Smartphone brands have mastered a formula – release a flagship variant first and flaunt what it has to offer, then put out a more affordable version with almost the same specifications as the top-tier model. Among those that know this by heart – and the Filipino smartphone market, at that – is realme, with the realme 14 5G as the proof. Here’s what this new mid-range player has to offer.
Design:
The realme 14 5G comes in three colors – Warrior Pink, Storm Titanium, and the Mecha Silver which is the hero variant. Appealing to users who want their smartphones looking like a cool gaming tool, realme designed the Mecha Silver model with a futuristic aesthetic.
On its camera module, the realme 14 5G Mecha Silver comes with a Victory Halo Light, an additional design detail targeted to gamers, which illuminates according to various functions, including when an alarm is ringing, the phone is charging, during games, and when there’s a notification.
Other gaming-themed design touches on the realme 14 5G Mecha Silver are the standout orange accents on its rear and on the power button, plus a textured line.
The other color options – Warrior Pink and Storm Titanium – carry a more minimalist appearance but they also have the Victory Halo Light.
Sadly, the realme 14 5G is prone to fingerprints and smudges. If you don’t want to be bothered about swiping its slate clean every now and then, it’s advisable to use a case. On the bright side, the device is lightweight, providing an easy grip apt for a gaming smartphone.
As expected, the realme 14 5G is protected with an IP69 rating for water- and dust-resistance.
Display:
A 6.67-inch AMOLED display shines on the realme 14 5G, exuding bright visuals. With a 120Hz refresh rate, users are promised of a smooth screen experience which is especially useful when it comes to gaming. Plus, its peak 2,000 nits brightness helps in making the screen still conveniently visible even when the realme 14 5G is taken outdoors on a bright, sunny day.
It could’ve been more pleasing to the eyes if the realme 14 5G has thinner bezels, especially on its chin. Its prominent bezels are a give away that the realme 14 5G is a mid-range smartphone.
For those who like to watch their videos on loudspeakers, the realme 14 5G is a good choice of a smartphone upgrade. The device can be tuned to a maximum of 300% volume, although there are evident hiccups on audio quality, especially in terms of bass. Based on our experience, it’s ideal to set the volume to 150% to 200% for a nicer sound.
Performance:
With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chipset combined with 12GB of RAM, 14GB of virtual RAM, and 256GB of internal storage, the realme 14 5G plays the part of being a mid-range gaming-centric device on top of a trusty daily driver.
Mobile gamers would definitely enjoy owning the realme 14 5G, as the device delivers a smooth gaming experience – take note of this: even with all the gaming settings set at the maximum levels.
Plus, added gaming functions such as the GT mode, offers an extra boost for lag-free gaming sessions by tweaking the phone’s settings like the refresh rate and the GPU and CPU performances. However, we noticed that the realme 14 5G’s battery easily depletes when this feature is utilized.
For casual smartphone users, the realme 14 5G is also a competitive choice, especially with its UI customizations and AI features. We particularly had a good time exploring the device’s Circle to Search feature.
Cameras:
realme remains to be among the smartphone brands that are known to have high-performing cameras, no matter the tier of their devices.
The realme 14 5G proves this true, with its camera system top-billed by a 50-megapixel main sensor. It comes with a built-in Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), a helpful tool to prevent shaky videos and blurred photos. The other lens on the realme 14 5G carries a 2-megapixel shooter that adds a bokeh effect or depth to portraits. Images taken using the realme 14 5G look decent, with an obvious post-processing touch.
Selfies look decent, too, thanks to the realme 14 5G’s 16-megapixel front camera.
In terms of AI, most of the functions on the realme 14 5G are related to photo editing, such as AI Clear Face, AI Unblur, and AI Erase. What used to be just special features on a premium version of a photo-editing app are now made easily accessible through the realme 14 5G.
Battery:
As expected from a gaming device, the realme 14 5G offers a generous battery life. Its 6,000mAh battery lasted us a whole productive day, with a little bit of power left for the next morning. This is an impressive feat, especially since we used the realme 14 5G in almost everything – social media scrolling, clearing out tasks for work, switching from one app to another, and gaming.
realme also included additional features to support the realme 14 5G’s battery, such as a bionic cooling system that eliminates heating up concerns even when the smartphone is being used while charging. There’s also a bypass charging feature which controls the device’s temperature during charging to avoid damaging its power, therefore, prolonging battery life.
Conclusion:
Priced at P14,999, the realme 14 5G joins the ranks of realme smartphones that offer what you paid for – and even more. It checks all the essentials for a casual Filipino mobile phone user, especially the gamers who are looking for a capable device.
The realme 14 5G is available in realme stores nationwide and online.
