The day started with some intense leaks pointing to the arrival of the new Redmi C-series smartphone. Xiaomi was fast and quickly unveiled the smartphone, stealing all the attention grabbed by the leaks. The Redmi 14C arrives as a new budget all-rounder with some solid specifications for its pricing point. It’s the first smartphone to launch with an all-new MediaTek Helio G81 Ultra, a new version of the G80 series capable of handling a 120Hz display.
Redmi 14C Specifications and Features
The Redmi 14C brings to the table a fairly large 6.88-inch IPS LCD screen. Despite its size, the panel is only HD+ with a 120 Hz refresh rate. That’s an unusual combination, as we’ve been used to seeing HD+ displays with 90Hz in this category. Despite the higher refresh rate, we still get the usual low-end package with a teardrop notch for the selfie camera. Furthermore, the device has a thicker chin when compared to the side bezels. The display houses a 13 MP selfie camera embedded in the waterdrop notch.
Helio G81
The new smartphone is the first to launch with MediaTek Helio G81 Ultra SoC. Rather than a new chipset, this is a tweaked version of the G80 series. It features the same CPU as the G80 with 2 x ARM Cortex-A75 cores at up to 2.0 GHz and 6 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores at up to the same 2 GHz. There is also a Mali G52 GPU for graphics tasks. It is worth noting that the Helio G80 had a 12nm manufacturing process which is quite outdated nowadays. Curiously, MediaTek already has an improved version dubbed Helio G88 which had a 6nm manufacturing instead. We are curious to see which manufacturing process this Helio G81 had and what makes it stand in comparison to the original G80. At the time of this writing, the details about this processor are still not available on MediaTek’s website.
In terms of optics, you’ll find a 50MP primary camera alongside an additional lens whose specifications aren’t detailed. The remaining slots house an LED flash and a sticker.
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Xiaomi has also upgraded to a more substantial 5,160 mAh battery with 18W charging capability while keeping the side-mounted fingerprint scanner and the headphone jack.C2 GPU. The phone is available in options with 4 GB / 6 GB / 8 GB RAM and 128 GB / 256 GB of Internal Storage. Since this is a budget smartphone, we can count on a micro SD card slot for memory expansion.
On the back, you’ll find a 50MP primary camera alongside an additional lens whose specifications aren’t detailed. The remaining slots house an LED flash and a sticker. Xiaomi has also upgraded to a more substantial 5,160 mAh battery with 18W charging capability while keeping the side-mounted fingerprint scanner and the headphone jack.
Pricing and Availability
The Redmi 14C comes in four colors: Midnight Black, Sage Green, Dreamy Purple, and Starry Blue. Although Xiaomi hasn’t announced official pricing, the device is already on sale through retailers in Czechia. There, it starts at CZK 2,999 (€120/$130) for the 4GB RAM and 128GB storage version and reaches up to CZK 3,699 (€148/$163) for the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage variant. The new smartphone is quite interesting considering all the specifications. We don’t know exactly what makes the Helio G81 more special, but it’s probably related to the support for a higher refresh rate.
Apart from the new CPU, the Redmi 14C looks like a traditional low-end smartphone with a Helio G80 series CPU. It will be great for everyday app usage, social media, and some moderate games. The Redmi 14C is available in Czechia, but will eventually launch in other markets.
Redmi 14C Specs Summary
- Display: 6.6-inch IPS LCD HD+ Resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate
- Processor: Helio G81 (Octa-Core Chipset with 2x ARM Cortex-A76 2GHz + 6 x ARM Cortex-A55 2 GHz
- RAM: 4GB/6GB/9GB
- Storage: 128GB/256GB with MicroSD Card Support
- Camera: 50 MP Main Camera and Unspecified Auxiliary Camera, Single LED Flash
- Battery: 5,160mAh Battery with 18W Fast-Charging support
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5. x, USB Type-C Port
- Colors: Midnight Black, Sage Green, Dreamy Purple, and Starry Blue
