Luckily, it so happens that there are plenty of phones to choose from on the market – you have budget phones (generally, in the $100-300 price range); mid-range phones (in the $300-500 price range; expensive flagships, and everything in between.
In late 2024 (almost 2025), there’s less need to spend a lot of money to get a great phone than ever before, and the phone that caught my eye as the perfect example of that is the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ – which is so “new”, it’s only available in China right now.
But here’s the kicker… I think the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ might be such a good deal (depending on where you are in the world), that importing it to your country might make it the best phone deal you can get.
Xiaomi’s “impossible” $350 Redmi Note 14 Pro+ put my $1,200 iPhone and Samsung to shame with unique camera, battery, and durability
I don’t want to make it boring by listing a bunch of specs but here’s the shortest list I could come up with to make my point…
Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ specs
- Display – 6.67-inch, 120Hz AMOLED with 3000 nits of peak brightness in HDR
- Camera – 50 MP, f/1.6, 1/1.55-inch primary sensor + 50 MP, f/2.0, 2.5x optical telephoto with 50cm minimum focusing distance + 8 MP, f/2.2, ultra-wide-angle sensor, 20MP selfie camera
- Processor – Snapdragon 7s Gen3 with 12-16GB of RAM and 256-512GB of storage
- Battery – 6,200 mAh with 90W fast-charging
- Extras: IP68/IP69K dust/water resistant (up to 2m for 24 hours), stereo speakers, 3-4 years of OS updates and security patches
Right away, what stood out to me is how well balanced of a phone the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is. The only drawbacks I can think of are the 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, the lack of 4K video support on the selfie camera, and the lack of wireless charging.
Flagship-grade zoom camera, humongous battery with super-fast charging, and unique durability rating make the $350 Redmi Note 14 Pro+ the most special mid-range phone out there
However, in exchange for the lack of wireless charging, you get some features you don’t really get in other $300 phones. In fact, the three features I’m focusing on aren’t even available on Samsung, Apple, or Google’s $1,000+ flagships. Like at all.
A real zoom camera with better focusing capabilities than a $1,200 Apple/Samsung flagship
First is the 2.5x optical zoom camera. Not only is it a high-quality 50MP snapper that can sensor-crop to give you 5x lossless zoom, but it also has macro capabilities thanks to the minimum focusing distance of 50cm.
For comparison, my iPhone 15 Pro Max needs at least 2 metres in order to lock focus with its zoom camera. And the only Chinese phones that have macro-capable zoom lenses cost nearly $1,000.
2 days of battery life in a phone you can charge in no more than 40 minutes?
Then there’s the massive 6,200 mAh stacked battery in a phone that only weighs 210g.
Of course, such a huge battery needs fast charging, and 90W is almost as fast as it gets nowadays. Seriously, this might be the dream battery-charging combo, and there’s no flagship phone on sale right now able to match that.
More dust and water-resistant than your dust and water-resistant $1,000 flagship
The cherry on top for the clumsy and adventurous ones (I fall into the first category), is that we have another standout feature not found on other phones – IP68/IP69K dust/water resistance.
In other words, if you go swimming and it so happens that your phone falls into the pool, and it takes you “up to 24h” to realize and find it – it should be just fine. As long as the pool isn’t too deep, or… the ocean.
For context, standard IP68 dust/water resistance rating (Galaxy S24, iPhone 16, Pixel 9) only guarantees your phone can stay submerged for a mere 30 minutes. Of course, in reality, all of this is relative, but the point is that the IP68/IP69K rating makes the $300 Redmi Note 14 Pro+ unique and possibly more durable than your $1,200 flagships.
Importing the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ to Europe or the USA – is the hassle worth the unmatched value?
For one, paying $300-350 for the Xiaomi 14 Pro+ feels wrong… But in a good way. I actually struggle to think of ANY smartphone on sale right now that offers more bang for the buck, which speaks volumes. In fact, I’m not even sure you can find a better used or refurbished phone that beats the value offered by the Redmi Note 14 Pro+.
The second thing is – I’m hyping this phone up so much, but how do you buy it?! Well, as of now, the Redmi Note 14 series is expected to debut globally in early 2025, but of course the prices of the global versions (in places like Europe and the UK) will be higher.
This means if you want to have the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ now and on the cheap, you’d have to go down the “import route”, which carries an element of risk. That being said, if websites like Giztop are to be believed (and they have a good track record), importing the phone into the US or Europe should be a relatively hassle-free experience.
Express shipping to the mainland United States or Europe with a promise for “no duty fees (except in very rare cases)” costs just $30/€30, which is nothing given the value on offer. Of course, for those who like to play it safe, waiting for the global launch of the Redmi Note 14 series might be a better idea. But again, this will change the value proposition.
Would I buy and import a Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ from China?
All in all, importing the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ into the US and Europe costs as low as $340 or €325, depending on the storage option and shipping you choose. The base variant comes with a super-generous 12/256GB RAM and storage combo, and shipping can take 1-4 weeks.Finally, the third and last point I feel obligated to make is… Would I actually do it? In other words, as unhygienic as it might sound… Would I put my money where my mouth is?
And the answer is… Yes. I actually do consider pulling the trigger on a Redmi Note 14 Pro+ – perhaps as a phone I can give my mum after I check it out.
The caveat is that I already have a bunch of premium phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold on my disposal, which means I’m not *really* going to be buying the phone if that makes sense.
However, if I didn’t have access to all these phones, and if I was on the market for an Android, which doesn’t break the bank (as I already said)… I really don’t see a better deal out there. So yes, under those circumstances, I’d be importing the Redmi Note 14 Pro+, and I’d be importing it fast.
What do you think? Am I being overly enthusiastic, or is the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ really the best $350 deal out there?