Xiaomi Redmi 14R review: Affordable, but with visible drawbacks

The Xiaomi Redmi 14R enters the budget smartphone market with solid features. But as much as it offers value, you may notice some significant trade-offs in daily use.

Display: A step behind the competition

The first thing you’ll notice about the Xiaomi Redmi 14R is its 6.88-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. While the screen’s high refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and fluid animations, the resolution—1640 x 720 pixels—feels underwhelming. Competitors, even within Xiaomi’s own lineup like the Redmi 14 5G, offer sharper Full HD+ displays. This lower resolution impacts the sharpness of images and text, which can be particularly noticeable when watching videos or reading. If you’re someone who enjoys media consumption, this could be a drawback you’d struggle to overlook.

Camera: Serviceable, but far from great

Moving to the camera setup, Xiaomi sticks with a 13MP main shooter on the back and a modest 5MP front-facing camera. While this will do the job for casual photography and video calls, you won’t get the detail and sharpness that you might expect from other devices in the same price range. Competing models like the Redmi 14 5G boast far superior camera systems, featuring a 108MP primary camera and a 16MP selfie shooter.

In real-world usage, I found that low-light photos suffer from graininess, and daytime shots, while decent, lack the vibrancy and detail that you might desire if photography is your priority. If you’re just taking the occasional snapshot, the Redmi 14R will do, but if camera quality is important to you, this phone might leave you feeling a little disappointed.

Performance: Good for basics, but don’t expect too much

Powering the Redmi 14R is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset, coupled with up to 8GB of RAM. For everyday tasks like browsing, messaging, and light gaming, the performance is adequate. However, push it a little harder—perhaps with more demanding apps or heavy multitasking—and you may start to notice a slowdown.

While this might not be a dealbreaker for the average user, if you’re someone who relies on your phone for more intensive tasks or gaming, the slower performance might get frustrating. Higher-end models, such as Xiaomi’s flagship phones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, easily outshine the Redmi 14R in terms of speed and power. For budget buyers, this compromise is understandable, but it’s something you’ll need to consider based on how you use your phone.

Battery life and charging: A mixed bag

The 5,160 mAh battery in the Redmi 14R is one of its strongest selling points. With this much capacity, you can easily get through a full day of moderate use without reaching for a charger. However, the 18W charging speed feels sluggish in today’s market. Many smartphones in this range are starting to offer significantly faster charging, like 33W or even 65W, meaning you spend less time plugged in and more time using your device.

I found that fully charging the phone took longer than expected, especially compared to other models in Xiaomi’s lineup. If you’re someone who’s always on the go and needs quick top-ups, this slower charging speed could be a notable inconvenience.

Build and design: Functional but unremarkable

The Xiaomi Redmi 14R sports a plastic back and frame, a standard choice in budget devices. While the phone feels solid enough in hand, it lacks the premium feel of devices with metal or glass builds. This is a subjective point, of course, but if you’re someone who cares about the feel and finish of your device, the Redmi 14R’s build quality might not impress you.

On the plus side, it comes in a variety of attractive colors—Deep Ocean Blue, Lavender, Olive Green, and Shadow Black—so there’s a bit of personality here. But don’t expect the same level of design finesse you’d get with more expensive devices.

Software: Heavy on the bloatware

Running on Xiaomi’s HyperOS, based on Android 14, the Redmi 14R offers a feature-packed experience. However, it’s not without its downsides. One of the things I found frustrating was the amount of pre-installed apps, also known as bloatware. These take up unnecessary storage space and can slow down the system over time. If you’re used to a cleaner Android experience, like what Google’s Pixel phones offer, this might take some getting used to.

Pricing and value

The Xiaomi Redmi 14R offers several configurations, each catering to different needs and budgets. Here’s a breakdown of the pricing for each model in China:

• 4GB RAM + 128GB Storage: CNY 1,099 (approximately $155/€140/₹12,995)
• 6GB RAM + 128GB Storage: CNY 1,499 (approximately $210/€190/₹17,725)
• 8GB RAM + 128GB Storage: CNY 1,699 (approximately $240/€215/₹20,090)
• 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage: CNY 1,899 (approximately $265/€240/₹22,455)

These prices place the Redmi 14R firmly in the budget category, making it an attractive option for cost-conscious buyers. The base model, with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, starts at a very affordable CNY 1,099. This is a competitive price point, especially when you consider the phone’s decent features like a 120Hz display and a large battery.

If you’re looking for more storage or a bit more RAM for smoother performance, the higher-tier models offer good value for their respective prices. For instance, the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage variant, priced at CNY 1,899, offers substantial storage space and memory at a reasonable cost, making it a solid choice for users who need extra room for apps, photos, and files.

Note that these prices are specific to the Chinese market. The availability and pricing in other regions, including Europe or India, could vary, especially considering import taxes and regional adjustments.

Conclusion: Is the Redmi 14R right for you?

So, is the Xiaomi Redmi 14R worth it? Well, it depends on what you prioritize in a smartphone. For its price, it offers some decent features like a large battery, expandable storage, and a smooth 120Hz display. But the trade-offs in camera quality, performance, and build design are hard to ignore.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly phone for basic tasks, with a good battery life, and you don’t mind the occasional slowdown, the Redmi 14R is a solid option. However, if you’re after sharper visuals, faster performance, or better cameras, there are alternatives in the market that might be a better fit for you.

As with any budget phone, you get what you pay for—and with the Redmi 14R, it’s about finding the balance between price and compromises.

Redmi 14R Specifications