Samsung Galaxy A14: Big Screen, Bigger Regrets (947 User Reviews Analyzed)

We analyzed 947 verified reviews from actual users of the Samsung Galaxy A14. Our method involves reading what people say about key features, which we call ‘aspects.’ For this phone, we focused on its screen, performance, battery life, and camera.

We then count every positive, negative, and neutral mention for each aspect. This process allows us to create a percentage-based satisfaction score, providing a clear, data-driven view of what it’s like to own this phone.

💰 Value for Money: Budget Buy, Hidden Costs

For the Samsung Galaxy A14, the story of its value for money is not one of simple satisfaction, but of carefully managed expectations. For a significant majority of users, the phone delivers on its core promise of basic smartphone functionality at a low price point.

This is reflected in a strong 82% positive score in discussions around overall satisfaction versus cost, where users feel it’s a

great budget friendly smartphone.

For many, this is all that matters; it provides a modern Android experience without the

silly ‘flagship’ money,

and one buyer concluded it

really is everything I expect of a mid-priced phone.

Unexpected Costs and Missing Essentials

However, this initial satisfaction is quickly undermined by significant frustrations, chief among them being unexpected costs and missing essentials. An astonishingly low 2% of users felt positively about what was included—or not included—in the box, a stark contrast to the 21% category average. This reflects widespread irritation over the lack of a charging brick, a decision that feels less like reducing e-waste and more like an immediate, hidden cost.

As one user lamented,

I get the need to cut down on e-waste, but you don’t do that by forcing us to spend more money on ANOTHER charger.

This frustration is compounded by the screen’s perceived fragility, which can transform a budget purchase into an expensive liability, with one user discovering it would

cost almost as much to replace the screen as the phone cost.

A Weak Upgrade Path

The A14’s value proposition is further weakened when viewed as an upgrade. With a meager 47% positive sentiment on its worthiness as a successor—well below the 59% category average—many users feel it’s a step sideways, or even backward. One user who upgraded from an A12 called it the

worst decision I have ever made,

and another simply stated,

overall this feels like a downgrade.

This feeling is amplified when compared to key competitors like the Motorola Moto G34, which boasts a stellar 93% satisfaction-to-cost score and a much more compelling 70% upgrade justification score. For buyers willing to spend just a little more, Samsung’s own step-up Galaxy A24 offers a vastly superior experience with a 94% satisfaction score, leading A14 users to advise others to

save your buck and get a higher end model.

Trade-Off: The A14 offers an undeniably low entry price, but this comes at the cost of performance compromises, missing essentials, and potential frustrations that more capable rivals avoid.

📸 Camera: Expected More From Samsung

For the Samsung Galaxy A14, the camera’s performance is a story of conflicting user realities. While many owners find the basic image quality sufficient for everyday use, a deeper analysis reveals significant functional gaps and a frustrating lack of modern features that leave many feeling short-changed.

Good Enough for Everyday Use

For those simply looking for a point-and-shoot device, the A14’s core image and video quality satisfies, earning a 70% positive sentiment. Users in this camp appreciate that for a budget device, the phone delivers clear and colourful shots. As one owner explains:

It takes a pretty good photo and really is everything I expect of a mid-priced phone.

Another user, who runs a business from their phone, was pleased, finding the picture quality an improvement over their last device. For these users, the camera is a functional tool that meets their basic expectations.

I wanted a phone that gives me good photos for my work & is easy to navigate.

Frustrating Feature Gaps

However, this baseline satisfaction is dramatically undermined by the phone’s limited camera features and modes, a factor that receives a dismal 22% positive score—a staggering 39 points below the 61% category average.

This isn’t about missing high-end “pro” features; users express deep frustration over the absence of what they consider to be fundamental capabilities. The complaints are specific and numerous, ranging from performance issues to missing modes that users expected from a modern phone.

Users noted how it “struggles to focus on still objects let alone any movement,” and one was baffled to discover “no night camera like my old A50.” Another lamented the restrictive format:

no full screen mode just funny little rectangular pictures like an old fashioned Polaroid camera.

A Step Backward

This sense of taking a step backward is not just a feeling; it’s reflected in the data. The A14’s 70% positive rating for image quality is a notable 7-point drop from its own predecessor, the Galaxy A13, which scored 77%.

This regression means that loyal Samsung users expecting a natural upgrade are often left disappointed. One user remarked how a much older phone performed better:

Bit disappointed in the camera… my Galaxy 7 took better photos.

When someone feels a phone from nearly a decade ago performed better, it signals a significant failure to meet user expectations for progress.

Trade-Off: The A14’s camera delivers acceptably clear photos for casual users, but this is achieved by sacrificing essential features and failing to improve upon its predecessor, creating a frustrating experience for anyone expecting more than the bare minimum.

📱 Screen: Big Yet Broken

For the Samsung Galaxy A14, its screen is a story of stark contrasts. Users are immediately drawn to its sheer size and impressive visuals, but this initial delight often sours into deep frustration. While a massive 97% of users praise its size and handling—a full 15 points above the category average—the daily experience of using the display is severely undermined by critical flaws in its core functionality.

People love the concept, with one user noting it’s:

“so much easier to see on the new much bigger screen,”

Another praised the “beautiful vibrant colors” of the LCD panel, which scores a solid 83% for display quality. This makes the phone feel like a great value, especially for those prioritizing readability and media consumption.

A Screen Undermined by Flaws

However, the positive first impression is quickly shattered by the screen’s two major failings: touch responsiveness and outdoor brightness. An abysmal 19% positive sentiment for touchscreen responsiveness—less than half the category average of 43%—reveals a fundamental issue that makes the phone a chore to operate.

This isn’t a minor lag; it’s a source of constant irritation. Users report profound delays:

“frequently it seems like the touch screen isn’t working, I’ll end up touching a link 10+ times before anything happens.”

The frustration is palpable in another’s review:

“Cannot use touch screen without touching the letters at least 10 to 20 times before getting a response. It has taken me 20 mins to type this.”

This is compounded by a dismal 25% positive score for brightness and outdoor visibility, nearly 50 points below the category average, making the device difficult to use in daylight. As one person stated plainly:

“visibility is noticeably reduced outdoors on a bright sunny day.”

Competitive Context

This struggle with basic interaction becomes even more glaring when compared to its peers. The A14 failed to improve on the 19% touchscreen responsiveness score of its predecessor, the Galaxy A13, indicating a persistent problem Samsung has not addressed.

In stark contrast, a direct competitor like the Nothing Phone (2a) boasts a perfect 100% positive rating for its touchscreen, highlighting a vast difference in usability that potential buyers cannot ignore. For users who value a smooth, hassle-free experience, the choice is clear: the A14’s large screen comes at the cost of reliable interaction, a compromise its competitors do not force them to make.

Dealbreaker: While its large and vibrant display is initially appealing, the A14’s profoundly unresponsive touchscreen makes basic tasks a daily battle, rendering the entire experience a source of constant frustration.

🧱 Design: Aesthetics Over Ergonomics

The design of the Samsung Galaxy A14 presents a classic case of style over substance. While users are initially drawn to its modern appearance, a deeper look at the data reveals a phone whose day-to-day physical experience fails to match its shelf appeal.

The most praised design element is its aesthetics, scoring a respectable 81% in positive sentiment. Owners appreciate that it is “a stylish looking phone,” with some complimenting its unique color options:

love the green, so much nicer than the usual blue and silvers I’ve had in the past.

Design Frustrations

However, this positive sentiment quickly unravels when users actually live with the phone. The most significant source of frustration comes from its design features, which received an overwhelmingly negative score of just 20%, a full 20 points below the category average.

This isn’t about minor annoyances; it’s about fundamental usability flaws. Users are exasperated by malfunctioning components, with one person stating:

the sensor for finger print doesn’t work, so much so I can rarely access the phone.

This frustration is compounded by the phone’s physical handling, which sits 30 points below the category average at 41%. It is frequently described as bulky and uncomfortable, with one user bluntly calling it “like holding a brick,” while another complains about its “uncomfortable square edges, not nice to hold.”

This poor in-hand feel is made worse by a build quality that many feel is subpar, summed up by one review:

It is made from a weird, easily scratched material, mine was damaged within a few days careful use!

Ergonomic Regression

This regression in physical design becomes even clearer when compared to its own predecessor. The Galaxy A14 scores a full 14 points lower on size and handling than the older Galaxy A13, a step backward that users notice immediately.

One owner made the direct comparison:

The sides are flat, not curved and sleek like the previous A13, and it’s also heavier.

This decision to abandon more ergonomic, curved edges for a blockier design has directly harmed the user experience, creating a phone that is not only less comfortable than its competitors but also less comfortable than the model it was meant to replace.

Trade-Off: To get the Galaxy A14’s modern look at a budget price, users must accept a design that is bulky, uncomfortable to hold, and built with materials that feel cheap and fragile.

🐌 Performance: Slow and Frustrating

Regarding the Samsung Galaxy A14’s Performance, user experience is sharply divided between basic satisfaction and profound frustration. For those with minimal demands, the phone’s processing power, which scores a 60% positive rating, is perfectly adequate.

These users report that the device:

has been working great for me, and is more than fast enough for the apps I use like youtube, google maps, and chrome.

For them, particularly when coming from a much older device like the A21s, the experience feels like a genuine improvement, with one person noting,

Everything seems smoother, quicker, and clearer than on my old A21s.

This highlights that for simple, single-task operations, the A14 delivers just enough to get by.

Frustrating Performance Lag

However, this praise is conditional and quickly evaporates under more typical usage, revealing a significant performance deficit. The phone’s 60% positive score for processing speed and power plummets a staggering 23 points below the category average of 83%.

This isn’t just a number; it translates into daily, tangible frustration for a large portion of owners. Users report that the phone simply cannot handle modern multitasking, with one stating:

as soon as you have a few apps open, a few tabs in a web browser, then it’s basically a brick.

This sentiment is echoed with visceral emotion by another owner who describes the phone’s speed as:

s…….l…………….ooooooooooo…………….w,

This feeling ultimately forces some into a state of regret, concluding:

I’ve ended up just using it for calls, texts and WhatsApp and using my old phone to access my apps and the internet.

Competitive Comparison

This performance lag becomes indefensible when viewed against the competition. The A14 shows no meaningful speed improvement over its predecessor, the Galaxy A13 (61% positive).

More critically, direct competitors like the Motorola Moto G34 (84% positive) are in a different league, offering a 24-point advantage in speed that users will feel with every tap and swipe.

The most damning comparison, however, comes from within Samsung’s own lineup. The step-up Galaxy A24 model boasts a 90% positive score for performance, confirming a user’s advice that their:

opinion [is to] spend a little bit more and get a better one and stay clear of this one.

Trade-Off: You are sacrificing a modern, responsive user experience for a low price point, a compromise that many users find frustrating.

🧩 Software & OS: Familiar UI, Flawed Code

Familiar UI, Flawed Foundation

The Software and Operating System of the Samsung Galaxy A14 presents a starkly divided user experience. For many, particularly those already within the Samsung family, the phone offers a welcome sense of comfort and familiarity. This is reflected in the 68% positive sentiment for its user experience and UI, where ease of setup is a key highlight.

Users appreciate being able to get started quickly, with one owner noting they:

wanted a phone that would easily transfer data from my previous phone with similar controls.

Another who dreaded switching devices admitted, “I hate getting a new phone but this has been really easy to set up,” finding the process wasn’t “as painful as I had expected.” This smooth entry point creates an initial sense of satisfaction and makes the A14 feel like a safe, dependable choice for brand loyalists.

Pervasive Software Instability

However, this initial comfort is systematically eroded by profound and pervasive software instability. The A14 scores a dismal 13% positive rating for software stability and issues, falling to less than half the category average of 27%.

This isn’t about minor quirks; it’s about fundamental unreliability that breeds deep frustration. Users report a litany of problems that disrupt basic functionality, with one stating:

Honestly I am so disappointed with this phone, it is so glitchy, sometimes will lock itself while I am using it, often while I’m typing a message or something.

The problems can be severe, leading to catastrophic failures such as unwanted reboots during critical moments. “I love the way my A14 5G restarts all the time! especially during Important phone calls,” one user wrote with heavy sarcasm. For some, the phone became completely unusable, with one owner sharing:

The phone stopped accepting my correct PIN after three days of usage, becoming unusable. I had to do a factory reset.

Competitive Context

This instability becomes even more glaring when placed in competitive context. The A14’s predecessor, the Galaxy A13, had a nearly identical stability score of 14%, indicating that Samsung failed to address these known issues in the newer model.

This means users “upgrading” are likely inheriting the exact same frustrations. Furthermore, a direct competitor like the Motorola Moto G34, while not perfect, scores a stability rating of 36%—nearly triple that of the A14.

This difference is not lost on users, with one former Motorola owner lamenting:

The frustration factor for this SAMSUNG is 10 negative stars compared to the last phone.

The data suggests that paying slightly more for Samsung’s own step-up Galaxy A24, with its much healthier 54% stability score, buys a significantly more reliable and less aggravating experience.

Dealbreaker: The familiar and easy-to-use interface is ultimately undermined by severe and persistent software instability, making the phone’s basic operation an exercise in frustration.

🔋 Battery: Long Life, Slow Charge

The battery performance of the Samsung Galaxy A14 is a story of two starkly different experiences. On one hand, users find a dependable ally in its raw longevity. The phone’s strongest hidden metric is its fundamental battery life, earning a 63% positive sentiment score.

For many owners, this translates into a welcome sense of freedom from the power outlet. As one user relievedly states, they can get “great battery life (I can get 2 days from a full charge),” while another who uses the phone for gaming and video streaming confirms the “battery lasts all day.” This endurance is the core of the A14’s appeal, promising users they can get through their demanding days without anxiety.

Charging Frustrations

However, this satisfaction is severely undermined by everything that happens when the battery eventually does run out. The experience of actually charging the device is a major source of user frustration, evidenced by an abysmal 5% positive sentiment score for charging methods—a figure that falls a staggering 27 points below the category average.

This isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it’s a significant practical hurdle. Users are frequently caught off guard and angered by the lack of an included power adapter, a problem compounded by a supplied cable that doesn’t fit their existing chargers. As one owner explained:

I just hate the fact that Samsung decided to come up with a new type of charger, type C to type C & they decided not to provide adapter for the charger cable, this is very unfair.

This frustration is amplified by slow charging speeds, with some users reporting it “takes a long time to charge even with fast charging cable,” and one claiming it “took 20 hours to fully recharge the battery the first 2 times.”

Competitive Context

This mixed experience becomes even clearer when placed in a competitive context. The A14’s battery life, while a relative strength for the phone itself, represents a notable step back from its own lineage. Its 63% positive score for longevity is a significant drop from the 82% achieved by its predecessor, the Galaxy A13.

This regression is felt by long-time Samsung users, with one who upgraded from an older model noting:

I noticed immediately that the battery runs down far more quickly on the A14.

The contrast with direct competitors is just as sharp. The Motorola Moto G34’s charging methods are viewed positively by 33% of users, almost seven times more than the A14. This highlights how Samsung’s decision creates a tangible disadvantage and a far less convenient out-of-the-box experience for its customers.

Trade-Off: Buyers get a phone that can last for days, but they must be prepared to endure a frustratingly slow and inconvenient charging experience that lags behind its predecessor and key rivals.

Bottom Line

• ✅ Its large screen is the highlight, earning an impressive 97% user approval for its size and readability.
• ⚠️ Unusable performance is the biggest dealbreaker, with dismal satisfaction scores for software stability (13%) and touchscreen responsiveness (19%).
• 🔻 It feels like a downgrade for existing Samsung users, with a low 47% upgrade justification score, 12 points below the category average.
• 📉 Key features have regressed, with battery life satisfaction dropping 19 points compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy A13.
• 🏁 It’s significantly outperformed by rivals; the Motorola Moto G34, for example, holds a 24-point lead in performance satisfaction.
• 💡 A budget phone on paper, but persistent lag, software glitches, and hidden costs (like a missing charger) create a frustrating experience not worth the savings.