Samsung Galaxy M14 5G Review: Exploring the Pros and Cons of Samsung's Latest Budget 5G Smartphone
The Samsung Galaxy M14 5G was officially announced in early March this year and it is now finally available for purchase in India. This latest addition to the Galaxy M series will be sold through Samsung's online store as well as Amazon.in starting from April 21, with the added advantage of having a faster charging speed than its global version.
Samsung has established a reputation for delivering good value-for-money smartphones and the Galaxy M series is particularly popular in India for its affordability and feature-packed options. The Galaxy M14 5G is no exception, and it comes in two RAM and storage configurations: 4GB + 128GB and 6GB + 128GB, priced at Rs 13,490 and Rs 14,990, respectively. It's worth exploring how the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G stacks up against other smartphones in the sub-Rs 15,000 price range, especially considering the intense competition in this segment.
Design of the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G
The Samsung Galaxy M14 5G boasts a curved back edge and rounded corners on its plastic body, giving it a sleek look. The phone's large battery makes it relatively thick, but its camera bumps are subtle and do not protrude much. Although the device weighs over 200 grams, it feels comfortable to hold thanks to its even weight distribution. The phone's dimensions are 166.80 x 77.20 x 9.40mm (height x width x thickness) and it weighs 206 grams. The smartphone is available in three different colours, namely Icy Silver, Smoky Teal, and Berry Blue, providing users with a range of choices.
The power button and volume rocker are located on the right side of the device. The power button doubles as a fingerprint sensor, which is extremely responsive and efficient. On the left side, there is a dual-SIM slot that comes with a dedicated microSD card slot for expandable storage. At the bottom of the device, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack, a primary microphone, a USB Type-C charging port, and a speaker grille. A secondary microphone is placed on the top of the device to reduce background noise during calls or recordings.
Display of the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G
The Samsung Galaxy M14 5G boasts a 6.6-inch Full HD+ display with a resolution of 2408x1080 pixels and an adaptive refresh rate of up to 90Hz, which is quite impressive in this price range. Although Samsung has not specified the peak brightness, the display is visible in outdoor environments, although it may not provide the best viewing experience in direct sunlight. Gorilla Glass 5 protects the water drop notch display, which is an important feature for durability.
The smartphone's thicker bezels, particularly at the bottom, may not appeal to everyone. However, those who do not like water drop notch displays can use a specific app that covers the camera cutout area with a black bar. This feature comes in handy because of the phone's large screen size. The Samsung Galaxy M14 5G delivers an excellent viewing experience, and its loudspeakers are powerful enough to enjoy movies and web series.
Performance and software of the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G
Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G is powered by the Exynos 1330 5nm processor, which is also compatible with LPDDR4X RAM and USF (Universal Flash Storage 4.0). With the RAM Plus feature, the Galaxy M14 can accommodate up to 12GB of RAM, making it capable of handling all your day-to-day tasks with ease. You won't even notice that you're using a sub-Rs 15,000 smartphone while using it. While the device can handle graphic-intensive video games, prolonged usage may cause it to heat up.
The Samsung Galaxy M14 5G runs on One UI 5.1 Core, which is based on Android 13. Samsung has committed to providing two generations of OS upgrades and four years of security updates for the device. The user interface is clean and uncluttered, and there is no bloatware. Pre-installed apps such as Snapchat and Candy Crush can be uninstalled if not needed.
Aside from the core features, the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G also comes with numerous additional features such as Secure Folder for enhanced security and privacy, Voice Focus, and Samsung Wallet for storing important documents. The Voice Focus feature is particularly impressive as it works on both regular and video calls, providing a clear and noise-free communication experience.
Battery and charging of the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G
One of the key features that make the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G an attractive option for smartphone users is its impressive battery life. The device boasts a massive 6,000mAh battery, which is significantly larger than the batteries found in many other smartphones in this price range. With such a large battery capacity, users can expect a longer battery life and more usage time.
The Samsung Galaxy M14 5G also supports 25W fast charging, which is a welcome addition. While it may take a little longer to charge the device from 0% to 100% (around 90 to 120 minutes), the fast charging technology ensures that you can quickly top up your phone's battery when you're running low on power.
With its massive battery capacity, the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G is capable of delivering up to two days of battery life (depending on usage). This is a significant advantage for those who are always on-the-go and rely heavily on their smartphones throughout the day. Whether you're streaming videos, making calls, or using social media, you can rest assured that the Galaxy M14 5G's battery will keep up with your needs.
Camera of the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G
The camera setup on the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G is not only limited to its triple camera system but also includes several software features. The camera app is straightforward and user-friendly, with all of the necessary controls easily accessible. The primary 50-megapixel camera on the back captures stunning images with vivid colours and a high level of detail. With the support of the ultra-wide lens, you can capture stunning landscape shots.
In addition to that, the macro lens allows you to take close-up shots of tiny objects, which are typically difficult to capture with a smartphone camera. The depth sensor enables you to blur the background and create a bokeh effect, which is a common feature in portrait shots. In low-light situations, the camera may struggle to capture decent images, and the quality may suffer.
The smartphone also has a 13-megapixel front-facing camera that takes good selfies in daylight. The front camera supports portrait mode, which blurs the background and focuses on your face. Additionally, it has a feature called "Live Focus," which enables you to adjust the background blur after taking the photo. Overall, the camera system on the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G is more than capable of capturing good images in most lighting conditions.
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