Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Review: Still Noteworthy, but no longer the undisputed champ!

It might be a mid-segment offering, but the Redmi Note series enjoys star status in Xiaomi’s India portfolio. And with good reason: the Note played a key role in Xiaomi becoming one of the leading smartphone brands in the country and was so popular that, for a while, it could have been a top brand in its own right.

However, in recent years, Xiaomi has moved out of its super affordable price zone and targeted some versions of it at a slightly more premium crowd. The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is Xiaomi’s latest attempt to have a crack at what many terms the “premium mid-segment,” a zone inhabited by the likes of the OnePlus Nord and some of Samsung’s Galaxy A series.

Does the latest premium Redmi Note do enough to take on and beat these challengers while adding a new chapter to its already glorious history? We try to find out.

Redmi Note 14 Pro + looks and appearance: Choosing to be tough rather than look terrific

Remember how the Redmi 13 Pro+ stood out from the regular premium mid-segment crowd with the very unique square and rectangular panel shapes on its back, and of course, its very different Fusion Purple shade in vegan leather? Well, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ does not do the same. It does look smart, but it has a pretty standard feel in terms of design. You get a tall curved display in front, and the curved back features a squoval (square with rounded sides) camera unit with a finely edged rim that seems to have wandered in from an iQOO flagship factory. The sides are also slightly curved and have relatively regular button and port placements – Type-C port, SIM card slot, and speaker grille on the base, volume rocker and power/display button on the right, speaker grille and infrared blaster on top, and a plain left side.

We got the Spectre Blue variant, which actually seems a little light green from some angles. It has a subtle dual tone, with the area near the edges being plain and shiny and the main portion in the middle having tiny dots or lines on it. It looks smart enough but is not a head-turner – even its Phantom Purple vegan leather back variant does not exactly stand out (perhaps we have been spoiled by the Note 13 Pro+). At 162.5 mm, it is definitely on the tall side, although it is very impressively slim at just 8.75 mm, and at 210 grams, it is relatively light for its size.

That relatively plain exterior, however, is pretty tough. The front is Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and the back is Gorilla Glass 7i; the phone comes with IP68 dust and water resistance, which means you can actually take it swimming. Xiaomi showcased the toughness of the phone through a number of short videos that showed it being unboxed underwater, frozen in a block of ice and dropped from a height, being taken on a hellish mud and water trip, placed in a dishwasher and even being driven over by a car, and it survived it all.

Our usage of the phone was a little less extreme. Still, it easily survived coffee spills (which we cleaned by washing the phone in a sink), and the few inevitable falls it suffered courtesy of our butterfingers had no visible impact on it. Yes, it is a step down from the Note 13 Pro+ in terms of innovative, stand-out design, but this still is a smart, strong phone designed to see you through the vagaries of daily digital life rather than dazzle people with its stylish exterior.

Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Specs: Do not go by the numbers; this is definitely a note-able upgrade

In terms of specs, too, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ takes a path that is steady rather than spectacular. On paper, some might think that the Note has not moved too far forward from its predecessor, but a closer look shows otherwise. The display remains a 6.67-inch curved AMOLED one with 1.5k (2712 x 1220) resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate, but its brightness has been bumped up to a flagship-level 3000 nits, and the processor running the show is the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, which is one of the most powerful in the segment.

Interestingly, while the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ has an 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage base variant, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ starts with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. You also get 8 GB/ 256 GB and 12 GB/512 GB RAM and storage, which seems a slight step down from the 8 GB/ 256 GB, 12 GB/256 GB, and 12 GB/512 GB storage and RAM combinations of its predecessor, but was perhaps a step taken to keep the starting price of the range at a lower level.

Xiaomi has also rejigged the camera setup on the Redmi Note 14 Pro+. In the past, the Note series had one very good sensor accompanied by less able (or incapable – those 2-megapixel depth and macro cameras) sensors, but the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ comes with two very good cameras and a handy third one. The star of the three cameras on the back is the 50-megapixel main camera with OIS, which is a Light Hunter sensor similar to the one seen on Xiaomi’s flagships, and accompanying this is a 50-megapixel telephoto sensor with 2.5x optical zoom (a first in the Redmi Note series) and an 8 megapixel ultrawide. The selfie camera, too, has been bumped up to 20 megapixels from the 16-megapixel one on the Note 13 Pro+. Some might think this is a step down from the massive 200-megapixel main camera seen on the previous Note, but Xiaomi claims that the sensors are of far better quality, and we prefer three well-balanced sensors to one heavyweight surrounded by nominal floaters.

Rounding off the spec sheet on the new Note are stereo speakers with support for Dolby Atmos, NFC, and InfraRed connectivity. Rather impressively, Xiaomi has fit a massive 6200 mAh battery (one of the biggest in the segment) in the new Note while keeping the phone slimmer than its predecessor. However, the charging speed has dipped from 120W on the previous Note to 90W on this one, with a 90W charger in the box. The phone runs on HyperOS but rather disappointingly on top of Android 14, although Xiaomi assures users of three years of Android updates and four years of security updates as well as what it calls “Four Years Fluency” or lag-free performance.

Redmi Note 14 Pro+ cameras: Telephoto sensor makes a difference!

The new camera arrangement on the back of the phone also turns in a very good, steady performance. The addition of a dedicated telephoto lens, which is not often seen at this price point, adds a new dimension to photography on the Note, with 2.5x optical zoom and relatively clear 5x zoom – we even got social media-friendly snaps at 8x, although the much-hyped 30x ‘hybrid zoom’ is of very limited use. The main sensor is the star of the show in terms of delivering bright colors and a lot of detail, even in low light conditions (where the telephoto does tend to stumble a little). We also got some very good portrait shots with well-defined subjects, although the bokeh sometimes is a little over the top.

The ultrawide camera seems a little limited in front of the main and telephoto sensors and is best used for a slightly wider perspective when details are not a priority. The video is very good from the main sensor, and it is close to what we get even on more expensive devices like the Xiaomi 14 Civi and the OnePlus 12R. The selfie camera is an improvement over its predecessor, delivering snaps that are reasonable rather than exceptional and insisting on smoothing our skin even when we turn off beauty effects.

There are plenty of editing tools onboard as well, and some AI touches, such as object removal, allow you to do more with your images and videos, with more expected in the coming days. All in all, the addition of a good telephoto makes the Note 14 Pro+ one of the most versatile camera phones in its segment.

Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Performance: A proper everyday Pro!

The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ turns in a perfectly Note-worthy performance in routine day-to-day usage. While it is the same size as its predecessor, the much brighter display makes a clear difference to the viewing experience, especially while using the phone in sunlight. The combination of this display and very good stereo speakers (a Note specialty) make the Note 14 Pro+ one of the best devices in the segment for viewing content, be it YouTube videos, shows, or films. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor also makes the Note 14 Pro+ a reasonably powerful gaming device. We were able to play games like Call of Duty, Asphalt, and Genshin Impact with a few graphics tweaks – Genshin Impact looks gorgeous on that display (just remember not to max out the settings, as lags then creep in).

The phone also turned in a generally smooth performance with no heating issues or lags in regular-use scenarios. HyperOS runs smoothly on the device, and while the phone does come with some third-party apps pre-installed, these can be removed. There are some AI tools on board as well, such as AI-generated summaries, Live Interpreter, and Translation, and you get Google Gemini out of the box. The AI performance of the phone is a little sluggish, but that is something we have seen even on flagships. More AI features are expected on the device via updates in the coming days.

Redmi Note 14 Pro+ battery: Stunning battery life, but with slower charging

The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ packs in a surprisingly high capacity 6200 mAh battery inside its slim frame. And this results in perhaps the best battery life we have seen in a phone priced in the region of Rs 30,000. The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ got us through close to two days of normal use with 2-3 hours of calls and a few hours of gaming and even lasted more than a day of heavy usage.

However, charging it takes a bit of time. This is because while it does charge at a speedy 90W, it is significantly slower than the 120W at which the Note 13 Pro+ got charged. The fact that the Note 13 Pro+ also had a smaller battery (5000 mAh) also means that while it got charged in about half an hour, the Note 14 Pro+ takes close to an hour. We do not think that is a deal breaker as half an hour of charging generally gets you about 60-70 percent of charge, which will very comfortably see you through a day of normal usage.

Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Price: A lower starting price, but still in a competitive zone

The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is available in the following RAM and storage variants at these prices:

• 8 GB/ 128 GB: Rs 30,999
• 8 GB/ 256 GB: Rs 32,999
• 12 GB/ 256 GB: Rs 35,999

The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ actually starts at a slightly lower price than the Redmi 13 Pro+ (Rs 31,999). However, it is to be noted that the Redmi Note 13 Pro+’s base variant had 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage and that its other variants (with 256 GB and 512 GB storage) had 12 GB RAM. Even at this slightly lower starting price, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ faces some very stiff competition.

Those looking for sheer processor power might be tempted by the OnePlus Nord 4 (Rs 29,999 onwards), which runs on a slightly more powerful Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 processor and comes with a larger display, comparable cameras, faster charging, and very eye-catching metal design. Another device with a powerful chip in the range of the new Note is the Vivo T3 Ultra (Rs 31,999 onwards), which runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 9200 Plus chip and comes with a larger display, smart design and sports decent rear cameras and an excellent 50-megapixel selfie camera.

Redmi Note 14 Pro+ Review Verdict: Striking a high note, but not as unique as its OG ancestors

So, should you be considering investing in the Redmi Note 14 Pro+? Well, it is one of the best phones you can get in the vicinity of Rs 30,000. It is a significant step ahead of the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ in terms of overall performance, and that telephoto sensor and large battery give it a slight edge over the competition. That said, it is “one of the best” and not the undisputed champ of its price zone. As we indicated earlier, the likes of OnePlus and Vivo have devices in their range with comparable specs, design, and performance. The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is easily the best Note ever in terms of almost every parameter, but unlike many of its predecessors, it is not in a Note-ably different league from the competition.

Buy Redmi Note 14 Pro+