Xiaomi 14C YouTube Explore Videos Play at 30 FPS Instead of 60 FPS

I am experiencing a serious FPS issue while watching videos in the YouTube Explore feed on my Xiaomi 14C smartphone. In the Explore section, some videos play at 60 FPS, while others appear to be limited to 30 FPS. The same behavior occurs both in the YouTube app and when viewing videos through the Chrome browser. Even though both applications are fully updated, not all videos are displayed with the smoothness expected from 60 FPS playback. Previously, there was a known issue where videos were limited to 15 FPS, and that problem was eventually fixed. However, there now appears to be an inconsistency between 30 FPS and 60 FPS playback, and the lower frame rate significantly impacts the viewing experience.

This issue is not limited to a single device. I have tested another Xiaomi 14C smartphone and observed the exact same behavior. My device is running Android 16 and HyperOS 3.0. I have even performed a factory reset, but the problem remains unchanged. My Wi-Fi connection is stable and fast, with no interruptions or network-related issues.

I do not believe the device’s 720p display is directly responsible for this problem. The phone is capable of playing 4K 60 FPS videos, even though they are displayed at the screen’s native resolution. The important factor is hardware decoding and playback support, which the device appears to have. The MediaTek G81 Ultra chipset is known to support 4K 60 FPS video playback. For comparison, devices such as the Samsung Galaxy A50 can also play 4K 60 FPS content, yet the Explore feed is similarly limited to 30 FPS on that device. This suggests that the issue may involve software optimization, video rendering behavior, or platform-level restrictions rather than raw hardware capability.

When I contacted Xiaomi customer support, I was advised only to uninstall and reinstall the YouTube application and, if the issue persisted, submit feedback directly to YouTube. However, because the problem occurs on multiple Xiaomi 14C devices, across both the YouTube app and web browser, and remains even after a factory reset, this does not appear to be a simple user-side configuration issue.

I request that Xiaomi conduct a technical investigation into video playback behavior on the Xiaomi 14C, both within YouTube and browser-based playback. I would like clarification on whether entry-level devices are subject to any software-imposed frame rate limitations and whether this behavior is intentional. If it is not intentional, I request that Xiaomi work with YouTube at the platform level to identify and resolve the issue so that all supported videos can play smoothly at 60 FPS whenever available.

In addition, I request written feedback regarding the findings of the investigation, any corrective actions taken, and the final resolution of this issue.