Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Review: The New Benchmark for Note Series
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is Xiaomi's powerhouse you've been waiting for in the mid-range segment. Here's our review.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G will be available at a net effective price of Rs. 29,999 for 8GB+128GB model
If Xiaomi is Stan Lee, then the Redmi Note series has to be Jack Kirby. Well, that's how the company's India journey has been. The Note series has been right in the centre, fueling Xiaomi's growth in India over the years. In early 2024, the company introduced the Redmi Note 13 series, and before the year ended, we have the successor already - the Redmi Note 14 series. In the product briefing, Xiaomi executives stressed how Redmi Note 14 is a big leap even for the Note series. The company claims to have sold over 420 million Redmi Note devices globally. Again, this time, we get three units - a base Redmi Note 14, a mid Redmi Note 14 Pro and the top-of-the-line Redmi Note 14 Pro+. Well, I got my hands on the top trim - Redmi Note 14 Pro+. The spec sheet of the device reads as if it's some flagship from a few years back, plus some much-needed additions.
At a starting price of Rs. 29,999, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ looks like a great deal, albeit it packs just 8GB of RAM + 128GB of storage, which in these times feels on the lower side. Does the Note 14 Pro+ pack it all to be the best sub-Rs. 40,000 smartphone? I answer that in my review.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Design: Raising the bar
- Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 at the front and Corning Gorilla Glass 7i at the back
- Dimensions and weight - 162.53x74.67x8.75mm and 210.9 grams
- IP68 rating
During the press briefings, the company talked about how the company's flagships inspire the Redmi Note 14 Pro+. Well, at least on the design part, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ initially looked like a smaller sibling of the Xiaomi 13 Pro (minus the camera housing). Compared to the Redmi Note 13 Pro+, there are multiple changes in design, so much so that they do not look like from the same series. The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ design has refined with time and now offers a premium look and feel. The hand feel is solid, and the curved edges sit comfortably in the palm.
It comes in Titan Black, Phantom Purple, and Spectre Blue colours
Xiaomi has packed Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and Gorilla Glass 7i on the back of the Note 14 Pro+ for added protection. There's also an IP68 rating for water and dust ingress protection. At 8.75mm, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ isn't sleek and weighs almost 211 grams. The back panel is slippery because of the glass at the rear. Xiaomi bundles a case in the box that can be used daily.
The camera module at the back has also evolved into a single housing packing all the sensors and LED flash. The company says that Xiaomi's logo inspires the camera housing. Interestingly, the camera housing is surrounded by a metal ring, which may remind some people of Samsung's Galaxy Watch with a rotating bezel. However, this one doesn't rotate else; it would have been a design challenge for Xiaomi.
The phone sports Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 at the front
It comes in three colours - Titan Black, Phantom Purple with a vegan leather back, and Spectre Blue. I got the Blue, and it has glass at the back, which has a mix of textured patterns in the centre - it somewhat looks unique.
The physical buttons are placed on the right, and there are no issues with using those at any point. I loved the tactile feel. The SIM tray, speakers, and charging port are placed on the bottom panel. The screen dominates the front panel and has slim bezels and a punch-hole selfie camera placement at the top.
It packs a 20-megapixel punch-hole selfie camera
Overall, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ design carries the strengths of the Note 13 Pro+, like a curved design with an IP68 rating.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Display: Better, brighter
- Display - 6.67-inch 3D Curved AMOLED
- Refresh rate - 120Hz
- Other features - TÜV Rheinland certification, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision
The Note 14 Pro+ packs the same display as the Note 13 Pro+. However, this one now offers a peak brightness of 3000nits. The 6.67-inch display offers a 1220x2712 pixels screen resolution and a pixel density of 446PPI.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ sports peak brightness of 3000nits
The display is bright in real-world usage, with images and text appearing sharp. The colours pop and offer rich contrast. Thanks to up to 120Hz refresh rate, scrolling and animations are smooth. It is an excellent display for your multimedia consumption, be it Netflix or YouTube streaming. The phone comes with Widevine L1 certification, and sunlight legibility is not a problem. I was impressed with the responsiveness of the display on the Note 14 Pro+, which was more noticeable while gaming on the device.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Camera: Overall, decent
- Triple camera rear array
- 50-megapixel primary accompanied by 50-megapixel telephoto and 8-megapixel ultra-wide
- 20-megapixel selfie camera
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ packs big upgrades when it comes to the camera department. There's a 50-megapixel Light Fusion 800 sensor, which we saw in the Xiaomi 14 Civi launched earlier this year. It is accompanied by a 50-megapixel telephoto sensor. Yes, Xiaomi has finally brought a telephoto sensor to its Redmi Note series. Lastly, there's an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and at the front, there's a 20-megapixel selfie camera.
The phone sports an all-new camera housing, which the company says is inspired by the Mi logo
The primary camera on the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is solid across lighting conditions. During daylight testing, the samples were consistent with ample details, dynamic range, sharpness and punchy colours, as you can see in the samples below.
Comments
Post a Comment