Xiaomi has waited 366 days to launch its second wave of high-end devices in 2024. The company took advantage of a European event to announce the Xiaomi 14T and 14T Pro, along with its new flagship foldable, the MIX Flip. As usual with the T series, Xiaomi has slightly lowered the quality in some areas to offer a much more attractive price while remaining in the premium range.
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I have been testing the Xiaomi 14T Pro for several days now. It is the most advanced model among the trio launching in Europe. The company has kept the price at €799 for the 256 GB version and has included several interesting updates that place it above its predecessor.
The arrival of the Xiaomi 14T Pro does not mark a massive upgrade from the 13T Pro. While it features interesting changes and improvements in areas like the screen, processor, and dimensions, it’s not accurate to say this new model is completely different from its predecessor.
Putting comparisons aside, I can share my thoughts on what I liked about the 14T Pro, how it performs, its weak points, and ultimately, whether it’s a model I would recommend.
Before we dive in, it’s worth noting that the Xiaomi 14T Pro comes in a simple box without a charger. However, it does include a high-quality USB-C to USB-C cable and a basic but effective silicone case. So, if you want to take advantage of its impressive fast charging—more on that later—you’ll need to purchase a charger separately. Now, let’s get started!
A Solid Design, But Not Eye-Catching
As I mentioned earlier, Xiaomi has taken elements from the 13T Pro, made some minor tweaks, and created the 14T Pro. The result is a straightforward device with a simple design and few aesthetic embellishments. While it’s well-made and finished, it doesn’t particularly stand out.
Xiaomi has kept it straightforward with a quality metal frame, a back featuring slightly curved edges for better grip, sturdy buttons, and a noticeable camera module. This is typical of the T series: a solid design that doesn’t wow you but is practical and cost-effective, allowing for enhancements in other areas.
The company has also made some improvements, managing to reduce the size of the device compared to its predecessor. The height has decreased from 162.2 mm to 160.4 mm, the width from 75.7 mm to 75.1 mm, and the thickness has been trimmed by 0.11 mm to 8.39 mm. While these changes might seem minor, they refine the series and make it more appealing to users with smaller hands.
The screen was already good, and now it’s a little better
The screen was already good, but now it’s even better. Xiaomi hasn’t made many changes to the front, but the improvements are noticeable. First, they have significantly reduced the black bezels around the panel. These bezels are now thinner and symmetrical from all angles, resulting in a front-to-screen ratio of 93.3%, up from 87.5% on the 13T Pro.
Additionally, Xiaomi has followed the trend of boosting panel brightness. The maximum peak brightness has increased from 2,600 nits to 4,000 nits. While this level isn’t maintained all the time, it allows for a more vibrant display in bright conditions. You can comfortably use the phone outdoors without needing to find shade to see the content clearly.
Regarding the rest of the features, Xiaomi continues to include a 1.5K resolution, AMOLED technology, HDR10+, a 144 Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, and 12-bit color sampling. With these specifications, the display performs exceptionally well. You can enjoy content fully, and games that support the screen’s refresh rate look fantastic. Overall, it’s hard to find any flaws in a panel of this quality.
It may not be the best on the market, but I believe it’s competitive and one of the reasons to choose this device, even at a slightly higher price. In fact, many phones priced at €1,000 and €1,200 have features that can’t match the display of the Xiaomi 14T Pro.
The Xiaomi 14T Pro’s camera is a pleasure to use.
While the changes aren’t drastic, they do mark a step forward in enhancing the brand’s camera offerings. The main sensor and telephoto sensor remain at 50 MP, but they now feature improvements that enhance brightness and detail.
As with the previous generation, Leica plays a significant role in this camera setup. The company has developed the sensors and the Authentic and Vibrant modes, and you can see the difference in every photo. Their previous collaboration with Huawei was a major selling point, and this partnership with Xiaomi has continued to deliver impressive results for the past few years.
The results from the Xiaomi 14T Pro’s camera are impressively good, with outstanding detail and sharpness that pleasantly surprised me. This year, the telephoto sensor features a focal length of 60 mm, which expands the zoom options to five settings:
- 0.6x: 12 MP ultra-wide angle sensor
- 1x: Optical main sensor (23 mm)
- 2x: Digital crop from the main sensor (35 mm)
- 2.6x: Optical zoom from the telephoto sensor (60 mm)
- 5x: Digital crop from the telephoto sensor (75 mm)
With this variety of focal lengths, the camera proves to be quite versatile. It’s enjoyable to explore the different options, and the automatic results are very decent. Additionally, the quality remains strong even in lower light conditions.
I primarily shot in Leica’s Authentic mode, which provides a very natural color rendering without oversaturating the sky or giving unrealistic hues to monuments and skin tones. I also appreciated the exposure dynamics of the Xiaomi 14T Pro, which tends to slightly underexpose photos for a dramatic effect that I often miss with my iPhone camera.
Xiaomi has done well with this camera. While the AI and image processing can be a bit heavy-handed at times, I believe it matches the performance of other features. It’s not the best camera on the market—far from it—but it has improved from the previous generation and delivers results that, in my opinion, will satisfy anyone willing to pay its price.
How Does the Xiaomi 14T Pro Perform?
As is common with the T series, Xiaomi has chosen MediaTek to power this device. But before you worry about not having a Qualcomm processor, let me assure you that you probably won’t miss it. The Dimensity 9300+ is a very capable chip that runs the Xiaomi 14T Pro smoothly, manages the photography features well, and offers performance that’s hard to fault.
I haven’t encountered any issues with fluidity; games have run perfectly, and every action I’ve taken on the device feels premium and high-end.
In fact, while benchmarks and specific analyses show the Dimensity 9300+ ranking slightly below the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the everyday experience reveals a fast and fluid smartphone that lives up to its price.
Supercharger, But Without Charger
Xiaomi’s relationship with 5,000 mAh batteries is strong, and this model continues that trend. Despite being a large device with premium components, the company sticks to the same battery capacity found in nearly all its smartphones. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I would have appreciated a bit more—perhaps a few extra mAh—to enhance battery life, especially when using features like 144 Hz refresh rates or high brightness levels without concerns.
The Xiaomi 14T Pro performs decently in terms of battery life, but it isn’t exceptional. With average use, you can make it through the day, but intensive activities like gaming, taking lots of photos, or recording videos can drain the battery quickly, especially if you’re using the highest refresh rate.
However, Xiaomi has introduced an impressive solution: the 14T Pro can charge from 0 to 100% in just 19 minutes, thanks to its 120W wired charging. The catch? Xiaomi does not include the charger in the box. While most of us have chargers lying around, a 120W charger isn’t something many people keep on hand. It’s disappointing that the 14T Pro lacks this essential accessory, but sadly, this trend of not including chargers has become the norm in the smartphone market.
Is the Xiaomi 14T Pro Worth It?
The Xiaomi 14T Pro is undeniably one of the standout high-end models of 2024. It boasts impressive power, an excellent display, and a high-quality camera, offering a user experience that rivals many of the pricier devices on the market. If you’re looking for a premium smartphone with great features at a competitive price, this model is definitely worth considering.
The Xiaomi 14T Pro is priced 300 to 400 euros less than premium high-end models for a reason. While it may not have the best camera, the top display, or the most advanced performance, its overall balance is impressive.
It delivers a high-end experience at an unbeatable price for what it offers. If you’re looking to spend around 700-800 euros and want quality features, while understanding it won’t be the absolute best, I highly recommend this device.
The main competitor for the Xiaomi 14T Pro is the Xiaomi 14T. Priced 150 euros less, it offers slightly less powerful features but still delivers an excellent quality-to-price ratio. It shares the same screen, a similar camera, an almost identical design, and the same battery, paired with a slightly less powerful yet more efficient chip.
Are you convinced by the Xiaomi 14T Pro? If you purchase it before October 31, you’ll receive a free 55″ Xiaomi TV. This offer definitely makes the 799 euro price tag more appealing!
