Redmi Note 14 series hands-on and first impressions

Over the years, Redmi has become synonymous with mid-range devices, thanks to some phenomenal phones across its Note series. Starting from the standout design and feature-set of 2014’s Redmi Note 3, the lineup has launched some very popular smartphones in India’s crowded mid-range market for a decade and still managed to stand out.  

Now, we get the latest entry in the Note series in the form of the Redmi Note 14. With updated specifications, cameras and a focus on durability and longevity, the new Redmi Note 14 series phones bring back some freshness in segment. We got our hands on all three phones in the series – the Redmi Note 14, the Redmi Note 14 Pro, and the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ – and here are our first impressions of the series. 

Redmi Note 14 series design

One of the most interesting aspects of Redmi Note series has always been design, and things are no different with the new Note 14 series. The base Redmi Note 14 looks like a lot of other phones – it is a slim bar form factor with an off-centre camera module, and a plastic back. 

The Redmi Note 14 Pro and Pro+ is where things get a little interesting. The Note 14 Pro comes with a dual-tone vegan leather back, which makes the phone stand out, while also feeling premium in your hands.  

Unfortunately, and weirdly enough, this very nice vegan leather back panel doesn’t make it to the Redmi Note 14 Pro+, the top-end model of the series, which resorts to a plastic back panel. Besides that, both Pro models feature a ‘squircle’ camera module that is now centre aligned. The module resembles the Xiaomi logo shape itself, an addition we thought is really cool.  

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All three phones get a plastic frame with a metallic finish, with both the power button and the volume rocker now going on the right, leaving the left side clean. The charging port, speaker grille and primary microphone go at the bottom, while a secondary mic, and an IR blaster are located at the top. 

All three phones get IP certifications too. While the Redmi Note 14 settles for a IP64 rating, the Pro and Pro+ come with IP68 and IP69 ratings, protecting them against not just splashes and dips, but also pressurised water streams. These are now officially phones that you should be able to pull out worry-free on a rainy day.  

Redmi Note 14 series displays

All three phones in the Redmi Note 14 series get a big 6.67-inch AMOLED display that’s great for media consumption and gaming and also output good contrast ratios. All three also have an in-display fingerprint scanner. However, there are some differences based on which model you get. 

The base Redmi Note 14 sports a flat panel with 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate and 2,100 nits of peak brightness. The Note 14 Pro and Pro+ get a curved panel that comes with 1.5K resolution (halfway between FHD and QHD) and up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness.  

Something to be noted is that while both Pro phones feature a curved display panel, the one on the Pro+ is slightly more curved, making screen-edge gestures a tad easier, and the in-hand feel a little more premium.  

Redmi Note 14 series cameras

Redmi has emphasised on all three phones being capable of flagship-grade photos this year. The first piece of that puzzle is the hardware, and that is something the brand seems have gotten right.  

The Redmi Note 14 gets a 50MP main camera by Sony, accompanied by a smaller secondary sensor. The Note 14 Pro adds an 8MP ultrawide camera to the mix, while the Note 14 Pro+ adds a second 50MP telephoto camera, which should offer a versatile photography experience.  

Other key features and software

Like most mid-range devices, specifications remain the aspect that will make or break the Redmi Note 14 series. Thankfully, it looks promising here. The Redmi Note 14, Note 14 Pro and Note 14 Pro+ are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra, the Dimensity 7300 Ultra and the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, enabling all three to be 5G enabled and AI enabled.  

The base variant on all three phones is still 128GB, and considering the phone opts for a dual nano-SIM slot instead of a hybrid/dedicated memory card slot, you cannot really expand memory in any way except turning to cloud-based solutions.  

All three phones get big batteries as well. The Redmi Note 14 gets a 5,110mAh one, while the Pro and Pro+ get a 5,500mAh and 6,200mAh one respectively. Coupled with bundled fast chargers, it feels like battery life will not be a problem with any of these phones.  

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Redmi will tell you the new HyperOS software changes things up, but you will still feel the familiarity of MIUI if you’re coming from a Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco phone. There are a lot of pre-installed apps, including first party and third-party ones, most of which can (and should) be uninstalled. The phones sadly come with Android 14, but Redmi does promise three Android updates in the future.  

The Redmi Note 14 series starts at a price of Rs 17,999 with the inclusion of some bank offers, putting it against phones like the OnePlus Nord CE4 and the Nothing Phone (2a). You can find the complete pricing details in our launch story, but if you want a full review of the phones before you make your purchase, stay tuned to Unboxed by Croma.