Xiaomi releases the affordable Redmi Note 14 series: Our first impressions

The Redmi Note family is Xiaomi's cheaper phones. This means that the price this time ranges from 2300 SEK to 6000 SEK (230 to 600 euro), depending on the model.

So it is significantly cheaper than the flagship models, but still, these phones have inherited a lot of important features from more expensive phones.

There are four phones coming to Sweden. They are the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus and Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro, as well as the two base models Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 5G and a variant without 5G simply called Xiaomi Redmi Note 14. Of these four, I have had a closer look at the first three already before the launch and can therefore already give a first impression.

We see no traces of Xiaomi's collaboration with Leica and we do not get the latest Android 15 from the start, but on the other hand, all these phones have AMOLED screens with a fast refresh rate of 120 hertz, smooth interface, and the two pro models are water-resistant according to IP68. The pro models further support Google Circle To Search, better performance, and slightly curved screens at the edges, as well as more extensive zoom with their main cameras of 200 megapixels, but they lack a dedicated telephoto lens. The third lens on the back, in addition to the main camera and wide-angle, is instead a macro lens in all three phones.

The affordable Redmi Note 14 5G has a flat screen instead of the slightly curved one on the Pro models, and here we also find a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. This phone is splash-proof, with IP64 protection, while the Pro models have IP68 and can withstand being submerged in water.

When I tested the phones' cameras around the city in various conditions in Prague, it was clear that the Pro models last longer in terms of zoom and when the light is poorer. In terms of performance, the base model delivers worse and can sometimes feel noticeably slow.

Leica is not involved in the camera experience in these phones, but once you've taken the pictures, you can use Xiaomi's AI features to, for example, remove distracting objects in the images or to replace the sky. There are more possibilities available in the Pro models, but the results vary. Replacing the sky often just looks strange, and when I remove objects or people I don't want, it sometimes looks believable, sometimes replaced with just fog so that the editing still can't be used.

All four phones will be available for sale in Sweden starting January 27. The Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus will cost 6000 SEK with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. The Redmi Note 14 Pro with 8+256GB costs 5000 SEK but has a temporarily lower price of 4000 SEK until February 23. The same applies to the Redmi Note 14 (without 5G), which costs 2300 SEK until February 23 and then 3000 SEK.

The Redmi Note 14 5G with 6+128GB will be priced at 3690 SEK.