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Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus review: One-minute review
There’s a lot to like about the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G, but also a fair amount to hate too. This is the highest-end model in the traditionally budget-oriented Xiaomi brand Redmi’s line-up, with a $449 / £449 price point that puts it up against some seriously heavyweight competition.
The phone’s build, which incorporates a robust aluminium frame and delightfully smooth glass back, definitely feels reflective of that cost. As does the super fast 120W charging speed, which can take the 5110mAh battery all the way up from empty in just under 25 minutes.
It also punches above its weight when it comes to the AMOLED display, which is bright and cheerful with a 2712 x 1220 (1.5K) resolution and HDR 10+ (not to mention Dolby Vision) support that makes it an absolute showstopper when it comes to catching up on movies or TV shows on the go. Even the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset is decent, handling everyday use and gaming on medium settings with ease even though it’s far from the fastest on the market.
This all sounds great, so you’re probably wondering what exactly has left me with such mixed feelings about the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G. Well, the biggest drawback is its software. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G runs on Xiaomi HyperOS, an Android skin that is absolutely filled with bloat. It’s got the works, from the copious number of pre-installed games and social media apps to actual ads built into parts of the operating system.
You’re also bombarded with annoying notifications from certain system apps, which practically drove me up the wall. Seriously, stop asking me to download phone themes when I just want to check my emails! Are you able to disable most of these? Yes, if you’re willing to follow some online tutorials and fiddle around with the settings, but this is an incredibly poor experience at this price point and feels like an unfortunate holdover from some of Redmi’s significantly cheaper models.
I was also not too impressed with the cameras. Xiaomi advertises this model as featuring a “ flagship-level 200MP main camera” but it’s just… fine. Both daytime and nighttime photos and selfies look good enough, as long as you’re not too bothered by the massively over-saturated colors. They would be a good fit for posting on social media, but would not impress anyone used to a true flagship. Things take a turn for the worse when you try the mediocre 8MP ultra-wide lens, though, or the utterly abysmal 2MP macro camera that can turn any pretty close-up shot into a grainy mess.
The phone also doesn’t feature any wireless charging capabilities. This doesn’t bother me, but is noteworthy at this price and would make it worth considering other options if you rely on lots of wireless charging accessories.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus review: Price and availability
- 8GB + 256GB for $399 / £399
- 12GB + 512GB is $449 / £449
- Facing some stiff competition
At $449 / £449, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G model that I tested is currently the most expensive in Redmi’s line-up. Although once heavily associated with cheaper phones, Redmi has begun branching out into the mid-range market over the last few years, going head to head with giants like Google and Samsung. Another Xiaomi brand, Poco, has now largely taken its place at the more affordable end of the spectrum.
In my eyes, this leaves this product in a bit of an odd place. Those with this kind of budget would be better off spending a little bit more on the Google Pixel 9a or Galaxy A56 5G. Alternatively, this phone is the exact same price as the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. All of these models have comparable specs, but benefit massively significantly better software.
Sure, you miss out on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G’s charging speeds and lovely screen, but ultimately if the software experience is miserable it’s going to really impact your daily use. Luckily, we’re already seeing steep discounts of £100 or more, making this a much more tempting option.
As a Xiaomi product, the phone is also not readily available in the US market. You can import it through some online retailers, but bear in mind that this may impact network compatibility and your access to support or warranty services.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G is decent value at full price, though could be a fantastic value pick on sale. It’s no secret that Xiaomi phones are discounted all the time, with extra reward points and coupon codes to help bring the prices down even further.
If you snag the phone on sale for more than £100 off, which is not at all uncommon, then it will be easier to forgive the likes of the annoying software.
If you are considering the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G, then I would definitely do so for the screen – which is easily its strongest suit. The cameras sound great on paper, but don’t hold up when it comes to real-world performance.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus review: Specs
|
Dimensions: |
162.53 x 74.67 x 9.956mm |
|
Weight: |
210g |
|
Display: |
6.67-inch 20:9 AMOLED |
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Resolution: |
2712 x 1220 pixels |
|
Refresh rate: |
120Hz |
|
Chipset: |
Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
|
Rear cameras: |
200MP f/1.65 wide; 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide |
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Front camera: |
20MP f/2.2 |
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Storage: |
256GB / 512GB (tested) |
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RAM: |
8GB / 12GB (tested) |
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OS (at launch): |
Android 14, HyperOS |
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Battery: |
5110mAh |
|
Charging: |
120W Xiaomi HyperCharge |
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus review: Design
- Three color options
- Trendy design
- Feels very robust
As Xiaomi is a Chinese company, it should come as no surprise that the Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G sticks closely to modern Chinese mobile design trends. It’s got a smooth glass back, with a large three camera arrangement surrounded by the now almost inescapable ‘squircle’ shape. The phone’s frame is aluminium, which feels great in the hands, and the front has a slightly curved screen that seamlessly connects it to the body.
There’s a punchout selfie camera, a type-C port, your standard volume rocker, a power button, plus two Dolby Atmos compatible speakers. There’s an under-screen fingerprint scanner too, which is fast and responsive, but that’s basically your lot.
Four color options are on offer and I personally like the look of all of them, especially the Lavender Purple which sees that glass back replaced with a tactile vegan leather. I tested the Frost Blue version though, which is brightly colored and very reflective, helping it stand on from the crowd. The Sand Gold, meanwhile, is quite classy, with that classic almost pinkish golden hue. There’s also a much plainer Midnight Black, if you’re allergic to fun.
The phone is rated with Ip68 dust and water resistance – so you don’t have to worry about dropping it in the bath. This is a very strong level of protection at this price, and definitely one area where this model is well ahead of its competition.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus review: Display
- Impressive colors
- Crisp resolution
- Smooth and responsive
Hats off to Xiaomi for the display, as I have zero complaints. At 6.67 inches, the 2712 x 1220 1.5K resolution looks incredibly crisp and makes it perfect for media consumption. It’s AMOLED, with bright and vivid colors that made it so that everything I watched from music video to movies and TV shows was an absolute joy. Sure, the colors do veer towards being oversaturated if you’re a real stickler for accuracy, but I personally loved the added pop that this brought to scenes when paired with the strong contrast.
The screen does support HDR10+ in addition to Dolby Vision while streaming select content, which helps services like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video deliver even more accurate colors.
With 3000nits of peak brightness, I never had an issue diving into media on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G outside, even in direct sunlight. Reading the latest instalment of the Oshi no Ko manga was a breeze while sitting in a sunny park, and as a bonus every colorful splash page looked fantastically vibrant.
You’ll even appreciate the display if you purely use your phone for scrolling social media, as the 120Hz refresh rate makes for a buttery-smooth experience that’s far superior to the 60Hz experience offered by more expensive iPhones.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus review: Software
- Android 14 with Xiaomi HyperOS
- Three years of updates, four years of security patches
- So much bloatware
Xiaomi HyperOS is, without hyperbole, the worst modern mobile phone operating system that I have ever used. It is simply diabolical and seems designed to upset you from right out of the box. The first thing you’re going to notice is the fact that it’s loaded with bloat. From basic block-based games that you’ll want to uninstall immediately to services like Linkedin and OneDrive, I spent a good half an hour with the phone removing close to twenty separate apps.
The interface is largely your standard Android fare and functional enough, though can occasionally stutter. Swiping up on the home screen opens a ‘For You’ page loaded with trashy tabloid stories that, as far as I can tell, you can’t actually turn off. A number of system apps also feature small advertisements, which is a reasonable compromise on extremely cheap devices but absolutely ridiculous when you’re paying upwards of £399 for a phone.
By far the most annoying thing for me, however, was being constantly bombarded with notifications from pre-installed apps. The themes application, for example, is constantly sending you recommendations, while the Xiaomi Community App often alerts you to promotions and competitions. If there’s some kind of sale on, then you can bet that the Mi Store will alert you to it straight away.
I wouldn’t mind this every once in a while, but the barrage never seems to let up. I often take the phone out of my pocket to find four or five notifications piled up, which is constantly frustrating. You can, of course, block notifications from certain apps to address this, but it’s not acceptable at this price point.
Xiaomi is at least promising three years of updates and four years of security patches here which, while not the strongest offering around, is good enough. My phone shipped with Android 14 and received a couple patches throughout my testing.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus review: Cameras
- Very bright images
- Struggles to reproduce colors accurately
- The macro lens is abhorrent
If you want to take photos on a bright and sunny day, then you’ll find the 200MP main camera of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G perfectly usable.
Images captured during daytime are extremely bright and offer plenty of detail if you can overlook some rather aggressive sharpening. Colors are far from accurate though, which leads to rather uneven results in certain situations. A blooming daffodil is a nice bright yellow for example, but then the surrounding green grass field comes out looking more like an emerald swamp.
This is particularly noticeable in more muted environments. On a cold overcast day, my surroundings would often look unnaturally rich, with many shades coming out either far too dark or too light. On the flip side, the camera does a superb job at brightening up images at nighttime. Photos taken in almost pitch black come out great. Even with light sources like street lamps in the equation, it successfully avoids filling the picture with too much bloom or glare.
The lens can capture 4K video at up to 30fps, or 1080p at up to 60fps and in my testing the results were always good. Of course, it’s a shame that there’s no 4K 60fps video, but that’s a reasonable compromise at this price range.
The 8MP ultra-wide camera is a little underwhelming but perfectly functional. I would still stick with the higher fidelity main sensor if possible, but it works fine if you want to capture the entirety of a room, for example, or a particularly busy street shot.
Sadly, the 2MP macro camera here is simply unfit for purpose. It produces grainy, nasty looking photos that are washed out and simply unpleasant to look at. It’s like Xiaomi knew this too, as the ability to access the macro camera is hidden in a little submenu. The results are so bad that I honestly wish that the lens wasn’t here at all, as it really drags the overall package down.
On the front of the phone you get a punch-hole 20MP front-facing camera. It’s a good fit for social media selfies, especially if you’re after some of the camera app’s inbuilt features like AI beautify – which subtly touches up parts of your appearance.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus review: Camera samples
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus review: Performance
- Speedy in daily use
- Good gaming performance
- Loud stereo speakers
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 might not be the newest or highest end SOC on the market, but it still delivers solid performance, especially when paired with the more expensive Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G model’s 12GB of RAM. Call of Duty Mobile runs flawlessly, with more intensive titles like Zenless Zone Zero maintaining stable frame rates at low to medium settings which will be enough for most casual users.
Day-to-day performance is quick, bar the occasional hang on the home screen that I mentioned earlier – though I suspect that this could be fixed through a future software update. You’re never going to encounter any issues in a web browser like Google Chrome or Firefox, chat applications such as Discord, or productivity tools including Google Drive and Microsoft 365. The 12GB of RAM in the model that I tested facilitated plenty of multitasking, switching between social media apps such as X and Instagram frequently without the need to reload.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G achieved an average Geekbench 6 multi-core score in the 3200s, which puts it roughly on par with the Nothing Phone 3a Pro but behind more expensive models such as the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G. This is a decent result for a mid-range option, though those craving pure performance should definitely consider the Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro which came out in the 6,100s despite its lower $299 / £309 price tag.
Video streaming is completely smooth, even with the resolution cranked up to the max which again cements this model as a good choice for media consumption. This is supported by the robust stereo speakers, which produce pleasant, if not exceptional, sound. They are sufficiently loud and clear, but lack bass overall and do become slightly muddy at the highest volume setting.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus review: Battery
- Offers a full day of general use
- Intensive gaming can drain it fast
- Quick charging is really handy
The 5110mAh battery of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G is sufficient for more than a day of general use. Taking it out and about, I never found myself reaching for a charging cable with a mix of Apple Music use, a few photos, and the occasional scroll of a social media feed. I imagine it could last up to two or even three days if you’re a particularly light user.
That said, intensive gaming does deplete the battery quickly – I found that completing a few daily quests on Zenless Zone Zero on a short taxi ride could drain as much as 15% which is a shame.
Thankfully, in those situations topping it back up is easy and quick thanks to the 120W charging speed. Plugging it in for just a few minutes is more than enough to get it filled back up with juice, which is great news if you’re travelling in a train or plane with plug sockets.
Should you buy the Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Value |
Decent value at full price, but could be a fantastic buy if you find it on a steep sale. |
3 / 5 |
|
Design |
High quality materials and a range of attractive color options elevate the design. |
4 / 5 |
|
Display |
A clear and crisp screen with a bright and colorful picture. It’s perfect for your next Netflix binge. |
5 / 5 |
|
Software |
Occasionally slow and stuffed with bloat, Xiaomi HyperOS 2 is absolutely rancid. |
1 / 5 |
|
Camera |
200MP sounds great on paper, but it suffers from poor color accuracy. The ultra-wide lens is okay, but the macro one sucks. |
3 / 5 |
|
Performance |
Fine for daily use and casual gaming, but don’t expect miracles at this price. |
4 / 5 |
|
Battery |
Enough juice for a full day of use, but can drain quickly while gaming. The quick charging speed is superb. |
3 / 5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus review: Also consider
How I tested the Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus
- Tested for over a month
- Testing included everyday use, web browsing, social media, etc.
- Gaming performance evaluated
I tested the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G for more than a month. During that time I evaluated everything from how it held up during everyday tasks with some as web browsing, exploring social media apps, and even some light productivity. I consumed plenty of media on the phone, including numerous films and TV shows from my usual streaming services Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
I also tested its gaming performance, using a range of popular titles such as Call of Duty Mobile, Once Human, Honor of Kings, and Zenless Zone Zero. To assess its battery performance, I used it for a full day as I would my normal phone, carefully monitoring how much battery life remained at various points.
Future Labs tests phones using a mix of third-party benchmark software and proprietary, real-world tests. We use Geekbench, CrossMark, JetStream, WebXPRT and Mobile XPRT, and 3DMark for performance testing. We test a phone’s performance on video tasks using Adobe Premiere Rush. We also measure display color output and brightness.
For battery testing we perform proprietary tests that are the same for every phone, which enable us to determine how long it takes for the battery to run down.
First reviewed July-August, 2025
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