Xiaomi 14 Ultra: The smartphone with a Leica camera isn't without its flaws

Visually, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra doesn't look all too different from its predecessor, again relying on a material mix consisting of matte aluminum and faux leather. The latter is now even more robust, plus, Xiaomi's Shield glass is installed onto the front of this model—giving it better strength compared to its predecessor. The optional Photography Kit practically transforms the smartphone into a compact digital camera.

From a tech standpoint, Xiaomi's smartphone has a lot to offer. It is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 16 GB RAM. Its internal storage has a capacity of 512 GB. You cannot expand its storage via microSD or other storage variants. Furthermore, the phone features NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7, USB 3.2 (Gen 2) and an infrared transmitter. On the other hand, users have to make do without an ultra-wide-band chip (UWB). All conventional standards are supported for cellular data, including 5G-Sub6 as well as the option to insert two nano SIM cards. However, Xiaomi has done entirely without giving the phone eSIM support.

When it comes to update delivery, Xiaomi is set to give the phone four major updates as well as five years of security patches. Although this isn't ideal, it is without a doubt justified for the price class. One thing that Xiaomi barely offers, on the other hand, is modern AI features or the implementation of third-party solutions such as Llama or ChatGPT.

Instead, the 14 Ultra places its full focus on its cameras which have been developed in collaboration with Leica. Its main camera continues to have 50-MPix sensors at its disposal and it has received the new 1-inch sensor from Sony. In addition, the others are now all macro-capable. In general, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra delivers impressive picture quality, only showing some weaknesses when it comes to image stabilization and its video functionality. The front-facing camera still shows some room for improvement, too.