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The Xiaomi 14 Extremely, the most recent iteration of the corporate’s top-of-the-line “Extremely” telephones, maintains the collection’ custom: be essentially the most highly effective digicam telephone you should purchase.
Observe that I did not write “the very best” — I mentioned “strongest.” Whereas Xiaomi’s prime telephones usually have extremely versatile digicam programs, should you simply wish to level and shoot, you will sometimes get extra polished outcomes from a Pixel, a Samsung Galaxy, or an iPhone.
Xiaomi despatched me the Xiaomi 14 Extremely — essentially the most highly effective cameraphone it has ever launched — for evaluation. The corporate additionally despatched me a neat set of equipment that make this telephone much more just like a standalone digicam. It is a formidable equipment, however like earlier Xiaomi Ultras, though it is mighty and versatile, it may also be a bit an excessive amount of.
Xiaomi 14 Extremely worth and specs
Globally, Xiaomi is promoting one configuration of the Xiaomi 14 Extremely. It prices €1,500 for the E.U. and £1,299 for U.Okay. — and comes with the next specs:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip
Qualcomm Adreno GPU
16GB of RAM
512GB of storage
6.73-inch, 120Hz AMOLED show
I am not even going to fake that this isn’t a big sum of cash, particularly when you should purchase a prime Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy machine for much less. Xiaomi does deliver some fascinating options to the desk, however I am afraid the worth tag will make it extra of a distinct segment machine than it ought to be.
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Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Xiaomi 14 Extremely
£1,299.00
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Xiaomi 14 Extremely: What I like about it
With this telephone, Xiaomi desires to make completely clear that you simply’re additionally carrying a robust digicam in your pocket. From the large rear digicam bump to the camera-focused equipment, it is apparent that this can be a digicam that may additionally make telephone calls — and I like Xiaomi’s dedication to this concept.
Funky, distinctive design
It isn’t for everybody, however the aesthetics works and I’ve had a number of folks ask me one thing alongside the strains of “What sort of monster digicam telephone is that this?”
The grip has a shutter launch button and a zoom dial.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Design-wise, you get fake leather-based on the again (my unit was black, making the leather-based half so much much less noticeable), an aluminum body, and a barely curved show (with the identical curvature on all sides and in corners, one thing Xiaomi may be very pleased with).
It actually begins to shine when you add the (optionally available) case, the grip, and ornament rings for the digicam bump, nevertheless it suffers from some rookie errors on Xiaomi’s half. For instance, the case is simply too tough to get off the telephone.
I additionally like the facility and flexibility of the digicam system (extra on that beneath).
What’s ‘eh’ about Xiaomi 14 Extremely
Xiaomi’s HyperOS is not unhealthy; it is just like the “better of each worlds” combo between iOS and Android. Nonetheless, I sometimes battle with discovering sure gadgets from the menu.
OS may very well be higher
The icons have change a bit since Xiaomi rebranded the OS from MIUI to HyperOS, however frankly, the general design of the consumer interface may nonetheless use some extra character. I am additionally not a fan of Xiaomi’s behavior of delivery the telephone with pre-installed, third-party apps. If I occur to want Reserving.com, I will set up it myself, thanks.
Regardless of the massive battery, Xiaomi 14 Extremely’s battery life is simply OK; examine our detailed impressions beneath.
What I dislike about Xiaomi 14 Extremely
The telephone is top-heavy, with the half the place the humongous digicam bump resides being noticeably heavier than the remainder of the telephone. I’ve seen this on earlier Xiaomi Extremely gadgets, and it could possibly get annoying, particularly throughout these lengthy, scrolling periods on planes and ready rooms.
A bit unwieldy
From the entrance, it appears like every other telephone.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
The digicam bump protrudes a lot that I used to be continually involved about damaging the telephone when placing it on its again. After I had the ornamental rings put in across the digicam bump, I truly did injury it in regular use, as the colour began to wear down on the ring’s edges.
I’ve additionally had an opportunity to check out the Xiaomi 14 as properly, and whereas its digicam system is barely much less highly effective, it has not one of the drawbacks described above. It has a much smaller digicam bump and in any other case very related specs to the Extremely. Plus it is so much cheaper at €999 ($1,076), making it a better option for many customers.
That digicam!
First, it is essential to notice that the Xiaomi 14 Extremely will be had with a set of camera-focused equipment, bought for €200 ($217) beneath the identify “Xiaomi 14 Extremely Images Package.” It consists of a leather-based case, a removable grip with digicam management buttons that doubles as an additional 1,500 mAh battery, and two ornament rings to put across the telephone’s large digicam bump on the again.
None of it’s important, however it’s going to positively make you’re feeling extra like a “professional” whereas taking images along with your Xiaomi 14 Extremely.
The digicam is highly effective, nevertheless it does make the telephone top-heavy.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Outfitted with all these extras, I got down to snap some pro-looking images. I’ve found very quickly, although, that with this telephone, it isn’t only a matter of pointing and capturing. The very first photograph I took (i.e., my son in a messy room towards the brilliant backdrop of the balcony doorways) was an oversaturated mess because of the digicam’s overzealous HDR.
In some instances, the HDR did job of night out brighter and darker parts of the picture, nevertheless it was a hit and miss affair.
The Xiaomi takes nice images in daylight, however HDR is hit and miss.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
In truth, that was my expertise all through my use of the Xiaomi 14 Extremely. I took some great evening images of some historic buildings within the city of Rab, Croatia, however after analyzing them later, I came upon that greater than half have been approach too blurry for my style. I’ve in contrast my outcomes with the iPhone 15 Professional Max, which produced way more even outcomes.
Zooming in at evening will be executed, nevertheless it’ll be even tougher to get a pointy photograph.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Night time images, generally, have been a bit too heat; worryingly, they have been generally additionally muddy, with extreme lack of element. Once more, I felt like I may obtain a terrific photograph with a number of takes and a few tinkering with the settings, however after I simply pointed at one thing and took a photograph at evening, I acquired approach higher outcomes with the iPhone.
Barely blurry and too heat – pretty typical for the Xiaomi 14 Extremely.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Now, the Xiaomi 14 Extremely’s digicam is a technological marvel, with 4 50-megapixel sensors and two periscope lenses working collectively to supply a crisp photograph — even at 5x magnification or in close to darkish eventualities.
The principle sensor is a Leica Vario-Summilux, offering a variable aperture, because of extremely skinny carbo-coated blades that enable various levels of sunshine into the lens. You will get a pure bokeh impact with this digicam, which is best than the factitious bokeh (portrait mode) that the majority smartphone cameras do.
You will get a fairly good bokeh impact with this telephone.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
And sure, you possibly can all the time go to the digicam’s Professional mode and fine-tune the publicity, white steadiness and different settings to get the very best photograph. Generally, you will get a greater photograph than you’d on an iPhone.
Want a more in-depth shot? Swap to the 5x periscope telephoto digicam.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
However simply pointing and capturing with out considering will not be almost as constant. So except you are already a professional, know that this telephone would require some work to supply that good photograph.
Due to the 32-megapixel digicam on the entrance, selfies have been good and detailed (with sufficient mild).
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Selfie digicam was an identical story. In daylight, I effortlessly took some great-looking selfies. Anticipating respectable efficiency at evening, I snapped a selfie, solely to seek out it unusably darkish. And as soon as once more I had the sensation that the Xiaomi may do approach higher, however its software program is not fine-tuned properly sufficient to mechanically use the very best settings in varied eventualities.
Xiaomi 14 Extremely battery life
It isn’t as nice because it appears on paper. Xiaomi 14 Extremely has a large 5,000 mAh battery, however the telephone appears to run by the juice fairly quick, generally even when idle.
Sadly, it wasn’t potential to check the battery with our commonplace benchmark, wherein we run loops of 1 TikTok video till the telephone runs out of battery. That is as a result of Xiaomi telephones do not allow you to go away the show on indefinitely — the longest you possibly can go till it goes again to sleep is 10 minutes (what provides, Xiaomi?).
It is simply not the identical with out the extras.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
My (imperfect) every day utilization impressions are that the telephone will final you a day and a half at most. It isn’t unhealthy, however you’d anticipate extra from a telephone with such a large battery.
Charging pace, however, is great. You will get from zero to 100% in a bit of over half an hour should you use the included 90W wired charger.
Is Xiaomi 14 Extremely value it?
The Xiaomi 14 Extremely has a robust digicam and stands out with some neat extra options such because the optionally available Images Package.
Even apart for the digicam system, it is a highly effective telephone, although we would prefer it to have extra battery life and higher weight distribution. However the price ticket makes it very laborious to suggest over its chief opponents. Contemplate it if you actually need a few of its distinctive digicam options.
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