Technologies

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G Review: $200 Phone Hits Every Essential

This phone’s best feature should be on every phone.

The $200 Samsung Galaxy A14 5G sets a new baseline for cheap phones. It’s one of the few affordable phones to include NFC for contactless payments and support 5G. Even more notable is that Samsung provides two years of software updates along with five years of security updates for the A14, when most similarly priced rivals stop at one software update and three years of security updates. This means that even though the phone’s a lower-cost option, it’s one you could safely use for several years if you chose to — and with perks usually found only in pricier phones, the Galaxy A14 5G is a great choice.

Over my month of testing the Galaxy A14 5G, these inclusions meant I could use the phone to buy a quick breakfast, browse the web while listening to music during my commute, reliably use the phone’s camera for day trips, and with its 5,000-mAh battery, still have enough of a charge left to use the phone the next day.

That’s not to say the phone is issue-free: The Galaxy A14 cuts corners with a fairly drab design and a slower processor that sometimes left me waiting for apps to load. But load they did, and if you’re just looking for a phone that can handle most daily tasks, the A14 could be a solid option as long as you aren’t craving speed.

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G design, specs and features

The Galaxy A14 5G comes in one color, black, and has a reflective plastic body. It feels a bit thick in-hand, with the back embracing a blocky look that lacks any rounded edges. Along the top-left corner are its three cameras: a 50-megapixel main camera, a 2-megapixel depth camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera.

Around the front is a teardrop notch for the 13-megapixel front-facing camera. In addition to its 1,080p resolution, the 6.6-inch display has a 90Hz refresh rate. While the $200 Moto G Stylus runs at a consistent 90Hz, the A14 has an «adaptive» mode that adjusts up to 90Hz when scrolling through text and animations while swiping between apps. I found the effect noticeably smooth, especially when I was reading articles or playing games.

The phone plays audio through its single speaker, which was fairly easy for me to accidentally block when I held the phone horizontally to watch videos. It’s notable since Motorola’s current budget phone lineup includes stereo speakers across its Moto G phones, (though the Galaxy A14 does include a headphone jack as an option for stereo audio). While the Samsung phone’s internal 64GB of storage should be enough to get you started, you do get the option of expanding storage to 1TB using the phone’s microSD card slot.

In benchmark testing, the Galaxy A14 5G’s Geekbench score came out ahead of the Moto G Stylus, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it in my real-world use. The phone’s Mediatek Dimensity 700 processor is sluggish, and I often noticed the A14 needing an extra beat to unlock itself when I had another app open, when I tapped a text box to launch the keyboard and when moving between apps. Software updates can refine this in time, and its current performance is totally fine for casual use. But this wouldn’t be a phone that could handle lots of productivity documents or more graphically demanding apps.

Geekbench 6 Benchmarks

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G 693 1,824Moto G 5G (2023) 740 1790Moto G Stylus (2023) 448 1471

Single-core
Multi-core

Note: Higher scores are better.

However the Galaxy A14’s inclusion of NFC is quite meaningful, providing full compatibility with Google Wallet for contactless payments. I rarely find NFC for contactless payments in phones under $300, even though it’s accepted everywhere from transit systems to convenience stores. I hope this creates a trend and we’ll finally start seeing NFC become a feature on every phone regardless of cost.

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G cameras and photography

The Galaxy A14’s cameras, despite the inclusion of a 50-megapixel main camera, are a mixed bag. I took the phone on several day trips, including a visit to a Brooklyn anime food festival and during a weekend stop-in to San Diego Comic-Con.

Outdoor photos came out decent as long as there was very little movement. During the anime food festival, my dessert photos of a cheesecake and rabbit milk pudding looked nice, but there was blurriness in most of my other photos whether due to the crowds or movement by the performers during a Taiko drum show.

A selfie I took while outside is decent, but similar to some of Samsung’s more expensive phones, I felt like colors were exaggerated.

Mike Sorrentino at the Anime NYC Food Festival

This exaggeration also holds true for my test photo of the grass wall in CNET’s office. Photos taken with the Moto G Stylus and the $250 Moto G 5G captured more accurate shades of green than those taken with the Galaxy A14 5G.

Grass wall taken on the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G.

Grass wall photo taken on the Moto G 5G.

And much like other phones in this price range, photo quality proves challenging when moving indoors. Even on the well-lit San Diego Comic-Con floor, my photo taken with Final Fantasy 16’s Ifrit looks fuzzy.

Mike Sorrentino and Ilfrit, photo captured on Galaxy A14.

When I moved to Amazon’s Good Omens party, the dim lighting made it a challenge for the A14 to find focus.

Returning to New York, there’s plenty of image noise in this selfie, which I took in the underground La Caverna restaurant, but my photo of the restaurant itself looks better since there weren’t many other people moving around.

Indoor photo taken on the Samsung Galaxy A14

Overall the Samsung Galaxy A14’s photography is definitely not punching above its price range. If finding a $200 phone with decent cameras is important to you, Motorola’s latest G-series phones could be a better option. While the Moto G phones have similar issues in darker environments, from my testing I feel like the photos taken by those cameras are slightly better.

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G running YouTube Music

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G Bottom line

The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is one of the most functional phones I’ve tested for under $200. Even though the phone has noticeable issues — including the slower processor and mixed photography performance — the device is capable of performing most essential tasks. The inclusion of NFC is a clear highlight, and hopefully it means that contactless payment features will now make their way into phones at all prices. The longer security update timeline also means the phone will be safe to use for several years, which could be especially helpful for someone just looking for an affordable device to stay in contact with friends and family.

This makes the Galaxy A14 5G particularly easy to recommend for most people shopping for a phone on a budget, or if the phone is offered for free. But keep in mind that the phone won’t be getting any faster, and should deals or incentives drop the price of a better-equipped phone that normally costs $300, don’t pass that up.

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G vs. Moto G Stylus (2023) vs. Moto G 5G (2023)

	Samsung Galaxy A14 5G	Moto G Stylus (2023)	Moto G 5G (2023)
Display size, resolution	6.6-inch FHD+ LCD display, (1,400×1,080 pixels), 90Hz	6.5-inch IPS LCD; 1,600×720; 90Hz refresh rate	6.5-inch HD Plus LCD display (720p resolution); 120Hz refresh rate
Pixel density	268 ppi	269 ppi	269 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	6.6×3.07×0.36 in	6.41×2.91×0.36 in	6.45×2.95×0.33 in.
Dimensions (millimeters)	167.6×77.9×9.1 mm	162.9×74.1×9.2 mm	163.94×74.98×8.39mm
Weight (ounces, grams)	203 g (7.19 oz)	195 g	189g (6.66 oz.)
Mobile software	Android 13	Android 13	Android 13
Camera	50-megapixel (main), 2-megapixel (macro), 2-megapixel (depth)	50-megapixel (main), 2-megapixel (macro)	48-megapixel main, 2-megapixel macro
Front-facing camera	13-megapixel	8-megapixel	8-megapixel
Video capture	1080p at 30 fps	1080p at 30 fps	720p at 30fps
Processor	MediaTek Dimensity 700	MediaTek Helio G85	Snapdragon 480 Plus
RAM/Storage	4GB + 64GB	4GB + 64GB; 4GB + 128GB	4GB + 128GB
Expandable storage	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery/Charger	5,000 mAh (15W charging)	5,000 mAh (15W charging)	5,000 mAh (15W charging)
Fingerprint sensor	Side	Side	Side
Connector	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	Yes	Yes	Yes
Special features	5G-enabled, NFC, 15W charging	Stylus, Moto Gestures	5G enabled, dual stereo speakers, Moto Gestures
Price off-contract (USD)	$200	$200	$250
Price (GBP)	£179	Converts to £160	N/A, Converts to £195
Price (AUD)	AU$379	Converts to AU$295	N/A, Converts to £380

How we test phones

Every phone tested by CNET’s reviews team was actually used in the real world. We test a phone’s features, play games and take photos. We examine the display to see if it’s bright, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and build to see how it is to hold and whether it has an IP-rating for water resistance. We push the processor’s performance to the extremes using both standardized benchmark tools like GeekBench and 3DMark, along with our own anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution videos and playing graphically intense games at high refresh rates.

All the cameras are tested in a variety of conditions from bright sunlight to dark indoor scenes. We try out special features like night mode and portrait mode and compare our findings against similarly priced competing phones. We also check out the battery life by using it daily as well as running a series of battery drain tests.

We take into account additional features like support for 5G, satellite connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus support, fast charging speeds, foldable displays among others that can be useful. And we balance all of this against the price to give you the verdict on whether that phone, whatever price it is, actually represents good value.

Technologies

Be Wary of AI Videos as Hurricane Melissa Hits Jamaica. How to Spot a Fake

AI-generated storm videos are spreading rapidly online. Here’s where to find reliable information.

As Category 5 Hurricane Melissa bears down on Jamaica with winds topping 180 mph, social media is being hit by a surge of AI-generated and misleading videos, showing catastrophic flooding, collapsing buildings and rescue scenes that never happened.

Across X, TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp and other social media platforms, fake clips spread quickly, racking up millions of views in hours. Many of these videos are spliced footage from past storms or clips created entirely with text-to-video AI tools.

In times of crisis, like a dangerous and imminent natural disaster, these fake videos can create confusion, panic and distraction at a time when accuracy can be life-saving.

Natural disasters have always bred rumors and recycled footage, but the rise of AI-generated video has supercharged the problem. Tools like OpenAI’s Sora and other AI-video platforms can render realistic-looking images of storms, floods and damage scenes in seconds, reaching millions online in just a few hours.

Read also: The Deepfakes Are Winning. How Can You Tell if a Video Is Real or Sora AI?

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Why storms are a magnet for fake news

Storms are visual, emotional and fast-moving, which is the perfect recipe for viral misinformation. In years past, videos were often taken out of context or labeled as a different storm. Now, they can be digitally fabricated from scratch.

Some depict apocalyptic flooding that hasn’t occurred, while others claim to show «real-time» conditions hours before landfall. Several videos that have circled this week include images of sharks swimming in the storm surge and unsettling depictions of human suffering.

False videos like these can exaggerate the danger of the storm, create panic, undermine trust and distract emergency responders, as misinformation pulls attention from verified reports.

The following three videos are all fake. They are labeled (albeit briefly) with the Sora watermark, which indicates they were made in OpenAI’s video generator.

How to separate truth from fiction online

When social feeds fill with dramatic hurricane clips, it’s important to separate truth from fiction.

«You have to be very discerning,» Senator Dana Morris Dixon, Jamaica’s information minister, said. «You have to know what is good information from bad information. If you want to know where the storm is going, if you want to know what to do, you need to look for official sources.»

Dixon highlighted that the Jamaica Information Service, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management’s information sites and the Office of the Prime Minister page are resources for legitimate, timely updates.

Here are some ways to be discerning.

Check the source. If the video comes from an unfamiliar account, lacks a timestamp or carries no recognizable media branding, assume it is fake until verified. Also, look for the Sora watermark indicating it was made in OpenAI’s app, or read the comments to see if someone else has flagged the video as fake.

Ask yourself if it’s new and local. Does the geography match Jamaica? Is the footage recent? Many «Melissa» clips could actually be from past Caribbean or Gulf storms.

Cross-check before believing. Confirm through trusted outlets, like the Meteorological Service of Jamaica and the US National Hurricane Center, or established media like the BBC, Reuters or the Associated Press.

Pause before sharing. A viral video can cause harm if it spreads misinformation. Wait until a credible source verifies it before reposting.

Go local. If you’re in the affected area, rely on local emergency agencies, radio stations and city or county-level officials for evacuation and safety updates.

Monitor official alerts. For real-time instructions, stick with government channels and local emergency feeds. Your safety depends on accurate information, not viral content.

As AI-generated media becomes easier to produce, hurricanes like Melissa offer a preview of a new reality: one in which you can’t trust much of the information you see online.

Staying safe means being skeptical and diligent when looking for accurate and even lifesaving news.

Read also: What Is AI Slop? Everything to Know About the Terrible Content Taking Over the Internet

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 29 #605

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 29, No. 605.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a fun one for English majors. Some of the answers are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: «Nevermore!»

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Poem by Edgar Allen Poe.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

MOVE, RAVE, NOVEL, BACK, LACK, HACK, FEAT, HEAT, WING, SORE, ROSE, STAR, RATS

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

BLACK, CLEVER, WINGED, FEATHERED, OMNIVOROUS

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is THATSSORAVEN. To find it, look for the T that’s six letters down on the far-left vertical row, and wind across.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Oct. 29, #401

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Oct. 29, No. 401.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a fun one. As a Vikings and Seahawks fan, I spotted two nicknames for parts of those teams right away. Of course, the purple category is its typically loopy self. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Buy me some Cracker Jack.

Green group hint: Hoops homes.

Blue group hint: Like the Monsters of the Midway.

Purple group hint: Football teams, with a twist.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Things a stadium vendor sells.

Green group: NBA arenas.

Blue group: Famous nicknames for NFL defenses.

Purple group: NFL teams, with the second-to-last letter changed.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is things a stadium vendor sells. The four answers are beer, cotton candy, hot dogs and peanuts.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is NBA arenas. The four answers are Barclays, Little Caesars, Smoothie King and United.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is famous nicknames for NFL defenses. The four answers are Legion of Boom, Orange Crush, Purple People Eaters and Steel Curtain.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is NFL teams, with the second-to-last letter changed. The four answers are beads (Bears), biles (Bills), colas (Colts) and packets (Packers).