Samsung has quietly launched a new budget smartphone, the Galaxy A14 (4G). It arrives about two months after the 5G model, which was launched at CES 2023 in early January. The two devices look the same physically, but the 4G model is significantly lesser specced than its 5G sibling.
Galaxy A14 specifications and features
According to Samsung, the Galaxy A14 measures the same in dimension as its 5G version. But the device doesn’t pack the same internals. The 6.6-inch Full HD+ (1080 x 2408 pixels) LCD screen drops to a 60Hz refresh rate from 90Hz. The chipset powering the new phone is also an outdated MediaTek Helio G80. Launched more than three years ago, it is a 12nm processor with a maximum clock speed of 2GHz.
Samsung has paired the chipset with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. With RAM Plus, you can convert up to 6GB of storage space into virtual RAM. You can also insert a microSD card to add up to 1TB of storage space to the device. The Galaxy A14 takes in two nano SIM cards as well. It features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There are no stereo speakers here, which isn’t surprising.
Cameras appear to be an upgrade from the 5G model, though. At least in terms of resolution. There’s a 50MP primary shooter, 5MP ultrawide lens, and 2MP macro camera. For selfies and video calls, we have a 13MP camera sitting under the V-shaped notch on the display. The Galaxy A14 supports camera autofocus and can record FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) videos at 30fps (frames per second). Don’t expect OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) or any other fancy camera feature, though.
Considering an unchanged shape and size, it’s unsurprising that Samsung is including a 5,000mAh battery inside the Galaxy A14, the same as the 5G model. However, it has downgraded to just a 10W charging speed via a USB Type-C port. Other highlights include Android 13-based One UI 5.0 software, dual 4G VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.2, and NFC.
Price and availability
Samsung recently launched the Galaxy A14 without any fanfare in Malaysia (via). The handset comes in Silver, Black, and Dark Red colorways in the country. As of this writing, the company hasn’t revealed the price or release date for the phone. We should get that information once it starts taking orders for the new budget phone. The Galaxy A14 may also arrive in a few other markets but there’s no official word yet.
2023-02-28 15:06:12