Vivo V50 vs Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus vs Realme 14 Pro Plus: Which is the Best Mid-Range Smartphone in India?

Vivo recently launched its first V series smartphone in India. The Vivo V50 arrives with a compelling specs sheet in India's sub-35K segment. We recently pitted the Vivo V50 against the more expensive OnePlus 13R. But how does it fare against similarly priced opposition.

We're talking about the Realme 14 Pro+ and the Redmi Note 14 Pro+. So without any delays, let's find out how the Vivo V50 fares against the best in Xiaomi's popular 'Note' series and Realme's popular 'Number' series.

Vivo V50 vs Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus vs Realme 14 Pro Plus

Design & Build

All three phones in this comparison feature unique designs, although the Starry Night finish of the Vivo V50 does standout the most. On the flip side, the Note 14 Pro+ also comes in a vegan leather finish, while the Realme 14 Pro+ gets a colour changing back panel based on temperature drops. The camera island of the Vivo V50 is more subtle than those on the Realme 14 Pro+ and Redmi Note 14 Pro+.

Additionally, the Vivo V50 is also the sleekest of the three phones. In terms of build quality, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ has top-notch Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection up front and Gorilla Glass 7i protection on the back, while the Realme 14 Pro Plus has Gorilla Glass 7i protection on the front and a plastic back panel. Finally, the Vivo V50 has a Diamond Shield Glass on the front and a plastic back.

Both the Vivo V50 and Realme 14 Pro+ also feature plastic frames, while the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ uses a tougher metal frame. All three phones have an IP68 rating for resistance to dust and water, although Realme and Vivo also have an IP69 rating. Moreover, the Realme 14 Pro+ is MIL-STD-810H certified for added durability. However, of the three devices, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ definitely stands out for its more premium build.

Display & Battery

While all three smartphones feature 120Hz OLED displays, the Vivo V50 boasts a lower Full HD+ resolution. However, the Vivo V50 sports the brightest display of the three, with a typical brightness of 1,300 nits and a peak brightness of 4,500 nits. Finally, only the screen on the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ supports Dolby Vision and the Always-on display feature.

When it comes to battery capacity, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ has a slightly larger battery than the Vivo V50 and Realme 14 Pro+. This suggests battery life will likely be the same across all three phones. Moreover, charging support is nearly the same across all three phones.

Performance & Software

We haven't tested all three phones, although the Vivo V50 does come out on top in terms of performance as the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chip is faster than the SD 7s Gen 3 on the Note 14 Pro+ and Realme 14 Pro+. However, the 256GB and 512GB models of the Note 14 Pro+ use faster UFS 3.1 storage.

While all three phones will be capable of fluid multi-tasking and running games without issue, the Vivo V50 will be able to handle similar task better than the rest because of that faster chip. In terms of software, we prefer HyperOS on the Redmi Note 14 Pro+, because of its aesthetics and customization options, over FuntouchOS and Realme UI on the V50 and Realme 14 Pro+, respectively. Finally, the Vivo offers the best software support of the three phones.

Cameras

For optics, the Vivo V50 features a dual-camera setup with a 50MP primary sensor with OIS and an f/1.9 aperture and a 50MP ultrawide lens with an f/2.0 aperture an AF. Up front, the Vivo V50 features a 50MP selfie camera with AF and an f/2.0 aperture. All three cameras here were co-developed with ZEISS and while we don't know the exact sensor used on the V50's main camera, its size is equivalent to that of the Note 14 Pro+.

The Realme 14 Pro+ also boasts a triple-camera setup with a 50MP Sony IMX896 primary sensor with OIS and an f/1.8 aperture. The main camera is paired with a 50MP Sony IMX882 periscope shooter with OIS, an f/2.7 aperture, and 3x optical zoom and an 8MP ultrawide shooter with an f/2.2 aperture. Up front, the Realme 14 Pro+ 5G opts for a 32MP Sony selfie shooter.

Finally, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ gets a new 50MP Light Hunter 800 primary sensor with OIS and an f/1.6 aperture. The other two camera sensors include a 50MP telephoto unit with 2x optical zoom and an f/2.0 aperture. Finaly, the setup is complete with an 8MP ultrawide lens and a 20MP selfie camera up front.

• Going by camera specs, features, and past experiences, we'd say the Vivo V50 offers the best primary and selfie cameras of the three. It will also offer the most consistent results between the main and ultrawide lenses, while ZEISS portrait modes and effects offer a fun experience.
• The Realme 14 Pro+ has a major advantage if you want to get up close to the subject. The periscope lens here is the only one of its kind in the segment. It also features a solid primary camera and an underwater photography mode, although its ultrawide camera performance will leave a lot to be desired.
• Finally, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ also boasts an excellent primary camera sensor, although its ultrawide lens falls short. Additionally, it also has a weaker selfie camera, while its 50MP telephoto shooter is tailored for portrait photography.

Vivo V50 vs Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus vs Realme 14 Pro Plus: Conclusion

The Vivo V50 stands out as the best overall option in this comparison, thanks to its superior performance, best-in-class primary and selfie cameras, sleek design, and longest software support. However, it lacks premium build materials, a telephoto lens, and is also the most expensive of the three devices.

The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ offers the most premium design with its metal frame and Gorilla Glass protection, Dolby Vision display, and faster storage, but it falls short in battery life and selfie camera quality. Meanwhile, the Realme 14 Pro+ is the only phone here with a periscope lens, making it ideal for zoom photography. It also has MIL-STD-810H durability certification but is held back by a plastic back, weaker ultrawide camera, and less powerful chipset.