Xiaomi 14 Cinematic Vision (long for Civi) is the company's first smartphone, designed together with a Leica motto at a price that was hard to imagine at this price before. Gadgets 360 was the first publication to report on the launch of Civi in India last month. But before we dive into 14 Civi, let's talk about Xiaomi's appointment in the premium smartphone segment. The first attempt to crack the premium segment in India was led by the Xiaomi 12 Pro in 2022, followed by the Xiaomi 13 Pro, the first of the company's line with Leica collaboration. But both these smartphones were priced above Rs. 60,000 in India. If we look at the company's current lineup, there is a big gap between the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ and the Xiaomi 14. And this is where the launch of the Xiaomi 14 Civi makes the most sense.
Before we dive into our first impressions, let's talk pricing. Xiaomi 14 Civi price in India is set at Rs. 47,999 for the 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. The 8GB RAM + 256GB storage is priced at Rs 42,999. The smartphone will go on sale in India from June 20, 2024 at 12:00 pm IST and will be available on Mi.com, Flipkart and select offline retailers in India.
Xiaomi 14 Civi: The package
Looking at the specifications sheet of Xiaomi 14 Civi, it indicates that the company did its best to put everything a smartphone enthusiast can think of at this price. From the top-of-the-line chipset, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor and Leica Vario Summilux camera setup includes a 50-megapixel primary camera accompanied by a 50-megapixel telephoto camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera . Of course, thanks to joint engineering with Leica, the 14 Civi gets all the bells and whistles you'd expect in the camera division, including two photo styles: Leica Authentic and Leica Vibrant skins and more. The Xiaomi 14 Civi is also the only smartphone currently in the Indian market to offer dual selfie cameras – a dual 32-megapixel setup on the front.
Xiaomi 14 Civi features a 6.55-inch quad-curved AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
At 7.4mm thick and weighing 177 grams, the Xiaomi 14 Civi is among the thinnest and lightest smartphones at this price point. To add some context, the Pixel 8a is 8.9mm thick and weighs 188 grams. On the other hand, iQOO 12 is 8.1 mm thick and weighs 198.5 grams. The OnePlus 12R, priced under Rs. 50,000, is 8.8 mm thick and weighs 207 grams. Coming to the screen, the 6.55-inch 14 Civi sits perfectly between the 6.36-inch screens of the Xiaomi 14 and the 6.73-inch screens of the 14 Ultra. You get a 120Hz refresh rate, 3000 nits peak brightness, Dolby Vision and HDR10+. The 14 Civi packs a 4700mAh battery with a 67W fast charging adapter in the box.
Xiaomi 14 Civi (left) and Xiaomi 14 (right) size comparison.
Xiaomi 14 Civi: initial thoughts
While the Xiaomi 14 Civi seems to tick a lot of the right boxes on paper, the real test is yet to come. We will thoroughly test this device and bring you a review in the coming days. Stay tuned for our verdict, where we'll delve into performance, camera capabilities, battery life, and more.
With metal frames, the 14 Civi feels solid in the hands and thanks to its dimensions, it is comfortable to use with one hand. It comes in Cruise Blue, Matcha Green and Classic Matte Edition, which we received for our review. It's worth mentioning that Xiaomi's attention to detail for each color combination is fantastic.
Xiaomi 14 Civi has a triple camera setup on the back
The curve design is perfect for one-handed use, and like the 14 Ultra, the Civi has the company's quad-curve display with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. For placement of the camera housing, the Civi is more identical to the big brother, 14. Ultra.
Photographed with the main lens Xiaomi 14 Civi
Thanks to the collaboration with Leica, the 14 Civi gets tons of camera modes, including Portrait mode in true Leica stylings. We'll dive into the cameras in our review.
Xiaomi 14 Civi supports 3000 nits of peak brightness and includes Dolby Vision and HDR10+
It runs HyperOS based on Android 14, which Xiaomi's newest phones are launching with. In the limited time we've spent with the Xiaomi 14 Civi, it seems snappy when it comes to everyday tasks and multitasking. Games handled smoothly while we tested a few sessions of BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile. The screen is bright and good for all your multimedia needs. The cameras are the main draw, and we'll reserve our verdict for the review. First impressions of the camera put it right alongside its other siblings – Xiaomi 14 and 14 Ultra in terms of overall quality. The Xiaomi 14 Civi's dual selfie cameras will probably bring back the days when phones had dual front-facing cameras. The 4700mAh battery with 67W fast charging support seems like a nice addition. However, does it offer the best battery life in this segment? Well, we'll have to try it, so we'll reserve the verdict on the battery.
Xiaomi 14 Civi has a circular camera that houses the back identical to that of the big brother, Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Overall, the Xiaomi 14 Civi is a solid sub-R contender. 50,000 segments. With the kind of spec sheet and feature list, we think the Civi should be able to comfortably beat the competition. It's always good to see new entrants challenging the best smartphones in the segment because we can expect fireworks, which also benefit consumers. Now, time will tell the heat of the sub-Rs. 50,000 smartphone segment will be in the coming days. Until then, stay tuned for our Xiaomi 14 Civi review.
