Xiaomi’s 14 Professional is the primary cellphone to be powered by Qualcomm’s just-announced Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and the Chinese language tech large’s new HyperOS software program, designed to run throughout Xiaomi’s total portfolio of merchandise like Huawei’s HarmonyOS.
Arriving earlier within the launch cycle than standard, the cellphone has very polished and premium {hardware} and a Leica-backed digicam system that’s among the many greatest within the business. The cellphone is formally obtainable solely in China for now, with a world roll-out doubtless in January 2024.
Design and {hardware}
Android flagship telephones have had an identical form for the previous half decade, with back and front glass panels that curve inward on the perimeters.
This affords a contented medium – offering that reassuring “protected” really feel of an iPhone whereas retaining the snug, curvy in-hand really feel of Android units.
The two.5K OLED display screen sourced from Chinese language digital firm BOE is good, reaching a most brightness of three,000 nits, the very best within the business proper now.
The 14 Professional comes with a triple-lens digicam system, with the principle lens utilizing a brand new picture sensor sourced from OmniVision. Whereas the 1/1.3-inch sensor dimension is nothing to jot down house about, the digicam lens has a bodily shutter, giving it a variable aperture of between f/1.4 and f/4.0.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip is paired with 12 or 16GB of RAM, and the cellphone affords IP68 water and dirt resistance and 50W wi-fi charging. On-board storage and reminiscence all use the most recent requirements.
Software program and options
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On the cellphone, HyperOS is a cleaner and leaner AI, with a simplified menu system and even smoother animations. The software program solely takes about 8GB of area on the cellphone, in comparison with the 13GB required by Xiaomi’s earlier software program, MIUI.
In any other case, the cellphone nonetheless behaves like an Android, as HyperOS is a fork of Android 14.
Efficiency and battery life
The Xiaomi 14 Professional is a superb performer. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, constructed on 4nm structure, is behind solely Apple’s A17 Professional in uncooked energy, and the distinction might be solely noticeable for excessive use instances.
Benchmark numbers are off the charts as anticipated, however what impressed me was the vitality effectivity. The Xiaomi 14 Professional has a smaller battery than earlier Xiaomi telephones (4,880 mAh) however battery life has improved in comparison with earlier generations as a result of the silicon is so environment friendly.
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Even when working a 20-minute stress check with the app 3DMark, or an hour-long gaming session, the cellphone’s efficiency didn’t endure – though, as anticipated, it did get sizzling.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 can be the primary Qualcomm chip designed to run on-device Generative AI, though virtually all of the generative AI duties marketed weren’t obtainable on the time of testing.
The 14 Professional’s strengths are clearly its highly effective chip, flawless display screen, and really succesful digicam system, and all three ship. The digicam lenses are quick, responsive, and produce images with that dramatic Leica look with deeper shadows.
Conclusion
The Xiaomi 14 Professional’s {hardware} is among the many greatest within the business, which makes its 5,000 yuan (US$686) value fairly enticing. Nonetheless, the cellphone will in all probability see a mark-up in value when launching abroad.
