The day started with a flurry of leaks hinting at the arrival of the new Redmi C series smartphone. Xiaomi quickly and immediately unveiled the smartphone, grabbing all the attention from the leakers. The Redmi 14C comes as a new budget-friendly all-rounder with some solid specs for its pricing point. It is the first smartphone to launch with an all-new MediaTek Helio G81 Ultra, a new version of the G80 series that can handle a 120Hz display.
Redmi 14C Specifications and Features
The Redmi 14C brings a fairly large 6.88-inch IPS LCD display. Despite its size, the panel is only HD+ with a 120Hz refresh rate. This is an unusual combination, as we are used to seeing 90Hz HD+ displays in this category. Despite the higher refresh rate, we still get the usual low-end package with a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera. Also, the device has a thicker chin compared to the side bezels. The display houses a 13MP selfie camera embedded in the waterdrop notch.
Helio G81
The new smartphone is the first to launch with the MediaTek Helio G81 Ultra SoC. Rather than a new chipset, this is a tweaked version of the G80 series. It packs the same CPU as the G80, with 2 x ARM Cortex-A75 cores clocked at up to 2.0GHz and 6 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores clocked at up to 2GHz. There’s also a Mali G52 GPU for graphics duties. It’s worth noting that the Helio G80 featured a 12nm fabrication process, which is quite old by now. Interestingly, MediaTek already has an improved version called the Helio G88 that features a 6nm fabrication process. We’re curious to see what fabrication process this Helio G81 features and what makes it stand out compared to the original G80. At the time of writing, 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 haven’t been detailed, while the remaining housings house an LED flash and a sticker.
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Xiaomi has also upgraded to a more substantial 5,160mAh battery with 18W charging capacity while retaining the fingerprint scanner and headphone jack on the side.C2 GPU. The phone is available with 4GB/6GB/8GB RAM and 128GB/256GB Internal Storage options. 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 haven’t been detailed. The remaining slots house an LED flash and a sticker. Xiaomi has also upgraded the battery to a more substantial 5,160mAh battery with 18W charging capacity, while retaining the side-mounted fingerprint scanner and headphone jack.
Pricing and Availability
The Redmi 14C comes in four colors: Midnight Black, Sage Green, Dream Purple, and Starry Blue. While Xiaomi hasn’t announced official pricing, the device is already on sale through retailers in the Czech Republic. There, it starts at 2,999 CZK (€120/$130) for the 4GB RAM and 128GB storage version, and goes up to 3,699 CZK (€148/$163) for the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage variant. All things considered, the new smartphone is quite intriguing. We don’t know what exactly makes the Helio G81 special, but it’s likely related to support for a higher refresh rate.
Apart from the new CPU, the Redmi 14C seems to be a traditional low-end smartphone with a Helio G80 series CPU. It will be great for daily app usage, social media, and some mid-range gaming. The Redmi 14C is available in the Czech Republic, but will eventually be released in other markets.
Redmi 14C Specifications 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 2GHz)
- Memory: 4GB/6GB/9GB
- Storage: 128GB/256GB with MicroSD Card Support
- Camera: 50MP 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, Dream Purple and Starry Blue