I’ve at all times really helpful Redmi Note gadgets prior to now, and it was simple to take action; the gadgets mixed nice {hardware} with an unbeatable worth, they usually undercut their rivals by a substantial margin. But that hasn’t been the case within the final two years, with Xiaomi altering focus to the mid-range class. While the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and Redmi Note 13 Pro+ had beautiful designs and respectable {hardware}, they only did not ship on the worth facet of issues, and the rise in worth meant they did not fairly have the identical mainstream likeability.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is far the identical; it prices simply as a lot as its predecessor, however you get higher cameras and highly effective {hardware}. The battery life is the place you may see the most important distinction, with the gadget that includes an enormous 6200mAh battery that simply lasts two days between fees.
However, Xiaomi hasn’t accomplished sufficient on the software program facet of issues. The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ comes with Android 14 out of the field, and that simply is not ok on a mid-range telephone on the finish of 2024. What’s much more annoying is that the gadget will get simply three Android OS updates, and Android 15 — which it ought to have launched with — counts as one.
While the {hardware} is arguably higher, the software program scenario continues to be an actual drawback for Xiaomi, and the model does not appear to care about it — no less than not sufficient to do change its technique.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+: Pricing and availability
Xiaomi unveiled the Redmi Note 14 sequence in Q3 2024, and the telephones made their world debut in India on December 9. The Redmi Note 14 and 14 Pro are the inexpensive fashions within the sequence, with the Note 14 Pro+ delivering the most effective {hardware} and cameras.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ begins at ₹30,999 ($365) in India for the variant with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and the 8GB/256GB mannequin prices ₹32,999 ($390). There’s additionally a 12GB/512GB version that is obtainable for ₹35,999 ($425), and all three variants can be found in all three coloration choices — blue, black, and purple — in order that’s good to see.
Xiaomi accelerated the launch timeline in India, with the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ debuting a month sooner than its predecessor. There’s no telling when the telephone will likely be obtainable within the U.Ok. and different world markets, but when I needed to enterprise a guess, it would be someday in January.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+: Design
It’s clear that design is a key space of focus for Xiaomi, and the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is without doubt one of the best-looking gadgets on this class. In reality, I really like this design greater than that of the Xiaomi 14; the graceful curves makes the gadget look elegant, and you do not really feel such as you’re utilizing a mid-range telephone.
The coloration I’m utilizing is especially nice, because it has a vegan leather-based again — the opposite two fashions have a daily glass again as an alternative. The leather-based end feels nice, and there is a stitched sample that provides the telephone slightly further character. There’s a brand new digicam island on the again as properly, and like the remainder of the design, it appears to be like clear and chic. This space is usually an afterthought on most Xiaomi gadgets, so it is good to see the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ getting a module that accentuates the design.
Xiaomi did the correct issues with materials decisions as properly, with the gadget that includes an aluminum mid-frame that provides it further rigidity. The sides have a shiny coat, and whilst you get symmetric curves, there’s nonetheless sufficient width on the sides to carry the gadget. The sides are color-matched to the again, and once more, it makes the gadget {that a} bit extra upmarket.
The energy and quantity buttons have good tactility, and I did not see any issues on this space. The solely concern I’ve is that the in-screen module sits slightly decrease on the display screen, making it awkward to entry one-handed; that is true of the Find X8 Pro and several other different gadgets I examined just lately, so Xiaomi is not the one model doing this.
While the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is 6g heavier than its predecessor, you get a considerably greater 6200mAh battery. Honestly, I did not discover the added heft, and Xiaomi did an excellent job with the burden distribution. The in-hand really feel is equally nice, and the telephone is not cumbersome or unwieldy within the least.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ retains IP68 ingress safety as properly, giving it added resilience in opposition to mud and water. Overall, Xiaomi did all the correct issues with the design of the Redmi Note 14 Pro+, and it does not find yourself wanting like a mid-ranger.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+: Display
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ makes use of the identical 6.67-inch panel dimension as final 12 months, but it surely will get a lot brighter, and it will get Gorilla Glass Victus 2 as customary. You get the standard 120Hz refresh and a decision of 2712 x 1220, however Xiaomi makes use of the dynamic mode out of the field, so you may want to enter the settings to allow 120Hz.
Xiaomi often does an excellent job with coloration calibration, however my unit had cooler colours out of the field; fortunately, it is simple to regulate coloration steadiness by way of the settings. Other than that, I did not discover any points with the panel as such — it has good distinction and vibrancy.
There aren’t any issues utilizing the panel outside; it will get sufficiently vivid, and there is a slight distinction from the Note 13 Pro+ on this regard. That stated, the ambient brightness sensor is slightly sluggish to regulate brightness, and I discovered myself having to make use of the brightness slider to manually alter it a number of instances.
While it will not win any awards, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ holds up properly throughout gaming, however you’ll discover jitter in demanding titles. Video streaming is nice sufficient; there’s HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, however switching to HDR content material in YouTube made the video jittery at instances. Outside of that, colours appeared nice, and there wasn’t any extreme blooming.
Like earlier years, you get stereo sound, and it is detailed sufficient that you should use the onboard audio in case you’re listening to a podcast. There’s 1920Hz PWM dimming, and also you get a good quantity of configurability in relation to always-on kinds.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+: Performance
After utilizing MediaTek-powered designs for the final three years, Xiaomi is again to utilizing Qualcomm within the Redmi Note 14 Pro+. The telephone is powered by the most recent Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 platform, and it has a higher-clocked Adreno 710 and is manufactured on the 4nm node.
Given that Qualcomm was sluggish to modify to the most recent Arm cores prior to now, it is good to see the usage of Cortex A720 and A520 cores this time. I observed some lag at instances — significantly when switching between a video and a sport — however exterior of that, there weren’t any points in common use.
Category | Redmi Note 14 Pro+ | POCO F6 | OnePlus Nord 4 |
---|---|---|---|
PCMark Work 3.0 (Overall) | 12359 | 15491 | 13396 |
PCMark Work 3.0 (Web Browsing) | 12111 | 14944 | 12604 |
PCMark Work 3.0 (Video Editing) | 7490 | 7691 | 7233 |
PCMark Work 3.0 (Writing) | 14452 | 17327 | 13304 |
PCMark Work 3.0 (Photo Editing) | 21036 | 26584 | 20533 |
Geekbench 6 (single-core) | 1154 | 1762 | 1000 |
Geekbench 6 (multi-core) | 3189 | 4608 | 3849 |
The telephone does an excellent job with gaming as properly, but it surely tends to be aggressive with thermal administration, so you will notice throttling in prolonged gaming classes. There is not a lot in the way in which of overheating, however you will notice the occasional lag and jitter in demanding video games; turning down the settings makes a distinction.
Xiaomi is promoting the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ in 8GB/128GB, 8GB/256GB, and 12GB/512GB configurations, and annoyingly, all storage modules of the gadget include UFS 3.1 and never UFS 4.0. You miss out on Wi-Fi 6E as properly, however there may be Bluetooth 5.4 and NFC. I did not see any points with connectivity or calling, and I acquired a dependable mobile sign.
There’s a brand new x-axis vibration motor, and whereas it does not ship the identical stage of granular suggestions because the Xiaomi 14, it’s respectable sufficient in its personal proper — contemplating how a lot you are paying for the telephone.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+: Battery life
One of the most effective options of the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is the considerably greater 6200mAh battery. What’s significantly nice is that Xiaomi slotted in a silicon-carbon battery, so that you get a lot better density, and the telephone can stand up to excessive chilly with none points. It’s nice to see manufacturers bringing this tech to the mid-range phase.
The elevated battery dimension offers the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ a definite benefit, and the telephone manages to final two days with none points. Even with heavy use, I solely needed to cost the gadget each different day, so in case you want a telephone with the most effective battery life on this phase, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is the one to get.
You additionally get 90W charging, and Xiaomi bundles the requisite charger within the field. It takes simply over 65 minutes to completely cost the gadget, and that is not unhealthy contemplating the dimensions of the battery. Xiaomi has the standard battery safeguards to increase longevity, together with charging restrict and optimized charging.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+: Cameras
After utilizing 200MP cameras, Xiaomi is as soon as once more again to a 50MP predominant digicam on the Redmi Note 14 Pro+, and the gadget options OmniVision’s OVX8000 module, dubbed the Light Hunter 800 by Xiaomi. This is identical sensor that is used within the POCO F6 Pro, Xiaomi 14 Civi, and even the Xiaomi Mix Flip, so the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is in good firm on this regard.
In the same vein, Xiaomi added a 50MP Samsung JN1 telephoto lens on the again with 2.5x optical zoom, and this makes the telephone rather more versatile. After years and years of ineffectual auxiliary cameras, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ will get usable auxiliary cameras, and the 8MP wide-angle lens is respectable sufficient in its personal proper.
However, Xiaomi is but to handle long-standing points with video recording on the Redmi Note sequence; the telephone nonetheless does not get 4K60 video, and what’s much more annoying is that it does not even have 60fps at 1080p when utilizing the wide-angle lens. The digicam interface itself is unchanged in 4 years, so in case you’ve used a Xiaomi or POCO telephone prior to now, you may be acquainted with all of the settings.
Thanks to the brand new sensor, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ takes implausible images in any scenario. Daylight photographs have nice element and dynamic vary, and correct colours. You do not get overly saturated pictures, and foliage rendition is detailed with none aggressive smoothing. The digicam does a implausible job in low-light conditions as properly, offering good coloration vibrancy and loads of element, and no seen noise ranges. It takes a smidgen longer to focus in low-light than high-end telephones, however that is about the one shortcoming I observed.
The telephotos lens is an effective addition on the again, and it produces usable photographs at as much as 5x zoom. There’s no OIS, and it could take a number of tries to get the best shot, however once more, the inclusion of a devoted zoom lens is a giant differentiator. The digicam is not fairly pretty much as good in low-light, however you continue to get photographs which might be respectable sufficient for sharing on social media. You get respectable portraits as properly, and whilst you cannot alter the focal size, there is a marked distinction over the 13 Pro+.
The wide-angle lens is healthier than earlier years, and whereas it does not measure as much as the likes of the Xiaomi 14, it undoubtedly holds its personal in opposition to different mid-rangers. To sum up, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ has a flexible digicam system that takes nice pictures in most circumstances, and it’s proper up there with the most effective on this class.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+: Software
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ comes with Android 14 out of the field, despite the fact that Google rolled out the steady model of Android practically two months previous to the launch of the telephone. Xiaomi’s software program interface wants an overhaul; the design is 4 years outdated at this level, and it is beginning to present its age.
The UI has higher fluidity than MIUI skins of yesteryear, and also you get a good quantity of customizability. That stated, ColorOS and Funtouch OS have higher options on this space, they usually’re optimized a lot better. You additionally get loads of bloatware, and whereas most of it may be uninstalled, it is annoying that Xiaomi hasn’t addressed this but.
Instead of delivering the most recent Android model, Xiaomi centered its consideration on AI-assisted utilities, and like each different telephone right now, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ has a set of AI instruments with questionable usability. Circle to Search and AI-backed transcribing of audio recordings are helpful, however I did not see the utility of AI summaries and translate options baked into the Notes shopper.
Gallery has an AI-assisted object eraser, a software that will increase the dimensions of the body, and one which generates quick video highlights out of your images. There’s an AI translator and AI subtitles as properly, and the primary drawback is that none of those can be found out of the field — they’re going to be rolling out by way of software program updates down the road. Given Xiaomi’s monitor report at delivering well timed updates, I would not maintain my breath.
Then there’s the difficulty with system updates. Xiaomi is guaranteeing three Android OS updates and 4 years of safety updates, however the issue is that Android 15 counts in direction of a kind of updates, and that is simply an underhanded transfer. Xiaomi does this deliberately so it does not must hassle with long-term updates down the road, and this follow alone makes me not need to advocate the gadget.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+: The competitors
The POCO F6 is my go-to suggestion on this phase, with the gadget providing a terrific mixture of {hardware} and battery life. The digicam is not pretty much as good because the Redmi Note 14 Pro+, but it surely comes shut, and it does a a lot better job at gaming. The battery lasts a day and a half, and coming in at ₹29,999 ($353), you get a a lot better worth.
Obviously, the OnePlus 12R continues to be a terrific alternative, and whereas it’s costlier at ₹35,999 ($425), you get a greater telephone in nearly each space. The AMOLED panel will get brighter, the telephone is considerably sooner in common use, and the primary digicam takes higher images in nearly any situation.
Nothing’s Phone 2a Plus can be an intriguing alternative to think about. It has a particular design, nice software program options, and two usable cameras on the again. And beginning at ₹26,999 ($318), you are not paying a hefty premium.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+: Should you purchase it?
You can buy this if:
- You want a handsome mid-range telephone
- You need nice cameras on the again
- You want the most effective battery life on this class
You should not purchase this if:
- You need good software program with significant extras
- You want long-term updates
- You need a telephone that takes good movies
I examined each Redmi Note telephone launched within the final decade, so I do know what I’m speaking about in relation to these gadgets. While the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is costlier than earlier telephones that got here within the sequence, there is not a worth hike this 12 months, and that is an excellent factor.
The {hardware} is de facto somewhat good, and the cameras are nice — the inclusion of a telephoto lens offers it a good edge, and that is no small feat on this class. The battery life is definitely the most effective I’ve used on any mid-ranger, and it does not take lengthy to cost the battery both.
But just like the final two years, it is the software program that in the end limits the gadget. If you do not have a difficulty with the truth that the telephone comes with Android 14 out of the field, then sure, the Redmi Note Pro 14+ is a good alternative. But the software program makes an even bigger distinction in how lengthy you’ll be able to really the telephone, and on this space, Xiaomi is as soon as once more discovered to be missing.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ combines terrific cameras with an enormous battery, and the telephone clearly nails the fundamentals. However, the software program is middling at finest, and it detracts from what’s an in any other case nice gadget. If you do not thoughts that and want nice cameras and two-day battery, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is an effective general alternative.