• Galaxy A14 5G Review

    Samsung Galaxy A14 5G Review: A Decent Budget Mid-Ranger

    Daven Klarsen Posted on

    In the highly competitive world of smartphones, Samsung has been consistently releasing a variety of devices to cater to different market segments. The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is the company’s new budget mid-ranger, offering a mix of features and performance at an affordable price point.

    While it may not be the most impressive Samsung phone available, it aims to provide a decent smartphone experience. Let’s delve into the details of the Galaxy A14 5G and see how it stacks up in our review.

    Design and Build Quality:

    At first glance, the Galaxy A14 5G doesn’t bring any major design changes compared to its predecessor, the A13 5G.

    The back panel is made of plastic with an interesting vinyl-like texture, offering a unique look and feel. The layout features individual bumps for each of the rear cameras, adding a touch of style to the phone. While the plastic build might not be as premium as some other materials, it does provide a solid and grippy feel in hand.

    Display:

    The major update in the Galaxy A14 5G comes in the form of its display. Samsung has upgraded it from a 720p resolution to a sharper 1080p, resulting in a much crisper viewing experience. The 6.6-inch LCD screen offers a pixel density of 400 PPI, ensuring decent contrast and colors.

    Though it lacks the deep blacks of an AMOLED panel, the display still delivers satisfactory performance, especially with the addition of a 90Hz refresh rate. The higher refresh rate makes navigating the interface and swiping on the screen feel smoother, enhancing the overall user experience.

    Performance:

    Here’s where the Galaxy A14 5G becomes a bit complicated. The device comes with different chipsets depending on the market. For instance, the Indian model features the MediaTek Dimensity 700, which offers better CPU and GPU performance than the US variant that uses an Exynos 1330 chipset.

    The Exynos 1330 is a low-end 5G-capable chipset that provides just average performance for its price range. This means that the Indian model is more appealing in terms of performance, and it’s a bit disappointing that the chipset update isn’t consistent across all markets.

    Battery Life and Charging:

    The Galaxy A14 5G packs a generous 5,000mAh battery, delivering excellent endurance in our tests. With a score of 130 hours, the US variant showed impressive battery life. However, it’s worth noting that the phone ships with a 15W charger, and an official 25W Samsung charger would significantly improve the charging speed.

    Camera:

    The camera setup on the Galaxy A14 5G remains unchanged from its predecessor, featuring a 50-megapixel main camera, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a depth sensor. In daylight conditions, the main camera captures photos with good detail, contrast, and dynamic range, though the colors could use a bit more saturation.

    Portrait shots turn out well, with proficient subject detection and appealing bokeh. In low-light scenarios, the night mode proves to be beneficial, improving dynamic range and reducing noise.

    The selfie camera gets an upgrade from the previous model, with a 13-megapixel front-facing sensor. Selfies come out sharp with accurate colors and good dynamic range. Overall, the camera performance is respectable for a budget device.

    Software and User Interface:

    The Galaxy A14 5G runs on Samsung’s One UI 5.0 Core, based on Android 13. While it may lack some features found on higher-end Samsung phones, the user interface remains familiar and user-friendly. It’s clean, efficient, and offers a smooth experience.

    In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G proves to be a decent budget phone, offering some notable improvements over its predecessor. The 1080p display, good battery life, and satisfactory camera performance make it a compelling choice for those seeking a budget-friendly option.

    However, the chipset situation remains a bit disappointing, as some markets get a more powerful processor than others. If you’re in India and can get the MediaTek Dimensity 700 version, or if the chipset isn’t a top priority for you, the A14 5G could be worth considering. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is a solid choice for budget-conscious consumers who seek a reliable smartphone experience without breaking the bank.

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    Daven Klarsen
    Daven Klarsen is a technology writer and researcher. He's also an avid sports fan, especially when it comes to the LAL. When not working, you can usually find him tweaking his Android devices or watching soccer news.
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