Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G full review: price, specs, features

The 4G version is supposed to be the most budget-friendly of the three, but surprisingly, it’s not as cheap as you’d expect. The 8GB RAM + 256GB model goes for N350,000, while the 12GB RAM + 512GB variant is priced at N460,000. For just N50–100 more, you could grab the Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G, which offers better performance, improved video recording, and some extra premium features.

So, is the Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G worth your money, or should you stretch your budget for the 5G version—or even consider alternatives like the Poco X7 or Samsung Galaxy A55?

To help you decide, we’ll break everything down, from design and display to performance, cameras, and battery life.

DESIGN & BUILD

Now, let’s talk about design and build quality. Xiaomi kept things simple with this one, unlike the 5G model, which offers a more premium glass or vegan leather finish, the 4G version settles for a plastic back and frame, that said, Xiaomi did a good job with the silky matte finish, which helps reduce fingerprints and smudges.

It comes in Midnight Black, Aurora Purple, and Ocean Blue. One of the standout improvements this year is the IP64 rating—a solid upgrade from last year’s IP54 on the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G. While it’s not as rugged as the IP68 rating on the 5G model, it can still handle dust and splashes without a problem. The front is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which offers better scratch and drop resistance, even though the plastic frame isn’t the most premium, Xiaomi gave it a brushed metal look to add a bit of style.

The power and volume buttons sit on the right side, and while they’re slim, they offer decent tactile feedback. Up top, there’s an IR blaster to control TVs and other devices, along with stereo speakers and —get this— a 3.5mm headphone jack, which the 5G model doesn’t have. Despite its plastic build, the Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G feels sturdy and lightweight at just 180g, making it comfortable to hold for long periods.

DISPLAY

Xiaomi rarely disappoints in the display department, and that trend continues here, though with a few compromises. The 6.67-inch OLED panel offers a 120Hz refresh rate and a Full HD+ resolution (1080 × 2400 pixels), delivering sharp visuals at 395 PPI. Now, here’s where things get interesting, with a peak brightness of 1,800 nits, this display is actually brighter than the 5G model which maxes out at 1,150 nits.

Our review of Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G

7 / 10Review score

Positives

• Stylish design with IP64 rating
• Great battery life with 67W charging
• 200MP main camera

Negatives

• Poor gaming performance for intense gaming
• No 4k video recording
• A ton of bloatware and system ads

That means outdoor visibility is excellent, even under direct sunlight, but there’s a trade-off... unlike the 5G variant, this model doesn’t support HDR10 or Dolby Vision, so HDR content on Netflix or YouTube won’t look as vibrant.

The 120Hz refresh rate is great for smooth scrolling, but there’s no adaptive refresh rate, meaning it only switches between 60Hz and 120Hz. If Xiaomi had included LTPO technology, it could have saved some battery life, Still, the OLED panel delivers deep blacks, punchy colors, and fluid animations, making it a great display for its price.

CAMERA

The Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G packs a triple-camera setup, featuring A 200MP main camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), an 8MP ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field of view, and a 2MP macro camera for selfies. A 32MP front camera, which is actually better than the 20MP sensor on the 5G model.

But how do these cameras perform in real-world use? Let’s break it down.

1. Daylight Photography:

The 200MP main sensor uses pixel binning to capture 12.5MP photos by default. Images are detailed and natural-looking, but contrast and dynamic range could be better, especially in harsh lighting. Portrait mode does a decent job with background blur, but it sometimes struggles with hair strands and fine details.

If you prefer higher-resolution shots, there’s a full 200MP mode, though the difference isn’t as huge as you might expect—plus, it eats up storage.

2. Ultrawide & Macro Cameras:

The 8MP ultrawide camera is average at best. In bright conditions, details are okay, but corners tend to be softer, and noise levels are higher than on the main camera. At night it struggles even more, producing soft, noisy images.

As for the 2MP macro camera… let’s be real—it’s just there for the spec sheet. You’ll get soft details, high noise, and a fixed focus, making it difficult to capture anything usable.

3. Low-Light & Night Mode:

The main sensor handles night shots well, thanks to Xiaomi’s automatic Night Mode processing. It retains good detail, vibrant colors, and balanced highlights, preventing streetlights from blowing out.

4. Selfie Camera:

The 32MP front camera captures natural-looking selfies with decent details, though facial features can sometimes appear soft when zooming in. Portrait mode does an okay job with edge detection, but complex backgrounds can be hit-or-miss.

5. Video Recording:

Now, here’s the disappointing part.The Helio G100 Ultra chipset limits video recording to 1080p at 30 or 60fps, meaning no 4K recording at all. In good lighting, videos look decent, but stabilization is just average. At night, the footage turns soft and grainy, with the ultrawide camera performing even worse. A small plus is that electronic image stabilization (EIS) helps reduce shakiness, but if you’re moving while recording, don’t expect miracles.

AUDIO & SPEAKERS

The Note 14 Pro 4G comes with stereo speakers, which is always a great feature for a mid-range device. Unlike some phones that use a hybrid setup with the earpiece acting as the second speaker, this one has two dedicated speakers, providing a more balanced sound. The speakers produce clear vocals and good high frequencies, making it great for watching videos, gaming, and casual music listening. Though, bass is minimal, so if you’re expecting deep, rich sound, you might be a little disappointed.

Xiaomi has enabled Dolby Atmos by default, which enhances the audio experience slightly. Turning it off doesn’t make a drastic difference, but it does slightly change the sound profile by making it a bit richer but less balanced.

In terms of loudness, the speakers perform well, they are not the loudest in the segment, but they are good enough for media consumption without external speakers or headphones. For those who still prefer wired audio, the Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G retains the 3.5mm headphone jack, which is something the 5G model is missing, this means you can still use your favorite wired headphones without needing an adapter.

PERFORMANCE, SOFTWARE & SECURITY

The Note 14 Pro 4G is powered by the MediaTek Helio G100 Ultra, a chipset that might sound new, but in reality, it’s just a slightly improved version of the Helio G99 from previous generations.This 6nm chip features an octa-core CPU, it uses the Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, which is not the most powerful, but it gets the job done for everyday tasks.

Apps open fairly quickly, and you won’t experience much lag when switching between multiple apps. When it comes to gaming, things aren’t as impressive, casual games like Subway Surfers, Call of Duty Mobile (on medium settings), and PUBG run smoothly, but more demanding games like Genshin Impact or Fortnite will struggle with frame drops, even on lower settings.

A strong point of this chipset is thermal management. Since it doesn’t generate too much heat, the 14 Pro 4G stays cool even after extended gaming sessions. In terms of benchmarks, the Helio G100 Ultra performs similarly to the Helio G99, meaning it sits on the lower end of the spectrum for this price range.

If you’re looking for a performance-focused device, you might want to consider alternatives like the Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G or Poco X7, which offer significantly better processing power.

Software Experience out of the box.

The Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G runs HyperOS 1.0 based on Android 14. Xiaomi has confirmed that the phone will receive 3 years of major Android updates and 4 years of security patches, meaning it should stay updated until Android 17. HyperOS is essentially an optimized version of MIUI, and if you’ve used a Xiaomi or Poco phone before, the experience will feel familiar.

The interface is clean and fluid, but Xiaomi still includes a fair amount of pre-installed apps. Fortunately, most of these can be uninstalled if you don’t need them. One new feature with HyperOS is better memory optimization, allowing apps to stay longer in RAM without reloading. Xiaomi has also improved animations, making the overall experience feel smoother compared to older MIUI versions. While the UI is feature-rich, some users might find it a bit bloated, especially with Xiaomi’s own app store and recommendations that sometimes show ads. This can be disabled, but it requires digging into the settings.

Security & UnlockingFor security.

The Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G includes an under-display optical fingerprint sensor, which is fast and reliable. The placement is convenient, and unlocking the phone takes just a fraction of a second. If you prefer face unlock, the phone offers that too, since it’s a software-based implementation using the front camera, it’s not as secure as a hardware-based 3D face recognition system. It’s fine for convenience, but if security is a priority, the fingerprint sensor is the better option.

The phone also comes with Xiaomi’s built-in security suite, which includes app locking, secure folder options, and anti-theft features.

Additionally, Google Play Protect is enabled by default, scanning apps for any potential threats.

BATTERY & CHARGING

Xiaomi has increased the battery size to 5,500mAh, which is an improvement from last year’s model. In real-world usage, the phone delivers solid battery life, easily lasting a full day of heavy use. The charging speed is 45W, and while that sounds decent, it’s actually a downgrade from last year’s 67W fast charging. A full charge takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes, while 30 minutes gets you to around 42%.

FINAL VERDICT– SHOULD YOU BUY IT?

So, after everything we’ve covered, is the Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G worth your money?

At the end of the day, the Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G is a decent phone, but not the best value for money when the 5G model is just slightly more expensive.

BETTER ALTERNATIVES?

If you’re willing to spend a little more, I’d strongly recommend checking out:

1. Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G – Better performance, 4K video, and HDR10+ display

2. Poco X7 – Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, AMOLED, and solid performance

3. Samsung Galaxy A55 – Better software support and no ads

See you in the next blog, Cheers 🍻