Review of Samsung Galaxy A14 5G
Our Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G offers a decent camera and trusty 5G connectivity. Despite entry-level pricing, it gets the same software features as Samsung's more expensive devices, with software updates promised to keep it running for the next few years — unless the limited RAM and storage dent your experience.
- Affordable 5G
- Vibrant display with a 90Hz refresh rate
- Two day battery
- Surprisingly good rear camera for the price
- Large display bezels and outdated notch
- Low RAM can throttle the chipset’s performance
Samsung's bright looks, regular One UI upgrades, and array of camera functions have allowed the Galaxy A series to dominate the Android phone market time and time again. Thanks to Samsung's reputation and consistent software across all price points, it has consistently outsold the Galaxy S and other flagship series in terms of sales. With a redesigned display and in line with thebest Samsung phones of 2023, the Galaxy A14 5G this year continues that tradition.
One of the least expensive 5G phones is the Galaxy A14, and Samsung promises to update your smartphone often, keeping it secure from viruses and equipped with the newest features. Take into consideration the cameras, the software features Samsung packs into this low-cost handset, and the visually appealing textured back, and the Galaxy A14 5G seems worthy of notice—especially if you're on a tight budget or need a backup phone.
Advantages- Affordable 5G
- Vibrant display with a 90Hz refresh rate
- Two day battery
- Surprisingly good rear camera for the price
Cost and accessibility
Only in black, the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is available in the US for $199.99 at Walmart, Amazon, and Samsung's web shop. With a retail price of £219, it is slightly more costly in the UK, but you can select between the Silver, Green, and Black colour options.
Specifications
Attributes
The Galaxy A14 5G is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor, which is a purely entry-level semiconductor that is also seen in other low-cost smartphones like the POCO M4. The Galaxy A14 5G's processor is powerful enough to handle basic features like internet surfing, video streaming, instant messaging, and phone calls. The MediaTek Helio G80, which drives the LTE version of the Galaxy A14, is much less powerful than this technology.
Benefiting from Samsung's dedication to providing fast software updates is the Galaxy A14 5G. As of right now, One UI Core 5.1, which is built on Android 13 and Google's August 2023 security patch, powers it. In addition, Samsung guarantees four years of security updates and two Android version upgrades, up to Android 15.
Notably, the Android skin for the Galaxy A14 5G is called "One UI Core" rather than "One UI," which basically means that certain features could be less than on more costly models from the company. Samsung successfully removes extra background functions that might strain the basic hardware, such "Smart Suggestion," video calling, and playback improvements.
But other from Samsung Pay, I didn't notice that any essential functionality were absent. The Galaxy A14 5G runs the same version of One UI, if not the same generation, as Samsung's flagship smartphones. This means that it has most of the productivity features, such bixby routines, multi-window messaging, and floating windows.
A fingerprint scanner that is conveniently located on the side of the Galaxy A14 5G can be easily accessed with your right thumb. The haptic and safe-feeling volume rocker is located above the fingerprint scanner. Although a little bit more depth might make the button seem clickier, Samsung most likely lowered the depth to prevent it from becoming unsteady.
In addition to the USB-C connector for data transmission and charging, there is a 3.5mm headphone socket for music for those who still use wired headphones. The mono speaker grille and the main microphone are located next to these ports.
Photographer
Samsung includes a 50MP main camera with the Galaxy A14. The main camera's resolution seems to be comparable to that of other Samsung phones, such as the Galaxy A54 and even the basic Galaxy S23, when seen in paper. However, as you would anticipate given the pricing, the actual sensor within varies a great deal. At 1/2.54 inches, its 50MP sensor is physically considerably smaller than other pricey gadgets, and it can capture significantly less detail or clarity.
However, when considered separately, the Galaxy A14 5G's camera is really good given its cost. The photographs have enough clarity for social media shots, and the colours pop, particularly in the daytime. Although it occasionally has trouble focusing, particularly in dim light, it nevertheless does the job.
The Galaxy A14 takes 12.5MP photos using 4-in-1 pixel binning, which combines four pixels into one to capture more light than 50 million pixels when used individually. Perhaps because of the processor's weakness, full-size 50MP shots cannot be clicked, nor can HDR photos be taken. But, the Pro mode, which enables manual focus and allows you to adjust the shutter speed, ISO, exposure, and white balance, can help you make greater use of the camera.
While there is less sharpness and vibrancy in the visuals at night, the Night Mode may still preserve some clarity. For improved contrast and more saturated colours, the Night Mode patches together numerous pictures taken at various ISO settings.
Samsung completely leaves off the ultrawide camera on the Galaxy A14 5G in addition to the main. Alternatively, a 2MP macro sensor is included for close-up macro photography. This macro camera cannot match the main camera's colour and clarity, with the exception of being able to focus closer. Given that the lens has a fixed focal length, you cannot activate autofocus either.
A 2MP depth sensor completes the pair. In addition to giving you a reason to boast about having three cameras on your phone, the software blurs the backdrop, making the sensor all but useless. Even when the depth sensor is covered, photos still have a similar bokeh effect.
For a $200 phone, you get a 13MP front-facing camera that is rather clear for selfies. You receive value for your money even if the colours are not as vibrant as they are on the back camera. Selfies become more acceptable while using the front camera's Night and Portrait settings.
Last but not least, the Galaxy A14 5G can record slow-motion films at 720p using the back camera and 1080p videos at 30 frames per second using both the front and rear cameras.
Design
The Samsung Galaxy, like the majority of its other phones released in 2023, is designed using the same framework. With the exception of the Ultra, you can hardly tell the Galaxy A14 5G apart from the majority of other Galaxy A and Galaxy S series models thanks to its curved side frame and flat back. The A14 5G stands out because to its appealing light olive-green hue. However, the A14 is also available in silver and black if you prefer subdued finishes; however, black is only available in the US.
In contrast to previous more costly Galaxy A series models, which have a glass back covered in a metal or plastic frame, the Galaxy A14 5G has a unibody frame. The curved side edges and the ridged back feel different, even though the material is continuous. Although the textured back is visually appealing, after time, body dirt and grime may collect on its ridges. If you don't use a case with your phone, you run the additional danger of scratching the rear texturing due to the phone's low-quality plastic components.
The Galaxy A14 5G feels enormous in the hand and is almost the same size as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, an iPhone 15 Plus, or an iPhone Pro Max. Over extended use, the flat back and abrupt transition to the sides may become uncomfortable to grasp.
Finally, the Galaxy A14 5G from Samsung supports two SIM cards. While buyers in the US get a hybrid SIM tray that shares the secondary SIM slot with the microSD card, customers in the UK receive a triple-slot SIM tray that accommodates two SIM cards and a microSD card.
Show
The A14's display is hemmed in by thick bezels. You may admire the display, however, if you can muster the patience to look beyond the big bezels and the antiquated notch design (in comparison to Chinese companies that currently offer hole-punch panels at this price).
The 6.6-inch Full HD+ LCD is devoid of the typical blue tinge of low-quality LCDs and appears dependably crisp, even in strong lighting conditions. Additionally noteworthy is the colour vibrancy, and the 90Hz refresh rate making scrolling less taxing on the eyes.
The display is not only rather brilliant during the day, but because of how dark it can become at night, it is equally soothing. You may utilise Samsung's One UI interface in the dark without worrying about eye strain by using the "Extra Dim" option, which further reduces brightness.
Power Source
The substantial 5,000mAh battery of the Galaxy A14 5G supports daily use. Although the battery capacity is a regular feature on phones in all price ranges, the LCD and the low-power internal components greatly increase the backup. As long as you text, browse the web, and sometimes view videos, the Galaxy A14 5G should easily last you two days.
Even when it's used as a gaming phone ), When utilising mobile data instead of Wi-Fi for extended periods of time or binge-watching, the battery may still last all day without requiring a second charge. Because of the very lengthy charging time, it's still a good idea to plug the phone in at the end of the day.
The Galaxy A14 5G has a 15W maximum charging speed restriction, and a full charge using the USB-C connector may take more than two hours. To make matters worse, Samsung only includes a USB-C to USB-C cable in the package instead of the charging brick. Use a charger that supports more than 15W of output, ideally USB-PD, to guarantee you can even charge the Galaxy A14 5G at the fastest supported rates.
Achievement
It's astonishing how well the Galaxy A15 5G handles games other than simple 2D puzzle games like Candy Crush and Mars Mars. Additionally, the processor has enough power to run demanding games like Pokemon Unite or Unhappy Racoon at playable frame rates. However, if you want to play combat-based games like Call of Duty Mobile or PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Mobile, be ready for low visual quality, frequent stuttering, and frame drops, which become worse as the phone gets hotter.
The Galaxy A14's minimal RAM might seem like a bottleneck, creating frequent stutters even when navigating through the user interface, even if the hardware is sufficient for the price range. Parts of Southeast Asia and other competitive markets offer 6GB or 8GB RAM models with greater (128GB) storage. However, Samsung only offers the Galaxy A14 5G with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage as the base model in the US and the UK.
Support for 5G is one of the chipset's distinguishing features, making the Galaxy A14 5G an appealing option for those seeking better surfing speeds. Both inside and outdoors, the phone can reliably provide 5G speeds on a regular basis. The modem, according to MediaTek, supports FDD and TDD modes in 5G NR (New Radio) in addition to Standalone (SA) 5G networks. This translates to a more dependable connection, especially in crowded places, and support for a large variety of 5G bands across various transmission frequencies.
Is it wise to purchase the Galaxy A14 5G?
Although it is not a powerful device, the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G provides a surprisingly good value for the money. The Galaxy A14 5G is a notable device due to its huge 90Hz display in addition to the apparent benefit of superfast 5G. The rear-facing 50MP camera produces some impressive shots, and the feature-rich camera app offers you a tonne of editing options for your Instagram photos.
The Galaxy A14 provides certainty in the form of two anticipated Android platform updates and software features shared with more pricier Samsung handsets, in addition to a respectable display and camera for this budget. Additionally, the 5,000mAh allows for continuous use for periods longer than a single day.
One of the shortcomings of the Galaxy A14 is its 4GB RAM, which might cause frequent stutters while using the phone. It may also be annoying when your phone takes a while to charge, particularly if you neglected to plug it in the night before. Last but not least, Samsung's nefarious requests to install third-party applications may be grating and cause the phone to lag.
Recommendations for Samsung Galaxy A14 5G Substitutes
After reading our evaluation, if you're still not sure about the Galaxy A14 5G, you may look at some other options below.
The Nord N30
-OnePlusThe OnePlus Nord N30 (marketed as the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite in the UK) has a better display, a quicker charger, and a higher-resolution camera if you can extend your budget by an additional $70. Because it supports 5G, the OnePlus smartphone has a far faster CPU and can handle comparably high network rates.
Although OnePlus phones have a more seamless user interface than Samsung's One UI, the Nord N30 may still have bloatware issues. If you are willing to shell out the additional cash, the improved hardware should make it a very attractive wager.
POCO M4 Pro
The sibling brand of Xiaomi, POCO, is not available in the US, but if you live in the UK, you can get the M4 Pro with 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM for £249. Similar to the OnePlus model mentioned earlier, the POCO M4 Pro has enhanced functionality, an updated aesthetic, and quicker charging—albeit not quite as quick as the Nord N30.
POCO may have a user interface similar to iOS and a large number of pre-installed apps. However, if that's not a big deal to you, it might be a better option than the Galaxy A14 5G, particularly if money is limited.
G-Series Moto G 5G-2023
For the same $199 price, you can have a better display, same cameras, and more storage with the Moto G 5G, if a simple UI is essential. Motorola's inconsistent update schedule is the sole issue with the Moto G, particularly for low-cost phones.