Samsung Galaxy M14 was eagerly awaited when released in the Nigerian market, as an affordable smartphone option that delivers reliable smartphone features. It’s priced competitively, delivering decent performance, outstanding camera skills, and great battery life. Unfortunately, there are always compromises with any budget device. The Galaxy M14 is a good budget phone, but this review hopes to offer a detailed analysis to determine if it fits what you will want out of a phone.
Specifications Overview
Before diving into the user experience, let’s outline the key specifications of the Samsung Galaxy M14 available in Nigeria:
- Display: 90 Hz refresh rate, 6.6-inch PLS LCD Infinity-U Display
- Resolution: Full HD+ (1080×2400 pixels)
- Processor: Snapdragon 680 (6nm)
- Software & UI: Based on Android 13, One UI 5.1
- Rear Camera: Triple
- 50MP main with OIS
- 2MP depth sensor
- 2MP macro lens
- Front Camera: 13MP
- Connectivity: CPX 5, Bluetooth 5, GPS, VoLTE
- Battery: 25W fast charging (charger included), 6000mAh
- Memory Options:
- ₦110,000 to ₦145,390: 4GB RAM / 64GB Storage
- ₦164,990: 6GB RAM / 128GB Storage
- Color Options: Arctic Blue and Sapphire Blue
Design and Build Quality
The Samsung Galaxy M14 looks somewhat similar to its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy A05s, but with a few changes that make it a little prettier. The device looks sleek and modern as you would expect from Samsung as a company – and comes at a budget-friendly cost.
Exterior Aesthetics
On the back, the triple camera setup of the back panel is identical to Samsung’s iconic signature setup, and neatly blended into a minimalist cutout that matches the other models in the Galaxy lineup. Another reason for this design choice is to ensure a uniform look and at the same time the M14 can be recognized by the people who purchase at a budget price in Nigeria and is different from other budget smartphones in Nigeria.
Front Display
It comes with a waterdrop notch, learning from the Galaxy M23 with huge bezels, which is a kind of outdated idea in 2024. In budget segments, most manufacturers have put skinny bezels and punch-hole cameras. But Samsung keeps this design, maybe to save some cost and in the meanwhile avoid hassle.
Build Quality
The Galaxy M14 is not to be mistaken for one of those budget phones with a plastic construction, but feels sturdy in hand. It has an even weight distribution so that it does not feel bulky nor unwieldy to use for prolonged periods. For people who use their phones for everything from work to gaming to watching videos, this is especially good.
Display Performance
With a 6.6-inch PLS LCD Infinity-U display with a 90 Hz refresh rate, the Galaxy M14 delivers a gigantic and immersive viewing experience. Here’s how it stands up in real-world scenarios:
Visual Clarity and Brightness
The display has a 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution (~394 ppi density), which is sufficient for browsing, streaming, and gaming, the latter in which the pixels of the display don’t pose an issue. The brightness levels are not as good, especially under direct sunlight. In Nigeria, where sunny days are common, maximum brightness treads low, below 500 nits, and visibility might be difficult for users.
Color Accuracy and Viewable Angle
LCD panel offers decent color reproduction in decent viewing angles so the display won’t be dispersed and rather will be the same when viewed from different angles. The HDR support, however, is missing, so color vibrancy and contrast may not be possible on par with more expensive smartphones, something you come to expect on budget phones.
Refresh Rate and Performance
If you buy a 90Hz display, the scrolling is smoother and you do not feel drift, you perceive more responsive touch interaction. 90Hz refresh is the new norm. Though, the Galaxy M14 does not permit changing color modes or setting the refresh rate on your own will, so user customization is deprived of.
Additional Features
Apparently, the Galaxy M14 has Widevine L1 support and Full HD streaming without any restrictions over streaming platforms like Netflix. This is a great feature for a budget device as it makes the device interesting for media junkies.
Audio, Haptics, and Sensors
The display and build experience are good at some spots and bad elsewhere, while the audio and sensor suite checks many boxes, but others off them.
Audio Quality
Its single bottom-firing speaker was sufficient for normal hearing output. It’s not very clear or loud like the top-end models. Users who experience consuming media or taking calls in noisy environments can be dissatisfied with the audio performance.
Haptic Feedback
It includes a simple vibration motor which provides standard haptic feedback. It’s noticeable, but not as refined as what premium smartphones provide, with subtler and more varied vibrations.
Sensor Array
The Galaxy M14 comes with a minimalistic sensor setup:
- Accelerometer
- Light sensor
- Proximity sensor
Some of which are absent are the sensors like the gyroscope and compass, which are widely adopted on mid and high-end smartphones. Certain functionalities, like augmented reality applications and highly accurate directional navigation, might not work as well as if one could, for example, carry two small devices that can be held each within their other hand (this limitation).
Performance Analysis
The Samsung Galaxy M14 is under the hood powered by the Snapdragon 680 chipset with a 6nm process, and it comes with 4GB or 6GB RAM. Along with this, let’s check how this combination works on the battlefield.
Day-to-Day Usage
The Galaxy M14 provides performance suitable for daily tasks like browsing, social media, and multitasking. Opening apps, flipping between tasks, and navigating more broadly are all smooth and occasionally lag. The 4GB RAM variant, however, doesn’t handle this sluggishness as well, as multitasking can noticeably slow it down.
Gaming Performance
Casual titles are easy to game on the Galaxy M14, the more demanding ones are not. While running PUBG Mobile, the titles are able to cap at about 30 fps with a playable experience, not the fluidity that serious gamers demand. Games that are less resource-intensive, like Mech Arena, do better — reaching around 56 fps on high settings. Of course, frame drops and stutters are quite normal in graphically intensive games, but users are better advised to temper their expectations.
Benchmark Scores
With the Snapdragon 680 chipset, the Galaxy M14 benchmarks itself up against other smartphones like it. However, when using eMMC storage rather than UFS 2.2, overall responsiveness and data transfer speeds are lacking, decreasing the snappy reaction of the user compared to other competitors with faster storage.
Thermal Management
The Galaxy M14 does fine with temperature levels, especially for the extended usage scenario where there’s almost no thermal throttling. It also makes sure performance is consistently good, and not slowed down at any point due to overheating, a factor that is particularly important in a country like Nigeria which is warm.
Software Experience
The Samsung Galaxy M14 is powered with the One UI 5.1 based on Android 13 for traditional usage. Samsung says the device will receive two years of OS updates and four years of security patches, guaranteeing that it won’t be left behind for too long.
User Interface and Features
It piles customization options, intuitive navigation, and better privacy features under One UI 5.1. There are features like Secure Folder and Edge Panel which provide extra but aren’t incredibly bloatware.
Performance and Stability
Despite its pretty appearance, the software is quite heavy on the Galaxy M14, especially in the 4GB RAM variant. Other than that, the experience is otherwise smooth, but users might experience sometimes app freezes and minor crashes. These are relatively trivial issues, but worth pointing out to people who want the best possible seamless performance experience.
Software Optimizations
With a mid-tier processor and eMMC storage, Samsung has given the Galaxy M14 all the power it can muster — what comes of it is dependent on how efficiently it has been optimized. They should be prepared for occasional app launch and multitasking delays when using apps together.
Camera Capabilities
The Samsung Galaxy M14 comes with a dynamic triple camera for its versatile set of photography uses. Here’s a detailed look at its camera performance:
Daylight Photography
The main sensor offers 50MP in good lighting and provides vibrant and detailed images. Reds are rich and lifelike, and pictures are a (somewhat) enjoyable everyday thing. Yet important improvements could be made to the dynamic range as whilst high-contrast scenes can provide loss of detail in the shadows and highlights.
Portrait Mode
Portrait photography on the Galaxy M14 shines, producing lovely images with balanced depth of field that you won’t really discover on very inexpensive gadgets. The 2MP depth sensor blurs the background so the focus is on the subject. While skin tones are mostly believable, rarely will they be perfect in every aspect, and sometimes even a bit inconsistent; so some form of post-processing will be required.
Selfie Quality
For selfies, the 13MP front camera does the job, producing nice, sharp images in good light. But in low light, selfies come out soft and lack detail. Additionally, some skin tones will not be represented accurately and will therefore appear yellowish or pale in some shots.
Low-Light Performance
Its dedicated Night mode brings bright, noise-free photos to low-light photography. Although the results are more visible than normal, they can have the edge of oversaturating colors to the point where it looks unnatural, with obvious grain. Realistically, users approach low-light scenarios with a long shot, as the Galaxy M14, being a budget offering, also has its limitations in such conditions.
Video Recording
Recording at 60fps, 1080p on front and rear cameras is included. While that’s good for casual recording, features like image stabilization and audio quality are still basic. In controlled environments, videos are smooth but may be less stable and more difficult to see in dynamic settings.
Battery Life and Charging
The standout feature with the Galaxy M14 is the huge 6000mAh battery and 25W fast charging.
Battery Performance
On our usage, when used moderately, the Galaxy M14 easily lasted us two days and spent all of the time on social media browsing, streaming, and even some occasional gaming. The battery held up amazingly well even with the loads that prolonged gaming sessions can throw at it — I never fell below 20% usage until the last normal charge, then it dipped below 20%. The fact that this device endures from start to finish makes it a wonderful choice for mobile users who can’t get the day going without their phones.
Charging Speed
One point in which the Galaxy M14 boasts: it comes with a 25W charger which means you can quickly recharge the phone! We tested the device with a compatible USB PD charger and it took just 30 minutes to get to 45%, an hour to get to 80%, and just over an hour to fully charge. It’s this ability to charge so quickly that minimizes downtime, meaning that users can stay connected without an hour’s worth of charging.
Battery Health and Longevity
Its power management system, being optimized by Samsung, makes the Galaxy M14’s battery health last the same as the smartphones, with proper care. To extend battery life, users should follow standard battery maintenance, such as not fully discharging the battery, and steering clear of extreme temperatures for any length of time.
Conclusion
As a budget smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy M14 competently offers itself with an ideal combination of affordability and functionality, especially for Nigerian consumers looking for a mix that won’t hurt the wallet. It is good because its camera is quite powerful, battery life is excellent, and it gets a clean and Samsung-trusted user interface with strong software support.
But there are some drawbacks to the device. Even the 4GB RAM variant feels sluggish in performance, and Nigeria’s brightness could be a problem with the display. The outdated front and lack of advanced sensors may also scare off some buyers.
Pros
- Decent performance on high-resolution main camera
- Fast charging with excellent battery life
- One UI experience that is user-friendly and clean
- Reputable software support with regular updates
Cons
- Sluggish performance on everyday tasks
- Limited sensor array and absence of advanced features
- Not sufficient for direct sunlight use
- Waterdrop notch and large bezels; outdated front design
Galaxy M14 is a great value for money for those able to work around its shortcomings. Yet if speed and high-end features are of the highest importance, then you might want to look into options like the Redmi Note 13 or Honor X7b which offer better memory and smoother operation. Ultimately, if you’re looking for a camera and battery life away from cutting-edge performance, the budget-conscious will get by with the Samsung Galaxy M14.
FAQs
1. How much does the Samsung Galaxy M14 cost in Nigeria?
The Samsung Galaxy M14 price in Nigeria starts at ₦110,000 to ₦145,390 for the 4GB RAM / 64GB Storage variant while that of the 6GB RAM / 128GB Storage version is ₦164,990.
2. Is dual SIM capable on the Galaxy M14?
Dual SIM is a Yes, the Galaxy M14 supports using two phone numbers at the same time so you can use personal and professional contacts and other important phone numbers.
3. Is the Samsung Galaxy M14 5G capable?
The Samsung Galaxy M14 is a 4G LTE device. Users wanting 5G connectivity should look for other models offering 5G.
4. How can I increase the storage in my Galaxy M14?
The Galaxy M14 does offer a microSD slot, offering up to 1TB of additional storage to fans, thanks to apps, photos, and media.
5. Does Galaxy M14 have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Galaxy M14 does come with a 3.5mm headphone jack for easy wired headphone connection so that users can use whichever headphones they want without any adapter requirement.
6. What colors does the Galaxy M14 come with in Nigeria?
It comes in two shade options like Arctic Blue and Sapphire Blue to give users the freedom to choose between two classy, dull-colored finishes.
7. What is Samsung phone after-sales service in Nigeria?
As Nigeria is covered with a wealth of Samsung authorized service centers and with great customer support, Samsung maintains that the needs of Nigerian users are being taken care of.
8. Does the Galaxy M14 have wireless charging?
The Samsung Galaxy M14 doesn’t support wireless charging. However, it comes with an included 25W fast charger through USB-C which allows for charging.
9. How does one find a phone with good cameras and that can easily run popular Nigerian apps and services?
The Galaxy M14 works normally with popular Nigerian apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and local apps for banking but performance may vary with heavy multitasking or applications with high resource requirements.
10. Can we even use the Galaxy M14 for online learning and remote work?
While the Galaxy M14 comes with a large display, great battery life, and decent performance, the phone can cater to online learning, video conferencing, and remote work.
Samsung Galaxy M14 is well-priced, runs on an essential smartphone, and if you are from Nigeria considering wielding one, it is totally an option. It may not be a star in every practice, but its exceptional camera quality and long battery time is a must-buy in budget. However, these are factors which prospective buyers should ponder against their particular needs and determine if buying the Galaxy M14 fits their vision.