Samsung Galaxy A14 5G review: The $200 phone has all the essentials

Strong Points

• Contactless payments with NFC

• 90Hz refresh rate

• Appropriate software and security update schedule

Cons

• performance is slow

• mixed photos

• single audio speaker

of Samsung Galaxy A14 5G for $200 Setting a new standard for cheap mobile phones. It is one of the few affordable phones that has NFC for contactless payments and supports 5G. What’s even more noteworthy is that Samsung provides his A14 with his two years of software updates and his five years of security updates. In contrast, most competitors in the same price range are stuck with his one year of software updates and his three years of security updates. This is because even though this phone is a low-cost option, it’s still a phone you can safely use for years if you want to, and it has perks that are usually only found on more expensive phones. , which means the Galaxy A14 5G is a great choice.

After testing the Galaxy A14 5G for a month, these features let you buy a quick breakfast, browse the web while listening to music on your commute, and reliably use your phone’s camera on day trips. , it turns out that you can use a phone with a capacity of 5,000 mAh. The battery still has enough charge to use the phone the next day.

That’s not to say the phone doesn’t have issues. The Galaxy A14 cuts corners with a fairly bland design and slow processor, which can sometimes leave you waiting for apps to load. But it was taxing. If you’re just looking for a phone that can handle most daily tasks, the A14 could be a solid choice, unless you’re looking for speed.

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G design, specifications and features

The Galaxy A14 5G comes in one color, black, and has a reflective plastic body. It feels a little thick in the hand, and the back has a block-like appearance with no rounding. In the top left corner there are his three cameras: a 50-megapixel main camera, a 2-megapixel depth camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera.

Around the front, there is a teardrop notch for the 13-megapixel front camera. In addition to the 1,080p resolution, the 6.6-inch display features a 90Hz refresh rate. on the other hand, $200 Moto G Stylus Running at a consistent 90Hz, the A14 has an “adaptive” mode that adjusts up to 90Hz as you scroll through text and animations while swiping between apps. I found the effect to be noticeably smoother, especially when reading articles or playing games.

The phone plays audio through one speaker, but it was very easy to accidentally block it when holding the phone horizontally to watch a video. This is notable because Motorola’s current lineup of budget phones includes stereo speakers across its Moto G phones (although the Galaxy A14 includes a headphone jack as an option for stereo audio). ). Samsung phones have 64 GB of internal storage, which is enough to get started, but you also have the option to expand your storage up to 1 TB using the phone’s microSD card slot.

In our benchmark tests, the Galaxy A14 5G’s Geekbench score was better than the Moto G Stylus, but it certainly doesn’t feel that way in real-world usage. The phone’s Mediatek Dimensity 700 processor is slow and prevents the A14 from automatically unlocking when you have another app open, when you tap a text box to bring up the keyboard, and when you move between apps. I often found myself needing extra time. Software updates can improve this, and current performance is perfectly fine for casual use. But this isn’t a phone that can handle heavy productivity documents or more graphics-demanding apps.

However, it makes a lot of sense to have NFC on the Galaxy A14, offering full compatibility with Google Wallet for contactless payments. NFC for contactless payments is rarely found. cell phones under $300You can use it anywhere from transportation to convenience stores. I hope this starts a trend and eventually all phones come with NFC, regardless of cost.

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G camera and photos

The Galaxy A14’s camera has mixed reviews, despite having a 50-megapixel main camera. I took the phone with me on several day trips, including a visit to Brooklyn’s Anime Food Festival and a weekend stop at San Diego Comic-Con.

Outdoor photos produced decent results as long as there was little movement. During the Anime Food Festival, the photos of the cheesecake and rabbit milk pudding desserts looked good, but most of the other photos were blurry due to the crowds and the movements of the performers during the taiko show.

Selfies taken outdoors were OK, but like some of Samsung’s more expensive phones, the colors felt exaggerated.

This hyperbole also applies to test photos of CNET’s office grass walls. Moto G Stylus $250 Moto G 5G It captured a more accurate shade of green than the one taken with the Galaxy A14 5G.

Also, like other phones in this price range, you’ll find photo quality difficult when moving indoors. Even in the bright light of San Diego Comic-Con, photos taken of Final Fantasy 16’s Ifrit look blurry.

When traveling to Amazon’s Good Omens Party, the A14 had difficulty focusing due to the dim lighting.

Back in New York, this selfie taken at the basement La Caverna restaurant has a lot of image noise, but the photo of the restaurant itself looks better because there wasn’t much else moving around.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A14’s photography is definitely not beyond its price range. If finding a $200 phone with a decent camera is important to you, Motorola’s latest G-series phones may be a better option. The Moto G smartphones have similar issues in low-light conditions, but when I tested them, I felt like the photos taken with these cameras were slightly better.

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is one of the most capable phones I’ve tested under $200. Although there are some notable issues with this phone, such as a slow processor and mixed photo performance, the device is capable of performing most important tasks. The inclusion of NFC is a clear highlight and will hopefully mean that contactless payment functionality will be introduced to phones of all price points. A long timeline for security updates also means your phone is safe to use for several years. This is especially helpful for those looking for an affordable device to stay in touch with friends and family.

This makes the Galaxy A14 5G especially easy to recommend for most people buying a phone on a budget, or if the phone is offered for free. However, keep in mind that it won’t make your phone any faster. Also, don’t pass up the price if a deal or incentive lowers the price of a better-equipped phone that normally costs $300.

How to test a phone

All phones tested by CNET’s review team were actually used in the real world. Test your phone’s functionality, play games, and take photos. Inspect the display to see if it’s bright, clear, and vibrant. We analyze the design and construction to see how it holds up and whether it has an IP rating for water resistance. We use both standardized benchmarking tools such as GeekBench and 3DMark to push processor performance to its limits. We also provide unique anecdotal observations of navigating the interface, recording high-resolution video, and playing graphically intense games at high refresh rates.

All cameras are tested in a variety of conditions, from bright sunlight to dark indoor scenes. Try out special features like night mode and portrait mode and compare the results with competing phones at the same price. We also use it daily to check battery life and run a series of battery drain tests.

We’re considering useful additional features like 5G support, satellite connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus support, fast charging speeds, and a foldable display. We then weigh all of this against the price and make a decision on whether the phone is actually a good value, whatever the price.