All eyes may be on Samsung’s big upcoming flagship unveil. The leaks have started, the rumours have started to swell. Samsung’s Galaxy S23 launch is just a week away. Even as we wait to check out the brand’s first flagship for the year, Samsung recently unveiled its first Galaxy smartphone for the year – the Galaxy A14 5G, that lands in the competitive Rs 15,000 to 20,000 price band. Market dynamics have changed significantly in the last year. Rising input costs have seen upward price corrections in the smartphone space while consumers are realising that the days of cheap smartphones might be over. Does the A14 5G pack enough value for its asking price?

Slick design

It might be 201 gm but it certainly felt lighter in my hand. Samsung’s new design language could be a reason. It’s not just better weight distribution but also a cool new rear cam design. The A14 5G takes a page out of the Samsung flagship camera book with its unique linear camera housing. It’s seamless and the uni-body silhouette gives it a distinct appearance. We checked out the more sedate black but there are a couple of more funky colour options. The laser pattern back cover adds to the premium vibe. This is one of the better looking devices under Rs 20K.

Punchy display

Aside from design, a big part of the appeal of Samsung’s A series devices is the display. This one’s packed with a 6.6-inch FHD+ display (1080 x 2408 pixels) that packs a punch. Colours are vibrant and get a boost from the 90Hz refresh rate that makes it quite smooth for videos and gaming. We’re not fans of the teardrop notch and we do hope Samsung loses this on upcoming devices.

Feature packed

The A14 5G comes with a triple rear cam. You get a 50MP primary lens, a 2MP depth sensor and 2MP macro lens. The primary lens delivers decent results, this cam can hold its own in this segment. I missed the ultra-wide lens which I tend to use more frequently than a macro lens, but this might boil down to a personal preference. The 13MP selfie cam is quite solid too. The A14 5G is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 1330 processor, you get a choice of storage options that go all the way to 8GB/128GB. Performance was decent, the device clocked a score of 2024 in our AnTuTu benchmark test. While it may not please hardcore gamers who need extra firepower, it’s still ready for everyday tasks. The 5000 mAh battery is robust; I managed almost 2 days without reaching out for a charger. It’s one of the many handy features that makes this device a solid contender in the sub Rs 20,000 price segment.

The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G starts at Rs 16,499