If Xiaomi is Stan Lee, then the Redmi Note series has to be Jack Kirby. Well, that’s how the company’s India journey has been. The Note series has been right in the centre, fueling Xiaomi’s growth in India over the years. In early 2024, the company introduced the Redmi Note 13 series, and before the year ended, we have the successor already – the Redmi Note 14 series. In the product briefing, Xiaomi executives stressed how Redmi Note 14 is a big leap even for the Note series. The company claims to have sold over 420 million Redmi Note devices globally. Again, this time, we get three units – a base Redmi Note 14, a mid Redmi Note 14 Pro and the top-of-the-line Redmi Note 14 Pro+. Well, I got my hands on the top trim – Redmi Note 14 Pro+. The spec sheet of the device reads as if it’s some flagship from a few years back, plus some much-needed additions.
At a starting price of Rs. 29,999, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ looks like a great deal, albeit it packs just 8GB of RAM + 128GB of storage, which in these times feels on the lower side. Does the Note 14 Pro+ pack it all to be the best sub-Rs. 40,000 smartphone? I answer that in my review.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Design: Raising the bar
- Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 at the front and Corning Gorilla Glass 7i at the back
- Dimensions and weight – 162.53×74.67×8.75mm and 210.9 grams
- IP68 rating
During the press briefings, the company talked about how the company’s flagships inspire the Redmi Note 14 Pro+. Well, at least on the design part, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ initially looked like a smaller sibling of the Xiaomi 13 Pro (minus the camera housing). Compared to the Redmi Note 13 Pro+, there are multiple changes in design, so much so that they do not look like from the same series. The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ design has refined with time and now offers a premium look and feel. The hand feel is solid, and the curved edges sit comfortably in the palm.
It comes in Titan Black, Phantom Purple, and Spectre Blue colours
Xiaomi has packed Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and Gorilla Glass 7i on the back of the Note 14 Pro+ for added protection. There’s also an IP68 rating for water and dust ingress protection. At 8.75mm, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ isn’t sleek and weighs almost 211 grams. The back panel is slippery because of the glass at the rear. Xiaomi bundles a case in the box that can be used daily.
The camera module at the back has also evolved into a single housing packing all the sensors and LED flash. The company says that Xiaomi’s logo inspires the camera housing. Interestingly, the camera housing is surrounded by a metal ring, which may remind some people of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch with a rotating bezel. However, this one doesn’t rotate else; it would have been a design challenge for Xiaomi.
The phone sports Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 at the front
It comes in three colours – Titan Black, Phantom Purple with a vegan leather back, and Spectre Blue. I got the Blue, and it has glass at the back, which has a mix of textured patterns in the centre – it somewhat looks unique.
The physical buttons are placed on the right, and there are no issues with using those at any point. I loved the tactile feel. The SIM tray, speakers, and charging port are placed on the bottom panel. The screen dominates the front panel and has slim bezels and a punch-hole selfie camera placement at the top.
It packs a 20-megapixel punch-hole selfie camera
Overall, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ design carries the strengths of the Note 13 Pro+, like a curved design with an IP68 rating.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Display: Better, brighter
- Display – 6.67-inch 3D Curved AMOLED
- Refresh rate – 120Hz
- Other features – TÜV Rheinland certification, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision
The Note 14 Pro+ packs the same display as the Note 13 Pro+. However, this one now offers a peak brightness of 3000nits. The 6.67-inch display offers a 1220×2712 pixels screen resolution and a pixel density of 446PPI.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ sports peak brightness of 3000nits
The display is bright in real-world usage, with images and text appearing sharp. The colours pop and offer rich contrast. Thanks to up to 120Hz refresh rate, scrolling and animations are smooth. It is an excellent display for your multimedia consumption, be it Netflix or YouTube streaming. The phone comes with Widevine L1 certification, and sunlight legibility is not a problem. I was impressed with the responsiveness of the display on the Note 14 Pro+, which was more noticeable while gaming on the device.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Camera: Overall, decent
- Triple camera rear array
- 50-megapixel primary accompanied by 50-megapixel telephoto and 8-megapixel ultra-wide
- 20-megapixel selfie camera
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ packs big upgrades when it comes to the camera department. There’s a 50-megapixel Light Fusion 800 sensor, which we saw in the Xiaomi 14 Civi launched earlier this year. It is accompanied by a 50-megapixel telephoto sensor. Yes, Xiaomi has finally brought a telephoto sensor to its Redmi Note series. Lastly, there’s an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and at the front, there’s a 20-megapixel selfie camera.
The phone sports an all-new camera housing, which the company says is inspired by the Mi logo
The primary camera on the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is solid across lighting conditions. During daylight testing, the samples were consistent with ample details, dynamic range, sharpness and punchy colours, as you can see in the samples below.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ primary camera samples (tap image to expand)
The 8-megapixel ultrawide camera does the job but isn’t as good as the primary sensor. In some of our samples, we could see some details missing; however, the dynamic range is fine. The colours are on point mostly.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ primary ultrawide camera samples (tap image to expand)
This time, Xiaomi has introduced an additional multifocal camera setup of 2.5x apart from the regular 0.6x, 1x, 2x, and 5x. This is great for framing shots the way you want. On 2x zoom, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ has decent zoom levels with no visible loss in image quality. The detail levels are amazing, and the images come out well overall.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ sample with 0.6x lens (tap image to expand)
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ sample with 1x lens (tap image to expand)
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ sample with 2x lens (tap image to expand)
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ sample with 2.5x lens (tap image to expand)
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ sample with 5x lens (tap image to expand)
Jumping to portraits, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ can click some nice bokeh shots. It’s a good point-and-shoot camera for all your portrait shots.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ portrait camera sample (tap image to expand)
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ close-up sample (tap image to expand)
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ close-up sample (tap image to expand)
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ slightly lacks in the selfie department, where I noticed skin softening despite turning off the beauty mode. This, however, may work for your social media uploads. After multiple shots, I also observed inaccurate skin tones in selfies, which is something Xiaomi can fix with an OTA update.
Selfie taken on Redmi Note 14 Pro+ (tap image to expand)
When it comes to low-light samples, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ can click on some good night shots with decent colours and accurate details. The phone packs a night mode that’s suggested to users when clicking in low-light conditions. I could capture good low-light samples with challenging lighting around. The details take a hit in extremely low light while noise crops in. But this shows that Redmi Note 14 Pro+ can navigate through difficult low-light situations.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ low-light samples (tap image to expand)
Videos are still something Xiaomi needs to work on. Redmi Note 14 Pro+ can click decent videos for your Instagram Story uploads, but quality-wise, there’s scope for improvement. It can record 4K videos at 30fps.
Overall, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ packs a good set of cameras for most scenarios.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Performance: Solid package
- SoC – Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 Mobile Platform
- Variants – 8+128 | 8+256 | 12+512
- Software update – 3+4 years
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ offers incredible performance credentials for a phone in this price range. Whether browsing, gaming, streaming, using AI features or editing photos on the go, the Note 14 Pro+ handles these and more tasks smoothly. Opening multiple apps and switching between tasks is also snappy on the device.
It runs on Android 14-based HyperOS
All thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, the 4nm chip, powering the device, day-to-day performance is handled smoothly. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 was launched in August this year and is a successor to the 7s Gen 2. It delivers 20 percent better CPU performance, 40 percent faster GPU, and 12 percent overall power saving than the 7s Gen 2. And can handle AI performance with ease. Thanks to dedicated NPU, the 7s Gen 3 can handle on-device generative AI capabilities.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ comes in three SKUs – 8+128, 8+256 and 12+512. I got the top trim variant for review and didn’t encounter any memory-related issues. But one thing definitely disappoints – UFS 2.2 on the 14 Pro+ vs UFS 3.1 on the 13 Pro+. It’s like a downgrade, as UFS 3.1 is way faster than UFS 2.2 for read and write speeds, making you future-proof. Well, this can be attributed to cost cuts.
The sunlight legibility is good
During my review, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ never got hot under stress but did get slightly warm. The Note 14 Pro+ could load BGMI at HDR graphics and High frame rate settings. I did not face frame drops or stutters during gaming sessions with COD Mobile, BGMI, and Genshin Impact—all thanks to the new Adaptive Performance Engine 3.0 and Adreno HDR Fast Blend on 7s Gen 3.
| Benchmark | Redmi Note 14 Pro+ | Redmi Note 13 Pro+ | OnePlus 12R |
|---|
| Chipset | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 | Dimensity 7200 Ultra | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| AnTuTu v10 | 724,770 | 721,512 | 1,318,278 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 14,198 | 12,910 | 13,210 |
| Geekbench Single | 1,168 | 1,122 | 1,987 |
| Geekbench Multi | 3,238 | 2,598 | 4,527 |
| GFXB T-rex | Couldn’t run | 115 | 119 |
| GFXB Manhattan 3.1 | Couldn’t run | 53 | 98 |
| GFXB Car Chase | Couldn’t run | 31 | 88 |
| 3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Slingshot | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Wild Life | 4,599 | 4,255 | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Wild Life Unlimited | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | 15,897 |
Jumping to UI and software. The Redmi Note Pro+ runs Android 14 with HyperOS 1.0.2, and Xiaomi promises 3 years of major OS updates and 4 years of security patches. Considering that the device runs Android 14, it should get 15 very soon and will get up to Android 17. Compared to the competition and benchmark set by some brands, this is on the lower side, and Xiaomi should have offered at least 4+5 years of support. The UI looks and feels familiar, and that’s fine unless it impacts the entire user experience.
HyperOS brings some new features and refreshes some existing ones. The list includes Control Centre, which gets a complete refresh, and the new AOD feature, which has new animations with lock screen customisation. HyperOS also allows you to work seamlessly across devices and pin apps across devices for easy access.
The phone comes with an IP68 rating
Xiaomi has seen the transition from MIUI days to HyperOS now, but what has not changed is bloatware and app notifications from GetApps. Yes, the number of applications has slightly decreased, but I have received notifications without even touching GetApps. This has been a recurring issue on Xiaomi devices for years. The problem isn’t just with GetApps but also with other preinstalled apps like Themes. I hope that an OTA update fixes this for Redmi Note 14 Pro+.
A screenshot from preinstalled apps
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ speaker is loud and can fill a medium-sized room. It is also excellent for your multimedia needs. The phone can latch onto mobile networks in patchy zones. I tested Airtel 5G and Jio 5G networks, and Redmi Note 14 Pro+ impressed me. The call quality was top-notch.
Overall, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is a leap forward in performance in its current price range.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ AI Features
AI has been the biggest buzzword for smartphone manufacturers this year, and I don’t see this changing next year, either. The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is touted to pack over 20 AI features, more than any competition offers. The list of AI features is more or less the same on the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ that I have seen on comparable devices. There’s an AI summary, AI layout, AI proofreading, and AI translation integrated into the inbuilt Notes app. It worked well most of the time during my review.
Next up, AI Image Expansion, AI Erase Pro and AI Film are packed within the Gallery app. The AI Image Expansion can make your image bigger with proportional scaling, free scaling, and automatic composition. The AI Erase Pro, as the name suggests, can help you remove unwanted objects, people or other elements from your pictures. Lastly, the AI Film converts your photos and videos into short videos or vlogs – something that Google’s Photos app has been doing for years.
The AI tool Erase Pro is a hit and a miss
The Recorder app also has AI features like speaker recognition, AI translation, and AI summary. This one was more of a gimmicky feature, as it didn’t give me perfect results. It missed words and speaker recognition in multiple recordings I tested. The AI subtitles also need polish as it couldn’t offer the ideal real-time transcriptions. I couldn’t test the AI Interpreter, but it is meant to interpret face-to-face conversations and call audio. Lastly, there’s Circle to Search, which has finally landed on Xiaomi devices.
Overall, the addition of AI features is nice and good to have, but some of these feel gimmicky at the moment and may need more polish.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Battery: Indeed, big leap
If there’s one department where the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ has taken a giant leap, then it has to be the battery. From 5000mAh on the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ to a massive 6200mAh battery on the 14 Pro+ is just bonkers. And this doesn’t just look huge on paper but in real-world usage, too.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ easily lasts over a day with almost 25 percent charge left with intense use, which includes a couple of hours of gaming, camera use, full-movie streaming on Netflix, a few hours of music streaming on Spotify, and regular work-related apps like Outlook, Canva, Gmail, Slack, Chrome, and more open in the background for the full day alongside apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, X, and Telegram. The 14 Pro+ can last up to two full days with medium usage, which means without too much camera time.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ packs a 6200mAh battery compared to 5000mAh seen on the Redmi Note 13 Pro+
In our HD video battery loop test, the Note 14 Pro+ ran for 33 hours and 51 minutes, which is impressive.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ comes with 90W HyperCharge support for fast charging, and the charger is included in the box. Compared to Note 13 Pro+, which came with 120W HyperCharge, it’s a downgrade but not a huge number difference in the real world.
Additionally, Xiaomi has packed other battery health-related features like Voltage Booster Chip, Low-Temperature Charging, Short-Term Multi-Charge Optimization, and Safe Charging Control – necessary additions in a market like India, where some areas still experience voltage fluctuations.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Verdict
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ price in India starts at under Rs. 30,000 (8GB + 128GB) – at least that’s what the company announced during the launch, while the 12GB + 512GB storage is set at Rs. 34,999. At this price, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is still an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a smartphone that is packed to the brim. However, I’m not too sure about the post-launch offers pricing for the smartphone as the company has yet to come back to me with a response to my query on pricing. It is the only phone in the market right now with durability credentials, including passing a 1.5-metre drop test onto marble and also packs an IP68 rating. It packs a fantastic display, can handle performance like a pro, and packs decent cameras.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ goes up to Rs 34,999 (net effective price) for the top trim 12GB+512GB model
Yes, there are certain areas with scope for improvement, like the software support for the Redmi Note 14 Pro+, which feels on the lower side compared to the competition, especially considering this is still running on Android 14. Then, the UFS 2.2 for a phone priced around Rs. 30,000 is disappointing. Then, the bloatware problem still remains. Though it is now less distracting and throws fewer ad pop-ups, it is still part of the overall package.
Talking about alternatives at this price, the OnePlus 12R (Review) is a decent device. Then, the Xiaomi 14 Civi (Review) is also available at under Rs. 40,000.
