Over All Rating 4/5
Price Starts From ₹ Rs 30,999
PROS 👍
- Excellent all-round design
- Gorgeous, bright display
- Solid performance and battery life
- Great cameras
CONS 👎
- Bloat-filled software
- Below average speaker
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is a device mired in legacy. Back in the day, the Note series from Xiaomi created a splash in the Indian market with phablet-sized phones at very affordable prices. More than a decade later, the dynamics of the Indian market have changed, but the Note series is still going strong. The Note 14 Pro+ is the highest-end model of the series, which also includes the Note 14, offering slightly lower specifications, and the Note 14 Pro, which is quite similar to the phone at hand. Let’s put the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ through its paces to judge whether it’s worth your money.
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ In-depth Review
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus: Design
With vegan leather backs being commonplace in the market right now, it isn’t a surprise that Redmi has chosen the same for the Note 14 Pro+. The faux stitching on either side of the camera cluster adds a nice touch, but the feel of the vegan leather isn’t as soft as it looks. In that department, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro is still the king. The central camera module hogs quite some attention with its symmetrical nature. The fact that it’s surrounded by a metallic ring adds to the shiny character that’s created by the empty space between the camera and flash modules. And this gives the phone a pretty premium vibe.
Coming to the front, it’s commendable that almost the entirety of it is covered by the screen; even the earpiece is almost invisible. And this screen is a 3D curved panel, which gives it an endless nature, especially when you’re consuming content. The device’s frame is made of glossy plastic, but it’s surprisingly grippy. You get a single physical SIM slot, the second one being an eSIM. What’s missing is the 3.5mm jack, which was also the case with last year’s Redmi Note 13 Pro+. Curiously, though, its counterpart, the Redmi Note 13 Pro did have it, but its successor, the Note 14 Pro, has ditched it this year, making us wonder if it will vanish from all three models next year.
Durability is something Redmi has gone all in with this phone. It has Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection for its display, so buyers do not need to worry about light drops and scrapes when using it. Speaking of drops, the phone could even survive big ones thanks to an upgraded shock absorption design. I could not test this one for obvious reasons, but I will say that even if the phone’s internals might survive a drop, its frame doesn’t look and feel very durable, so expect lots of scrapes if you’re not using a case. Thankfully, a case is included in the box.
Lastly, any talk about the design of this phone is incomplete without mentioning its IP68 rating. Getting it at this price point surely is a big plus, especially for those who love to take underwater shots. Another plus is the phone’s HydroTouch feature, which is incredibly good at touch recognition when it’s drenched in water.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus: Display
If there’s one department where the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ absolutely kills it, it’s definitely the display. The 6.67-inch panel delivers mind-blowing visual fidelity with its 1220 x 2712-pixel resolution, its HDR capabilities and its support for a massive colour spectrum. The panel is certified for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, which makes it ideal for those who use their phones to stream content. The panel’s AMOLED nature and its peak brightness of 3000 nits lead to stunning contrast levels, and there’s no question about how good the sunlight visibility is. It’s no surprise that the phone’s refresh rate is 120Hz, which is an ideal feature in this price range. That said, all in all, this display is a huge win for the Redmi handset.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus: Camera
Headlining the camera setup of the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is a 50MP OmniVision OVX8000 sensor that performs incredibly well in daylight, showcasing impressive detail, dynamic range, and accurate colours without oversaturation. In low light, the performance doesn’t dwindle much. You still get vibrant colours, ample detail, and minimal noise, which is commendable but not entirely unsurprising since the same sensor has already impressed us with the POCO F6 Pro.
For its telephoto camera, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ has chosen the 50MP Samsung JN1 unit that offers 2.5x optical zoom. This gives it great versatility, with shots up to 5x zoom retaining great levels of quality. But there’s no OIS here, so you really need to be steady with your hands during telephoto shots. Portraits also see a marked improvement over the predecessor, thanks to this dedicated zoom lens. The wide-angle lens, while not on par with flagship models like the Xiaomi 14, is a definite upgrade over its predecessors and performs admirably in its category.
Overall, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ delivers a versatile and capable camera system. It’s a standout performer in its price range, offering one of the best camera experiences in this segment.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus: Performance and battery life
The decidedly mid-range Redmi Note 14 Pro+ gets the decidedly mid-range Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor. That’s not a bad thing at all since this chipset has proven its mettle time and again with the likes of the Motorola Edge 50 Pro. Compared to that phone, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+’s Geenbecnch score on the single-core test is only slightly lower (1129 compared to 1143). But its multi-core test score of 3225 is remarkably more than that of the Moto’s 2963. When it comes to real-world performance, there’s really nothing to pinpoint here. I experienced solid framerates, whether I was just navigating the interface or playing games. Playing BGMI on Ultra HDR graphics and Ultra frame rates felt pleasantly smooth, so gamers can go for this phone without any worries.
Coming to battery life, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ has the largest power pack among its peers and if you’re looking for a phone with stellar battery life, it stands out as a top contender. Thanks to its increased battery size, the device easily lasts two days on a single charge. Even with heavy usage, it only needed charging every other day, making it a solid choice for those who prioritise long-lasting performance in this segment. On top of that, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ features 90W fast charging, with Xiaomi generously including the charger in the box. It takes just over 67 minutes to fully charge the device, which is impressive given the large battery capacity.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus: Software
Software has always been where things have gone wrong for the Redmi Note series over the years. And that hasn’t changed with the Note 14 Pro+. Even after a week of using the phone and disabling every little ad or bloatware I could find, the phone kept surprising me with unnecessary notifications. Due to this, despite the fact that the phone comes with great hardware, it’s hard to recommend it to those who fancy a clean software experience.
Coming to AI, Xiaomi has added the usual suspects. An object eraser has been infused into the Gallery app but don’t expect it to be as good as the similar alternatives available on flagships. Google’s Circle to Search has also been integrated into HyperOS along with an AI Subtitles feature. AI Live Interpreter translates your conversations, while AI Translator can translate any of your phone calls or online meetings in real time. The story of these features is the same as the object eraser – they work, but not as well as their counterparts on phones like the Google Pixel 9 series or the Galaxy S24 series.
Verdict
Priced at Rs 30,999, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ continues the legacy of the Note series with some significant wins and a few drawbacks. Its standout features include a premium design with IP68 durability, a stunning display with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ certification, and a versatile camera system that delivers excellent results in both daylight and low-light conditions. Performance is solid, with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor providing smooth multitasking and gaming, while the large battery ensures outstanding endurance, complemented by 90W fast charging. However, the software experience continues to hold the phone back, plagued by intrusive notifications and bloatware, which detracts from the overall user experience. Despite its software shortcomings, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is a compelling choice for those seeking a mid-range phone.
Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus: Key Specification
| Display: | 6.67-inch AMOLED, 120Hz |
| Camera: | 50MP. 50MP, 8MP |
| RAM: | 12GB |
| Processor: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| Battery: | 6,200mAh |
| OS: | Android 14-based HyperOS |