Best Xiaomi phone 2024: Which Xiaomi smartphone is right for you?
Xiaomi continues to be a rising star in the smartphone world. Find the best handset for your needs and budget
Our first encounter with Xiaomi phones, many years ago, left us with mixed feelings. With some great specs and a slick Apple-esque take on Android, there was much to like about these budget smartphones, but, at the time, the build quality and the long-term support were still a concern.
We’ve tested thousands of phones since then, and we have witnessed Xiaomi evolve from a brazen upstart to a reliable and aggressively competitive phone brand. If you’ve never heard of or considered a Xiaomi phone before, there’s never been a better time to peruse their offerings.
For this roundup, we’ve put together the phones we think represent Xiaomi’s best work. These are the ones that have proven, through our rigorous testing, that this Chinese phone maker can go toe-to-toe with some of the best phone brands in the world. At the same time, thanks to some clever marketing and aggressive pricing, in many cases, opting to go for a Xiaomi phone might be the best financial decision for those looking to replace an ailing handset.
Best Xiaomi phone: At a glance
| Best Xiaomi phone | Xiaomi 14 (~£849) | Check price at Xiaomi |
| Best budget Xiaomi phone | Xiaomi Redmi Note 11: (~£134) | Check price at Amazon |
| The semi-flagship hero | Xiaomi 13T Pro (~£479) | Check price at Amazon |
How we test Xiaomi smartphones
When we receive a Xiaomi smartphone for review, we test each handset against a variety of benchmarks. For both CPU and gaming performance, we use the Geekbench and GFXBench applications – both of which can be found in the Google Play store – to give us a set of performance numbers that we can use to compare overall speeds against competitors’ handsets.
Each phone’s display is tested using a colorimeter and DisplayCal software, providing us with data that tells us how good the display is at reproducing colours, as well as the maximum contrast and brightness.
To test battery life, we set the screen brightness to a standardised luminance, switch off all data connections, and play a looped video until the battery dies. We then record the timestamp that the video reached the next time we switch on the phone.
Camera testing is carried out in a variety of different shooting scenarios, including low-light night shots, scenic pictures, portraits, and zoomed images. We always use a comparator device whenever we test a phone’s cameras, and evaluate all shooting features before delivering our final verdict.
Want to find out more about how we test smartphones?
Read our in-depth testing guide
The best Xiaomi smartphones you can buy in 2024
1. Xiaomi 14: Best Xiaomi phone
Price when reviewed: From £849 | Check price at Xiaomi
- Great for… compact phone lovers who don’t compromise on specs
- Not so great for… those wanting the absolute cheapest deal
The Xiaomi 14 is the main flagship phone from the company’s latest lineup, and we have to say: it’s a corker. We had previously ranked its predecessor, the Xiaomi 13, as one of the best smartphones and the Xiaomi 14 has surpassed it on every front.
It kept everything that was great about the Xiaomi 13 while improving in key areas such as battery life, photography and screen technology. In isolation, it’s a fantastic handset for the money but it’s worth considering that the equally well-equipped Samsung Galaxy S24 is slightly cheaper. So, while the Xiaomi 14 might be the best phone from Xiaomi, whether you should choose it over an S24 really comes down to which company’s software you prefer.
Read our full Xiaomi 14 review for more details
Key specs – Processor: 3.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3; Screen: 6.36in, 1200 x 2,670 OLED; Camera: 50MP (wide), 50MP (telephoto), 50MP (ultrawide); Storage: 256GB; Operating system: Android 14
Also consider: Xiaomi 13
The non-Pro Xiaomi 13 is fantastic value now that its price has been pushed down by its replacement. With it, you’re getting the immensely powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, capable of delivering performance that rivals the Xiaomi 13 Pro, the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the iPhone 14, but while those models can be unwieldy for smaller hands, the Xiaomi 13 is a much more compact, much more pocketable proposition.
The 6.36in AMOLED display is a colour-accurate delight, with a 120Hz refresh rate that keeps scrolling smooth as silk. The Xiaomi 13 gets a 10MP telephoto lens next to the 50MP main camera and 12MP ultrawide sensor. Unfortunately, the battery life takes a bit of a hit compared to the Xiaomi 12 – around 16 and a half hours in our video rundown test – but at least the phone comes with a 67W charger that can bring the battery back from empty to full in less than 45 minutes.
2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro: Best Xiaomi phone under £300
Price when reviewed: £249 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… performance on a budget
- Not so great for… video fans
Samsung’s Note series of phones spawned a very particular fandom and, despite Samsung folding the Note series into its main Galaxy line, Xiaomi is keeping the Note alive with its own phones sporting the moniker.
As we noted in our full review, the Note 13 Pro is extremely competent as a handset and able to go toe-to-toe with anything near its price point. The main camera sensor has had a massive upgrade from the Note 12 Pro’s 50MP to 200MP, and the 120Hz AMOLED screen offers Dolby Vision and 1,800 NITS of peak brightness. Yes, we had to double-check the price ourselves after reading that.
That said, the more expensive versions of the Note 13 Pro doesn’t just offer more storage but more RAM – going from 8GB to 12GB, and topping out at 16GB, while storage starts at 128GB and goes up to 512GB.
The main downsides of the Note 13 Pro are that its video recording quality suffers from a lack of good stabilisation, the SoC isn’t the fastest hardware around, and – as with all Xiaomi phones – you have to deal with some bloatware to get it into good shape. If those aren’t dealbreakers for you, then the Note 13 Pro is basically unbeatable at this price.
Read our full Redmi Note 13 Pro review for more details
Key specs – Processor: 2.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2; Screen: 6.67in, 1,080 x 2,400 AMOLED; Camera: 200MP (wide), 8MP (ultrawide), 2MP (macro); Storage: 128GB, 256GB; 512GB; Operating system: Android 13
3. Xiaomi Redmi Note 11: Best budget Xiaomi
Price when reviewed: £134 | Check price at Amazon
It might seem like every decent smartphone costs four figures these days, but you can still get fantastic phones for less, with the Redmi Note 11 being one of them.
With its speedy Snapdragon 680 processor, this cut-priced Xiaomi outperforms phones well above its price point. Plus, on the front of the phone, you’ll find a lovely, 6.43in FHD+ screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and, on the rear, a quad-camera array. It’s getting a little long in the tooth, but it’s still the best budget phone that Xiaomi makes, and remains one of our favourite budget phones.
Read our full Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 review for more details
Key specs – Processor: 2.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 680; Screen: 6.43in, 2,400 x 1,080; Camera: 50MP, 8MP (wide), 2MP (macro) and 2MP (depth); Storage: 128GB, 256GB; Operating system: Android 11
4. Xiaomi 13T Pro: The semi-flagship hero
Price when reviewed: £479 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… photography buffs
- Not so great for… those who need the absolute best performance
Everyone wants a flagship phone, but no one wants to pay flagship prices. While the Xiaomi 13T Pro is not exactly cheap, it’s still one of the most affordable almost-flagship phones you can buy.
This phone is dust and water-resistant, and packs quite a performant MediaTek SoC, but headlining its specifications is a significantly improved camera system. Sporting lens technology from none other than Leica, and coupled with a Sony IMX707 sensor, the main camera module is capable of snapping quite attractive photos that compare favourably with much more expensive phones. Though, alas, the other modules are competent, but nothing special.
For a significantly lower asking price, you get almost the same experience as flagship phone owners, with some smart compromises that most people are unlikely to notice. So, if it’s within your budget, the 13T Pro is a great alternative to the Xiaomi 13 or even the 14.
Read our full Xiaomi 13T review for more details
Key specs – Processor: 3.35GHz Mediatek Dimensity 9200+; Screen: 6.67in, 2,712 x 1,220; Camera: 50MP (wide), 50MP (telephoto),12MP (ultrawide); Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB; Operating system: Android 13
