charge takes well over an hour.

There is no wireless charging.

The phone runs Android 14 with Xiaomi HyperOS. Not every HyperOS feature is included, but the important ones are there.

Updates: our specs list up to four major Android upgrades, and GSMArena reports six years of security updates for the Redmi Note 14 4G. That is one of the longest commitments in this price range, which also helps resale value.

Ads and bloatware: this is the weak point. A "More apps" folder comes with Facebook, TikTok, Binance, inDrive and some games, and a recommendations folder pushes more apps. GSMArena also found ads inside system apps. You can remove these, but only one by one, which takes time.

Useful features:

• Gemini opens with a long press of the home button
• An IR blaster lets the phone work as a remote for ACs and TVs
• Gallery AI tools such as AI Erase and AI Sky

Circle to Search is not available on this model; it is limited to the Pro versions. Haptics are basic: the vibration motor gives little feedback outside calls and typing.