Samsung’s Galaxy A14 5G — the latest entry in the company’s A-series lineup — is a really interesting budget phone for 2023. It’s a $200 Android 13 smartphone with an expansive screen, 5G support, a new design, and a pretty solid camera array for the price.
While there’s enough going for the Galaxy A14 to make it a contender for anybody looking for a modern wallet-friendly smartphone, it’s impossible to build one at this price without making a few compromises. Some of these are to be expected: the panel is a 720p LCD, and it’s capped at 64GB of storage. However, the lower price tag may also have you wondering a very important question: Is the Samsung Galaxy A145G waterproof?
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The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is not waterproof
Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends
Unfortunately, this is one area where Samsung has cut a pretty big corner. The short answer is no, the Galaxy A14 5G is not waterproof. However, the reality is a bit more complicated.
Like the Galaxy A13 that came before, the Galaxy A14 5G has no IP rating, which means it has not been certified as waterproof, or even water-resistant, in any way. That’s a stark contrast to the company’s flagship S-series phones, nearly all of which carry an IP68 rating that allows them to survive extended dunks while also being completely dust-tight. Even the Galaxy A53 5G gets an IP67 rating, which is almost as good, while Samsung’s foldables — the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 — come in with an IPX8 — highly resistant to water, but not tested against dust.
The lack of an IP rating doesn’t mean the Galaxy A14 5G may not offer some small amount of water resistance; it merely indicates that Samsung hasn’t had it tested and certified as such. Ingress Protection (IP) testing costs money, so avoiding it is an easy way to shave a few bucks off what it costs to develop a budget smartphone. A little rain isn’t likely to do any harm, but don’t expect it to survive immersion in water. In either case, though, you get it wet at your own risk — there are no guarantees it will survive any exposure to water or even dust, and it probably doesn’t help that the built-in 3.5mm headphone jack provides another way for water to get inside.
Is the Galaxy A14 5G durable?
Water resistance isn’t the only area where the Samsung Galaxy A145G is lightweight. The phone is made entirely from plastic, and there’s no indication that it’s anything especially durable, like the Gorilla Glass 5 found on Samsung’s only slightly more expensive Galaxy A23 5G.
Instead, the screen has a layer of protective film and an oleophobic coating that should protect against light scratches and fingerprints. For anything beyond that, you’ll need to supply your own screen protector. Plan to add a case also, as there’s no indication that the Galaxy A14 5G offers any measure of drop resistance, and if you’re concerned about taking your smartphone out into the wild, you can always pick one up that’s waterproof too.
Moto G Power 5G adds a flagship feature to a budget phone
Motorola may be making a play for the flagship market with the Motorola Edge 40 Pro, but budget phones are what the American monolith is best known for. While it won't be making as many waves as the latest Samsung phone or Apple iPhone launch, the newest iteration of the Moto G is always something worth paying attention to, as Motorola is a true veteran of the space and knows what makes an excellent cheap device.
Best of all, this new Moto G comes at a time when budget phone enthusiasts have never had it so good. Previously premium features are filtering down into lower-priced devices, without altering that sweet low price or the features everyone loves. That's exactly what's happening with the new Motorola Moto G Power 5G, which includes a 50-megapixel main camera lens, a larger amount of storage, and a big screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. With the big 5,000mAh battery the G Power range is known for, this could be the $300 phone to grab if you love a budget bargain.
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Latest Galaxy Z Flip 5 leak shows a big screen upgrade
We've been hearing rumors regarding the exterior screen for the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 5 for a few months, but a new render seems to further corroborate those previous reports while also providing a sliver of new information. According to an image shared by SamMobile, expect the Z Flip 5 to have a screen that covers nearly the entirety of the closed top section of the foldable — a huge upgrade over the Z Flip 4.
The previous concept images we've seen (shared by YouTube leaker SuperRoader) imagined the front display to be split into two discrete parts: one small screen next to the cameras to display the time, battery life, and other quick information — plus a larger screen that takes up the rest of the space that can be used to respond to notifications, take selfies using the rear cameras, and interact with the rest of the phone's features without needing to unfold it.
Here’s how fast 5G on your Samsung Galaxy S23 really is
If you’ve been on the fence about picking up one of the latest Galaxy S23 phones, some new research from Ookla may help tip the scales in Samsung’s favor.
In a new speed test report, Ookla tcompared the 5G performance specs of the Galaxy S23 models to last year’s Galaxy S22 in several countries — with some surprising results across the board.
A worthwhile 5G upgrade
