Samsung Galaxy A14 5G review

Design, build quality, handling

The Galaxy A14 5G is immediately identifiable as a Samsung; that much is certain. We'll go so far as saying it looks a lot like the recent Galaxy S23+ flagship, albeit a bit larger. That's quite a testament to the lineup's design language, and it elevates the A14 5G above its otherwise entry-level status.

Perhaps you wouldn't feel the same way if you're examining things from the perspective of your brand new S23+ that looks just like the A14 5G, but we're building the affordable Galaxy's case here.

All Galaxies look the same: S23+ (left) next to A14 5G

Of course, beyond the first impression, the A14 shows that the resemblance is only skin deep. The flagship's polished aluminum frame is replaced by similarly shiny plastic - it nearly looks the part but doesn't quite match the feel.

The rear panel is plastic too, in place of the S23+'s glass. Samsung has spiced things up on the A14 and added a pattern on the panel - concentric circles with a center in the top left corner. They make that specific sound when you run your fingernail across that you love and people around you hate.

In the US, the A14 5G apparently comes in just this black colorway that we have here. In India, on the other hand, there are a couple of flashier options - Light Green, and Dark Red. A Silver option is also in existence - we stumbled upon one in Saudi Arabia, in place of the Dark Red.

Regardless of colorway, the A14's back is reasonably grippy while also keeping fingerprints at bay. The fact that it's plastic suggests it may hold up better to drops than a more fragile glass back. You'll probably want to avoid putting it in a case so you can annoy people with its musical back too.

Around the perimeter of the A14 5G you'll find the usual things in the usual places. You have the power button and the volume rocker on the right. The former has a capacitive fingerprint sensor embedded and works great both the right thumb and the left index finger, but that last operation requires a tiny bit of a stretch. The volume rocker is out of reach with the left hand without some serious grip readjustment, though.

On the opposite side is the card slot. Our US version has a dual nano SIM tray, where you can also replace the second SIM with a microSD. The India version has a full triple slot, so you don't have to pick one or the other.

On the bottom of the phone, you'll find the USB-C port, flanked by various audio-related bits - the loudspeaker, primary mic, and 3.5mm headphone jack. Up top, there's just a secondary mic.

Bottom bits • Lone mic up top

The Galaxy A14 5G measures 167.7x78x9.1mm and weighs in at 202g. That makes it significantly larger than the Nord N20 5G (159.9x73.2x7.5mm, 173g), but it's about on par with the out-of-US competitors like the Realme 10 Pro (163.7x74.2x8.1mm, 190g) or the Poco M4 Pro 5G (163.6x75.8x8.8mm, 195g).

It's not a compact handset by any stretch, but it doesn't feel bulky or overweight in any way.

There's a bit of a generous bezel all around that 6.6-inch display - it's that black that contributes to the overall larger dimensions compared to rivals with more or less the same display diagonal. It's not an issue, but it makes for looks that are not as premium.

All in all, the Galaxy A14 5G is built to a solid standard for the class it's competing in. The plastics used are good quality, the texture on the back livens things up, and the similarity to the flagship's appearance is an appealing feature in itself.