Xiaomi 14 Ultra with 1 inch camera and 5,300 mAh battery is here
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is official and begins its journey in China before hitting the world stage on February 25th in Barcelona. There are three versions – the black and white models have a leatherette back and weigh 224.4g, 3 grams lighter than the 13 Ultra. The blue model has what Xiaomi calls Dragon Crystal on the back and is slightly heavier at 229.5g. Finally, there is a Titanium Special Edition that weighs 229.6g. According to Xiaomi, it is grade 5 titanium, just like the Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. In the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, however, the slightly softer grade 2 titanium is used.
The highlight of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, however, is the camera setup with four 50 megapixel sensors. Xiaomi has kept the 0.5x + 1x + 3.2x + 5x formula and mostly the hardware too. The main camera still has a 1-inch sensor, but it is the latest Sony LYT-900 with a better design and faster readout. The lens is technically still a 23mm dual aperture lens. But it is wider at the bright end, switching between f/1.63 and f/4.0 here, allowing up to 136% more light than the f/ 1.9 f/4.0 lens on the 13 Ultra. The abruptly raised frame around the old camera island has also disappeared. The module of the 14 Ultra gently slopes down on the back.
The main camera can capture Ultra RAW images and save them to a DNG with full image data. The zoom lenses are a 3.2x-75mm f/1.8 lens and a 5x-120mm f/2.5 periscope. Both the telephoto cameras and the 12mm f/1.8 ultra-wide angle share the same 1/2.5-inch Sony IMX858 sensor. Xiaomi has published a comparison to the brightness of the iPhone 15 series. The 120mm periscope captures 196% more light than the Pro Max and 474% more than the Pro.
In addition, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has an AI-supported 30x ultra zoom and a short focusing distance for both zoom lenses. The 75mm lens can shoot from a distance of just 10cm, while the 120mm lens gets as close as 30cm to the subject. The video specifications match the Galaxy S24 Ultra – 4K at 60 fps and 120 fps (main camera only) as well as 8K videos are possible.
The display is the same on paper – a 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with 1,440 x 3,200 pixels. The maximum refresh rate is 120 Hz, and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support are also on board. At 3,000 nits, the panel is slightly brighter compared to 2,600 nits on the 13 Ultra. Xiaomi calls the whole thing Shield Glass and claims that it has ten times more drop resistance and is also clearer. The corners of the display are slightly curved on all sides.
Of course, the Ultra features the latest and most powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. There is also a three times larger cooling chamber, Android 14 and Xiaomi’s HyperOS skin on board. The battery is around 6% larger at 5,300 mAh and charges with up to 90 watts via cable and 80 watts wirelessly. The battery is protected by the G1 and P2 overvoltage chips. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra Titanium Special Edition also supports bi-directional satellite communication. All versions of the Xiaomi phone have a T1 signal enhancement chip that helps with cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra prices
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is available in black, blue and white and has three variants. 12/256 GB costs CNY 6,499 (€830/$903/INR 74,900) in China, while 16/512 GB is priced at CNY 6,999 (€900/$973/INR 82,100). The 16GB/1TB model will change hands for CNY 7,799 (€1,000/$1,084/INR 91,500). The top-of-the-range titanium model costs CNY 8,799 (€1,130/$1,223/INR 103,100).
Xiaomi will also offer a new Photography Kit for the 14 Ultra. The two-piece accessory features a case and an attachable camera grip with its own 1,500 mAh battery and Bluetooth-enabled camera controls. It costs CNY 699 (€90/$97/INR 8,200). A dedicated 80-watt wireless charger is on sale for CNY 499 (€64/$69/INR5,800).
