Redmi Book 14 (2025) has another version. This one has a 120Hz display, 16 GB RAM, and costs under 10 thousand

Xiaomi has quietly expanded its Redmi Book 14 laptop lineup with two new models bearing the “Renewed Edition” moniker. That name is a bit misleading – these are not refurbished units, but brand new laptops with old hardware. Two variants are available: a cheaper one with a Core i5-12450H processor from the 12th generation and a more expensive one with a Core i5-13420H from the 13th generation.

Both processors, however, originate from a time when Intel still had no answer to the energy-efficient chips from AMD and Apple. In benchmarks, they lag 20 to 25 percent behind current Intel Core Ultra 5 chips found in competing laptops.

Much for little money?

But then you look at the price and understand Xiaomi’s intention. The base model starts at 2,999 yuan (about 8,800 CZK), while the version with the newer processor costs 3,298 yuan (approximately 9,600 CZK). For this money, you get:

• 14-inch IPS display with 2.8K resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate
• 16 GB of RAM
• 512GB storage
• 56Wh battery and dual-fan cooling

Why is Xiaomi doing this?

This is not the first time Xiaomi has pulled a similar trick. A few weeks ago, it introduced the Redmi Book 14 Ryzen Edition 2025 with AMD Rembrandt R processors, which are based on the Zen 3+ architecture. Also not exactly new. By the way, it also sells the more expensive Redmi Book Pro 14 with more modern hardware in parallel for those who want to pay extra.

The strategy is clear – Xiaomi most likely bought older processors at a good price from Intel and is now selling them to customers who are satisfied with “sufficient” performance at a low price. For office work, web browsing, and basic multitasking, these processors are still adequate. They just aren’t what you would expect in a “new” laptop in 2025.

What about Europe? Nothing yet, but things might be looking up

Here comes the worse news for Czech customers. Xiaomi does not officially import its laptops into Europe. While you can buy Xiaomi or Redmi phones in almost every other store, for laptops, you have to go to a reseller or order them from abroad.

However, the situation might change soon. In recent months, Xiaomi has been significantly expanding its global portfolio – it has started importing electric scooters, smart projectors, and other electronics into Europe that it previously only sold in China. Moreover, its laptops generally have a lot to offer – solid specifications for a reasonable price.

If Xiaomi were to officially start selling Redmi Book laptops in Europe, it could really shake things up. Even with older processors, at the right price, they would find their customers – students, companies looking for inexpensive work machines, or simply people who need a laptop for everyday tasks.

The question is: Would you buy a laptop with a two-year-old processor if it cost half of what the competition offers? In China, the answer to this question is clearly “yes”.

What do you think of Xiaomi’s “new” laptops?

Source: notebookcheck