Xiaomi 14 Ultra Review | Best Camera Phone Champion!

For over a week now I’ve had my SIMs stuffed inside of this ultimate chonker, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, and let me tell you: even though it shares most of its name with the regular Xiaomi 14, the 14 Ultra is an entirely different beast. Comparing the two is like comparing a relaxing foot-massage with Chris Pine’s face—both lovely in their own way, but really not alike.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra certainly sports an Ultra-size price tag as well—£1,299 this thing is—but is it actually worth it? Here’s my full Xiaomi 14 Ultra review.

Design & Build

First up: the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is a proper big, fat B. While the regular Xiaomi 14 was reasonably dinky and compact, the 14 Ultra is your typical 6.7-inch type and weighs a not-inconsiderable 220 g. Even without the huge camera bump it couldn’t be described as slim-line; add in those optics and this thing is a full-on slab. In fact it’s not a camera bump—it’s more of a camera mountain range, which is handy if you’re working at a desk because it props the phone up toward you.

You’ve got Xiaomi Shield Glass up front, already covered by a screen-protector, so no bugger is scratching that screen. The frame is metal, and around back you get nano-tech vegan leather—posh plastic that feels soft and adds grip. That comically huge camera protrusion doubles as a finger-shelf when you’re using it one-handed. Colour choice is limited to black or white; the white looks sleek but attracts pocket-lint like mad.

Despite the chunk it’s surprisingly comfortable, and yes, it’s IP68 water- and dust-resistant.

Software – HyperOS on Android 14

HyperOS is Android 14 reskinned. If you’ve used MIUI you’ll struggle to spot the difference; it just feels a bit smoother and takes up less storage. Customisation is buried mostly in the wallpaper section, with plenty of always-on displays and themes (some free, some paid). There’s an in-display optical fingerprint sensor and face unlock—both swift and reliable.

Usual Xiaomi foibles remain: occasional auto-rotate lag, and a deplorable amount of pre-installed tat—Booking.com, Facebook, LinkedIn—stinking up the first page. Thankfully most can be uninstalled, and with 512 GB of storage you won’t run out unless you install Genshin Impact (30 GB!). I’ve had next to zero crashes or glitches; HyperOS has been an angel compared with some recent over-priced rivals.

Xiaomi now promises several years of OS and security updates.

Display & Audio

The 6.73-inch LTPO OLED is mostly flat with only the subtlest curves at the edges. Resolution is 3200 × 1440 (over 500 ppi), with full HDR10+ and Dolby Vision streaming—many rivals offer only one of those. Brightness is ample for sunny days, and it dims right down at night with eye-comfort filters. Refresh rate scales 1–120 Hz.

Stereo speakers are absolute beef-cakes with Dolby Atmos, perfect for blanking out impromptu Frozen musicals.

Performance & Battery

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, 16 GB RAM—Genshin Impact maxed-out for hours, barely warm thanks to Xiaomi’s Ice Loop cooling. Connectivity (5G/Wi-Fi) has been flawless.

Battery is 5,000 mAh. Light days end with ~40 % left (5–6 h screen-on); heavy camera days can kill it before bed. Optional £130 photography kit adds a grip with built-in battery. Wired charging is 90 W, wireless 80 W—0–100 % in about 30 min. The camera bump can make wireless pads tricky to align.

Camera System

Quad 50 MP Sony sensors: 1-inch LYT-900 primary, ultra-wide, 75 mm telephoto, 120 mm periscope. No photography kit used for this review.

Still Photos

Camera app offers Authentic or Vibrant modes; HDR dynamic range is pant-wettingly impressive, with realistic colours and deep blue skies even when shooting against light. Low-light shots stay natural with only hints of grain. Variable aperture (f/1.63–f/4.0, four steps) gives real bokeh; Pro mode adds full control. Portrait mode has natural-looking filters.

Ultra-wide handles macro, telephotos give crisp clean zoom even “bloody miles away”. Ultra-Zoom (30×+) uses AI sharpening; turn it off if you wish.

Video

Up to 8K/30 fps, or 4K/30 with 10-bit HDR Master Cinema mode (primary lens only). Stabilisation is smooth, wind-noise minimal. Movie mode adds cinematic aspect ratios and filters; Director mode gives white-balance, AF, aperture and log options for serious editors. Built-in editing tools let you slice, add music and overlays on the fly.

Selfies

32 MP front camera with autofocus, good HDR, soft results in low light, 4K/30 or 60 fps video—great for vlogging.

Verdict

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is really bloody expensive, but also really bloody good. If you just want a beefy flagship for gaming and Netflix, there are cheaper, less chunky options. If you desire one of the very best camera smartphones—for both point-and-shoot simplicity and full Pro control—the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has to be right at the top of your list.