Xiaomi 14 Civi hands-on review

Conclusion

The Xiaomi 14 Civi impressed us on multiple fronts. The device feels exceptionally well-made in hand with a supremely comfortable grip. The display shines with its high brightness both indoors and outdoors. And while the color tuning of the camera may be a bit of an acquired taste, it's undeniable that it encourages a more artistic and less mundane style of photography with ample rewards should you choose to do so. Other aspects such as performance and charging speeds are also noteworthy in their own way.

As for the downsides, the software remains a sore spot, more specifically the unabashed advertising and constant insistence on installing even more bloatware than what comes installed. The battery life is also unremarkable on this device and some may also find the lack of explicit ingress protection ratings a deal-breaker.

For a starting price of INR 42,999 (or INR 47,999 for the model we tested), we can live with some of these shortcomings considering how compelling the rest of the package is. It even makes the existence of Xiaomi's own more expensive Xiaomi 14 models feel a bit questionable considering the price difference and lack of justifiable value add.

All things considered, we think the Xiaomi 14 Civi might just be the best all-round package the company has to offer at present and one of the best options in its price range.