Meets basic requirements

Review: Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 5G - Stripped-down budget

Redmi Note 14 5G meets the most basic requirements, but not much more, and can feel slow when you use it.

Erik Mörner

Published 10 February 2025 - 09:52

With its price tag of 3700 kronor, this phone is among the absolute cheapest smartphones you can buy today, but still meets basic requirements. As the 2G and 3G networks are being phased out in Sweden and the rest of the world, both 4G and 5G support are fundamental when buying a new phone today. Therefore, I would recommend this phone over the slightly cheaper sister model without 5G.

Other basic requirements include a good screen, and with its AMOLED screen, the Redmi Note 14 5G more than meets that requirement. It's surprising that today we can get an AMOLED screen, which provides good color reproduction, clear blacks so that black really is black, and also a fast refresh rate of 120 hertz in a phone in this price range. Apple's screens do have other advantages, but it was rightly criticized that the iPhone 16, released last fall and costing from 11,500 kronor, still does not have an increased refresh rate in the screen.

Android at the core, but not the latest version

Looking at the phone's other features, Android itself obviously contributes with a guaranteed level of functions and services. This means, for example, that you can use Mobile Bank ID and Swish, navigate with Google Maps, pay in stores with Google Wallet by tapping the phone at the checkout. You have Xiaomi's own apps and, for example, Google's AI service Gemini available, even though this phone lacks Google's Circle to Search, which allows you to easily search for what is currently displayed on the screen without switching between different apps. More performance, better cameras, and better screens are reserved for the slightly more expensive sister models in the Redmi 14 series. Here in the Redmi Note 14 5G, we also miss out on the AI editing tools for photos that are available in the Pro models.

108 megapixels

On paper, a 108-megapixel camera, just a few years ago, would directly imply that this was a top model. However, image quality is now determined not only by the number of pixels in the image but more by the sensor's size and other characteristics. The Redmi Note 14 5G has a main camera of 108 megapixels, a simpler wide-angle camera, and a third lens on the back that is a very basic macro camera. This overall allows you to get completely acceptable pictures, and the high resolution means you can also get closer to your subject even if the phone lacks real optical zoom. It is possible to zoom with good maintained quality as long as the lighting conditions are good; as soon as it gets darker, the image quality drops.

As technology develops and phones today gain more computing power, it is clear that today's flagships often have more performance than we can benefit from today. The system chip in this phone is almost as slimmed down as it can get. It doesn't have to be a bad thing. It is sufficient to run the system, and even if it is not fast, there are no annoying wait times when we use the phone for everyday tasks. This is not a phone you play even more advanced games on or use other more demanding apps.

Questions and Answers

What distinguishes it from the others in the Redmi Note 14 family?

This phone is clearly limited compared to the two Pro models. You don't get IP68 rating for water protection, you get significantly worse performance here and simpler cameras and screen. In the family, I would say that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro is the best buy.

Do Android updates determine how long the phone is usable?

Yes, because, for example, Mobile BankID stops supporting phones that are not updated, it becomes so. Unfortunately, the Redmi Note 14 5G does not come with the latest Android, but with Android 14, and it promises three years of updates, which is the minimum.

Does the phone surprise in any way?

It might be that it has a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, which is unusual these days.