If you have not had a look at the specs of the Xiaomi Redmi 14C, they include a 6.88-inch 720p 120Hz IPS LCD display, Helio G81 Ultra chipset, 4G LTE, 4GB to 8GB of RAM, 128GB or 256GB storage, 50MP main camera, 13MP selfie camera, 5160mAh battery, and 18W fast charging.
Table of Contents
The Unboxing
We opened the sales box to see what is inside. There are no surprises. In the box was the phone itself, a SIM retrieval tool/pin, paper documentation (that no-one reads, of course), a transparent case, a USB-C cable, and a 33W charging brick. Don’t let the 33W charging brick/adaptor fool you, though; Redmi 14C supports only 18W charging. But are you going to complain about getting a higher-spec’d charger? I wouldn’t. I would simply happily use it for other phones that support up to 33W charging.
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The Hands-on Review
The frame of the Xiaomi Redmi 14C is made of plastic. Not that we had any hopes of it being made of anything else. This is an entry-level Android smartphone, after all. Xiaomi says that the back panel is glass; it feels like plastic to me, though. You have no idea how many times I tapped and knocked on it with my hands to see if it would feel any different. Even after the 99th tap/knock, it still feels like plastic.
But it is a good idea to believe what the manufacturer says. Why? If it is truly glass, you better be more careful with the phone. Glass will break or shatter far more easily than plastic will. So, glass it is.
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One huge downgrade on the Redmi 14C from the 13C is the absence of Gorilla Glass protection on the display. The Redmi 13C has it; the 14C does not have it. That is a serious one. What it means is that the 14C is more susceptible to screen damage.
Design is subjective, so take the comments I am about to make about the design with a pinch of salt. I am not excited about the design of the Redmi 14C. It is not bad, and it isn’t poor or shoddy. I just do not find it as exciting as the design of the Redmi 13C. Perhaps it will grow on me.
The unit we have is the Dreamy Purple colour. I suspect that the Sage Green colour option which has eco-leather back panel will be more exciting. The Dreamy Purple and other colours are listed as having glass back covers.
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Xiaomi Redmi 14C has a side fingerprint scanner located in the power button. It has a 3.5mm audio jack located at the top edge of the device. It is not the most convenient location for that. Oh, and the bezels around the 6.88-inch display are thick. I am not a fan of the waterdrop notch. I like how the newly released entry-level TECNO smartphones have adopted the punch hole option. Can everybody else copy them right away, please? Death to waterdrop notches! Repeat that after me.
My First Impressions
Our review unit has 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. This is the lowest variant and if it is all you can afford, you will have to tame your expectations. It is not unreasonably sluggish in use, but it is not speed-racer either. Think of it like you would think of driving a Picanto or some other small city car. Don’t overload it, don’t push it hard, and it will serve you well.
If you can afford to spend more than N135,000, I recommend that you get one with 6GB or 8GB RAM, for slightly better multitasking. Just slightly better; the Helio G81 chipset won’t respond any better even if you floor the accelerator pedal. And that is how it is with all entry-level Android smartphones. It is what it is.
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Redmi 14C vs Redmi 13C
Is Redmi 14C an upgrade to Redmi 13C? Na lie. Mbanu. Iro o. Apart from the better selfie camera (8MP vs 13MP) and bigger battery capacity (5000mAh vs 5160mAh), there is very little value in upgrading from the Redmi 13C to the Redmi 14C. If you choose to do it, you will lose on the better protection for the display and also get a weaker chipset. Pretty much everything else is the same across both devices.
If you already own a Redmi 13C, you can safely jump and pass the 14C and wait for the 15C or maybe even the 16C. Cherish your Redmi 13C well-well and take good care of it.
Xiaomi Redmi 14C Unboxing Video
If you’d like to enjoy the unboxing in video format, my Redmi 14C unboxing video below is all yours. Have a blast. And please, do subscribe to my channel. Thank you.
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Founder of Mobility.com.ng, Mister Mobility, has used and reviewed hundreds of mobile phones since 2001.