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

AI Notification Summaries Come Back to iPhone News Apps, but With a Warning

Apple disabled these summaries for most of 2025.

Apple brought AI notification summaries for news and entertainment apps back to Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones when the company released iOS 26 in September. Apple disabled these summaries in early 2025 after the BBC pointed out in December 2024 that the feature twisted the media organization’s notifications and displayed inaccurate information.

What’s different now about these summaries is that your device’s settings warn you that the summaries might be inaccurate. Your device will also note that you should verify the information in these summaries, and the best way I can think of to do this is to tap into the notification and read the story. This might defeat the purpose of the summaries for some people, but it could also ensure people read past a headline.

Here’s what to know about those AI summaries and the new warning.

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

iOS 26 warns about summary inaccuracies

When I updated to iOS 26, I was greeted by some splash screens asking for various permissions. One splash screen was for the AI notification summaries. When you see this screen, you have two options: Choose Notifications to Summarize or Not Now. If you tap Not Now, the splash screen goes away.

If you tap Choose Notifications to Summarize, you’re taken to a new page where you’ll see three categories: News & Entertainment, Communication & Social and All Other Apps. Tapping one of these categories allows notification summaries for apps in that category. Beneath the News & Entertainment category, there’s a warning that gets outlined in red if you tap it.

«Summarization may change the meaning of the original headline,» the warning reads, adding, «Verify information.»

There’s also a warning across the bottom of the screen that reads, «This is a beta feature. Summaries may contain errors.»

After tapping the categories you want, tap Summarize Selected Notifications across the bottom of your screen. If you selected all the categories, this button will read Summarize All Notifications.

And if you don’t want these summaries, you can tap Do Not Summarize Notifications. If you allow these summaries and don’t like them, you can easily turn them off. Here’s how.

How to turn off AI notification summaries

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Notifications.
3. Tap Summarize Notifications.

4. Tap the Summarize Notifications toggle in the new menu.

You can also follow the above steps to turn AI notification summaries back on. You’ll have to select which categories you want these summaries for again, too.

For more iOS news, here’s what to know about iOS 26.2 and what was included in iOS 26.1. You can also check out our iOS 26 cheat sheet for other tips and tricks.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Jan. 7, #471

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Jan. 7, No. 471.

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 bit tricky. The blue category was a real stumper for me, though I found the purple group easy today for a change. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle 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 appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic 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: On the ice.

Green group hint: Run and jump.

Blue group hint: Baseball bosses.

Purple group hint: Golden State schools.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: NHL teams with singular nicknames

Green group: A bit of track and field equipment.

Blue group: MLB managers.

Purple group: Mascots for University of California schools in the singular.

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

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

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

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is NHL teams with singular nicknames. The four answers are Avalanche, Kraken, Lightning and Mammoth.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is a bit of track and field equipment. The four answers are baton, hurdle, javelin and pole.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is MLB managers. The four answers are Cash, Counsell, Marmol and Vogt.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is mascots for University of California schools, in the singular. The four answers are Banana Slug, Bruin, Gaucho and Golden Bear.

Technologies

Yes, This Swimming RoboTurtle Is Adorable. It Also Has an Important Environmental Mission

Beatbot is best known for making pool-cleaning robots, but it was its swimming robot turtle that won our hearts at CES 2026.

Few things in life have made me feel more privileged and awestruck than the opportunity to swim with sea turtles in their natural environment. The way in which these gentle creatures navigate through their underwater world with their deliberate and careful fin strokes is utterly mesmerizing to watch.

It’s a distinctive style of movement — so much so that when I saw Beatbot’s RoboTurtle swim across a water tank on the show floor at CES 2026, I knew that this wasn’t simply just a pool cleaner robot with turtle features tacked on. This was a studied example of biomimicry in action.

The reason for this is that the company’s engineers went on a two-month expedition to study sea turtles in their natural environment, Beatbot’s Eduardo Campo told me as we watched Turtini (the team’s affectionate nickname for RoboTurtle) splash around in its pool. «We did a lot of motion capture, like the things they use in movies, because we need to develop those joints that it has,» he said.

This isn’t RoboTurtle’s first time at CES — it also appeared in 2025 as a static concept. This is the year, however, it’s found its fins, so to speak. Not only can it swim, but it can also respond to hand gestures: I throw it an OK gesture, and it dances in response. But as cute and limber as it is, RoboTurtle is a robot with an important mission.

RoboTurtle is an environmental research tool, built with input from researchers and NGOs, which can go where humans or other machines cannot for fear of disturbing complex and delicate underwater ecosystems, particularly coral reefs. It can move silently and naturally in a way that won’t scare wildlife, monitoring water quality and fish numbers with its built-in camera.

«One of the groups that we’re working with, they want to study the coral reefs in near Indonesia,» said Campo. «There was a very big incident over there with a boat that came up onto a coral reef and it disrupted the environment, [so] they want the least intrusive robot possible.»

The group wants to deploy RoboTurtle for certain periods every year to monitor the recovery of the coral and monitor the fish population, he added. Beatbot is currently training the built-in AI to give RoboTurtle monitoring and recognition skills.

At CES, I watched RoboTurtle paddle about only on the surface of the pool, but it can also dive down up to five meters. However, it needs to resurface to send data and its GPS signal back to base, much like a real turtle that needs to come to the surface to breathe. This also gives it a chance to recharge via the solar panel on its back.

Even though I was impressed with RoboTurtle’s swimming ability, Campo estimates that the Beatbot team is still a year and a half away from perfecting its technique, with the robot ready for full deployment in between three to five years.

CES 2026 is a show where tech with a real purpose feels scarce, so it sure is refreshing to see a company use its expertise to build something designed with a sustainable future in mind. It might be a while until we see RoboTurtle take to the seas, but I’m glad that I got to witness it at this stage of its journey.