8.4/ 10 SCORE Xiaomi 14 Ultra Pros
Astonishingly good digicam system
Unique digicam grip transforms it right into a compact digicam
Lightning quick efficiency
Great, vibrant show
Cons
Very costly; digicam grip is an expensive further
Battery life is just OK
Software assist interval might be longer
The 14 Ultra is Xiaomi’s brand-new flagship Android telephone, and whereas it comes with a set of prime tech like a blistering Qualcomm chip and superb show, it additionally has an superior digicam setup that is able to taking a few of the greatest photographs I’ve ever seen from a telephone. Andrew Lanxon/CNETThat’s maybe no shock given the large picture sensor stuffed inside, together with a large, variable aperture and Leica-engineered optics. Together with the useful Photography Kit, which features a grip with shutter controls, I’ve cherished utilizing the 14 Ultra merely as a compact digicam.Read extra: Best telephone to purchase in 2024But it is nonetheless good as a telephone, too, with stellar efficiency from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, an excellent show and ok battery life. And you would be proper to anticipate good efficiency, because the Xiaomi 14 Ultra prices £1,299. Add on the £179 pictures equipment and that involves the princely sum of £1,478. Xiaomi would not formally promote its telephones within the US, however that base UK value converts to $1,640. That’s a good step up over the $1,420 it can value you to place the identical 512GB capability Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in your pocket. Most individuals will most likely get on higher with Samsung’s telephone and even wanting in the direction of the rather more reasonably priced Pixel 8 Pro. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra with out its pictures equipment case. Andrew Lanxon/CNETBut the photographers amongst you who wish to at all times carry a very very good digicam setup, with out the effort of really having to pack a devoted digicam, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is effectively value forking out on. I’ve taken higher images on this than I’ve on another iPhone or Android telephone, and utilizing it with the grip makes it really feel identical to a daily compact digicam. A large picture sensor for superb imagesThe most important digicam is the hero of the bunch, packing a picture sensor which is bodily a lot bigger (1/0.98-inch) than the sensors you may discover in nearly another telephone, together with the iPhone 15 Pro Max (1/1.28-inch) or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (1/1.33-inch). A bigger picture sensor can collect extra info, leading to higher wanting photographs and a wider dynamic vary. That massive sensor has been paired with a variable aperture lens that may open extensive to f/1.6 or cease all the way down to f/4. Xiaomi partnered with legendary digicam maker Leica, which lent a few of its experience to the 14 Ultra’s lens components too, all of which make this telephone able to taking stunning, pin-sharp photographs. A straight-out-of-camera JPEG picture taken utilizing the excessive distinction Leica black-and-white mode. I really like the depth of the shadows right here. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Another nice instance of the telephone’s prowess in black and white. Again, that is an untouched JPEG file. Andrew Lanxon/CNETI took the digicam round London and Edinburgh in quite a lot of circumstances, and I’ve been genuinely blown away by the images I used to be capable of take. I shot most of my photographs utilizing the telephone’s professional mode, which permits for uncooked picture seize. I’ve it set to shoot each uncooked and JPEGs, and I exploit the Leica excessive distinction black-and-white filter for a punchy monochrome look. The unique black-and-white model of this picture seems pretty. Andrew Lanxon/CNET But I additionally actually like the colour model, and by capturing in uncooked I’ve been capable of preserve each variations. Andrew Lanxon/CNETBy capturing each JPEG and uncooked, I can seize the unique black-and-white JPEG and nonetheless have the uncooked file, which will be turned again to paint if I wish to as uncooked information retain that coloration info. But I’ve truly been actually happy with JPEGs straight out of digicam, particularly when utilizing the high-contrast monochrome mode. Personally, it is black-and-white imagery the place I feel this digicam excels. Shot in uncooked, I really like the publicity and coloration firming I’ve been capable of obtain in Lightroom with this picture. Andrew Lanxon/CNET St. Paul’s Cathedral in London from somewhat additional away this time. I’ve been capable of tone this picture in precisely the identical method I’d do with photographs from my standard digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETThe DNG uncooked information permit for deeper enhancing in apps like Adobe Lightroom and once more, and I’m blown away by the depth of enhancing attainable on the 14 Ultra’s picture information. The enormous dynamic vary offers me latitude to tone down highlights and rescue shadows, and that allowed me to edit these telephone photographs in precisely the identical method I’d with photographs from my common digicam.Below are two photographs of a curler skater. The first one is straight out of digicam and underexposed. But as you’ll be able to see in the second, I used to be capable of edit the photograph and convey up lots of element whereas nonetheless sustaining a very good publicity within the shiny sky. This picture I shot on the road was underexposed. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Here’s the identical picture after edits. Andrew Lanxon/CNETHere are two variations of a shot of individuals queuing at a meals stall. The unique picture had some actually overexposed highlights that I’ve once more been capable of rescue in submit to create this nice wanting closing shot with stunning shadows. This picture of a meals stall got here out too shiny (discover the signal). Andrew Lanxon/CNET Here’s the identical picture after edits. Andrew Lanxon/CNETThe similar factor occurred on this shot. I assumed the unique picture could be irreparably blown out within the highlights. But the 14 Ultra’s file truly gave me loads of room to convey the shot again to precisely the place I needed it. This is the unique picture straight out of digicam. The sky within the prime proper nook is sort of strong white. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Here’s the identical picture after edits. Andrew Lanxon/CNETTo make it much more of a totally fledged digicam, Xiaomi sells what it calls the Photography Kit. It comes with a case, a 67mm mount for attaching skilled photograph filters and a grip that allows you to maintain it precisely like a compact digicam. The grip has a shutter button on prime that allows you to half-press to focus and absolutely press to take your picture — once more, identical to a daily digicam. It additionally has a small battery inside to assist preserve you capturing longer. With the case and grip hooked up, the telephone turns into a compact digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETI cherished utilizing the digicam grip after I was out and about in London because it’s a way more pure method of capturing. It even makes the telephone look identical to a digicam, and there is one thing about that which permits me to have interaction with my pictures greater than I’d if I used to be simply holding up a telephone and tapping on the display. The pictures equipment is a must-buy if you happen to’re getting this telephone for its image-taking prowess. At 3.2x zoom, this shot retains loads of element. Andrew Lanxon/CNET And issues nonetheless look nice with the 5x optical zoom lens. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Even when digitally zooming additional to 10x, the shot remains to be pin sharp. Andrew Lanxon/CNETYou’ll additionally discover 3.2x and 5x optical zoom lenses, each of which have 50-megapixel sensors and each of which might take great-looking photographs filled with element. The ultrawide — once more, 50 megapixels — does a equally good job. The ultrawide lens has accomplished a strong job on this troublesome scene, sustaining the entire shadow element and solely barely blowing out the extraordinarily shiny sky. Andrew Lanxon/CNET This black-and-white picture from the ultrawide digicam has a beautiful moodiness to it. Andrew Lanxon/CNETThe telephone is nice at night time too, as that massive sensor and extensive aperture permit it to seize loads of element in low mild. But for correct night time images I truly want to take guide management and step down the aperture to round f/3 to attain beautiful star bursts on factors of sunshine within the scene, which is not one thing I’ve ever been capable of obtain on a telephone earlier than. Taken in professional mode, I’ve been capable of cease the aperture down, ensuing within the beautiful starbursts across the lights on this constructing. This is a straight out of digicam JPEG picture, and I feel it seems superior. Andrew Lanxon/CNET This straight-out-of-camera JPEG taken at night time seems nice, with glorious coloration and low noise ranges. Andrew Lanxon/CNET I’ve by no means been capable of obtain these starbursts with a telephone digicam earlier than. Andrew Lanxon/CNETAgain, capturing in high-contrast black and white works very well at night time, although I’ve additionally discovered I can push the uncooked DNG information (that have been additionally taken at night time) laborious to attain the precise look I would like. The unedited uncooked model of this shot already seems fairly good. Andrew Lanxon/CNET But the DNG uncooked file comprises a lot info that it allowed me to push the edit additional, brightening up the scene and adjusting the colours and firming to create a shot that I’d usually solely anticipate to get from my devoted digicam. Andrew Lanxon/CNETIt’s honest to say that I’m suitably impressed with the pictures prowess of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra and I can comfortably say that it’s the greatest digicam telephone I’ve ever used. So what about the remainder of the telephone? Well, it ticks the entire packing containers you must hope for from a top-end flagship telephone in 2024. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor delivered glorious benchmark scores and makes the telephone a breeze in on a regular basis use. Navigation across the Android 14 interface is swift and enjoying demanding video games like Asphalt 9 or Genshin Impact on max settings is not any drawback in any respect. The 6.73-inch show is shiny, vibrant and pin sharp, and the Android software program is simple to make use of, though there are a selection of preinstalled apps from each Xiaomi itself and third events like AliExpress that I discover cluttered the place up. Too a lot preinstalled stuff. Andrew Lanxon/CNETBattery life is among the solely locations the place the telephone would not earn my reward. Don’t get me incorrect, it is wonderful. Like most telephones, you can get just about a full day of blended use between costs, however it’s not prime of the category on this regard. The different disappointment is the software program assist interval, the place Xiaomi has dedicated to 4 years of Android updates and a further fifth 12 months of safety patches. That’s not dangerous, however it falls behind the seven years each Google and Samsung are providing for his or her flagships.Is this a telephone you can purchase?Seen purely as a telephone, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is par for the course for a top-end Android telephone, with glorious all-round efficiency and first rate, if not nice battery life. If all you need is an efficient Android telephone you would be higher off wanting towards the Pixel 8 line, which can get you an awesome Android expertise for rather a lot much less cash.But if pictures is your factor, then the 14 Ultra is the Android telephone to purchase. Its photographs are distinctive, giving enormous artistic scope for photographers of all types to get the photographs they need. It’s lastly a telephone the place I need not take into account taking a correct digicam with me on day journeys or photograph walks, I can simply take the telephone, realizing I’m nonetheless going to have the ability to seize stunning photographs. Xiaomi 14 Ultra Specs vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Xiaomi 14, Samsung Galaxy S24 Xiaomi 14 UltraSamsung Galaxy S24 UltraXiaomi 14Samsung Galaxy S24Show measurement, tech, decision, refresh charge 6.73-inch AMOLED; 3,200 x 1,440 pixels, 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.8-inch AMOLED; 3,120 x 1,440 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.36-inch AMOLED; 2,670 x 1,200 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.2-inch AMOLED; 2,340 x 1,080 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh chargePixel density 522 ppi501 ppi460 ppi416 ppiDimensions (inches) 6.35 x 2.96 x 0.36 in.6.40 x 3.11 x 0.34 in.6.02 x 2.81 x 0.32 in.5.79 x 2.78 x 0.3 in.Dimensions (millimeters) 161.4 x 75.3 x 9.2mm163 x 79 x 8.6mm152.8 x 71.5 x 8.2mm147 x 71 x 7.6mmWeight (grams, ounces) 220g (7.8 oz.)233g (8.22 oz.) 193g (6.81 oz.)168g (5.93 oz.)Mobile software program Android 14Android 14Android 14Android 14Camera 50-megapixel (extensive), 50-megapixel (ultrawide), 50-megapixel (3.2x telephoto), 50-megapixel (5x telephoto)200-megapixel (extensive), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto), 50-megapixel (5x telephoto)50-megapixel (extensive), 50-megapixel (ultrawide), 50-megapixel (3.2x telephoto)50-megapixel (extensive), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto)Front-facing digicam 32-megapixel12-megapixel32-megapixel12-megapixel Video seize 8K8K8K8KProcessor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Storage and RAM 16GB + 512GB12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB8GB RAM + 128GB, 256GBExpandable storage NoneNoneNoneNoneBattery 5,000 mAh5,000 mAh4,610 mAh 4,000 mAhFingerprint sensor Under showUnder showUnder showUnder displayConnector USB-CUSB-CUSB-CUSB-CHeadphone jack NoneNoneNoneNoneSpecial options IP68 score, 3,000 nits peak brightness, Xiaomi Shield Glass Front, 4 Generations of Android assist, 90W wired charging, 80W wi-fi charging, Wi-Fi 7, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, 16-bit Ultra uncooked images, Titanium body, 2,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and safety updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water and mud resistance; wi-fi PowerShare to cost different units; built-in S Pen; UWB for locating different units; 45W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 7; Gorilla Glass Armor cowl glassIP68 score, 3,000 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass Victus, 4 Generations of Android assist, 90W wired charging, 50W wi-fi charging, Wi-Fi 7, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG 2,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and safety updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water and mud resistance; wi-fi PowerShare to cost different units; 25W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 6EUS value begins at Converts to $1,646 (512GB)$1,300 (256GB)Converts to $1,076 (256GB)$800 (128GB)UK value begins at £1,299 (512GB)£1,249 (256GB)£849 (256GB)£799 (128GB)Australia value begins at Converts to AU$2,509 (512GB)AU$2,199 (256GB)Converts to $1,640 (256GB)AU$1,399 (256GB) How we take a look at telephonesEvery telephone examined by CNET’s opinions crew was truly utilized in the actual world. We take a look at a telephone’s options, play video games and take images. We study the show to see if it is shiny, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and construct to see how it’s to carry and whether or not it has an IP-rating for water-resistance. We push the processor’s efficiency to the extremes, utilizing standardized benchmark instruments like GeekBench and 3DMark in addition to our personal anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution movies and enjoying graphically intense video games at excessive refresh charges.All the cameras are examined in quite a lot of circumstances, from shiny daylight to darkish indoor scenes. We check out particular options like night time mode and portrait mode and examine our findings towards equally priced competing telephones. We additionally try the battery life through the use of the telephone each day in addition to working a sequence of battery drain exams.We consider further options, like assist for 5G; satellite tv for pc connectivity; fingerprint and face sensors; stylus assist; quick charging speeds; and foldable shows, amongst others that may be helpful. And we stability all this towards the worth to provide the verdict on whether or not that telephone, no matter value it’s, truly represents good worth. Though these exams could not at all times be mirrored in CNET’s preliminary evaluation, we conduct follow-up and long-term testing in most circumstances.