Xiaomi recently launched its feature-packed flagship, Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Following successful launches of Xiaomi 13 Pro and 13 T Pro in the past years, it seems these Chinese phones are getting better.
Just like any newcomer in an old industry ruled by multi-fortune companies, Xiaomi 14 Ultra upgrades seem to cause a high debate in the tech fan base.
What is surprising is that the question is not if the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is good enough but can it rank with likes of Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Biased comparisons between these competitors kind of shadows the greatness of each particular device. You and I would agree that there is no “Super perfect smartphone” as there are always upgrades.
As a tech enthusiast, I will make a fair judgment between the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Xiaomi 14 Ultra. My hope is at the end of the comparison you will agree with me that Xiaomi 14 Ultra is a king of its own.
We shall compare every major feature spec one at a time.
Prices
Xiaomi 14 Ultra (512GB): From $1,625 Amazon
Galaxy S24 Ultra 18 (256GB): From $1,299 Amazon
Xiaomi was known for producing high-quality midrange phones but that concept is fading. Now they can produce highly premium smartphones and don’t feel shy to rise prices above those of the known competitors.
★
Performance.
In this section, we shall see the: CPU|GPU | RAM and Storage | Operating System
I) Processor: They both have Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
GPU: They both have Adreno 750
ii)Internal Memory and Storage
S24 Ultra: 12GB RAM | 256 GB/512GB/1TB storage
Xiaomi 14 Ultra: 16G RAM | 512 GB storage
iii) Operating System.
S24 Ultra: Android 14 with One UI 6.1
Xiaomi 14 Ultra: MIU 14 based on Android
After comparing the processing power of these phones, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra goes head-to-head with the S24 Ultra. They both have the same processor from Qualcomm which is designed with generative AI in consideration.
This processor is at the heart of the magical AI features from the S24 series like the call translation. The processor comes with a GPU that smashes the gaming boundaries.
Xiaomi leaps a little bit ahead in RAM with 16GB compared to the 12GB of S24 Ultra which means it won’t face issues handling hard tasks like gaming.
Camera System.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Main (50 MP) | Telephoto (50MP) | Ultrawide (50MP) | Periscope (50MP).
S24 Ultra: Main (200 MP) | Telephoto (50MP) | Ultrawide (10MP) | Periscope (12MP).
Samsung has dominated the smartphone camera category for so long and to match its photo quality it has to be a very good camera. Competitors like the Sony Xperia series, Google Pixel and Vivo have been the ones causing some serious threats.
Since Leica partnered with Xiaomi in 2022 to co-design its flagship cameras, there has been a very positive change in its cameras. A 1-inch sensor was introduced in Xiaomi 13T and it raised the camera performance greatly in two ways.
- When it comes to natural colours
- Image stabilization
This current 14 Ultra has the same main sensor lens and has improved other lenses. For example, the macro lens takes pictures in 3 different focal lengths. This gives the photographer a variety of high-quality close-up photos to choose from.
On paper, Xiaomi’s camera specs are impressive but if you are to compare it with the Samsung camera system you better be ready.
- Both the Galaxy and Xiaomi have utilized AI in photo processing for better natural colour tones and other editing tweaks that were not possible before.
- Xiaomi telescope camera has an optical zoom of up to 120X surpassing Samsung’s 100X.
- Xiaomi 14 Ultra performs better in low light conditions due to its bigger camera sensor.
- S24 Ultra has clearer images because of its higher-resolution camera
Basing on the specs you realize that both camera systems are capable of producing incredible images.
But you would wonder why smartphone camera performances are represented by big spec numbers but when it comes to the real photos, numbers do not add up.
Here are the factors that influence the image quality.
Image Processor | Image Sensor | Photo File Format | Lens quality | Image Stabilization | Pixels.
If you were to choose one of the two cameras, S24 Ultra would take the spot. But this doesn’t take away Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s improvement, especially in image stabilization.
★
Design.
Build Material and dimension:
Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Aluminum
Thickness: 9.20mm | Weight: 219.8g
S24 Ultra: Titanium
Thickness: 8.6mm | Weight: 232g
Whether it’s Aluminum or Titanium the choice may not make any major difference once you feel them in your hands. Let us be honest we had never questioned aluminum bodies until Apple introduced titanium in the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The use of titanium mainly pushes the value of the phone higher because it is more expensive than Aluminum because it is lighter and stronger
The S24 Ultra will feel heavier and longer in the hands because it is bigger with more components whereas the Xiaomi 14 Ultra will feel lighter
If it is just for looks both phones have features that are unique to them.;
- The leather texture at the back of Xiaomi 14 Ultra is pleasant although the camera bump looks so big.
- The glass finish at S24 Ultra is also nice.
If I were to choose the best looking for the two I would pick Xiaomi’s leather back panel and Samsung’s camera bump into one phone
If it is for prestige and standing out, the S24 Ultra takes this spot. If you only focus on durability and saving some cash then Xiaomi 14 Ultra will work for you
Display
S 24 Ultra: 6.8” | AMOLED
Xiaomi 14 Ultra: 6.73” | AMOLED
Both phones have giant screens that are very responsive to a sensitivity of 3milli seconds and a refresh rate of 120Hz. These figures mean when scrolling the screen changes within the blink of an eye. S24 Ultra has a bigger flat screen with thin bezels whereas Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a full round edge screen protected by Xiaomi’s custom-made glass design.
Xiaomi claims that screen glass is 10 times drop resistant which we are to prove with time. The galaxy is protected by the Corning Gorilla Armor which claims to double the strength and durability of the previous model. My issue with glass is that no matter how resistant it is if it lands on a rough surface it will always break.
This time round Samsung needs some credit for switching to flat screens because even if the round-edged screen looks very nice, they had more problems compared to the flat screen
Issues like unintended touches, breaking easily, and video content spreading around the edges experience.
Out of these two, I would choose the S 24 Ultra but without the bezels. I would not ask Xiaomi to change its design either because it’s nice in its way.
Battery life.
They both have 5000mAh and are charged by USB-C. This is a massive battery that can support mobile use for prolonged hours. The consumption changes from one user to another and the specifications of the phone.
Both phones support wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a first charge of 33 minutes to 100% and supports an 80 W wireless charger.
The S24 Ultra supports a 25 W wireless charger which is way below Xiaomi’s.
The battery system trophy goes to Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
Conclusion
Overall: Both phones are excellent high-end flagships. Choosing between them depends on your priorities:
- For raw specs and faster charging: Xiaomi 14 Ultra
- For camera quality and prestige: the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Ultimately, the best phone depends on your individual needs and preferences. Consider which features are most important to you before making your decision.
Please read about :
Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G: Everything You Need to Know About This Budget Powerhouse
Join the conversation
Which one of the two would you choose?
Please share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
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