Xiaomi 14 Ultra Display Overview
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra features a 6.73-inch AMOLED display with a WQHD+ resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of approximately 522 ppi. It adopts a 20:9 aspect ratio and includes a dynamic refresh rate capability from 1Hz up to 120Hz enabled by LTPO technology. The display panel is custom-developed by Xiaomi and is known as the C8 panel. One of its highlights is an outstanding peak brightness reportedly reaching up to 3000 nits, which Xiaomi claims provides excellent visibility even under strong sunlight. The display supports a wide color gamut with DCI-P3 coverage and a 12-bit color depth, promising vivid and highly accurate color reproduction.
Color Accuracy and Rendering
In terms of color accuracy, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra performs very well in most lighting environments. The phone offers a "faithful mode" that ensures colors are reproduced precisely according to standards. The display renders colors vividly and accurately, making it suitable for tasks that require color fidelity such as photo editing and media consumption. The device achieves strong results in color rendering that compete solidly within its premium segment.
Brightness and Outdoor Readability
Despite its high peak brightness capacity, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra's display has some shortcomings in outdoor readability. While the display can reach high brightness levels, the device shows limitations in brightness uniformity and contrast, particularly under direct sunlight. This results in a display that can sometimes appear flat in bright outdoor conditions and presents challenges in perceiving details in shadows or HDR content in low-light environments. High Brightness Mode is available to enhance visibility in bright scenes, improving detail visibility but at the expense of contrast and battery life.
HDR and Video Performance
For video playback, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra supports HDR10 content, but its HDR video performance is mixed. HDR10 videos tend to lose brightness and details when viewed in low-light conditions, though inside brighter indoor environments the experience is better. The phone manages frame drops in HDR videos more effectively than in standard dynamic range (SDR) videos. The Electro-Optical Transfer Function (EOTF), which affects tone mapping in SDR and HDR videos, sometimes results in flatter grayscale curves under brighter conditions, impacting subtle gradations particularly in dark areas of video content.
Display Smoothness and Touch Responsiveness
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra impresses with smooth on-screen animations and scrolling, facilitated by the high 120Hz refresh rate. Users benefit from fluid visual interactions whether browsing, gaming, or watching media. The touch sampling rate is reported up to 240Hz, enhancing responsiveness and precision for gaming and general use. The display uses a low-level modulation technique to reduce flicker, combined with a high PWM frequency (1920 Hz) which improves visual comfort and reduces eye strain during prolonged use.
Build Quality and Design
The display incorporates a curved design with deep bending around all four edges, providing a seamless and elegant look. Xiaomi emphasizes the panel's enhanced flexibility and durability, including a toughened "Xiaomi Shield" glass claimed to be more resistant to scratches and damage. The display's curvature offers a premium tactile and visual experience distinct from flat panel designs favored by some competitors.
Comparison to Competitors
While the Xiaomi 14 Ultra's display holds up well in many aspects such as color accuracy, smoothness, and touch responsiveness, its outdoor viewing performance and HDR video brightness fall short compared to some flagship competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The S24 Ultra and some other premium devices typically achieve better brightness uniformity, higher sustained luminance under direct sunlight, and stronger HDR video detail preservation in diverse lighting scenarios. However, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra remains competitive by offering a very high peak brightness spec and solid color performance with a more affordable price point.