In an age where smartphones are essential for staying connected and capturing life’s moments, finding a reliable device that offers solid performance without stretching your budget is key. Enter the Redmi 14C, designed for users who value functionality and affordability. This smartphone not only promises impressive features but also delivers a seamless user experience that caters to both casual users and those with a penchant for content creation. With its sleek design, vibrant display, and capable camera system, the Redmi 14C aims to meet the diverse needs of today’s mobile users.
It strikes a balance between everyday usability and advanced capabilities, making it a strong contender in its category. Whether you’re looking to stay in touch with friends, binge-watch your favorite shows, or capture stunning photos, the Redmi 14C positions itself as an ideal companion for your digital lifestyle. We’re fortunate enough to have our hands on the new Redmi 14C in the Starry Blue color, with the 4GB RAM and 128GB ROM variant. Here’s our full review of this exciting new device from Xiaomi.
Unboxing/Accessories
Unboxing the Redmi 14C is a simple yet satisfying experience, with the box itself reflecting the phone’s bold personality. The bright red packaging immediately catches your attention, featuring the Redmi branding in large white text. A highlight of the device’s specs is displayed on the front, calling out the impressive 8GB RAM (with 4GB extended RAM), 128GB of internal storage, a 6.88″ large display, and a 50MP AI dual camera system.
Opening the box, the Redmi 14C handset is the first thing you see, neatly wrapped in protective plastic. Underneath, the package includes the essentials: a standard 10W power adapter, a USB-A to USB-C cable for charging and data transfer, and a transparent protective case that offers decent protection while allowing the sleek design to show through. A SIM ejector tool is also included, along with the warranty card and quick-start guide.
Additionally, Xiaomi has pre-applied a screen protector, ensuring immediate protection against scratches until you’re ready to switch to something more durable. While minimalistic, the unboxing experience is smooth, and everything provided is practical and essential for getting started with the Redmi 14C right away.
Build Quality/Design
The Redmi 14C showcases a stylish and modern design that balances aesthetics with functionality. With a thickness of just 8.2 millimeters, it is incredibly lightweight, making it easy to carry. The rear features a 50MP AI-enabled dual camera setup, allowing for clear and crisp image and video capture of everyday moments, while the 13MP front-facing camera snaps vibrant selfies. The glossy back adds to the phone’s visual appeal but tends to attract fingerprints and smudges easily.
The front has a glass panel with a pre-installed screen protector. Surrounding the display are the top and side bezels, which are reasonably designed, along with a thicker chin bezel. The device has a plastic back and frame, and while details about the specific type of glass used are not readily available, one noteworthy feature is the triple card slot, which allows for expandable storage. Available in three colors—Midnight Black, Starry Blue, and Dreamy Purple—the Redmi 14C combines visual appeal with practicality.
Display
One of the standout features of the Redmi 14C is its immersive 6.88-inch display. The large screen makes it ideal for watching videos, scrolling through social media, or gaming. What really sets this display apart is the 120Hz refresh rate, which ensures smooth visuals whether you’re streaming videos or playing games. The higher refresh rate is a rare feature at this price point, giving users a cinema-like viewing experience.
However, while the large display is immersive, the 720p resolution may leave something to be desired for users who prefer sharper, crisper visuals. The colors are decent, but they don’t pop like they do on more expensive phones.
The Redmi 14C features a 6.88-inch waterdrop notch display, designed to maximize the screen real estate while providing a modern aesthetic. With an HD+ resolution of 1640 x 720 pixels and a pixel density of 260 ppi, the display offers clear and crisp visuals, making it suitable for watching videos and scrolling through social media. The waterdrop notch design minimizes distractions, allowing users to focus more on the content.
One of the standout features of this display is its 120Hz refresh rate, which significantly enhances the overall user experience. This higher refresh rate results in smoother animations and transitions, making scrolling through apps and browsing the web feel more fluid and responsive. Whether you’re gaming or simply navigating through your device, the improved refresh rate contributes to a more enjoyable experience.
In terms of brightness, the Redmi 14C provides a typical brightness level of 450 nits, with the ability to reach up to 600 nits in high-brightness mode. This capability ensures good visibility outdoors, even in bright sunlight, making it easier to use the device in various lighting conditions. Additionally, the display supports an 8-bit color depth and has a color gamut covering 70% of NTSC, which results in vibrant colors and an engaging viewing experience.
Moreover, the Redmi 14C’s display features TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification, which helps reduce eye strain during prolonged usage. This is especially beneficial for users who spend a lot of time on their devices, whether for work or leisure. With a screen-to-body ratio of approximately 89.7%, the display offers an immersive viewing experience that enhances the overall appeal of the device.
Overall, while the Redmi 14C’s display may not meet the higher resolution standards of flagship models, it provides a solid performance for everyday tasks. It’s a practical choice for casual users, although content creators seeking superior screen quality may find it somewhat limiting.
Camera
The Redmi 14C features a dual-camera setup, including a 50 MP main camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. This configuration enables users to capture every frame in stunning detail, optimizing picture quality through the powerful Xiaomi Imaging Engine. The camera’s AI scene detection capability allows it to recognize various scenes and adjust settings for the best results. Users can also benefit from Night Mode, which enhances low-light photography, ensuring clear and vibrant images even in challenging lighting conditions.
Additionally, the Redmi 14C supports a variety of features, including time-lapse, portrait modes, and several filters to enhance your photos. However, it’s important to note that while the camera performs well for everyday use, the overall camera quality may not match flagship devices. Considering its price tag, this is expected.
Sample Images
Performance
Under the hood, the Redmi 14C features a robust octa-core processor combined with the Helio G81 Ultra chipset. This configuration delivers smooth performance for everyday tasks such as browsing, messaging, and using social media. While it excels in handling casual applications, the device is not intended for heavy multitasking or high-end gaming.
The device is available in three RAM configurations: 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB. For our testing, we used the 4GB RAM and 128GB ROM variant, allowing users to experience a balance between performance and storage.
We tested several popular games on the Redmi 14C, including Farlight 84, Mobile Legends, Pokémon GO, Diablo Immortal, and Call of Duty. While the device can run these popular mobile games, it is not ideal for gaming overall. Users may experience lags and slowdowns, particularly in resource-intensive scenarios.
At low settings, Mobile Legends ran smoothly, providing a solid performance with minimal lag. Farlight 84 performed adequately but experienced occasional frame drops during intense action sequences. Pokémon GO handled the graphics and augmented reality features well, although users might encounter some performance hiccups during busy scenes. In Diablo Immortal, the device managed acceptable performance during combat but showed minor slowdowns with higher graphics demands. Call of Duty also ran decently at low settings, offering a responsive gameplay experience despite some limitations.
We also conducted some benchmark tests on the Redmi 14C. Here are our findings:
- Geekbench 6 CPU Benchmark Results
- Single-Core Score: 410
- Multi-Core Score: 1383
- Work 3.0 Performance Score: 9452
- Work 3.0 Battery Life: 11 hours 42 minutes
- AnTuTu Benchmark Results (v10.3.6): 259960
- Wild Life Extreme Stress Test:
- Best Loop Score: 158
- Lowest Loop Score: 155
- Stability: 98.1%
For those seeking a budget device with reliable performance, the Redmi 14C meets expectations. However, power users or individuals requiring resource-intensive applications may encounter some lag or slowdowns, particularly with the 4GB variant. Overall, the Redmi 14C offers a balanced performance suitable for typical daily activities and casual gaming, making it a viable choice for budget-conscious consumers.
For those looking for a budget phone with decent performance, the Redmi 14C won’t disappoint. However, if you’re a power user or someone who needs to run demanding apps, you may experience some lag or slowdowns, particularly on the lower RAM variants.
Storage
The Redmi 14C offers multiple storage options to cater to different user needs. You can choose from three configurations: 4GB RAM + 128GB storage, 6GB RAM + 128GB storage, and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage. This flexibility allows you to select the right balance of memory and storage based on your usage habits.
For those who need extra space for apps, photos, and videos, the device supports microSD expansion up to 1TB. This feature is particularly useful for users who enjoy taking photos or recording videos, as it provides ample room for all your media without the worry of running out of storage. Overall, the Redmi 14C ensures that users have enough memory and storage to meet their daily demands.
Battery
Powering all these features is a massive 5160mAh battery, which promises to keep up with your day. It supports fast charging at 18W, so you can quickly get back to capturing and sharing moments without worrying about downtime. Charging the device from 0% to 100% takes approximately 2 hours and 25 minutes, which is reasonable given its specifications.
In testing the device using Work 3.0 battery life, it achieved an impressive 11 hours and 42 minutes, demonstrating its ability to handle prolonged usage. The Redmi 14C can last a full day or even up to two to three days with casual use, making it a reliable choice for users who need their phone to keep up with their busy lives.
Verdict
The Redmi 14C is a solid option for anyone seeking a budget-friendly smartphone that doesn’t skimp on key features. With a large 6.88-inch display, 120Hz refresh rate, and 50MP AI dual camera, this phone delivers more than most devices in its price range. Its refined and stylish design adds to the appeal, making it a good choice for users who want something functional and attractive without spending a lot.
While it handles everyday tasks with ease, the phone’s performance may not be sufficient for users who need more power for multitasking or gaming. The camera setup is good for casual use, though low-light performance could be better.
Price and Availability
The Redmi 14C is now available in the Philippines! The 8GB/256GB variant is priced at just P6,999 SRP, while the 6GB/128GB and 4GB/128GB variants are available for P5,999 and P4,999, respectively. Choose from four exciting colors: Midnight Black, Starry Blue, Dreamy Purple, and Sunset Gold.
You can purchase the Redmi 14C at any authorized Xiaomi retail stores nationwide or online through platforms like Lazada and Shopee.
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