Xiaomi 14 Civi review

Design and ergonomics

The 14 Civi's design is a mixture of the 14/14 Pro and Ultra. However it's thinner and lighter than all of them, and you the difference is immediately felt.

Depending on your chosen color, you get a standard glass sandwich chassis or a two-tone faux leather back. In both cases, a sheet of Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is protecting the front.

The 14 Civi's palette includes Cruise Blue, Matcha Green and Shadow Black. We have the Matcha Green version with two-piece back, featuring vegan leather and faux wood-like glass, but we also had the chance to play around with the more subdued Shadow Black version.

No matter which pain job you choose, the overall handling will be quite nice. The glass version is more slippery, of course, but the ergonomics are excellent.

Xiaomi 14 Civi

The camera island sticks out quite a lot and the phone wobbles when placed on a flat surface. The issue is made worse by the corner placement of the island, but adding a case goes a long way to resolving it.

The under-display fingerprint reader is responsive and reliable. We didn't have any issues with it except for the placement. It's way too close to the bottom edge, making it a bit awkward to reach with your thumb.

Sadly, the 14 Civi doesn't have an official ingress protection rating, which puts it at a disadvantage compared to most of its direct rivals. But when it comes to design and handling the 14 Civi is nothing short of excellent, particularly refreshing with its light body.