TEST: Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ and Redmi Note 14 Pro – will they keep the crown?

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro and Redmi Note 14 Pro+ are the most powerful versions of this year's Redmi Note 14 series, which were just launched in Prague. Since there is no canyon-sized gap between them, I decided to combine their tests.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro(+) price?

• Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 8/256GB: €479
  • Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 12/512 GB: €529

Until February 28th, the basic version will be reduced to €429, and with the purchase you will also get the Smart Band 9 bracelet and Redmi Buds 6 Lite headphones.

• Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G 8/256GB: €399
  • It will be reduced to €349 with the same gifts until February 28th.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro(+): less special than last year's, but still beautiful

Last year's Redmi Note 13 Pro+ didn't stick in my memory because it was a really crazy good phone or a so-called "flagship killer". It was placed exactly where it belongs. Its uniqueness came from its image. It was divided into quadrants and each had a different shade of blue or green. It was something special, simple in appearance, but unforgettable.

This year, they played with colors and their placement in a similar way. For example, in the regular Pro version, the coral green shimmers differently depending on the viewing angle. The back of the phone is divided into four parts with two different shades. The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ did not get this, but the purple model has a back made of artificial leather, which is also a strong distinguishing feature.

The camera setup is completely different, and again they used the trick of disguising the flash as an additional lens. Don't fall for this trick, the phones have three cameras on the back, not four. The camera frame is very similar to HONOR's design from the Magic6 series. I don't mind copying, but I would still like to see them upgrade their design from the Redmi Note 13.

What you immediately notice or feel is that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro (5G) is much lighter than the Plus version, almost 20 grams. The Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G weighs 190 grams, while the Plus model weighs 210 grams (or 205 in the leather version). It is also thinner than its more powerful sibling, and both phones have the same curves on the sides and edges.

The HONOR Magic7 Lite relied heavily on durability, they even asked me to try to destroy it in various ways (rubbing the screen, dropping it, etc.). They didn't lack confidence, but Xiaomi is also firmly convinced that their new phones are just as durable.

The display of both Pro phones is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ has Gorilla Glass Victus 7i protection on the back. The entire phone is wrapped in something Xiaomi calls “All-Star Armor,” which basically means that the body is made of aluminum, but they also added foam to absorb energy from drops and impacts, and a reflective polymer material. If Xiaomi’s goal is to make its phones last as long as their flagships, they’ve come pretty close. Both Xiaomi and HONOR have done a great job of durability this year.

Oh, and I can't forget the IP68 waterproof certification.

It's crazy how quickly screens in this class have advanced

The screen was one of the components where a lot was sacrificed for a lower price. I'm happy to say that for the last 12 months, the screens on phones for a few hundred euros are excellent.

The panel is AMOLED with a resolution of 2712 x 1220 (or 1.5K). It refreshes at 120 Hz, and dynamically between 60 and 120 Hz. I only noticed a lower frequency (30 Hz) in rare static scenes, such as the lock screen, which slightly contributes to longer battery life. The brightness has been increased from 1800 candelas (nits) to 3000 candelas, which is a little less than HONOR's mid-range (4000 candelas), but still enough for all but the strongest sunny days.

They also have 12-bit color depth, which simply means they can display more and more accurate colors, have a wider dynamic range, and are less likely to have color banding. Will you notice the difference between an 8-, 10-, and 12-bit display? If this is the first time you've heard this terminology, you probably won't. But you can be sure that you have a very good display in your hands.

There's support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and the displays have also earned TÜV Rheinland certification for low blue light. The PWM dimming frequency is 1920 Hz, which is above average, especially for this class, but still a bit worse than the Magic7 Lite I tested last week.

If you're a gamer, the sampling rate is rated at 2560 Hz, which means super responsiveness and always registered touches on the screen.

They upgraded and replaced the Snapdragon and MediaTek chips

This year, the picture is exactly the opposite. The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ has a Snapdragon, while the Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G has a MediaTek. Both chips are a generation newer, which means slightly more performance and slightly better efficiency.

The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ has the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, while the Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G has the MediaTek 7300 Ultra. The difference between the two is around 10-15 %, and the optimization is also on the Snapdragon side, but you will hardly notice it.

Both are configurable with 8 GB of RAM, and the Plus version has an upgrade to 12 GB, but in all cases it is the older LPDDR4x standard. If you are not a die-hard gamer, you will never realize that they have made a compromise with the RAM. And also with the drive, which is of the UFS 2.2 standard, which means slightly slower read and write speeds. Right now, this is not a problem, because the phone is new, fresh and not loaded with applications. In a year or two, when other components start to limp, the slower drive could become more pronounced. Even more interesting, however, is that the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ is inconsistent in its random write/read speeds. In several consecutive tests, it mostly recorded slower speeds than the regular Pro version, despite the fact that the drives are physically identical.

Other standards are keeping up with the times, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4. …

Xiaomi Redmi 14 Pro 5G tests

Xiaomi Redmi Note Pro+ tests

As for gaming, you'll be able to play all mobile games on both phones. You'll have to set Genshin Impact to medium settings to avoid stutters at the wrong moments. Emulation is a consideration on both versions, with the exception of Switch and Windows games, which perform better on the Snapdragon chip, but even that is only powerful enough for some not-too-demanding games.

The difference between the two phones is also in the battery, which charges at 120 W on the Redmi Note 14 Pro+, while the Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G charges at 45 W. The charger is no longer included in the package (only a protective case and cable), so as with all other phones, add a good 50 euros to the price to buy a compatible charger. The battery lasted until the end of the day without any problems, but I still preferred to plug them into an outlet before starting the next workday.

The HyperOS system hasn't changed much since the last adventure, and at the time of testing, it wasn't possible to upgrade to HyperOS 2, which is already available in certain regions. However, Google's Gemini AI is available, so you can expect to have AI help with many tasks. There's an interpreter, live translation, creating subtitles in recordings, text formatting functions, help with document editing, and in the Gallery, an eraser for deleting or moving motifs and an additional function for expanding the scene in images.

Xiaomi promised 3 years of Android upgrades and security patches.

Surprisingly good photographer, even at night

The camera setup is the same on both Redmi phones, the main differences are how they process photos and how they deal with light.

Let's get rid of the macro camera first, which you won't use often. With a 2 MP resolution, we can't expect phenomenal results. If you happen to be indoors or outside with great light, you might be able to get a relatively decent shot, but otherwise, you'd be better off using the main camera.

The ultra-wide (8MP) has the same problems. Only use it during the day in really good light. As soon as you turn it on at night, you will notice a big drop in quality and immediate noise at all corners of the photo.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Gallery

While the secondary cameras falter, the main camera shines in almost every way. This year, it also has a 200 MP resolution with optical stabilization, which copes well with hand shake and body movement.

During the day, you will hardly find a more noticeable flaw on the phone's screen. The photos have good contrast, fairly natural and realistic colors, and the details are even better than I expected. I was even more surprised when it got dark and I thought I would have to say again that the camera is blind at night. It is not true, with both Redmi Pro 14 phones you will be able to capture very good night shots. What I noticed is that the devices process light slightly differently and also have obviously different settings for night shots. The Redmi Note 14 Pro immediately brightens the scene strongly, while the Pro+ is much more modest in this. It is difficult to say who takes better night shots. In both, I could say that the image is not perfect, that the colors are oversaturated in some places, a little too much in others.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G Gallery

What's more important is that the sharpness and quality of the images are really good. Even if you use zoom, the footage remains usable. The subjects remain textured, there is no excessive smoothing, there is a slight drop in quality and the appearance of artifacts at the edges, but nothing alarming.

In short, good during the day, good at night, and videos (up to 4K 30 fps) are also relatively good.

Wait for the price drops, then the phones will be even better

I can already praise a lot despite the somewhat high price. The chips are powerful and efficient, the screen is clear and colorful, and the photography skills are also at a high level. What I've noticed in previous years is that Redmi phones are often on sale. If you're not in a hurry, wait for a specific discount, around or below €400, and then you'll really get the most for your money.