Category: Xiaomi

Xiaomi 14 was released in India in March this year. It is one of the best compact flagship phones available on the market. The smartphone boasts a solid set of specifications. However, it lags behind its competitors in some key areas.

If you plan to upgrade to the Xiaomi 14 (full review), don’t forget to check out its best alternatives, which will help you make a better decision. Before we move on to the alternatives, let’s quickly recall the device via the spec sheet below.

>>>BP4Q Battery for Xiaomi 14

Xiaomi 14 Specs
Body	152.8 x 71.5 x 8.20mm 193g
Display	6.36″ 120Hz LTPO AMOLED 1200 x 2670 pixels resolution HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 3000nits (peak)
Chip	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) Adreno 750 GPU
Rear Camera	50MP (main) – OIS, f/1.6, 1/1.31″ 50MP (telephoto) – OIS, f/2.0, 3.2x optical zoom 50MP (ultrawide) – f/2.2, 115° FOV Video: 8K @ 24fps, 4K @ 24/30/60fps, 1080p @ 30/60fps
Front Camera	32MP – f/2.0, 89.6° FOV Video: 4K/1080p @ 30/60fps,
RAM/Storage	12GB LPDDR5X RAM 256GB/512GB UFS 4.0 storage
Battery	4,610mAh capacity 90W (wired) 50W (wireless) 10W (reverse wireless)
Software	Android 14, HyperOS 4 Android upgrades
Connectivity	5G/4G/3G/2G Wi-Fi 7/Wi-Fi 6E/Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.4 NFC supported

1. Vivo X100

>>>BA06 Battery for VIVO X100 V2308 V2309A

Vivo X100 Specs
Body	164.1 x 75.2 x 8.5mm 206g
Display	6.78″ 120Hz LTPO AMOLED 1260 x 2800 pixels resolution 1B colours, 3000nits (peak)
Chip	MediaTek Dimensity 9300 (4nm) Immortalis-G720 MC12 GPU
Rear Camera	50MP (main) – OIS, f/1.6, 1/1.49″ 64MP (periscope telephoto) – OIS, f/2.6, 3x optical zoom 50MP (ultrawide) – f/2.0, 119° FOV Video: 4K/1080p @ 30/60fps, 720p @ 30fps
Front Camera	32MP – f/2.0, 89.6° FOV Video: 1080p @ 30/60fps, 720p @ 30fps
RAM/Storage	12GB/16GB LPDDR5X RAM 256GB/512GB UFS 4.0 storage
Battery	5,000mAh capacity 120W (wired)
Software	Android 14, Funtouch OS 14 3 Android upgrades
Connectivity	5G/4G/3G/2G Wi-Fi 7/Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.4 NFC supported

Unlike Xiaomi 14, the Vivo X100 has a curved display that’s around 6.6% bigger in size. The Xiaomi 14 uses an OLED panel, while the rest of the display specifications are almost similar.

Both smartphones are IP68 certified for dust & water resistance. However, the Vivo X100 lacks protection, whereas the Xiaomi 14 uses Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

The Vivo X100 rocks a big circular camera module that’s easily distinguishable from the crowd, whereas the Xiaomi 14 features a rectangular camera module.

Both smartphones have a 50MP primary camera with OIS and a 50MP ultrawide camera (the Vivo X100 has a larger field of view). The periscope telephoto lens on the Vivo phone supports 3x optical zoom, while it is 3.2x on the Xiaomi 14).

Both smartphones take stunning photos and videos using the main camera in varying lighting conditions with fine details, sharpness, and colour accuracy. However, the dynamic range could have been better on the Vivo X100.

The Vivo phone takes good shots with its ultrawide cameras in various lighting conditions. It also takes good macro shots. However, the selfies and videos using the front camera are pretty decent, with some sort of skin smoothing.

Notably, the Vivo X100 supports up to 4K video recording using the rear camera, but only 1080p with its selfie camera. In contrast, the Xiaomi 14 can record up to 8K videos using its rear camera and 4K with its selfie camera.

Both smartphones take excellent photos and videos. However, in most cases, the Xiaomi 14 produces better shots, particularly with its rear camera setup. The Vivo X100 might have an edge when it comes to portrait selfies.

The Vivo X100 is powered by a Dimensity 9300 chip, whereas the Xiaomi 14 uses Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Both are the fastest mobile CPUs from their respective manufacturers and have similar benchmark results. They deliver excellent performance, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has slightly better gaming stability. Check out the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs. Dimensity 9300 for more details.

The Xiaomi 14 and Vivo X100 have similar connectivity features, except the former has a faster USB data transfer rate.

The Vivo X100 has a larger battery capacity and supports much faster wired charging compared to Xiaomi 14. This means you’ll benefit from more screen time and quicker battery filling on the Vivo phone. However, the Vivo phone lacks wireless and reverse wireless charging.

2. Samsung Galaxy S24 (Snapdragon)

Galaxy S24 Specs
Body	147.0 x 70.6 x 7.6mm 167g
Display	6.2″ 120Hz Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution HDR10+, 2600nits (peak) Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Chip	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) Adreno 750 GPU
Rear Camera	50MP (main) – OIS, f/1.8, 1/1.56″ 10MP (telephoto) – OIS, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom 12MP (ultrawide) – f/2.2, 120° FOV Video: 8K @ 24/30fps, 4K @ 30/60fps, 1080p @ 30/60/240fps
Front Camera	12MP – f/2.2, 89.6° FOV Video: 4K @ 30/60fps, 1080p @ 30fps
RAM/Storage	8GB/12GB RAM 128GB/256GB/512GB storage
Battery	4,000mAh capacity 25W (wired) 15W (wireless) 4.5W (reverse wireless)
Software	Android 14, One UI 6.1 7 Android upgrades
Connectivity	5G/4G/3G/2G Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.3 NFC (supported) USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1

The Galaxy S24 (Snapdragon version) is another good alternative to the Xiaomi 14. It’s more compact and lightweight than the Xiaomi 14 and features a 6.2-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X screen — the brightness peaks at 2600nits (slightly lower than Xiaomi 14).

The Galaxy S24 uses the second-generation Gorilla Glass Victus, while the Xiaomi 14 has the first-generation Gorilla Glass Victus protection. Both devices are powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. There’s also an Exynos version, but it’s difficult to recommend because of Exynos problems.

The Galaxy S24 packs a lesser battery capacity than the Xiaomi 14, and as you may already know, Samsung is not a fan of superfast charging. Hence, you only get 25W charging support, while the Xiaomi 14 supports 90W fast charging. Both devices support wireless and reverse wireless charging, although they are faster on the Xiaomi phone.

Samsung phones are better known for software updates. The Galaxy S24 is promised seven years of Android and security updates, while the Xiaomi 14 will only get 4 Android updates and five years of security patches.

3. OnePlus 12

OnePlus 12 Specs
Body	164.3 x 75.8 x 9.2mm 220g
Display	6.82″ 120Hz LTPO AMOLED 1440 x 3168 pixels resolution HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 4500nits (peak) Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Chip	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) Adreno 750 GPU
Rear Camera	50MP (main) – OIS, f/1.6, 1/1.4″, 85° FOV 64MP (periscope telephoto) – OIS, f/2.6, 3x optical zoom 48MP (ultrawide) – f/2.2, 114° FOV Video: 8K @ 24fps, 4K/1080p/720p @ 30/60fps
Front Camera	32MP – f/2.4, 90° FOV Video: 4K/1080p/720p @ 30fps
RAM/Storage	12GB/16GB LPDDR5X RAM 256GB/512GB UFS 4.0 storage
Battery	5,400mAh capacity 100W (wired) 50W (wireless) 10W (reverse wireless)
Software	Android 14, OxygenOS 14 4 Android upgrades
Connectivity	5G/4G/3G/2G Wi-Fi 7/Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.4 NFC (supported) USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1

The OnePlus 12 is another solid alternative to the Xiaomi 14. It’s slightly bigger and bulkier and has an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance. Both smartphones have the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, which delivers superior performance.

The OnePlus 12 has a 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision support, and 4500nits of peak brightness. Compared to Xiaomi 14, it has a bigger display with more pixels and higher peak brightness for better outdoor visibility. Also, it is protected by a Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the Xiaomi 14 uses first-gen protection.

Both smartphones come with Android 14 out of the box and have been promised four years of Android updates from their respective brands.

The OnePlus 12 boasts a circular camera module featuring a 50MP primary sensor with OIS, a 64MP periscope telephoto lens with OIS, 3x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide lens with 114-degree field of view (FOV). The camera setup is made in collaboration with Hasselblad to achieve better colour accuracy. There’s a 32MP camera for selfies.

4. iQOO 12

iQOO 12 Spec
Body	163.2 x 75.9 x 8.1mm 198.5g or 203.7g
Display	6.78″ 144Hz LTPO AMOLED 1260 x 2800 pixels resolution HDR10+, 3000nits (peak)
Chip	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) Adreno 750 GPU
Rear Camera	50MP (main) – OIS, f/1.7, 1/1.3″ 64MP (periscope telephoto) – OIS, f/2.6, 3x optical zoom 50MP (ultrawide) – f/2.0, 119° FOV Video: 8K @ 30fps, 4K @ 24/30/60fps, 1080p @ 30/60/120/240fps
Front Camera	16MP – f/2.5 Video: 1080p @ 30fps
RAM/Storage	12GB/16GB RAM 256GB/512GB storage
Battery	5,000mAh capacity 120W (wired)
Software	Android 14, Funtouch OS 14 3 Android upgrades
Connectivity	5G/4G/3G/2G Wi-Fi 7/Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.4 NFC (supported) USB Type-C 2.0

iQOO 12 was released last year with a strong spec sheet. It boasts a slightly larger LTPO AMOLED screen than the Xiaomi 14 with a higher refresh rate and a peak brightness of 3000nits.

The iQOO device is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the same chip inside the Xiaomi 14. It’s the most powerful chip for Android phones, ensuring superior performance and efficiency.

Let’s get to the cameras. The iQOO 12’s main camera takes detailed, sharp daylight images with excellent dynamic range. The overall image processing is sound, but sometimes, you may observe various imperfections due to weak processing.

The telephoto cameras are excellent, offering great details, colours, right sharpness, and less noise. The dynamic range and overall contrast are also impressive. The 64MP high-res zoomed images are okay(ish) with a good amount of details, accurate colours and good dynamic range, but they are pretty noisy.

5. Google Pixel 8

Pixel 8 Specs
Body	150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9mm 187g
Display	6.2″ 120Hz OLED 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution HDR10+, 2000nits (peak) Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Chip	Google Tensor G3 (4nm) Immortalis-G715s MC10 GPU
Rear Camera	50MP (main) – OIS, f/1.7, 1/1.31″, 82° FOV 12MP (ultrawide) – f/2.2, 125.8° FOV Video: 4K/1080p @ 24/30/60fps
Front Camera	10.5MP – f/2.2, 95° FOV Video: 4K @ 24/30/60fps
RAM/Storage	8GB LPDDR5X RAM 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
Battery	4,575mAh capacity 27W (wired) 18W (wireless) reverse wireless
Software	Android 14 7 Android upgrades
Connectivity	5G/4G/3G/2G Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.3 NFC (supported) USB Type-C 3.2

The Pixel 8 has similar pricing to the Xiaomi 14 and offers good value for money. Hence, it is an alternative to the Xiaomi 14 worth exploring.

The Pixel 8 is a compact flagship phone featuring a 6.2-inch OLED screen, although it’s not an LTPO panel and has a lower peak brightness than the Xiaomi 14.

The smartphone is powered by an in-house Tensor G3 chip, which isn’t as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 on the benchmarks. That doesn’t make it a bad choice for high-end phones. The chip can still deliver great performance.

The Pixel 8 has only two camera sensors on the back — a 50MP primary camera with OIS and a 12MP ultrawide camera with a 126-degree FOV. It is also equipped with a 10.5MP camera for selfies.

The smartphone takes good daylight shots with nicer details, consistent white balance, and good saturation. The ultrawide camera also shoots great images. It also has an autofocus that enables both general close-up shots and macro shots.

The Pixel 8 does an impressive job in low-light conditions, all thanks to good image processing. However, the portrait shots are just acceptable. The device takes nice selfies with good details. The video quality of the Pixel 8’s main camera is impressive. The ultrawide camera outputs an average video quality at night but does a fantastic job in daylight.

note:

The Xiaomi 14 is a solid flagship phone. However, these five phones are better than that in one or more key areas. Would you pick Xiaomi 14 or any of these alternatives? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

  The Xiaomi 13 is likely to be a big upgrade over the Xiaomi 12.Boasting an exceptionally bright display, phenomenal performance and a handsome straight-edged design, the Xiaomi 13 is an impressive Android flagship that deserves a much wider market.

Pros
+Smart-looking design
+Impressively bright display
+Speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor
Cons
-Memory options vary by region

>>>BP4G Battery for Xiaomi 13

Xiaomi 13: Two-minute review

The Mi 13 is the successor to the company’s flagship Mi 12 in 2022 and maintains the philosophy of its predecessor: premium performance in a compact package.

Aside from a slight increase in size, the phone’s display remains largely unchanged, but Xiaomi’s knack for brightness and bright colors is reflected in a sleeker, almost iphone-like body that puts the Mi 13 in the “pretty” camp of the best Android phones today.

The Mi 13’s Leica-branded camera setup aside, if you’re as enamored of Apple’s straight-edge aesthetic as I am, the phone’s resemblance to the best iphones is a positive, not a negative, factor.

The Xiaomi 13’s impressive speeds are made possible by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset – similar to the processor you’ll find powering Samsung’s newly-released Samsung Galaxy S23 line – and the device is offered in two memory variations: 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM, paired with 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage.

The phone’s 4,500mAh battery remains unchanged from the Xiaomi 12 – meaning you still get at least one whole day’s juice on a single charge – and the latter’s 67W wired charging, 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging capabilities are carried over, too.

The Mi 13(left) and the Mi 13 Pro(right)

>>>BP4D Battery for Xiaomi 13 Pro

On paper, the biggest difference between the Xiaomi 13 and its predecessor is the former’s Leica-branded camera array. Comprising a 50MP f/1.8 main shooter with OIS (optical image stabilization), a 10MP f/2.0 telephoto camera with 3.2x optical zoom, and a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide sensor, the Xiaomi 13’s camera setup makes the phone a much more versatile beast for photographers; primarily because Xiaomi’s Leica partnership allows for two distinct shooting modes: Vibrant and Authentic. The former makes colors look brighter and more saturated, while the latter replicates the original Leica look by encouraging bolder contrast and a greater dynamic range, which proves a nice differentiator between this and other Android phones.

If you’re looking for one of the very best camera phones, though, the Xiaomi 13 still doesn’t hold a candle to the photography performance offered by its Pro-grade sibling – the Xiaomi 13 Pro – or the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro.

The bottom line is this: the Xiaomi 13 is an excellent flagship option for Android fans with a soft spot for Apple’s design philosophy. It doesn’t beat the competition in any one area, but Xiaomi’s latest premium offering still delivers almost everything you could want from a smartphone to an extremely high standard.

Xiaomi 13 : Specs

Dimensions:	71.5 x 152.8 x 8 mm
Weight:	185g / 189g
OS:	Android 13 with MIUI 14
Screen size:	6.36 inches
Resolution:	1080 × 2400 pixels
CPU:	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM	8GB / 12GB (region-dependent)
Storage:	256GB
Rear Cameras:	50MP (wide), 10MP (telephoto), 12MP (ultrawide)
Front Camera:	32MP
Battery:	4,500mAh

Xiaomi 13 : Design

• iPhone 14-like straight-sided design is a great size
• Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection
• Nice color options internationally

  Xiaomi has opted for a decidedly iPhone 14-like design with the Xiaomi 13, which is by no means a criticism.

Coming in at 71.5 x 152.8 x 8mm and weighing 185g, the phone sports a glossy, straight-edged aluminum body that’s more conservative than boundary-pushing, but it feels great in the hand, and its size – for me, at least – hits a rare sweet spot between being comfortable to navigate and large enough to look impressive. For reference, the Xiaomi 13 sits halfway between the Samsung Galaxy S23 and Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus (and therefore the S22 and S22 Plus) in terms of size, almost to the millimeter.

Internationally, the Xiaomi 13 is available in three standard colors: black, white and Flora Green. In China, the company has also produced a gray and a light blue version, as well as limited edition iterations in more eye-catching red, green, yellow and blue finishes.

Design score: 4.5 / 5  

 Xiaomi 13 : Cameras

• Smart-looking Leica-branded triple rear camera setup
• 3.2x 10MP f/2.0 telephoto lens w/ OIS
• Strong 50MP main sensor

   The Xiaomi 13 boasts a Leica-branded triple rear camera setup consisting of a 50MP f/1.8 main shooter with OIS, a 10MP f/2.0 telephoto camera with 3.2x optical zoom and OIS, and a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide sensor. The latter camera represents the biggest difference between the Xiaomi 13 and its predecessor, which limped along with an underwhelming 5MP ‘telemacro’ sensor. Xiaomi’s partnership with Leica has also brought with it an ALD lens coating that reduces reflectivity and thus improves image clarity, collectively rendering the overall appearance of the phone’s camera setup much smarter than that of the Xiaomi 12.

Cameras score: 4 / 5

Xiaomi 13 : Performance and audio

1. peedy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
2. WiFi 7
3. Powerful Dolby Atmos speakers

The Xiaomi 13 packs the best mobile SoC Qualcomm has to offer right now in 2023: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. There’s no bespoke version of the chipset here (which you’ll find in Samsung’s Galaxy S23 line), but from a practical point of view, the Xiaomi 13 still boasts the fastest silicon around (the Xiaomi 13 Pro uses the same processor, too). In fact, the phone’s Geekbench 6 scores were almost identical to those of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus, suggesting the difference between the two processors is negligible.

The Xiaomi 13 has felt suitably speedy in my time spent with the device. Neither gaming nor general browsing has caused the phone to noticeably heat up, with FIFA Mobile – my usual benchmark test for mobile gaming – running as smoothly as could be hoped for on a mobile device.

The Xiaomi 13 is a 5G phone, so you’ll be able to connect to the faster mobile network if it’s offered where you live, but as with all phones, your speeds will depend more on your network and area than the phone you’re using. WiFi 7 is also an impressively new networking technology that – if you can connect to a compatible network – will support up to 3.6Gbps.

I was pleasantly surprised with the Xiaomi 13’s audio credentials, too. I’m not one for playing music or videos out loud, but the phone’s Dolby Atmos-tuned dual speakers are exceptionally loud and bass-rich.

Performance score: 5 / 5

Xiaomi 13 review: Battery life

• 4,500mAh battery is the same capacity as predecessor
• 67W wired fast charging (charger in box)

The Xiaomi 13 has a 4,500mAh battery that supports 67W wired charging, 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging. That’s the same battery tech as you’ll find in its predecessor, the Xiaomi 12, and will be plenty fast enough for most users. 

In our tests using the phone’s 67W charger – which, mercifully, is included in the box (good job, Xiaomi!) – the Xiaomi 13 charged to 41% in 15 minutes, 78% in 30 minutes and 100% in 46 minutes. 

With most of the phone’s the bells and whistles engaged – 120Hz refresh rate, auto brightness, several open apps and so on – the phone comfortably lasted a full day of relatively heavy use. If you’re someone who only lightly scrolls and sends a handful of messages each day, I’d say you’ll probably get two days from the Xiaomi 13, which is about the same as you can expect from the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus and iPhone 14 under similar usage conditions. 

I like to run a little streaming experiment when testing phones, and the Xiaomi 13 passed with flying colors. After booting up YouTube and streaming an entire two-hour film in 1080p at medium brightness, the phone’s battery had only drained 10%. In other words, you won’t need to fret about the Xiaomi 13’s charge when watching lengthy videos during a commute or long flight (though4Kstreaming will, for obvious reasons, drain power at a faster rate). 

Battery life score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Xiaomi 13?
Buy it if…
You want the Android experience in an iPhone-style package
The Xiaomi 13 is the most iPhone-like Xiaomi phone to date, but you’re still getting the Android 13 (underneath MIUI 14) experience.

You want a full-featured Android flagship that isn’t a Samsung
Despite not boasting the same camera credentials as its pricier sibling, the Xiaomi 13 will remain a top-tier handset for several years, thanks to its industry-leading processor and impressive display.