Newsletter
Can Google’s camera AI magic compete with a camera powerhouse like the Xiaomi 14 Ultra? Well, yes, that’s something we’ve realized in our reviews. In this article, however, we’ll compare the two phones, to give you even more information, in case you’re wondering which ones to get. To be more clear, we’re comparing the Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro here, two heavyweight Android handsets.
These two devices are considerably different in pretty much every way. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is newer, but both are current-gen devices. We’ll kick things off with their specifications, and then we’ll move to various other categories. We’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. Let’s see how the two phones compare, shall we?
Specs
Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro, respectively
– Screen size:
6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display (curved, adaptive 120Hz, 3,000 nits max brightness)
6.7-inch Super Actua AMOLED display (flat, 120Hz LTPO, HDR10+, 2,400 nits)
– Display resolution:
3200 x 1440
2992 x 1344
– SoC:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Google Tensor G3
– RAM:
16GB (LPDDR5X)
12GB (LPDDR5)
– Storage:
512GB (UFS 4.0)
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (wide, f/1.6-f/4.0 variable aperture, OIS, multi-directional PDAF, 1.6um pixel size), 50MP (ultrawide, f/1.8 aperture, 122-degree FoV, 0.7um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF), 50MP (telephoto, f/1.8 aperture, 0.7um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3.2x optical zoom), 50MP (periscope telephoto, f/2.5 aperture, 0.7um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom)
50MP (f/1.68 aperture, 82-degree FoV, 1.2um pixel size, OIS), 48MP (ultrawide, f/1.95 aperture, 125.5-degree FoV, 0.8um pixel size), 48MP (telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, 0.7um pixel size, 5x optical zoom)
– Front cameras:
32MP (wide, f/2.0 aperture, 0.7um pixel size)
10.5MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size)
– Battery:
5,000mAh
5,050mAh
– Charging:
90W wired, 80W wireless,, 10W reverse wireless (charger included)
30W wired, 23W wireless, reverse wireless (charger not included)
– Dimensions:
161.4 x 75.3 x 9.2mm
162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8mm
– Weight:
219.8 grams
213 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.4/5.3
– Security:
In-display fingerprint scanner & facial scanning
In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) & facial scanning
– OS:
Android 14 with HyperOS
Android 14
– Price:
€1,499
$999+
– Buy:
Xiaomi 14 Ultra (Amazon)
Google Pixel 8 Pro (Best Buy)
Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: Design
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a curved display with a centered display camera hole. It also has very thin bezels. The Google Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, includes a flat display with a centered display camera hole. Thin bezels are in play here too. Both phones include physical buttons on the right-hand side, but in a different layout. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has the power/lock button below the volume rocker buttons, while it’s the other way around on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.
If we flip them over, you’ll see considerably different backplates. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a large camera oreo back there, which protrudes quite a bit. There are four cameras included in there. The Pixel 8 Pro has a camera visor on the back, which is covered by metal. It connects to the left and right sides of the frame. There are three cameras in there. That camera visor also protrudes on the back, considerably. Both phones have flat backplates that curve towards the edges.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is made out of aluminum and vegan leather, globally. In China, there’s a variant with a glass backplate, and a version with a titanium frame too. The Pixel 8 Pro is made out of aluminum and glass, everywhere, that’s the only model that launched. They’re very similar in terms of size. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is technically slightly shorter and narrower, but they’re very similar in that regard. Xiaomi’s handset is also slightly thicker, but the difference is very small there too.
Both smartphones are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. You’ll also be glad to hear that both smartphones feel very premium in the hand, though quite different.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: Display
There’s a 6.73-inch QHD+ (3200 x 1440) LTPO AMOLED included on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. That panel has an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. That display is curved, and it supports HDR10+ content, and comes with Dolby Vision support. The panel goes up to 3,000 nits of brightness at its peak. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra display has a 20:9 display aspect ratio, and a screen-to-body ratio is at around 89 percent. This panel is protected by the Xiaomi Shield Glass.
On the other hand, the Google Pixel 8 Pro includes a 6.7-inch 2992 x 1344 LTPO OLED panel. That display is flat, and it has an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. This panel supports HDR10+ content, and its brightness goes up to 2,400 nits. The display aspect ratio is also 20:9, while the screen-to-body ratio is at around 87 percent. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covers this display.
Both of these displays will please pretty much everyone. They’re vivid and very sharp. The viewing angles are great, and both panels do get very bright when needed. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s panel does get brighter, though, if you compare them directly. The touch response is very good on both of them. There’s really not much to complain here, they also have good protection, and so on. You won’t be disappointed.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: Performance
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. That’s the most powerful SoC Qualcomm has to offer at the moment. The phone also comes with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM globally. It also includes UFS 4.0 flash storage. The Pixel 8 Pro, on the flip side, is fueled by the Google Tensor G3 SoC. The phone is equipped with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and UFS 3.1 flash storage.
Does that result in good performance on both ends? Well, yes, but the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a clear advantage here. It has more powerful performance-related hardware across the board. Not only does it have a more powerful processor, but it has faster RAM and storage as well. If you do compare them directly, you will notice that the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is a bit snappier. That won’t matter to most people, and if you don’t do a direct comparison, the Pixel 8 Pro will seem just as snappy, basically. The point is, during regular everyday usage, you won’t get lag on either phone, none whatsoever.
In terms of gaming, well, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is a better option for it. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra can handle pretty much any game out there, including Genshin Impact. The phone ran that game perfectly during our testing. The Pixel 8 Pro doesn’t do as well with such demanding games, even though it can run them. It does great with less demanding titles. The point is, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra does perform better, but the Pixel 8 Pro is nothing to scoff at.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: Battery
Xiaomi’s flagship packs in a 5,000mAh battery globally, and a 5,400mAh unit in its homeland. The Pixel 8 Pro comes with a 5,050mAh battery pack. We’ve used the global variant of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, so that’s the one we’ll discuss here. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra does offer better battery life than Google’s flagship, that much is certain. It did great in our battery drain test, and even when you compare it directly to the Pixel 8 Pro on a daily basis, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra comes out on top.
The Google Pixel 8 Pro mostly flew under the 7-hour screen-on-time mark for us. It did manage to get across that mark, sure, but most of the time, it flew just under it. On the flip side, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra was able to provide 7-8 hours of screen-on-time consistently. Do note that we’ve used both of them mostly on Wi-Fi, and with a good signal. Also, we did not play any games on those days, we played them only for testing purposes. Both phones were used for various other tasks, though.
When the charging is concerned, the Pixel 8 Pro can’t really measure up. It supports 30W wired, 23W wireless, and reverse wireless charging. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra charges much faster thanks to 90W wired, 80W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless charging. On top of that, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra does include a charger in the box, but the Pixel 8 Pro does not.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: Cameras
Xiaomi’s flagship has four 50-megapixel cameras on the back, and Leica’s lenses too. The main camera utilizes a 50-megapixel camera and a variable aperture too, not to mention that it has a 1-inch camera sensor. A 50-megapixel ultrawide camera (122-degree FoV) is also included, as is a 50-megapixel telephoto unit (3.2x optical zoom). The last camera on the back is a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (5x optical zoom).
The Google Pixel 8 Pro, on the flip side, has three cameras on the back. A 50-megapixel main camera is backed by a 48-megapixel ultrawide unit (126-degree FoV). The last camera on the back of the Pixel 8 Pro is a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (5x optical zoom). Both smartphones do a great job with photography, but the results they provide are considerably different.
The main cameras during the day do a great job and provide plenty of detail. The images from the Xiaomi 14 Ultra do look close to real life across the board, not just during the day. Both phones do a great job with HDR photography. The Pixel 8 Pro leans towards warmer tones, by the way. Their ultrawide cameras keep up with the main shooters in terms of color science, while the Xiaomi 14 Ultra does a better job with macro photography, without a doubt.
At nighttime, the reliability of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is outstanding. Even with the most demanding images, the phone’s main camera did wonders. The Pixel 8 Pro does a good job and brightens up the shots quite a bit, but we’d say it’s a step below the Xiaomi 14 Ultra in such conditions. Secondary cameras do a good job in low light, but the main ones are definitely better in that regard. Video recording is a tossup. Do note that the Pixel 8 Pro is packed with useful camera AI features, though, which could make all the difference for some people.
Audio
Both devices do include a set of stereo speakers. The ones on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra are a bit louder, though, but both sets are loud enough. The sound is well-balanced on both phones, not many people will complain about it, that’s for sure.
What about an audio jack? Well, neither phone has it. However, you can utilize their Type-C ports if you want to use your wired headphones. Alternatively, you can utilize Bluetooth 5.4 on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, and Bluetooth 5.3 on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.