Our Verdict
The Xiaomi 14T Pro is another standout device from the growing tech brand, offering top-end cameras, rapid performance, and even quicker charging. The haptics can be a little funky, plus I'd appreciate a charger in the box and all the promised AI features on launch, but outside of that, it's one of the better Androids I've used in 2024.
- Stunning AMOLED display
- Smooth 144Hz visuals
- Rapid charging
- Stellar performance
- Slightly peculiar haptics
- No charger in the box
- Not available in the US
Few brands are brave enough to launch a new smartphone in the same month as the iPhone 16, but Xiaomi hasn’t always done things by the book. That’s one of the reasons it’s the only brand outside of Apple and Samsung to have a phone in the top ten global sales charts for two of the last three years running. Xiaomi consistently delivers devices with stellar charging speeds, fantastic cameras, and competitive performance.
Enter the latest device from the growing Chinese tech giant, the Xiaomi 14T Pro. It’s something of a tradition for Xiaomi to introduce a spin-off device of its main flagship series around this time of year, much in the same way that Samsung has the FE version of its flagship S series or how Google Pixel releases a mid-range equivalent to its own flagship every summer. It’s a device I’ve been looking forward to for a long time, with last year’s 13T being one of my favorite phones of 2023. So, the big question is: how does the Xiaomi 14T Pro compare to the best Android phones of 2024? Let’s get into it.
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Price and availability
The Xiaomi 14T Pro comes in three configurations. There’s the 256GB+12GB version for £649, the 512GB+12GB model for £699, or the top-end 1TB+12GB unit for £799. These prices are all in British Sterling as, unfortunately, Xiaomi devices still aren’t widely available in the US. However, if you live in Europe or the UK, you can pick one up via the official Xiaomi website, and until October 31, you’ll get a free Xiaomi Pad 6 for good measure.
There are three colorways to choose from: Titan Grey, Titan Black, and Titan Blue. We’ve got the Titan Greay model, and while it’s a little muted, I’m still a fan of the silvery matte finish.
Specs
Features and software
The Xiaomi 14T Pro runs on the brand’s own HyperOS Android 14 skin. While it’s not the best OS in the game – Apple still takes the cake in that regard with iOS – it’s much easier to use and get your head around than the Miui operating system Xiaomi put out to pasture last year. The phone is relatively light on bloatware out of the box, too, so you don’t have to spend your first hour with the phone deleting countless apps. There are still a few to get rid of, including my nemesis, the Booking.com app, but I’ve seen more egregious examples of bloatware.
As it’s 2024, a year that’ll go down in history as the dawn of smartphone AI, the 14T Pro promises a host of Xiaomi AI-powered features and the new Google Gemini app, with Circle to Search with Google coming at a later date. This review is the first time I’ve properly gone hands-on with Gemini, and even for an AI skeptic like me, I can’t deny that it’s a useful tool. It also means that despite arriving after the iPhone 16, the 14T Pro’s AI has Google Gemini ready to go right out of the box, while those receiving their new iPhones have to wait a while yet for ChatGPT-enhanced Siri.
However, in saying that, some of Xiaomi’s own AI features are still missing, including AI Notes and AI interpreter. AI Subtitles is available, but only in its beta form. We’re not sure when these are arriving, but we’ll be sure to test them out when they do. Fortunately, there are some AI image editing tools to play with, such as AI Image Expansion and AI Erase Pro, which both do what they say on the tin.
AI Image Expansion takes your picture outside of its boundaries, imagining what the landscape might look like outside of the picture, while AI Erase Pro is essentially a clone of Pixel’s Magic Eraser, enabling you to remove any unwanted objects or passersby from your shot. Both work for closeups or limited expansion but struggle a little with wide shots, which makes for some slightly uncanny results. All-in-all, though, it’s a pretty comprehensive software offering, and I can’t think of anything else I’d ask for outside of a touch of refinement to the AI features.
Design
As soon as I took the 14T Pro out of its box, I was impressed by how much of a looker this thing is. From the lovely rounded corners to the discrete grip texture of the power button, I was instantly a big fan. Then I realized something else. It looks just like an iPhone. I know plenty of candybar phones look strikingly similar, but this thing really looks like an iPhone. I’m not sure whether it’s the flat edges, the selfie camera placement, the four-camera setup on the back, or maybe all three of those design elements, but it looks and, for the most part, feels like an iPhone.
In terms of durability, the 14T Pro boasts an IP68 rating, the golden standard for smartphones, so there are no dust or waterproofing concerns. I still wouldn’t class it as one of the best rugged smartphones, but as someone who lives in a pretty wet climate, it’s nice to know I can take this phone out of the house and not have to think about dumping it in a glass full of rice to dry out when I return. Yes, I know the whole rice thing is part myth, but you get the point.
While the 14T Pro might look the part and offer a stellar IP rating, its design isn’t perfect. For some reason, I kept hearing a weird little clicking noise when playing Marvel Snap, which disappeared completely after turning the haptics off. I’m not sure whether or not this is the sort of thing that Xiaomi can fix with a software patch, but I’d hope so, as it’s pretty irritating. It’s also worth saying that while the form factor is comfortable in the hand, the back casing feels a little cheap, especially if you tap your fingernails against it. It’s metal, rather than plastic, but it doesn’t always feel that way. It might be ideal if you’re an ASMR creator, but otherwise, I’d rather it feel a bit more solid and premium.
Display
The Xiaomi 14T Pro’s 6.67-inch AMOLED display is stunning, and it might be the best display I’ve seen on a mid-range phone. Streaming, gaming, and even doomscrolling on this thing is just a joy. The main reason it’s so impressive is that Xiaomi has equipped the 14T Pro with 144Hz refresh rates, the highest you can find on a smartphone. While it’s not nearly as noticeable as the gap between 60Hz and 120Hz, the extra 24Hz makes everything a bit smoother.
The display isn’t just vibrant and high-definition, it’s big, too, with Xiaomi keen to highlight the 93.3% screen-to-body ratio. When it comes to brightness, the 14T is ready to shine, with a peak level of 4,000 nits. Honestly, you’ll probably never need to go that bright, not unless you’re planning on playing a bit of Candy Crush on the surface of the sun, but it’s nice to have as an option. There’s also 3,840Hz PWM dimming for those who struggle with eye strain, which is essentially as good as it gets.
Cameras
Xiaomi always goes hard on its cameras, and the 14T Pro is no different. This device boasts a pretty serious photography setup, with a 50MP main camera, 50MP telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide, all co-engineered with Leica, the famous German camera brand, and spanning across five focal lengths. Honestly, this setup feels a little wasted on me, as I’m not the most eager snapper, but if you are, there’s plenty here to take advantage of in terms of both hardware and software.
Still, this is a comprehensive review, so I took a few shots to see how capable these impressive-on-paper cameras are. Unsurprisingly, whether it’s a closeup or a wide landscape shot, the Xiaomi delivers. I’m particularly impressed with portrait shots. I always use my do, Floyd,g as my subject, and the camera software often struggles to discern his fluff from the background, resulting in an altogether too blurry image. That isn’t the case here, and I can take almost perfect pictures of my pooch without worrying that it might look like he’s emanating from the spirit world.
Wide landscape shots are similarly full of intricate detail, balance light and shadow well, and have a real depth of color – just look at those greens – like the example below. However, this example utilizes one of the two camera presets; Leica Authentic. The other option, Leica Vibrant, is a bit too vibrant for me and looks more like a snazzy Instagram filter than something inspired by an iconic camera brand like Leica.
Not only are the cameras great, but there’s plenty of software support if you want to get creative editing images. One of my complaints surrounding the Xiaomi 13T and this year’s 14 Ultra was that image editing felt a little complex for the uninitiated. It feels a lot more streamlined now. I took a selfie to test the editing tools, and it almost felt like I was using an in-game character creator. You can adjust your nose, cheeks, and even your hairline with just a simple slider. There are similar options to manipulate whole human bodies, and while I’m skeptical whether that’s a good thing or not in this age of social media and body image pressures, it’s certainly impressive.
Performance
The Xiaomi 14T Pro’s MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset makes the device a fantastic performer. It has no problem with day-to-day tasks like texting, calling, and internet browsing, and everything just feels nicer and quicker thanks to the impressive refresh rates and Wi-Fi 7 capabilities. Still, if you thought that was good, wait until you load up a game.
As ever, I played a couple of hours of Honkai Star Rail to see how the 14T Pro fared with an almost console-level mobile title. I don’t say this lightly, but it might be the best candybar phone I’ve used this year for gaming, and I’ve had my share of gaming-specific devices in 2024. Even with the visual settings on high, including the 60fps option, the in-game graphics and animations are smooth as you like, including the battle transition animation, which I’ve seen even more expensive flagship phones struggle with in the past. Even if I don’t use this phone as my daily driver going forward, it’s going to become very well acquainted with my mobile controller in the coming months.
As with most devices, the 14T Pro gets a little warm while gaming, especially after an hour or so of consistent in-game grinding, but it’s never concerningly hot.
Battery
I’ve never tried a Xiaomi phone that’s battery life and charging speeds haven’t blown me away, and the 14T Pro is no different. This device is more than capable of getting through a full day, or longer still if you’re using it sporadically. In my testing, I lost around 10% charge an hour while gaming, so you could play for six hours and still have roughly 40% to get you through the end of the day. Considering how slowly this thing drains while on standby mode, that’s more than good enough for me.
When it comes to charging speeds, the 14T Pro shines again. The 120W charging and 50W wireless capabilities are as good as you’re going to get from a smartphone in 2024, and plugged in, you can juice from flat to 100% in around 20 minutes, give or take, providing your charging plug is capable of going that fast. That’s much quicker than both the new iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S24 Ultra, so kudos to Xiaomi there.
Unfortunately, and I promise this is the last iPhone comparison of this review, Xiaomi has taken a leaf out of Apple’s book and decided against including a charger in the 14T Pro’s box. This is honestly a bit of a disappointment, especially given that not everyone is going to have a charger capable of keeping up with the things 120W potential in their draw.
Should you buy the Xiaomi 14T Pro?
If you’re looking for a sleek and subtle Android with a fantastic display, plenty of performance power, and cameras to rival any other flagship smartphone, the Xiaomi 14T Pro fits the bill. It’s another impressive offering from the Chinese phone brand, serving as a reminder that the Android world is bigger than just Samsung and Google Pixel. While Xiaomi’s release pattern still confuses me a little, given that the 15 series is likely to arrive within months with even more impressive hardware, I can’t not recommend this option to anyone looking for a stellar Android that skillfully mimics Apple’s minimalist design.
Still, as with almost every phone, there are a couple of drawbacks. I can’t get past the issue with the haptics, with the incessant clicking forcing me to turn them off altogether. That might be more of a me thing, though, and it is avoidable. I’m also of the opinion that if you’re going to offer 120W charging, a charging brick should be in the box. Still, it’s 2024, and Xiaomi isn’t alone in skimping out and not including a charger. Finally, if I’m being picky, there’s the back cover, which I think feels a bit cheap for such a premium price point. Outside of those small flaws, the 14T Pro is a great bit of kit.
Alternatives
If our Xiaomi 14T Pro review hasn’t sold you on the premium mid-ranger, check out our suggestions for alternatives.
iPhone 16
Okay, so you probably saw this coming. For me, choosing between the iPhone 16 and Xiaomi 14T Pro comes down to two factors. If you want the cleanest smartphone operating system, go iPhone. If you’d rather have one of the smoothest displays in the game, go for the Xiaomi. It’s that simple, especially when the designs of both phones are so similar. Personally, I’d go for the Xiaomi 14T Pro, but it’s your money.
Honor Magic6 Pro
Now this is a tough matchup. Both the Xiaomi 14T Pro and Honor Magic6 Pro are fantastic phones that have few weaknesses, and I’d recommend either to any Apple users thinking of moving to Android. The Magic6 Pro has better build quality, but I’m keener on the 14T Pro’s flat display. To make up your own mind, see our Honor Magic6 Pro review.