Technology

Review of Xiaomi 14 Ultra, price and specifications

Published

4 weeks ago

28/03/2024

pouyan

Review of Xiaomi 14 Ultra, price, technical specifications, design, display, software, hardware, battery life and charging, and other specifications of this phone.

Review of Xiaomi 14 Ultra, price and specifications

Introduction

A few small but significant upgrades to the camera system, tweaks to the build and display, and the obligatory chipset update – we can’t be mad at the shortlist for the Xiaomi 14 Ultra because last year’s model was one of Xiaomi’s best camera phones.

In fact, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra does not deviate much from its predecessor. The original camera had a 1-inch sensor and dual-aperture lens in 2023, the 2024 uses a newer 1-inch sensor and turns it into a truly variable aperture (with intermediate steps). Meanwhile, the zoom cameras (two of them, which apparently need to be called Ultra), focus closer to the table, and their longer lens is also slightly brighter.

On the outside, Xiaomi has replaced the old model’s Corning-branded glass with an interior concoction that should be more durable (the stars, of course), and the non-leatherette has also been improved. A new aluminum alloy is used for the frame on the international version, while China also gets a titanium option on top. It looks like a win.

The improvement in the display department is hardly noticeable, but there is a promise of slightly more brightness (hardly a game-changer), while the new Snapdragon is the new Snapdragon – better than the old version, more or less the same across all 2024 models.

Xiaomi has decided not to bother with battery capacity or charging speed on the global variant (the Chinese version gets an extra 300mAh), and we think we could have used a little longer life – maybe get it elsewhere.

Specifications of Xiaomi 14 Ultra at a glance:

Body: 161.4×75.3×9.2mm, 220g; Glass front (Xiaomi Shield Glass), glass back or eco-leather, titanium (grade 5), or aluminum alloy frame. IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 minutes).
Display: 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED, 68B color, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1000 nits (typ), 3000 nits (peak), 1440x3200px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 522ppi.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm): Octa-core (1x 3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 and 3x 3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 and 2x 3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 and 2x 2.3 GHz Cortex-X4 ) Adreno 750.
Memory: 256 GB 12 GB RAM, 512 GB 16 GB RAM, 1 TB 16 GB RAM; UFS 4.0.
OS/Software: Android 14, HyperOS.
Rear Camera: Wide (main): 50MP, variable aperture f/1.6-f/4.0, 23mm, 1.0″ 1.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, laser autofocus, OIS; Telephoto: 50MP, f/1.8, 75mm, 1/2.51″ 0.7µm, Dual Pixel PDAF (10cm – ∞), OIS, 3.2x optical zoom; Telephoto: 50MP, f/2.5, 120mm, 1/2.51in, 0.7µm, dual-pixel PDAF (30cm – ∞), OIS, 5x optical zoom; Ultra-wide: 50MP, f/1.8, 12mm, 122˚, 1/2.51″ 0.7μm, Dual Pixel PDAF; Depth: TOF 3D.
Front Camera: 32MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.14in, 0.7µm.
Video recording: Rear camera : 8K@24/30fps, 4K@24/30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480/960/1920fps, gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision HDR 10-bit rec. (4K@60fps, 1080p); Front camera : 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS.
Battery: 5000 mAh; Wired 90W, PD3.0, QC4, Wireless 80W, Reverse Wireless 10W.
Connectivity: 5G; two SIM cards; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.4, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LHDC; NFC; Infrared port
Other specifications: fingerprint reader (under the display, optical); Stereo speakers

Unboxing Xiaomi 14 Ultra

Not much has changed in terms of presentation, and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra comes in the usual thick black cardboard box with simple Xiaomi lettering and a red Leica logo to add some pop. The inner packaging is all made of paper, so that’s a plus.

Its contents include a 90-watt charger (the same as last year) and a dedicated USB-A-to-C cable to accompany it. Xiaomi has also included a clear plastic back cover to protect the Ultra out of the box. It’s on the cheap side, but it’s better than nothing, plus the phone itself seems to be more durable than its predecessor.

Design, build quality, handling

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra welcomes the continuation of its appearance and is similar to the previous model in many ways, maintaining a distinct personality that sets it apart from the competition. That’s not to say there aren’t changes in style, and Xiaomi has done a few things differently when it comes to materials, but the broad lines are familiar.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra (left) next to Xiaomi 13 Ultra

Most noticeable, of course, is the camera bump on the back, a circle that’s now growing even bigger than before. The device houses more or less the same hardware, so the increased diameter may well be a cosmetic improvement, although the new lenses on the telephoto and main camera may have their say.

Gone is the bump that provided a smoother transition to the camera circle, and the camera assembly is now more prominent.

The back is once again made from a synthetic leather-like material, but Xiaomi says this new nano-technology formula is six times more wear-resistant than the formula used on the old model. It certainly feels very soft and grippy – more pleasant than the 13 Ultra, although a year of use may have taken its toll, making the comparison a bit lopsided.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra (left) next to Xiaomi 13 Ultra

Just like the 2023 model, and unlike any phone from other manufacturers, the 14 Ultra’s bezel flows from the sides to the back – we think this isn’t just a unique look, but should also help with durability. Xiaomi says it uses a new aluminum alloy called 6M42, which we can’t find reliable non-native information about. They claim a 1.38x improvement in strength and double the stiffness. Only this is compared to the 13 Pro and not the 13 Ultra.

As for materials, it should be noted that the Chinese market has a few other options besides the white (our review unit) and black aluminum/leather versions that the international model offers. We have to say that the glass back is a very attractive shade of blue, and we’d be properly annoyed if we couldn’t have it if it were ceramic – now we’re just mildly annoyed.

Additionally, there is another black option with a titanium (as opposed to aluminum) frame, with a gold ring around the camera in the same metallic gray color. As a result, this one is a bit more anonymous, but also potentially offers better durability. In China, this version is 13% more expensive than the basic 16GB/1TB option, which in turn is more expensive than the 16GB/512GB option available globally. So, if the Titanium version is sold globally, it will be something like 1,900 euros.

On the front, there are also material changes. Xiaomi has replaced the previous model’s Corning Gorilla Glass Victus with in-house Xiaomi Shield Glass, which lab tests show is 10 times more drop-resistant than the 13 Ultra. It’s hard to determine the implications of this in the real world, but if they say it’s 10x better in the lab, it must be at least somewhat better in real life.

Victus on 13 Ultra, Xiaomi Shield Glass on 14 Ultra

Underneath this glass is a 6.73-inch OLED screen and under it is an optical fingerprint sensor. It sits comfortably on top of the screen, so you don’t have to think twice about where it is—your thumb should naturally hit it.

Unchanged is the IP68 rating on the Ultra, so there’s more peace of mind in inclement weather. Of course, this is consistent with the usual fine print that intrusion protection deteriorates over time, and it’s best not to deliberately test its limits in the first place.

Photography kit

As with the 2023 model, there’s an optional dedicated set of accessories for the 14 Ultra that turns what was already a camera with a phone attached into even more of a camera. The photography kit comes in at €200, and while that sounds like a lot in isolation, that number is only 13% above the phone’s asking price, so it’s probably not that much if you appreciate it.

The kit includes a beautiful frame in black (what we got) or white (what we wished we had), with a detachable right-hand grip in the same color. Mind you, just because China has both doesn’t mean the world does.

Next are two decorative rings in different colors for the camera bump and another ring threaded for standard 67mm lens filters. The rings are now locked in place and there is a dedicated button to release them, as opposed to the lockless bayonet design of the previous version which allowed rings to be lost more easily. There is also a built-in strap that attaches to the handle for added comfort.

The case can be used without a grip, which exposes the phone’s Xiaomi logo through a slit on the back. This slot is there for practical reasons – it is used to fasten the handle to the frame. The grip has a built-in 1500 mAh battery and a USB-C port, so it adds longevity to the phone/camera combo and also allows for charging without taking it apart.

Xiaomi hasn’t just relaunched the old accessories for the new phone – they’ve added some extra functionality. In addition to the two-step shutter button (with great feel, we might add) and the zoom button surrounding it, there’s now a dial and an extra button. The dial does exposure compensation by default but can be set to control the aperture on the main camera, among other things. By default, the red dot button is used to start video recording.

We reiterate that an extra €200 may seem like a hefty sum to pay for a case, but the kit is more than that and adds to the utility in a number of ways – there’s the obvious photography aspect, but let’s not forget that it’s also A power bank of sorts (if relatively small). Weighing the value proposition in that will be a personal choice, of course, but if a simple “FineWoven” iPhone case (even leather) can cost €70, the Xiaomi Photo Kit is almost a bargain.

Bright 6.73-inch OLED with 12-bit color and Dolby Vision

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a 6.73-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1440 x 3200 pixels and a 120-120Hz refresh rate – the same numbers as the 13 Ultra. It’s once again a 12-bit panel (so, theoretically, 68 billion colors) and HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are both supported.

The official specs mention both 1920Hz PWM for dimming as well as DC dimming, so the panel will probably use both methods depending on the brightness level, which apparently was the case with the previous model.

Xiaomi has promised an increase in maximum brightness (from 2,600 to 3,000 nits), and that’s the only immediate difference in specs, though it may be insignificant.

In our testing, there was a slight increase in brightness compared to the older model when the phone was placed in bright light with adaptive brightness enabled. The 1,281 intentions we measured aren’t industry-leading, but that’s a great number nonetheless.

Xiaomi also now lets you increase the brightness by 200 nits when working with the slider – we got 710 nits with the ‘Sunlight mode’ set and 493 nits with it off. Manual result 13 Ultra).

Refresh rate

Controlling the refresh rate on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is relatively simple. There is the usual adaptive behavior, and when the phone is displaying static content, it drops the frequency by 10Hz (most of the time) or 1Hz (in some cases). Specific refresh rate modes will be engaged for the respective video frame rate. Games that support high frame rates will be allowed free ROM and the phone will stay in 120Hz mode for them.

The 60Hz and 120Hz settings act as ceilings, and the adaptive behavior will still remain in place, just like the default mode (although the 120Hz mode may be a bit more aggressive in maintaining 120Hz).

Stream and HDR

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, and we received HDR streams from Netflix and YouTube. Widevine L1 compatibility means that DRM-protected content can be played at the highest available resolution (typically 1080p).

14 Ultra and its HyperOS also support Google’s Ultra HDR standard for capturing and displaying 10-bit images from compatible phones in various applications. You’ll get your highlights in the built-in gallery as well as in Google Photos, and you can also view the effect with other compatible photos in Chrome.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra battery life

Our new Active Use Score is an estimate of how long the battery will last if the device is used with a combination of all four test activities. Using the sliders below, you can adjust the calculation based on your usage pattern. You can read about our current battery life testing method here. For a comprehensive list of all devices tested so far, head over here.

The global version of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery, which is the same battery capacity as the 13 Ultra from last year. The Chinese 14 Ultra gets a slight upgrade – to 5,300 mAh, but we don’t get that extra mAh.

Much like the 13 Ultra, the 14 Ultra doesn’t exactly win our hearts with its endurance, though it’s a step up overall. The most significant improvement is in the gaming test, where the new model added 33% to the 13 Ultra’s impressive 5 hours – not enough to outlast the competition.

11 hours in the web browsing test is a good showing, and so is call time, but video playback life is below average. Overall, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s battery life isn’t class-leading, but that’s not the end either.

Charging speed

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra comes with the same 90W HyperCharge adapter that we got with the 13 Ultra. Xiaomi says the phone should be able to charge from empty to full in 33 minutes, and that was more or less our experience. Our power meter showed an instantaneous value of 78W but was happier hovering around the 75W mark, where it remained for about the first 3 minutes of the process before the power gradually decreased – as expected. went

As before, be aware that you need to enable the “Increase charging speed” switch in settings to achieve the highest possible speed – it’s disabled out of the box.

Compared to the previous model, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra was slightly slower, reaching 15 minutes, but it was already half an hour ahead at the checkpoint which also made it to 100% slightly faster. We’ll admit that the 13 Pro was significantly faster than last year’s 120W charging, and a number of this year’s flagships have an edge over the 14 Ultra as well. Still, no reason to complain about the charging speed.

We also tried a non-native 65W USB Power Delivery adapter, and it got us to 50% in 30 minutes and 100% in 80 minutes – not impressive, but a decent result for those times you’ve forgotten the dedicated adapter.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra supports wireless charging, which Xiaomi rates at 80W. According to the company’s data, a full charge from flat mode should take 46 minutes with the proper dock (a brand new product launched alongside the Ultra).

We have no doubt that something close to this number is possible in real life, as their claimed wired charging speeds were far more accurate than our own measurements. That said, we couldn’t test it.

It’s worth noting that the stand doesn’t come with an adapter, and its specs say it needs a 120-watt charger to reach maximum power output. Since the phone itself comes with a 90W adapter, you should consider purchasing an additional 120W adapter to get the most out of the dock. On the other hand, even with the supplied 90W unit docked, you can probably get pretty decent speeds.

Speaker test

Xiaomi 14 Ultra uses the speaker setup of the previous model. It has one unit sticking out from the bottom, and another one at the top that sends sound up through four holes in the top plate and moves forward/up through a slot in the edge of the display glass – that’s the headphone. Is.

bottom speaker • top speaker • earpiece slot

The top speaker receives the left channel in the vertical direction and the channels are switched to match the horizontal direction. The two speakers each output their respective channels as well as an attenuated version of the opposite channel.

In our testing, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra matched the previous model’s “Very Good” rating for loudness, with a slightly higher numerical result. Basically, all potential competitors are in the same space in terms of loudness, although the Galaxy S24 Ultra could make a bigger impact.

The new phone improves on its predecessor with a nice sound with a slightly livelier mid-range, while maintaining good bass levels and clean treble. Neither Vivo nor Oppo are serious contenders, at least to our ears, but if we had to choose, we’d probably prefer the Galaxy.

HyperOS on top of Android 14

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is one of the first phones to launch with Xiaomi’s latest software platform called HyperOS – what they call a “human-centric operating system designed for the ‘Human x Car x Home’ smart ecosystem.” We’ve already come across HyperOS on the Xiaomi 14 and you can read our dedicated article or watch the video below to get a taste of it.

Xiaomi’s update policy for the 14 and 14 Ultra includes 4 years of core firmware updates, plus an additional year of security patches. While it doesn’t exactly match Google and Samsung in 7 years, it’s still a fairly strong software future.

The new OS is certainly very similar to the old MIUI, and while we’ve no doubt there are some improvements to come, long-time Xiaomi phone users will be right at home. However, there are subtle differences, such as a slightly smoother design and more rounded edges for many design elements.

HyperOS on Xiaomi 14 Ultra

Some things have become more intuitive, such as multi-window implementation where buttons are now more self-explanatory. This doesn’t quite apply to quick settings, so it’s nice to have an option to enable text labels (off by default). However, you can no longer opt out of Control Center – it’s only available on phones that ran pre-HyperOS, but not on phones booted with the new software.

HyperOS on Xiaomi 14 Ultra

Benchmarks

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 – the same chipset you’ll find in the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Find X7 Ultra, Magic6 Pro, or most of this year’s high-end phones, be it cameras. Central or not (vivo X100 Pro with Dimensity 9300 is a notable exception). The chip is already a familiar fixture and has proven to be a significant step up from last year’s top-end SoC from Qualcomm – as it should be.

Built on the 4nm process, the SD 8 Gen 3 has an octa-core CPU in a 1+3+2+2 configuration with a Cortex-X4 main core clocked at 3.3GHz. The GPU is Adreno 750. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra for international markets comes in a configuration with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage (this is our review unit, and the storage speed actually complies with the UFS 4.0 standard). China 14 Ultra also has 12/256GB and 16GB/1TB versions.

In the benchmarks, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra showed very good numbers – in the upper half of the class, without standing out as a flagship. It was more in its element under CPU loads, while the GPU results put it a few notches down the chart. The performance mode in the battery settings doesn’t really affect the benchmark scores in a meaningful way.

Under stable load, performance mode didn’t affect the 3DMark Wild Life stress test results, and 68 percent stability isn’t half bad for a high-end phone. With this star, the initial scores were a few percentage points behind the best, but the stability is still welcome.

Stable load, balanced mode: CPU latency test • 3DMark Wild Life stress test

In the CPU Throttling test, Performance mode had somewhat the opposite effect of what you’d expect – peak performance was lower than the default Balanced mode. However, in both cases, Xiaomi showed excellent behavior with relatively minor throttling.

Sustained load, performance mode: CPU lag test • 3DMark Wild Life stress test

Now the two telephotos focus close

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra doesn’t make major changes to the camera system – at least at first glance. Last year’s model had a lot going for it, so there wasn’t much room for improvement. However, the improvements that are there are very welcome.

The most significant overall improvement is in the close-focusing capability on the two telephoto cameras (which retain the same sensors as the previous model). The 3.2x zoom camera can now focus on objects as close as 10cm, while the periscope 5x unit’s minimum focus distance is 30cm. Sure, the same longer telephoto lens is now brighter, but f/2.5 vs. f/3.0 is harder to improve.

The lens is where one of the two changes to the main camera is visible – much easier than moving from the IMX989 to the newer LYT-900 sensor. The new optics are now brighter (f/1.63 vs. f/1.9), but the aperture can be adjusted continuously across the entire range – not just stopped down to f/4.0, which was the case on the 13 Ultra. The diaphragm uses 6 blades, but they are cut in such a way that it creates a dodecagonal shape.

Stepless adjustment is available in Pro mode, while in Normal Photo mode, you get f/1.63 wide open, f/4.0 wide stopped, and intermediate steps at f/2.0 and f/2.8.

The specifications of the ultra-wide camera remain unchanged from the previous generation, and it is still the same IMX 858 sensor in two cameras. It’s paired with an AF-capable lens at the wider end of the ultra-wide spectrum. The selfie camera isn’t much different this year, relying on a 32MP OmniVision sensor and a fixed focus lens – we’ve never been fans of it, but Xiaomi still uses it.

Wide (primary): 50 MP Sony LYT-900 (1″, 1.6μm – 3.2μm), f/1.63-f/4.0, 23mm, multi-directional PDAF, laser AF, OIS; 4K@120fps
Ultra-wide: 50 MP Sony IMX858 (1/2.51″, 0.7μm-1.4μm), f/1.8, 12mm, PDAF; 4K@60fps
Telephoto 1, 3.2x: 50 MP Sony IMX858 (1/2.51, 0.7μm-1.4μm), f/1.8, 75mm, PDAF (10cm – ∞), OIS; 4K@60fps
Telephoto 1, 5x: 50 MP Sony IMX858 (1/2.51, 0.7μm-1.4μm), f/1.8, 120mm, PDAF (30cm – ∞), OIS; 4K@60fps
Front camera: 32 MP OmniVision OV32B40 (1/3.14″, 0.7μm-1.4μm), f/2.0, 22mm, fixed focus; 4K@60fps

Main camera

The main camera of Xiaomi 14 Ultra takes very nice pictures as expected. The detail is excellent and rendered in a fairly natural way, with only complex textures that make the 12MP image better and look more artificial. The noise is very well controlled.

The automatic white balance was consistently accurate, and we encountered no area errors. Color saturation is well-judged, producing expressive results without overdoing it. The dynamic range is also well wide.

Daylight samples, main camera (1x)

If you want to have artificial coloring and a more cheerful look, the authentic Leica mode is the best option.

Daylight samples, original camera (1x), Leica Authentic

We looked a bit at how variable aperture affects resolution. In good light, the phone usually sets it to f/2.0, which is usually a bit sharper than the f/1.63 setting, with a further stop not making much of a difference, especially with subjects closer to infinity.

Daylight samples, main camera (1x): f/1.63 • f/2.0 • f/2.8 • f/4.0

More evident is its effect on depth of field, especially with close subjects. With them, you’ll often want to stop down a bit to make sure you get more of your subject in sharp focus.

Daylight samples, main camera (1x): f/1.63 • f/2.0 • f/2.8 • f/4.0

You can also check out some of our resident photo models in both portrait and portrait mode.

Examples of daylight, main camera (1x), photo mode

Daylight samples, main camera (1x), portrait mode, 23mm

For completeness, here are also a handful of full-resolution examples. When viewed at 1:1, there is probably more detail, but it also has a more watercolor look to it.

Daylight samples, main camera (1x), 50 megapixels

The 50MP mode works best as an example on 2x zoom level samples. Xiaomi does a great job here, showing great detail even when looking at the Pixel. Still not as amazing as the vivo X100 Pro at 2X, but it’s just a notch lower and good enough.

Daylight samples, main camera (2x)

Faces also look nicely detailed at this zoom level, especially in portrait mode. Portrait mode adds a bit more softness to the subject, but results remain good, both at 50mm and 35mm simulated focal lengths.

Examples of daylight, main camera (2x), photo mode

Daylight samples, main camera (2x), portrait mode, 50mm Daylight samples, main camera (2x), portrait mode, 35mm

3.2x telephoto camera

With a 3.2x zoom, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra shows a significant improvement in resolution over the previous model and is possibly the sharpest 3x image we’ve seen to date. No complaints about global parameters either – dynamic range is great, auto white balance is on point, and colors are vibrant.

Daylight samples, telephoto camera (3.2x)

It’s also great for people, whether in portrait or portrait mode.

Examples of daylight, telephoto camera (3.2x), portrait mode

Daylight samples, telephoto (3.2x), portrait mode, 75mm

But the real fun comes with the close-up. Even at minimum focus distances, the 14 Ultra’s 3.2x maintains excellent sharpness and can produce stunning results.

Examples of daylight, telephoto (3.2x), close-up

This is one area where the generational difference is most apparent – the 13 Ultra can’t come close to the new model’s reproduction ratio at minimum focus distance.

Examples of daylight, telephoto (3.2x), close-up: 14 Ultra • 13 Ultra

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also does pretty well at 3.2x zoom when shooting at a nominal 50MP resolution, although we’re not quite sure why you’d want to do that since there’s a 5x telephoto to get things closer.

Daylight samples, telephoto camera (3.2x), 50 megapixels

5x telephoto camera

The improved 5x telephoto doesn’t disappoint either, taking great shots during the day. It’s also expert at close-ups as promised, almost matching the 3x camera for reproduction while still allowing you to keep your distance from your subject.

Daylight samples, telephoto camera (5x)

Here, too, you can see the level of improvement compared to the old model when it comes to close-up photography.

Examples of daylight, telephoto (5x), close-up: 14 Ultra • 13 Ultra

There’s no portrait mode beyond 75mm, but you can take normal shots of people at 5x.

Examples of daylight, telephoto camera (5x), portrait mode

You can also shoot at 5x zoom at 50MP and get questionable results.

Daylight samples, telephoto camera (5x), 50 megapixels

However, if you’re looking for more access, it’s best to push up to 10x (either from the on-screen display or better yet, use the keys on the photography kit). The images we received are very sharp, better than what the Galaxy S24 Ultra can muster. The contrast can be a bit high though.

Examples of daylight, telephoto camera (5x), zoom 10x

Ultra-wide camera

The ultra-wide camera won’t spoil the overall impression. Other than a bit more grain, there are a few flaws in its photos, and it’s rarely even noticeable enough to point out. Very good detail, great colors and dynamic range, close focus for some exaggerated landscapes – there’s a lot to like here.

Daylight samples, ultra-wide camera (0.5x)

You might be able to make out 50MP in ultra-wide mode, though you might have to look long and hard to find more detail.

Daylight samples, Ultra Wide Camera (0.5x), 50MP

Selfie photos

Xiaomi’s selfies are good, but not our favorite. Skin tones and colors are generally lovely, and we have no complaints about the dynamic range. But the constant insistence on selfie output with a nominal resolution of 32 megapixels is not to our liking, and the fixed focus is not up to the Ultra standard.

Examples of selfies

Low-light photo quality

Main camera

When set to Auto, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s main camera takes great photos in low light. It does nice exposures that retain a lot of highlight data, while it also does a pretty good job with shadow development – the Xiaomi 14 Ultra gives us brighter shadows than its direct rivals, and we say This is our preferred approach. Even in mixed lighting, automatic white balance is reliable and color rendering is easy on the eyes.

Looking closely, there’s a lot of detail, and Xiaomi strikes a good balance between preserving real information and removing noise. For example, the Galaxy S24 Ultra produces more noise but has a slight edge in detail, while the Find X7 Ultra can be a bit smoother than the Xiaomi.

Low light samples, main camera (1x)

At 2x, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s output varies from very good in better-lit scenes to moonshine in darker settings. You’ll always have great exposure, dynamic range, and color, only darker scenes will be softer at the pixel level.

Low light samples, main camera (2x)

3.2x telephoto camera

Even in the dark, the 3.2x telephoto will hardly leave you wanting. Exposures are on point, the dynamic range is very good, and there’s plenty of fine detail.

Low light samples, telephoto camera (3.2x)

5x telephoto camera

The 5x telephoto is less exciting when it comes to low-light photography. Its dynamic range is somewhat limited, and with the phone prioritizing highlights, you may often end up with darker-than-ideal photos. It also tends to make warmer light sources look orange for our liking. However, given the right amount of light, it still captures a lot of detail.

Low light samples, telephoto camera (5x)

Ultra-wide camera

Ultra-wide offers a better display at night. Colors are a bit washed out and details are somewhat sharp when viewed up close.

Low light samples, ultra-wide camera (0.5x)

Video recording

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra can record up to 4K60 video with all its cameras – the four rear cameras and the front camera. The rear cameras can do 4K24 in addition to 4K30, and can also do 8K at 30fps and 24fps. Meanwhile, the original is also capable of 4K120.

The default codec is still h.264 for all videos except 8K recording, where you only get h.265, but you can switch to h.265 for all your videos. Dolby Vision recording is also on the menu, but only for the main 4K camera at 30 or 24 frames per second.

Video stabilization is available at all resolutions and frame rate combinations (except 4K120) and cannot be disabled in normal video mode, although there is a settings tweak that can turn it off for Director mode recording.

The video quality of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is probably the best we have at the moment. All four rear cameras are expertly matched in appearance and have excellent dynamic range and color reproduction. 4K24 and 4K30 clips look the same from either camera and have great detail (good, more like “good” in ultrawide mode), while 60fps modes are a bit softer, but not really smooth. The 4K120fps main camera is actually the clearest main camera.

The stabilization is also excellent on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. The main camera and ultra-wide shake make walking a gentle float, and all four cameras move smoothly and hold everything well when facing in just one direction.

At night, Xiaomi also performs well. Its main camera is roughly on par with the Galaxy S24 Ultra in terms of detail, but has a wider dynamic range, though the Find X7 Ultra might be slightly better. The ultra-wide suffers from a bit of saturation and the noise performance isn’t great. The 3.2x telephoto is significantly better than the Galaxy, but a notch below the Find X7 Ultra’s camera. When it comes to longer telephoto, the Xiaomi 5x is perhaps slightly better than the Find 6x, but the Galaxy lags behind.

Check Competitors

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s €1,500 price tag may mean you won’t see many of them in the wild, but it doesn’t make it difficult for us to pinpoint its competitors. Well, that, and the big circle on the back. We review the best cameras on the market with a “money ain’t nothing” attitude.

The most notable competitor is the Galaxy S24 Ultra, even if it doesn’t show off its camera prowess as much as many others here. The two are about equal for photos, though Xiaomi has the upper hand in video recording. Each has its own unique accessory—the S Pen versus the photography kit—and that seems to be the divisive issue. If you want a camera phone, choose Xiaomi and if you want everything, choose Galaxy.

Next on our list is the vivo X100 Pro. Also international, but nowhere near as available as the Galaxy, the vivo is still found at 20% less than the Xiaomi. Admittedly, it’s a short camera, but it’s got an amazing 2x mode and a telephoto that sits between the two Ultra cameras – maybe that 100mm focal length is your sweet spot.

Another unconventional zoom can be found on the Honor Magic6 Pro. Nominally a 2.5x camera, its 180MP sensor (or 200MP, depending on how you look at it) can easily be stretched to 5x, though the Xiaomi will still be relatively comfortable beyond that, and the Ultra is an easy option to capture. The video is here.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra (left) next to Oppo Find X7 Ultra

This next one is more of a wild card and official availability is limited to China. But if you could live with the software features it derives from, you might be able to entertain the idea of a gray import. The thing is, after seeing the Xiaomi 14 Ultra in action, we consider the X7 Ultra to be the best, and we’re less inclined to buy one.

There is a more exotic option that can be mentioned in passing. The iPhone 15 Pro Max costs about the same as the Xiaomi and will be great for video too, while offering superior selfies and best-in-class battery life. Since it’s an iPhone, it will also have a choice of accessories for any photo or video use case, which probably negates the benefits of Xiaomi’s kit. However, it remains an iPhone and doesn’t simply jump between ecosystems on a whim.

Galaxy S24 Ultra • vivo X100 Pro • Honor Magic6 Pro • Oppo Find X7 Ultra • iPhone 15 Pro Max

Summary

We pretty much knew what to expect from the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. For example, price has always been a deterrent, and Xiaomi’s approach to selfies hasn’t been to our taste for a while now. We could even predict subpar endurance and drop out of the 13 Ultra results.

We could also predict its strengths with sufficient confidence. A camera favorite in the office, the 13 Ultra doesn’t leave much to be desired, yet Xiaomi has found a few areas to touch up on the 14. Close-focus telephotos have become the latest trend, and these two are here. It’s probably the best at it, but it’s also great from a distance. The variable aperture on the main camera is also welcome if you want a lot of control over DoF, although we don’t see it as an entirely revolutionary development.

The unique selling point of Xiaomi 14 Ultra is the photography kit. Realizing its appeal and potential to boost Ultra sales, Xiaomi has continued to develop the device and add features to it. Indeed, it adds more cost to an expensive phone, but the two together bring you as close to a “real” camera in terms of ergonomics and experience as a smartphone can get.

In the end, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is probably the best camera phone you can buy today.

Why should we buy Xiaomi 14 Ultra?

Absolutely perfect camera system, almost flawless.
Especially great video recording.
First-class performance under sustained load.
Unique accessories package (if optional and not exactly cheap).

Why should we avoid buying Xiaomi 14 Ultra?

Expensive, even for what it is, with little hope for discounts down the line.
Battery life is below average.
The selfie camera takes average-quality photos, lacks autofocus

Source: GSMARENA.COM

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Technology

Samsung Galaxy A55 vs Galaxy A35

Published

1 day ago

25/04/2024

pouyan

With the launch of the Galaxy A55 5G and A35 5G phones, both of which are among the mid-range products of this company, we saw many improvements compared to the previous versions.

Samsung Galaxy A55 vs Galaxy A35

Samsung’s mid-range products are improving every year. Now, with the release of Galaxy A55 5G and A35 5G, both of which are among the mid-range products of this company, we saw many improvements compared to the previous versions. In this article, we are going to compare A55 and A35 phones. These two phones are very similar in terms of appearance, but in other parts, there are differences in these two phones, each of which can be very important for users. Stay with us until the end of the Samsung A55 and A35 phone comparison.

As mentioned, it’s hard to tell the difference between the two phones based on their specs. However, we see that when comparing more closely, their differences become more prominent.

Comparison of the video of Samsung A55 and A35

The mid-range Samsung Galaxy A55 and A35 phones have been made available to us by the ” Technolife ” online store. Teknolife is one of the largest collections of smartphones, wearable gadgets, and other electronic devices. To get more information about Technolife’s product portfolio, enter the website of this online store.

Specifications

phone name	Galaxy A55	Galaxy A35
Display	6.6-inch OLD with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and a variable refresh rate of 120 Hz / maximum brightness of 1000 nits	6.6-inch Super AMOLED with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and a variable refresh rate of 120 Hz / maximum brightness of 1000 nits
chipset	Exynos 1480 (4nm)	Exynos 1380 (5nm)
RAM memory	8 or 12 GB	6, 8 or 12 GB
internal memory	128 or 256 GB	128 or 256 GB
Operating system (at the time of release)	Android 14 and One UI 6.1 skin	Android 14 and One UI 6.1 skin
Main camera	The triple camera includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 5-megapixel macro camera.	The triple camera includes a 50-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 5-megapixel macro camera.
selfie camera	32 megapixels	16 megapixels
battery	5000 mAh	5000 mAh
Charging technology	Wired 25 watts	Wired 25 watts
Weight	213 grams	209 grams
body	Glass back frame/aluminum frame / protective glass Gorilla Glass Victus + for the display / IP67 standard to resist the penetration of dust and splashing water drops	Glass back frame/aluminum frame / protective glass Gorilla Glass Victus + for the display / IP67 standard to resist the penetration of dust and splashing water drops

Design and display

Both Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G use the design language of Galaxy S24. It is for this reason that these two models are very similar in appearance. However, last year we saw that Samsung’s mid-range to flagship phones were all similar in terms of design, and the difference was seen in the hardware and build quality.

The Galaxy A55 5G uses metal and Gorilla Glass Victus+, which is an excellent specification for a mid-range device. The A35 also has a glass back frame without Gorilla Glass protection and a plastic frame. The most obvious difference between these two phones in terms of design and build quality is related to the material of their frames, which we see in the bigger brother, the A55, which this year has used a brushed aluminum frame.

Continuing the comparison of A55 and A35, we should mention that in terms of size, both are almost similar. The Galaxy A55 5G is slightly slimmer and lighter. The Galaxy A35 5G is about 4 grams heavier, but the difference is barely noticeable.

Comparison of A55 and A35 phones: design and display

Both phones have IP67 water and dust resistance. This means that both phones are equally resistant to dust and water. Admittedly, that’s a step down from the IP68 certification found on many Samsung phones, but in the phone category, it doesn’t matter much if you can drop the phone deeper.

Regarding the port and buttons, we should mention that a new curve can be seen on the right side of the phones. This new design on the right edge of these two phones makes it easier to recognize the location of the buttons during use. In addition, it has helped to make the phone comfortable. Above this section, there are power buttons and volume buttons. There is also a USB Type-C port on the bottom edge that you can use to charge phones using the cable in the box. Of course, don’t expect that there is any charge inside the box. In recent years, Samsung has generally removed the charger from its product box and only offers a charging cable.

Galaxy A35 5G and Galaxy A55 5G both have 6.6-inch screens and in terms of screen dimensions, both are slightly larger than last year’s version. This is for those who are interested in bigger phones; It is good news. Although the difference compared to last year is only 0.2 inches, this change has made both of these phones feel more premium to the user.

The rest of the display specifications are very close. Each earphone was equipped with Super AMOLED screens and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, which provide a very smooth and smooth experience in the user interface and playing games.

Performance and software

Both the Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G are based on Samsung’s mid-range Exynos chips. These two models use Exynos 1480 and Exynos 1380 chips respectively. Considering the history of Gegenios chips and the fact that these chips are mid-range anyway, they should not be compared with the new versions of Snapdragon.

With mid-range Exynos chips in last year’s Galaxy A54 and Galaxy A34, they provided average and acceptable performance. The Galaxy A54 came with the same Exynos 1380 and now the same chip is used in the A35.

Predictably, the Galaxy A55 5G beats the Galaxy A35 due to its faster Exynos chip. According to various benchmark tests, the Galaxy A55 outperforms the Galaxy A35 in both GeekBench 6 and 3DMark. This means that Samsung’s new mid-range chip has improved performance compared to last year’s version.

phone name	Antutu 9	GeekBench 5 Multi-Core	PCMark Work 3.0	3DMark WL Unlimited	3DMark WLE Unlimited
Galaxy A55	635598	3352	13208	3905	1034
Galaxy A35	522829	2742	12545	2797	892

As for memory and storage, both devices are available in three versions. You can get the Galaxy A55 5G with 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. The Galaxy A35 5G comes with 128GB of storage and either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, although a 256GB version with 8GB of RAM is also available for purchase.

Both of these phones came with Android 14 and One UI 6.1 and get up to 4 years of Android updates and 5 years of security updates.

Comparison of A55 and A35 phones in the camera department

Both the A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G have triple cameras, but you’ll be using two of those lenses roughly 99% of the time. Why? Because the third lens is for macro photography. Samsung has been using this macro lens in its phones for several years. Although many users don’t use this lens, the company has decided to stick with it instead of using an efficient telephoto lens. We hope to see this change in mid-range phones in next year’s models.

In terms of specifications, the main difference is in the ultra-wide megapixels of the Derby. The Galaxy A55 5G comes with a 50-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera; While the Galaxy A35 5G is equipped with a 50-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera. Both phones also have the same 5-megapixel macro camera as mentioned. The main camera of this phone is the same. So most of the photos you’ll take in this mode are similar, but the A55’s ultra-wide shots are better. However, the difference is not so great.

On the front, the Galaxy A55 5G has a 32-megapixel selfie camera. In contrast, the Galaxy A35 5G has a 13-megapixel selfie camera. In terms of quality, the Galaxy A55 5G performs better, but the difference between the photos is not much at first glance. In the portrait mode, the separation of the subject from the background is better in A55. In contrast, the photos of A35 in portrait mode look a little artificial.

Main camera

In terms of quality, we can’t see any major differences between the Galaxy A55 and the Galaxy A35.

Ultra-wide camera

Night photography

The zoom capability of the camera on both devices is not very good, so it is recommended to do zoom photography only when necessary. Otherwise, you may be disappointed with the result. Although 2X digital zoom is suitable for photography, but when you increase the zoom value, the quality of the photos will drop drastically.

Speaker and fingerprint sensor

In terms of sound quality, the A54 and Galaxy A34 weren’t flawless, but both the Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G nailed many of the issues. The Galaxy A55 5G has slightly better sound quality than the Galaxy A35, but the difference is very small and you can tell the difference after listening to the same sound several times. But the sound of A55 is a little louder than A35.

The fingerprint sensor is not the best in any of the phones, but the result is satisfactory. The speed of fingerprint recognition in the A55 phone is half a second faster than the cheaper model.

Battery life and charging

Both phones have 5,000 mAh batteries, which is a standard battery capacity. Of course, the A55 and the Galaxy A35 5G are different in terms of performance due to the difference in the processor, and the A55 has a better performance in this field.

According to the PCMark benchmark that we took to measure the battery life of these phones, the A55 recorded half an hour more screen time. However, this half hour may not be felt in real and daily use.

Conclusion

In this article, we compared A55 and A35 phones. As you have seen in different parts of this article, the biggest difference between these two phones is their frame and camera performance. Although A55 has a more powerful chip, it does not make a difference in the user interface experience. Both of these phones can handle popular games well. The aluminum frame of the A55 phone is one of the advantages of this phone, which can be very important for users. Due to the price difference, these two phones do not show special performance in the A55 model, although, in the video recording department, the A55 phone provides better output due to having a much better stabilizer.

Technology

Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro review

Published

2 days ago

24/04/2024

pouyan

Xiaomi is not yet a big name in the world of tablets, But the wave of new tablets from the Chinese company in recent years shows that they have big goals in mind. So in this article, we will review the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro.

Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro review, economical iPad Pro

Tablets are the strangest gadgets in the world. At first glance, every user, seeing a well-made tablet, imagines that he must have one of them. A set of high-quality hardware in addition to an attractive form that is not as small as a mobile phone, which cannot be used for serious work, and does not restrict movement as much as laptops. It seems that such a device if it has a modern and appropriate design, can become an extremely useful tool that will significantly increase the level of your ability to produce content.

But the biggest challenge of tablets starts exactly from this point. Mobile phones have compact dimensions and are equipped with hardware that, compared to their size, turns them from the level of a normal gadget into an extremely useful “hypermarket”. There is almost nothing in the digital world that you cannot do with the help of a mobile phone. From filming and photography to editing images and videos, and from watching movies to playing games and even coding. But the more we move towards a more professional range of digital activities, the convenience of using a mobile phone gradually becomes less and less. Fortunately, the solution to this problem has been invented: a laptop!

Laptops can have the same hardware as a powerful home computer. But they offer this power in a portable form, and for that reason, they are gadgets that are hard to replace. To solve the challenges of working with mobile phones, laptops provide the user with a much larger screen, physical keyboard, multiple ports, and extensive communication capabilities, and they handle complex and heavy tasks well; Whether you are a professional programmer, a video editor or a gamer.

Finding a place between smartphones and laptops is the most difficult task for a tablet

As a result, tablets have to prove themselves in a space that is well covered by mobile phones on the one hand and laptops on the other hand. For this reason, many users do not consider buying a tablet a good choice. But definitely, for every user, there has been a time when he feels that neither a mobile phone nor a laptop can do a certain task in the best way, and a tablet is the best option to do that task.

Of course, the “special work” of each user can be different depending on the job or hobby of each person. You may be a professional reader who has decided to buy e-books instead of paper books; Or the mobile gamer who feels that the dimensions of the phone cannot develop all his talents in Call of Duty Mobile and needs a device with a larger screen for this. Or an employee who spends a large part of his daily activity reading e-mails, managing the flow of projects, and participating in video conferences, and needs a more specialized device than a phone, but more portable than a laptop to do these things.

But as much as iPads are successful in filling this technological gap, Android tablets are not welcomed by users. According to the latest statistics, in February 2024, Apple had more than 54% of the tablet market, followed by Samsung with 27% and Amazon with 3%. This statistic clearly shows that many users believe that “an Android tablet is just an Android phone with bigger dimensions”.

Is an Android tablet more than just a large Android phone?

Samsung has been trying to erase this notion from the minds of users for years. Whether he has succeeded in doing such a thing or not is a matter that should be addressed separately. But gradually, another name appears in the campaign to challenge iPads, more prominently than before: Xiaomi.

2023 was a relatively busy year for the Xiaomi tablet unit. Xiaomi Pad 6, Xiaomi Pad SE, Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro, and Xiaomi Pad 6 Max were the tablets that were introduced by the Chinese company and now it is time for the first model of 2024. The Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro is a device introduced to compete with the iPad Air 2022 and the Galaxy Tab S9 FE and aims to show that Android tablets are much more useful than you might think.

List of hardware specifications of Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro
Specifications	Description
Dimensions (mm)	287.7 x 191.6 x 6.3
weight (gram)	590
Display dimensions	12.4 inches with a 3:2 aspect ratio
Display technology	IPS LCD – supports 68 billion colors 144 Hz refresh rate Maximum brightness of 900 nits
chipset	Snapdragon 8 Generation 2
RAM and storage space	256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM
Main camera	50 megapixels f/1.8, 1/2.76-inch sensor
filming	4K@30/60fps 1080p@30/60fps
selfie camera	32 megapixels
Battery capacity	10000 mAh
fast charging	120 watts (0 to 100 in 35 minutes)

The iPad of the Chinese

Although Samsung and Apple tablets share many similarities, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro bears an undeniable resemblance to the iPad Pro. The aluminum body and frame with low bezels around the display and perhaps most importantly, the square-shaped camera island on the back of the device are undoubtedly reminiscent of the iPad Pro. Of course, considering Apple’s very high share of the tablet market, Xiaomi seems to have made the right decision regarding the design inspiration of the 6S Pro pad from iPads.

The back of the Xiaomi Pad 6s Pro tablet

You probably also agree that years of using smartphones with glass bodies have made us forget the feeling of holding aluminum gadgets. But as soon as you hold the pad of the 6S Pro, the memories of the past come alive and you can again experience the pleasant feeling of touching a body with cold metal.

Revisiting the aluminum body is really enjoyable!

Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro has a thickness of 6.3 mm, which is almost equal to the thickness of the iPad Air 6.1 mm and Galaxy Tab S9 FE 6.5 mm (as its price competitors in the Iranian market). However, the weight of the Xiaomi tablet is significantly more than the competitors. Where the scales tip, the 590g Pad 6S Pro is almost 130g heavier than the iPad Air and 67g heavier than the Galaxy Tab S9 FE.

Xiaomi Pad 6s Pro tablet keyboard and pen

Although this number is by no means negligible, you should not forget that both Apple and Samsung tablets are 10.9 inches (against the 12.4-inch screen of the Xiaomi tablet). However, in the world of tablets and according to the size and model of the use of these gadgets, the weight is higher, much more than 1.5 inches, and the screen is bigger. The result of this greater weight is faster hand fatigue during work and the greater tendency of the user to place the tablet on a surface such as a table.

Borrowing from Apple’s design can be seen even in the location of the device’s physical keys. You can find the volume keys on the top right edge of the tablet, and the power key is located on the right corner of the top edge of the device, just like the iPad Air. As expected, this key also plays the role of a fingerprint sensor.

Around the body, you can also see a set of 6 stereo speakers of Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro. This set not only helps produce loud and clear sound in different audio frequencies but also supports Dolby Atmos, giving you a better experience while watching movies and video conferences. Of course, there are probably very few users who still prefer to hear the sound of the movie through the tablet speakers instead of using Bluetooth hands-free! Also, there is no news about the 3.5 mm headphone jack.

More than 85% of the device’s front view is covered by its 12.4-inch screen. The screen-to-body ratio in the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro is almost 4% higher than the same figure in the iPad Air and Galaxy Tab S9 FE, and Xiaomi should be given credit for its effort in reducing the screen margins. Of course, this issue can be looked at from a different angle.

When you hold a tablet in your hand, you need space around the screen to place your fingers. This procedure is unlike smartphones, in which mainly the hand that is behind and the finger that is placed under the phone are also responsible for protecting it. As a result, reducing the bezels around the screen of a tablet too much is probably not a very good decision. However, Xiaomi has decided to take a little risk and move a few more steps towards the limit and ultimate convenience of using a tablet.

Perhaps the use of a relatively high-quality screen has made Xiaomi accept the risk of reducing the margins around it in order to expose the screen in the best way to the users. The screen of Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro is IPS LCD type with 3K resolution, the maximum announced brightness is 900 nits and the refresh rate is 144 Hz, which is much higher than the 60 and 90 Hz screens of Apple and Samsung.

Watch videos on the Xiaomi Pad 6s Pro tablet

Camera software on the Xiaomi Pad 6s Pro tablet

Quick settings in the user interface of Xiaomi Pad 6s Pro

Brightness settings on the Xiaomi Pad 6s Pro tablet

Of course, the IPS LCD screen and its similarity with the panel of competitors of the same price do not disappoint us, but maybe you also expect to see an OLED panel on a tablet with the specifications and of course the price of Pad 6S Pro.

The pixel density of 295 ppi is another strength of this display, but the best aspect ratio should still be given to the iPad Air. It seems that the 4:3 aspect ratio in Apple tablets provides users with the best possible mode for using a tablet. While the 3:2 aspect ratio on the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro is much better than the weird 16:10 that many other tablets (including Samsung’s) use, it’s still a step down from iPads in terms of usability.

Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro display performance against competitors
Product/Test	Minimum brightness	Maximum brightness	contrast ratio	sRGB		DCI P3
Product/Test	Minimum brightness	manual Automatically	local	cover	Average error	cover	Average error
Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro	5	547 780 (HDR)	156	99.4 percent	3.2	97.9	4.2
Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra	2	502 910 (HDR)	∞	100% (Original)	1.8	130 percent (Vivid)	3.4
Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro	0.6	332 415	553	96.9 percent	2.5	98.5 percent (Saturated)	3.4
iPad Pro 12.9 2022	1.7	566 1532 (HDR)	∞	100 percent	1.8	—	—
iPad Pro 11 2022	2.40	509 518	706	100 percent	2.3	—	—
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra	2.0	527 943 (HDR)	∞	100 percent (Natural)	3.1	100 percent (Vivid)	5.4

As you can see in the table, contrary to Xiaomi’s claim of a maximum brightness of 900 nits, in Zoomit tests the maximum brightness of the Pad 6S Pro screen in HDR mode is about 780 nits. Although under normal conditions, screen brightness is not a problem, when playing video or working with the device under sunlight, this point should be considered.

On the other hand, the accuracy of the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro screen should be considered one of the strengths of this tablet. The coverage of more than 99% of the sRGB color space and nearly 98% of the DCI-P3 color space and an error of less than 5% in both modes indicate the production of accurate colors in this display, which will be a positive point for those interested in watching video content.

Another noteworthy point about the display is the ability to adjust the temperature and brightness of the screen based on environmental conditions, which makes the tablet a suitable option for those interested in reading.

Despite the acceptable technical performance of the screen in Pad 6S Pro, it seems that the distance between the protective glass of the screen and the panel is a little high; For this reason, a little shadow can be seen on the edges of the page. If you have sharp eyes, such an issue may get on your nerves while working with a tablet.

Chip; The trump card of the Pad 6S Pro

Unlike Samsung, which has used the disappointing Exynos 1380 chipset for its representative in this price range, Xiaomi has gone to a more powerful competitor to challenge the iPad Air equipped with the M1 chipset. The SD 8 Gen 2 chip is the mastermind of the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro, which can easily turn the Chinese tablet into a tool to accomplish any task with any level of complexity and technical power required.

Performance of Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro against competitors
Product/benchmark	chip	Speedometer 2.0	GeekBench 6		GFXBench
		Web browsing experience	GPU computing power	CPU computing power	Game simulator
			Vulkan/Metal	Single/Multi	Aztec Ruins Onscreen/1440p
			Vulkan/Metal	Single/Multi	Vulkan/Metal
Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2	156	8667	1915 5254	41 65
Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2	193	9661	2022 5377	50 68
Pad 6 pro	Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1	124	6999	1756 4433	34 47
iPad Pro 2022	Apple M2	373	45395	2527 9576	81 75
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra	Snapdragon 8 Gen 1	102	6887	1629 3663	28 37
iPad Pro 12.9 2021	Apple M1	212	—	2400 7871	52.8 68.2

In terms of processing performance, Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro has recorded acceptable results as an Android tablet, but there are controversial points in the benchmark results of this tablet that cannot be simply ignored. First of all, the Xiaomi tablet’s chipset is a few steps below Apple’s M1. By comparing the numbers recorded by the Pad 6S Pro with the benchmark results of the iPad Pro 2021 (which uses the same M1 chip used in the iPad Air 2022), you can clearly see the difference in performance.

Unfortunately, Snapdragon 8 generation 2 still has a significant gap with Apple’s chipsets

Despite having the same chipset as a tablet like the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, the Xiaomi tablet cannot record the same results as the Samsung representative and is still ranked lower. For example, in the GPU computing power test, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro is about 10% weaker than the Galaxy Tab. This result is repeated in the CPU computing power test and the game simulation test (although with a smaller difference). Of course, it can be justified that the price of the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is 2 times higher than the price of the Xiaomi representative, and yet the difference of 10% is not such a big difference.

Browsing the Zomit website with the Xiaomi Pad 6s Pro tablet

Aside from the benchmark results, one thing to note is that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will handle almost anything, and there is probably no usage scenario that will cause the device’s chip to hang or feel weak.

The UFS 4.0 storage space makes the speed of reading and writing information no less than the best tablets on the market. The Pad 6S Pro in the basic configuration offers 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage space, which was also available to Zoomit for review. In addition, except for this model, users will also be able to choose versions with 12 or 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB or 1 TB of storage space.

When we talk about the hardware power of the tablet, it is not bad to keep in mind that unlike Samsung and even Apple, Xiaomi’s user interface does not provide the user with special features for multitasking, and features such as the ability to open four windows at the same time. In Workstation mode, they do not put any special pressure on the device. With this account, it can be said that the processing power of SD 8 Gen 2 for Xiaomi tablet is considered “Overkill” to some extent.

HyperOS experience; Repetitive and not very useful

Perhaps the main distinguishing feature of tablets should be found in their user interface and user experience. After the retirement of MIUI, Xiaomi has tried to design its new user interface, Hyper OS, simpler and lighter and provide as many features as possible to users. Among the features of HyperOS in Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro is a special video conference mode (using artificial intelligence to remove microphone noise), a very powerful file management system (File Manager), which Xiaomi considers to be on par with the file management system of laptops, the possibility of using He mentioned the tablet as a second screen for photography and video cameras and of course a new feature called Interconnectivity.

With Interconnectivity, Xiaomi wants to evoke the ecosystem of Apple and Samsung for users

Interconnectivity is actually Xiaomi’s attempt to create integration between the company’s products and provide conditions such as perfect coordination of iOS and iPad, in order to create a platform similar to what Apple provides to its users for Xiaomi fans.

The Interconnectivity feature is created by a Xiaomi user account between different devices and features such as a central hub for controlling smart home appliances, the possibility of Drag&Drop files between different devices, the ability to convert the main phone camera into a tablet selfie camera in video calls, or work with the phone. It makes it available to users through tablets.

Interconnectivity feature on the Xiaomi Pad 6s Pro tablet

After creating a Xiaomi account (or logging in) and issuing the necessary access to Interconnectivity, in the quick settings section of the tablet, you will have a new option called Mi Smart Hub through which you can access all other devices that support this feature. View and control.

For example, let’s say you have connected your tablet and phone through Interconnectivity. Here you can use the phone as an independent and external camera and take photos or videos through the tablet. If you’ve ever tried to record a video for YouTube or Instagram on your own, you know how much of a hassle it can be to adjust the frame, focus, brightness, and sidelights. But now with a tablet and a Xiaomi phone that support Interconnectivity, you can easily have your own personal studio!

Hyper OS operating system on Xiaomi Pad 6s Pro tablet

The next interesting feature is the ability to type or navigate the phone through the tablet. If for some reason you intend to draw a shape on your phone, you can do it on the larger screen of the tablet with the help of a dedicated pen, which undoubtedly provides more precision and control. In such a case, applying changes at high speed and without slowness or lag is a very important point that Interconnectivity provides you.

Apart from these cases, Xiaomi has tried to add a feature similar to Airdrop to its devices. This feature, called Mi Share, works exactly like Airdrop in Apple products, and you can use it to transfer files between different Xiaomi devices. Of course, this feature seems to be compatible with other Android devices as well, but at least in our tests, it was not possible to transfer files from tablets to Samsung phones, which may be due to the presence of Chinese ROM, or a software bug that can be solved in the future.

Along with the Pad 6S Pro, a keyboard and a special pen called the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro Cover and Xiaomi Focus Pen have also been introduced to increase the productivity aspect of the tablet. The pen is magnetically connected to the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro and is charged in this way. With the support of a 240 Hz touch sampling rate and 4096 pressure levels, this pen is considered a very good option for designers. The interesting thing is that the focus pen of the Xiaomi stylus is very similar to the Apple Pencil and, like the overall design of the 6S Pro pad, it was directly inspired by Apple.

Drawing with a pen on the Xiaomi Pad 6s Pro tablet

The keyboard is connected to the tablet through the pins on the back of the device and simultaneously plays the role of the cover. Of course, it seems that this keyboard was designed for the Chinese market, and some software limitations (such as not being able to set the Farsi language for typing) can be seen in it. A trackpad is not considered for this keyboard, which seems a bit strange, but as a means to get rid of the virtual and touch keyboard of the tablet, it will be a logical option.

The camera set is quite adequate

Although probably no one expects photography from tablets, Xiaomi offers a camera with a 50-megapixel sensor for necessary occasions. The maximum aperture of this camera is f/1.8 and the dimensions of its sensor are 1/2.76 inches. With this camera, you can easily scan documents, or if you are in a business meeting or classroom, take a quick picture of the board and the information written on it. The quality of the images in this condition is quite acceptable and no particular fault can be found in them.

Another 2-megapixel camera is intended to help detect depth, which is not particularly useful in normal photography. The possibility of recording videos with 4K or 1080p resolution at a maximum rate of 60 frames per second is also available to users by the main camera.

Attending video conferences is one of the main uses of tablets. For better video quality in video calls, Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro uses a 32-megapixel selfie camera. This camera is placed on the vertical edge (when you hold the tablet in portrait mode), which is the best way to use it in video conferences.

The selfie camera also uses the Focus Frame feature, which, similar to the Center Stage feature on Apple tablets, keeps the subject always in the center of the frame when using the front camera.

Large battery with reliable charging

Xiaomi has used a giant battery with a capacity of 10,000 mAh in the Pad 6S Pro, which is a leader in its kind and compared to competitors. It is worth noting that the battery used in the iPad Air 2022 has a capacity of 7600 mAh, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE uses a battery with a capacity of 8000 mAh. Meanwhile, while the Samsung tablet supports 45W fast charging, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro can be charged with a 120W adapter, which, according to Xiaomi, charges the tablet from zero to 100% in just 35 minutes. Thanks to the use of Quick Charge 4.0 technology, you will only need 10 minutes to charge the tablet from zero to 45%.

Battery life of Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro against competitors
Product/benchmark	Display	battery	Play video	Everyday use
Product/benchmark	Dimensions, resolution, and refresh rate	milliampere hour	minute: hour	minute: hour
Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro	12.4 inches, 144 Hz 2032×3048 md; sg	10000	17:00	8:25
Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra	14.6 inches, 120 Hz 2960×1848 pixels	11200	17:00	—
Pad 6 pro	11 inches, 144 Hz 2880 x 1800 pixels	8600	12:30	7:18
iPad Pro 2022	11 inches, 120 Hz 1668 x 2388 pixels	7812	10:07	—
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra	14.6 inches, 120 Hz 2960×1848 pixels	11200	16:50	7:30

In Zomit’s daily user test, Pad 6S Pro was able to record a charging time of about 8.5 hours, which is not a bad number considering the LCD display. We also obtained 17 hours of device performance in the video playback test. In general, and according to the results of the tests, we have to classify the charging of the 6S Pro pad as one of its strengths.

By introducing Pad 6S Pro, Xiaomi has shown that it is aware of the main problem of Android tablets. The lack of platforms similar to Apple’s platform for Android device users is the biggest blow to tablets, which normally have a hard time satisfying potential buyers. As a result of adding features such as Interconnectivity along with using the right hardware and having a competitive price, it can be Xiaomi’s winning card to take Samsung’s position in the tablet market and then start the competition to pull down Apple.

However, Xiaomi has a very long and difficult road ahead of it. Even in the Android world, there are exciting features like Samsung Dex that can attract more users, and cross-device integration shouldn’t just be limited to flagship phones and tablets. If Xiaomi can draw a clear vision in this direction and show that it is determined to achieve it, it will meet with more favor from users.

Technology

Metaverse is back

Published

3 days ago

23/04/2024

pouyan

Talk of Metaverse technology has been muted in recent months, but Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg changed that with an Instagram post that could have a significant impact on the development of the best VR headsets and accelerate the pace of Metaverse.

Metaverse is back

The big news is that Meta will open-source the mixed reality operating system it developed for the Quest 3 headset and previous Quest VR headsets to expand the ecosystem with new partners.

Meta built what is now known as Horizon OS with the Android Open Source Project, and now an optimized XR version of Meta will be available for other manufacturers to use on their hardware.

Few details have been shared, but Meta’s blog says that Asus ROG is working on a gaming headset, Lenovo will develop one, and Meta is working with Microsoft on a limited-edition Xbox-inspired Quest. ) cooperates.

Other companies may build devices for specific uses, such as productivity, fitness, watching video, or playing 2D games on a large virtual screen, Zuckerberg said. A dedicated virtual reality headset designed for simulation can start working with Horizon OS.

As part of this change, Meta is updating its Quest app store, which will become the Horizon Store. Anyone running Meta Horizon OS can see compatible apps in the Horizon Store, and more content is on the way.

In addition to the games, apps, and Meta Quest content available, the Horizon Store also features Xbox Cloud Gaming and Steam games. Meta’s App Lab software is being upgraded, so games and apps that are in the early stages of development will be more discoverable.

Zuckerberg once again mentioned Meta’s desire to add the Google Play Store to Horizon OS and thus the Quest platform. Some Android apps can be run on Quest 3, Quest 2, and Quest Pro by sideloading them.

Meta wants to be an open-source alternative to Apple’s Vision Pro augmented reality glasses and become the “Android” version of XR headsets. Google is working with Samsung on similar programs, and the official Android XR operating system is coming soon.

Whether you like the concept or not, things are heating up again in the Metaverse, and Meta wants to be at the forefront of developing these new platforms.