Samsung A14
In a modern mobile market saturated with offerings, it seems nearly impossible to find a decent smartphone with as many features as it is not too expensive. Well, the beginning of the Samsung Galaxy A14 can be announced as a device that has appeared in the budget segment but has been waiting for attention for a long time. In this exhaustive analysis of the merits of this smartphone, we shall unveil why the gadget may be the best thing to happen to cash-strapped consumers who do not wish to spend much but need a functional device capable of delivering all the basics.
In This Article:
Design and Build Quality
Just like most Samsung mobile production, the Samsung Galaxy A14 is the epitome of beauty in budget devices. In terms of design, on the back of the phone, there is a slim and shiny plastic panel that feels and looks expensive and has a rubberized pattern that avoids fingerprints. It is 9.1 mm thick, not the thinnest out there, but the edges are rounded slightly to make it quite comfortable to grasp firmly for a longer time.
First, it is 6.6” diagonally with very thin frames, which gives it a fairly fresh look for the given price range. Okay, located on the right side of the frame and easily reachable for a right-handed person, it is a power button and a fingerprint sensor at the same time; as for lefties, they will probably need some time to get used to this.
Display Excellence
There is, however, one aspect that is truly worth applauding the Samsung A14. The smartphone embraces a 6.6-inch FHD+ PLS LCD display; it has a screen resolution of 2408 x 1080 pixels in order to produce high-quality visuals and brightness. This screen ticks all the right boxes, with one of them being an immersive 90Hz refresh rate, which makes sliding through social network feeds and switching between apps much quicker and silky smooth, especially when compared to baseline 60Hz panels.
It boasts a brightness level of 450 nits in a luminance panel, which will be adequately visible in preferably mildly sunny conditions. The adaptive brightness function is also very effective, by automatically controlling the brightness of the screen in the environment of light.
Performance and Hardware
Physically at the core of the Samsung Galaxy A14 lives the MediaTek Helio G80, coupled with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM based on the market. Or this combination, it operates very effectively for basic usage such as messaging, social media navigation, basic multitasking, and some light gaming or graphic design work.
Though it is not a gaming chip, with the A14 Bionic, one can play games like PUBG Mobile and COD Mobile at medium graphics settings and with no frame dips. Thermal management on the phone is commendable, something that is made clear when using the phone to gaming for long hours.
Camera Capabilities
The Samsung A14 houses the main sensor of 50 MP, while another 5 MP is for an ultrawide lens and 2 MP for a macro lens. I noticed that the main sensor does a great job of delivering good details, natural color accuracy, and fairly good dynamic range, particularly in well-lit areas. Samsung’s scene optimizer gives a quick boost to photos based on what you are photographing food, landscapes, or portraits, for instance.
The second lens, though not as sharp as the main sensor, is useful in that it diversifies the shooting options and is great for taking shots of buildings or groups of people. The only advantage that a macro lens offers is that when used in adequately lit surroundings, it creates some interesting close-up shots, but this is limited in its uses.
Battery Life and Charging
The battery segmentation is one of the best we have seen in this class, with the phone boasting a 5000mAh battery. Even with moderate use that includes social networking, messaging, occasional gaming, and video streaming, you can go a full day and even more.
This one includes support for charging as fast as 15W, which is nothing special compared to today’s standards but is quite useful nonetheless. It takes roughly two hours to fully charge the battery, although in a rush you can get a 30-minute charge, which gives you about 30 percent battery, which will keep your device going for several more hours.
Software and User Experience
Based on Android 13 and Samsung One UI 5.0, the Galaxy A14 has a great, streamlined design with necessary features such as a Samsung secured folder, Samsung Knox security, and digital health. Samsung has ensured five years of software updates by providing two years of Android updates with four years of security updates.
Hence, they are colorful, friendly, smooth, and slick, with additional features such as the edge screen, wherein you are able to locate your most frequently used apps and contact list easily. The ecosystem apps are useful as part of the package, although some of them might be classified as bloatware.
Storage and Connectivity
The Samsung A14 is available in two variants: 64GB and 128GB of internal memory, with the further capability of adding up to 1TB using a MicroSD card slot. This portability and thus the flexibility of storage options make it apt for users who like to have their media stored on this device.
Connecting options include 4G LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, and GPS navigation, and no 5G is available, but the 4G is intact and should be enough to serve the general use of users out there.
Price and Value Proposition
They have placed the Samsung Galaxy A14 perfectly well in the budget segment, with the basic model costing $199 only. This makes it a good bang for the buck, given the quite diverse feature offering and the durability of the Samsung label.
In this regard, many similar root devices in this price range cannot boast of such attractive features as the high quality of the display, the stable performance of the A14, and good battery life. It also has added value for long-term prospects due to software updates.
Related Article: Samsung S22: The Final Guide to Samsung’s flagship phones in 2024
Conclusion
This Samsung Galaxy A14 can be categorized as budget, accompanied by a set of relatively useful and durable characteristics. While it may not compete with flagship devices, it excels in the areas that matter most too everyday users: durable, strong camera functions, long battery existence, and a sound-working touch screen.
Some of the drawbacks of the device, like lack of 5G and comparatively low charging speeds, seem quite justified by the device’s price range. What you are getting in return is a solid smartphone that is very capable of handling mundane tasks and also producing satisfactory photos, all of these while lasting long enough to cater to your hectic schedule. Amid the constant updates and upgrades of this smartphone market, the Samsung A14 shows that it is possible to have a great run on mobile platforms without spending a single cent on a mobile device.
FAQs
Is 5G connectivity provided by the Samsung A14?
The standard model of Brighthouse Networks is a 4G LTE device. As of now, there is a 5G variant, but the 5G version is available as a different model altogether with a different configuration and price tag.
Is it possible to add more storage space to the Samsung A14?
The Samsung A14 offers microSD card expansion for as much as 1 TB, meaning that it is possible to expand the internal space well beyond the 64GB or 128GB that may come standard.
