Or better to be seen as: 3 months in, here’s a short and sweet review of this phone.
To start, let’s set the premise: I was considering using my now-old Redmi Note 9 Pro as my business device—that is, a phone for company apps, logins, and mail systems. But there was a hitch: this phone is now almost 5 years old, and the latest official Android version on it is Android 12. Even if I move away from older Android versions, what am I going to do—reflash a custom ROM on it again, just to end up with error messages because the phone is too limited for the apps I need?
Heck no, that got me researching cheap but decently powerful and solidly supported Android phones. My only rule was that it needed to be on at least Android 14 and have at least 2 years of security updates. Android version updates didn’t really matter, since I was still waiting for Android 15 to arrive on my Poco F5 with the official HyperOS 2.0 release. Besides, most updates these days are security-based, so that was my minimum requirement. The second thing was at least 4GB of RAM, and a brand I know can deliver both.
When choosing devices, I had a couple in mind: one was the older but still updatable to Android 15—Redmi 13C, base 4GB RAM model, which was on sale at the time. Another option was, again from Xiaomi and under 100€, the Redmi A3, but it wasn’t the 4GB RAM model and it came with Android 14 GO Edition, which was annoying. The next step up was this device, the Redmi 14C. This one was cool: I got the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage option for 110€ on sale, plus it runs full Android 14 (for now). Another option I looked at was the Honor X6b, but in the base configuration with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage for the same price as the Redmi 14C. So the choice was easy—more RAM and more internal storage (which I’ll probably never fill up, but who cares).
Now to the basics of the device: it’s rocking a Mediatek Helio G81 Ultra SoC, 4,6 or 8GB of RAM, 64,128 or 256GB of storage, a 6.88-inch TFT LCD 120Hz display, and much more. You can find more details on the Xiaomi site or GSMArena for full specs.
As for my usage, personally, I’ve had no issues with the phone—it works flawlessly. No, I’m not lying; I’m serious. It can run a few authenticator apps in the background, an AdBlock app, 3CX communicator for chats and checking business calls (especially handy during late night shifts when we mute the ringer for some peace). Of course, social media apps work great too, and it can handle low-powered games like Candy Crush Saga.
On the hardware side, the main 50Mpx camera is fine for quick photos you need to send, and from my tests in decent light, photos look great (here’s a small gallery of pictures in various lighting conditions, from day to night). Video quality is limited to 1080p, but that doesn’t matter since the phone is mostly used for chats and maybe the occasional video call, for which the front-facing camera is perfect. For security, it has a fingerprint scanner in the lock button, which is on par with my daily device, the Poco F5—nothing slower, nothing less precise if you set it up correctly.
Battery life is a champ. And I mean it. Even though in the box you only get the phone, another SIM removal tool, and a USB-A to USB-C cable (no charging brick), it can charge on my 67W Poco F5 charger from about 20% to 100% in 90 minutes if there are no notifications. In day-to-day use, it easily lasts up to 3 or even 4 days, depending on how much mobile chat I have or if I play something like Candy Crush Saga once in a while 😛 That’s how old I am now—testing easy-to-play games on phones, no Call of Duty Mobile or Genshin Impact for me 🤣
Now, for the downsides: yes, the phone is running Android 14 and HyperOS 1.0, but not the fully-fledged version, as some features are missing (possibly due to the SoC). Updates are on a quarterly basis, and in my 3 months of usage I’ve received my security patches. I’ve also enrolled the phone in the Mi Pilot program for beta releases to test Android 15 when it arrives (just like I’m testing it on the Poco F5, where I’ve been a Mi Pilot beta tester for Android 15 and HyperOS 2.0 from day one, without issues).
In conclusion: should I recommend this device, or its cousin with a different name but the same specs, the Poco C75? Yeah—especially if you’re not a heavy smartphone user or just need a backup device to separate your private and business life. And only if your max budget before tariffs is about 120€; otherwise, there are other devices from brands like Honor, Motorola, or even Samsung that might better suit your needs.
Text was checked for clarity and proofread using Perplexity AI.
Cover image was shot on Poco F5.