Just a few months after the launch of its flagships Galaxy S23S23+ and S23 UltraSamsung is attacking this time at the other end of the scale, Basic level with the Galaxy A14 4G (also available in a slightly more expensive 5G version). The device has the difficult task of succeeding the Galaxy A12 and A13 that have had significant commercial success by becoming one of the best-selling terminals in the world in 2021 and 2022.
And since a winning team is not changed, the Galaxy A14 4G is content with small improvements (a new processor, a 13MP selfie camera) to maintain its excellent value for money capable of satisfying small budgets and people who especially appreciate design. of Samsung devices. With the only condition of accepting to make a few small concessions in the performance and quality of the screen.
Its advantages
Sleek design inspired by the Galaxy S23
This is one of his great qualities. The Galaxy A14 4G has a fairly well-finished design that is reminiscent of the lines of the Galaxy S23, whose aesthetic codes it takes up with a rear photoblock made up of three vertically aligned sensors and rounded corners. In fact, the A14 4G sports a sleek and neat overall appearance.
The entry level obliges, however, the materials used are not the most refined, but the overall quality is quite satisfactory. We find a plastic chassis whose back is covered with fine grooves (which allow it to be distinguished from its 5G version with microdots). The texture ensures a good grip, without “soap” effect, and greater resistance to shocks. But it is not splash and dust proof. Above all, your screen is not prepared to withstand scratches or bumps with a suitable coating.
lovers of compact terminals It will be ironing: the Galaxy A14 has a large 6.6-inch LCD screen surrounded by wide edges, especially at the bottom, and an outdated teardrop notch. Its light weight (201 g) makes it a bit bulky in the hand. The Galaxy A14 4G is offered in black, gray and lime.
We find, quite rare, but practical, the fingerprint sensor on the right edge of the device, just below the thumb. However, it will take your finger to unlock the device easily. Under the bottom edge, owners of wired headphones will be pleased to find a jack for connecting. On the side, the slot accommodates two SIM cards or a SIM card and a microSD card in order to increase the initial storage which is a bit light (64 GB).
acceptable performance
At this price, don’t expect a racing beast. Under the hood, the Galaxy A14, which runs Android 13, packs the MediaTek Helio G80 chip with 4GB of RAM. A configuration that gives it a modest performance, but more than enough to perform day-to-day tasks (social networks, Internet browsing, video streaming, etc.) without appreciable shocks.
However, the smartphone can lack fluidity at times, with menus showing up with a slight delay when you press the associated icon, but nothing that definitely taints the overall experience. The Galaxy A14 is not designed to play demanding games or you will have to lower the detail level considerably.
A satisfactory autonomy
If it is not the most powerful chip, the MediaTek Helio G80 manages to correctly optimize the relationship between performance and energy consumption of the Galaxy A14. Result: the device, equipped with a 5000 MAh battery, provides autonomy that can be around two days with moderate use, on a good day a little more intensively. But his weak point will rather be on the cargo side.
Supplied with a USB-C cable, but without a charger block, the device is equipped with fast charging up to 15W, which is inefficient since the battery will take just over two hours to reach 100%.
A correct photo module
The Galaxy A14 is equipped with a 13MP sensor on the front of the device, a 50MP main sensor on the back accompanied by a 5MP ultra-wide sensor and a 2MP macro sensor. At the price of the smartphone, the result is quite correct during the day with good quality photos, well lit, even in bad weather, thanks to the integration of the HDR mode that allows more light to be captured and to the software that slightly overexposes. But, it may lack precision a bit on closer inspection.
Portrait mode is quite effective at cropping out the subject, but the background blur is too pronounced.
The 13MP sensor on the front of the device allows for fairly good quality selfies for the subject, but the background is totally blown out.
In low light, rendering is less good, and the level of detail and color accuracy drop dramatically.
our reservations
A perfect screen
Samsung has opted for a 6.6-inch LCD panel that displays Full HD+ (1080 x 2408) resolution. Bright enough to be readable in direct sunlight, the screen is comfortable to use, but it displays a 60Hz refresh rate that affects its speed and responsiveness. In addition, its contrasts are superficial and its colorimetry is not well calibrated enough with colors that are too warm and unnatural.
reduced storage capacity
Attention. When the smartphone starts up, the operating system occupies 20 GB of 64 GB storage space, or 32% of the available space. In fact, the latter is actually only 45.6 GB, an aspect to consider if you plan to keep heavy content (photos, videos, downloads, etc.) on your phone.
In this case, going to the 5G version of the Galaxy A14, equipped with 128 GB of storage and more expensive for only 30 euros, may be a wise decision. You also have the possibility to expand the storage capacity of the Galaxy A14 to 1 TB using a micro SD memory card. You can take as many photos and videos as you want.z.
A rising price
Despite being Samsung’s most affordable smartphone, the Galaxy A14 hasn’t escaped a price hike. While its predecessor, the Galaxy A13 with a capacity of 64 GB, was marketed at its launch at a price of 199 euros, this new iteration, with a similar configuration, sees its price increased by 20 euros (219 euros).
A situation that is explained by the increase in the cost of the components necessary for the manufacture of smartphones and that also affects Samsung’s competition. But this positions it even more frontally in terms of price with its predecessor, the Galaxy A13, which ultimately does not do less for less, or against the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 with an OLED screen and better autonomy for less than 200 euros.
Conclusion
If it is not the most efficient terminal on the market, the Samsung Galaxy A14 fulfills the tasks that correspond to it with honor. Going to the essentials, the smartphone offers decent autonomy, decent performance and a very acceptable photographic module for a device of its category and price. The smartphone follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, the Galaxy A13, and offers excellent value for money. A terminal that is aimed at people looking for a reliable and cheap device, with the guarantee and seriousness of the brand.
Source: BFM TV
