Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Note 14 SE in India as the first ‘SE’ model in the Note series. Priced at Rs 14,999, it undercuts the standard Redmi Note 14, which starts at Rs 18,999, while offering near-identical specifications. This move seems designed to plug a sub-Rs 15,000 gap in Xiaomi’s lineup, especially with the Note 15 series still a few months away.
The Redmi Note 14 SE comes in a single Crimson Art colour with a slightly tweaked design – a square camera module, glossy-matte finish, and curved edges. It features a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 2,100 nits of peak brightness, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. There’s also an in-display fingerprint sensor and dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos. These display and audio specs help the Note 14 SE stand out in the budget segment, where LCD screens are still standard.
Under the hood is the MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra SoC, the same one found in the Redmi Note 14. It comes with 6GB RAM (plus 6GB virtual memory), 128GB UFS 2.2 storage, and microSD expansion support. While we haven’t tested the SE model yet, its performance is expected to mirror that of the Note 14. In our review, we said the handset is good for daily tasks and gaming, but slightly behind rivals like iQOO Z9s and Realme 13 in thermal and benchmark performance.
The battery is a 5,110mAh unit with 45W fast charging. It’s rated to maintain battery health for four years. While this should easily last a full day, some cheaper phones now offer even bigger 6,000mAh or 6,500mAh batteries. That said, Xiaomi includes Android 15 out of the box here, which is an edge over the Note 14 (Android 14).
Camera-wise, you get a 50MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro on the back, plus a 20MP selfie camera. This setup is identical to the Note 14, which impressed us in our testing with solid portrait and low-light performance, even outperforming some pricier competitors in certain shots.
All things considered, the Redmi Note 14 SE offers nearly everything the Note 14 does at a more attractive price. Unless you specifically want a different colour or configuration, the SE is the smarter choice. It goes on sale starting August 7th on mi.com, Flipkart, and retail stores, with an additional Rs 1,000 bank discount.
