For weeks now, we've been hearing loads about the Xiaomi 14 Ultra ahead of its release, and it is finally official, toting solid specifications all across the board, especially in the camera department.
The device is a real heavy hitter and brings enough heat to go head-to-head with the industry favorite that is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Let's talk about exactly why this device has earned the right to be the next one on your wishlist.
The Camera Titan Is Here: The Xiaomi 14 Ultra Is Official
The first striking thing about the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is its design. The massive circular camera module on the vegan leather back panel grabs the eye at first glance and does a great job communicating the photography focus of the phone. The frame is crafted from a single aluminum block and is a lot stronger than the previous generation.
On the front side, you're met by a 6.73-inch QHD+ LTPO AMOLED screen that curves equally on all sides and corners, boasts a 120Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of 3000 nits. The single camera on the front is a 32MP module.
Back to the back panel, let's talk about the cameras there. There's a quad-camera setup that is insanely impressive on paper. All the sensors are 50MP, but they differ greatly, especially in focal lengths, from 12mm to 120mm. The main shooter has a 1-inch sensor, OIS, and a step-less variable aperture so you can shoot anywhere from f/1.63 to f/4.0, which is incredibly impressive. The other shooters are an ultrawide, and a 75mm and 120mm telephoto which both support macro photography.
Inside the phone, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 runs the show, paired with 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. There's a 5,000 mAh battery that can be charged at 90W when wired and a ridiculous 80W wirelessly.
It Stacks Up Seriously Against Samsung's S24 Ultra
The S24 Ultra might seem like the easy shoo-in for the phone of the year, but the Xiaomi 14 Ultra might genuinely give it a run for its money.
The devices are similar in a lot of ways, with similar displays, processors, and battery capacities. Sure, you can get 1TB of storage and you get an S Pen on the S24 Ultra, but the 14 Ultra beats it out in a few aspects too: it's got 16GB of RAM and faster wired and wireless charging. It remains to be seen how their cameras do head-to-head, but on paper, they're both solid contenders.
We're looking forward to seeing how the camera setup on the 14 Ultra performs, but if it does excellent work, Samsung should be very worried.
Pricing And Availability For Xiaomi's Latest
Xiaomi's 14 Ultra launches globally in a single storage configuration, 16GB/512GB, and will start at a whopping $1650. The real-world camera performance might be what comes in to make that price tag worth it for most people. The device is available in Black and White colorways.
It's a good idea to buy it before March 18th, as you'll get a free camera kit with it, and about $380 in credit for Xiaomi ecosystem devices.
| Xiaomi 14 Ultra | |
| Software | Android 14 / Xiaomi HyperOS |
| Display | 6.73″ QHD+ (3200 x 1440, 522 PPI), 120 Hz LTPO AMOLED, HDR10+, 3000 Nits Peak Brightness, Dolby Vision Certified, 240Hz Touch Sampling Rate |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| Memory | 16GB |
| Storage | 512GB UFS 4.0 |
| Network | 2G GSM, 3G WCDMA, 4G TDD-LTE, 4G FDD-LTE, 5G NR |
| Rear Camera | 50MP 23mm Wide Angle Lens with Step-Less Variable Aperture (f/1.63 to f/4.0), 1″ Sensor, and OIS + 50MP 12mm Ultrawide, f/1.8 with 122° FOV + 50MP 75mm Telephoto, f/1.8 with OIS + 50MP 120mm Periscope Telephoto, f/2.5 with OIS |
| Front Camera | 32MP f/2.0 |
| Camera Features | Supports 5cm, 10cm, and 30cm Macro Photography, Leica Photographic Styles, 8K Video Recording at 30fps on All Lenses, 16-bit Ultra RAW, MasterCinema, Movie Mode, Master-Lens System |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 90W Wired Charging |
| Wireless Charging | 80W Wireless Charging |
| SIM | Dual-SIM |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7, NFC |
| Colors | Black, White |
| Dimensions/Weight | 75.3 x 161.4 x 9.2 mm / 219.8g |
