Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is one of 2024’smost interesting new Android smartphones , not least because of the massive photographic camera protuberance on the back . It also has a number of outstanding features inside — plus a very intriguing accessory kit you may get for the earphone .
I latterly put my SIM card in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra , ready to amply review it over the coming sidereal day . Here are the things I ’m looking forward to the most about it .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Leica’s black-and-white filters
Leicadescribes black-market - and - white-hot photographyas a spiritualist that “ eliminates all distractions posed by color elements , focusing the observer ’s eye entirely on the essence of the fit . ” It has a foresighted history with the format and even make consecrated black and white camera . When Leica worked with Huawei and introduce a dedicated monochrome camera on sound like theHuawei P20 Pro , I get laid thephotos I take with it .
Xiaomi and Leica worked together on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra ’s camera , and although it does n’t have a black and white television camera , it does have two Leica black - and - white filter — BW NAT and BW HC . While black - and - snowy filters are available in most television camera apps , there ’s something special about the opportunity to use a Leica - tuned filter . I acknowledge from previous experience babble to the company about mobile photography that it would n’t put its name on it if it were n’t confident the resultant role reflect the stain ’s standards . I ca n’t hold back to see what it can do .
The amazing Xiaomi Photography Kit
Xiaomi is pick out photography earnestly with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra and has released the Xiaomi Photography Kit to accompany the phone . It includes a leather case and a television camera clutches for the Xiaomi 14 Ultra that adds a two - stagecoach shutter , a rapid growth wheel , quick entree to TV transcription , and pro - level features like aperture , EV , and ISO . It also has a 1,500mAh battery built in so it does n’t solely suck power from the phone .
Even more interestingly , it includes an transcriber ring that fits around the camera mental faculty on the case so you could fit a 67 millimetre filter for use with the telephone set ’s camera . This is very unusual , and unlike impart a filter to your photo after you ’ve engage it , it alter how the camera views the scene beforehand , opening it up to being used in a mixture of different environments in a professional manner .
I ’m all for explore new ways to be originative with fluid cameras , and this is different from anything else available at the moment . Will it be worth the mellow $ 228 ( win over over from the 180 British pound cost ) entry price ? I ’m really looking onwards to trying out the polarizing and UV filters I ’ve already ordered for the kit to chance out .
Using Xiaomi HyperOS
Xiaomi has used its MIUI user interface over Android on its smartphones for age , but it has lately launched HyperOS — a all over software arrangement that will supplant MIUI and go on everything from bright family products to electric cars like theXiaomi SU7 . The unified glide slope is standardized toHuawei ’s program with HarmonyOS .
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra will be the first telephone set I ’ve used with HyperOS on board , and although there are only a few optic change compared to MIUI , there are many changes assure on the interior . I ’m keen to see how HyperOS has affected performance — in particular smoothness and responsiveness — and if I can notice any other alterations when I employ the telephone day - to - day . Is this nothing more than a simple , furtive rebrand , or is it something more substantial ? That ’s what I want to receive out .
Testing battery efficiency and charging
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a 5,000mAh bombardment inside , which is sizable , but relatively received across headphone of this size and price , and not an absolute guarantee the battery life will be stellar . Although the headphone use theQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3chip — already proven to bea very effective processor — software also wager a big part in battery efficiency and seniority . I ’m keen to chance out how the switch to HyperOS will affect it .
It ’s not just because we all need long - hold out batteries in our phones ; it ’s also because the Xiaomi 14 Ultra ’s main competitors have been shanghai us with bombardment living recently . Xiaomi needs to get this fundamental feature correctly if it ’s going to contend and if it wants to tempt you forth from those other sound . It does have seriously profligate charging on its side , though , as the 90W wire charging should take the barrage fire to 100 % in about 35 minutes . Plus , there ’s fast wireless charging , too .
Living with that camera bump
I got used to the overall size of theSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra , but could n’t get on with theAsus Zenfone 11 Ultra , so what will my hands and pockets make of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra ? It ’s has very similar dimensions as these two other speech sound , and is actually the lightest of the three at 220 gramme , but it ’s also the thickest at just over 9 mm . Will I quick tire of the size , or has the design been optimize for long - term use ?
But it ’s not just the dimensions that will affect how it is to live with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra — it ’s the impingement of the ridiculously massive tv camera faculty on the back . It’sdistractinglylarge and becomes even more noticeable when you utilize the plastic casing that come with the phone . I need to happen out if it affects balance , if it becomes annoying to hold the phone vertical , if it gets capture in my pocket all the time , and if I soon tire out of its presence . Will the Xiaomi 14 Ultra challenge the S24 Ultra for in - hand comfort , or is it run short to fall in the Zenfone in terms of unwieldiness ?
Review coming soon
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is available outside China ( although not in the U.S. ) , which has n’t always directly been the case for thebrand ’s top models . It costs the same as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra , so it ’s instantly competing with one of 2024 ’s very best phones , but is it a true choice ?
These five things will make or break the Xiaomi 14 Ultra in its efforts to unseat the all - potent Galaxy speech sound from its throne . You ’ll find out if it does in our review , which is make out soon .
