Samsung Galaxy A14 5G vs A14 4G: What's the difference?

Samsung has no shortage of affordable Galaxy A-Series phones launching this year. The recently released Galaxy A14 5G has a non-5G sibling on the way; the Galaxy A14 4G LTE. But the lack of 5G support isn’t the only difference between them. Which smartphone is right for you? Find out in this Samsung Galaxy A14 5G vs Galaxy A14 4G LTE showdown.

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G vs A14 4G: What’s the difference?

Getting the obvious out of the way first, the most significant difference between the Galaxy A14 5G and the A14 4G LTE is the ability to connect to 5G networks. As their names suggest, the former supports 5G while the latter maxes out at 4G LTE connectivity.

The Galaxy A14 5G and the Galaxy A14 4G would almost look like twins if not for the different finish. If you look closely, you’ll notice the Galaxy A14 5G’s back panel has a concentric circle pattern, and the Galaxy A14 4G has a linear, brushed metal pattern. Both backsides are just plastic, however, so the difference in the direction of the grooves is just stylistic.

Both phones have a 6.6-inch PLS LCD display with FHD+ resolution. However, Galaxy A14 5G has a 90Hz refresh rate, while the 4G version has a lower 60Hz refresh rate. Both phones have a 13MP selfie camera tucked inside a waterdrop notch.

On the backside, each has a trio of vertical cameras. Although both phones have a 50MP primary shooter, the Galaxy A14 5G has a 2MP macro camera, while the A14 4G has a 5MP macro for capturing close-up details. The Galaxy A14 5G also adds a 2MP depth sensor for the third camera. In contrast, the Galaxy A14 4G gets 5MP ultrawide angle camera which is more useful for everyday photos. Overall, the A14 4G has a better suite of cameras.

In the US, the Galaxy A14 5G is powered by the Exynos 1330 processor and comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. On the other hand, the Galaxy A14 has a MediaTek Helio G80 processor paired with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The Exynos is a much newer chipset, providing better performance and power consumption. Both phones support expandable storage via microSD card slot of up to 1TB.

Those who haven’t gone cordless for their audio will appreciate that both phones have a headphone jack. There’s also NFC and Bluetooth connectivity on both phones, although the Galaxy A14 LTE has Bluetooth 5.1, while the 5G model has Bluetooth 5.2. However, neither phone supports eSIM.

Should you get the Galaxy A14 5G or 4G LTE model?

The main question you should ask yourself is what networks you typically rely on. Even though 5G support provides a little future proofing, it still isn’t widely available, and you shouldn’t buy a phone for 5G alone. Most 4G LTE networks are speedy these days, and you don’t need 100 Mbps to browse social media. If your carrier has widespread and 5G networks, go for it, but if the infrastructure isn’t quite there, you’ll be more than fine with the 4G LTE version.

Both versions come with One UI Core 5 based on Android 13 and will receive two OS upgrades and four years of security updates. The two models are solid mid-range workhorses that won’t break the bank. The Galaxy A14 5G is priced at $199 in the US. Despite being available in multiple colors in other markets, it is only available in black in North America. The Galaxy A14 LTE version is available unlocked from Amazon starting at $140 and is available in Black, Green, and Silver. Regardless of which version you decide to get, make sure to pick up one of the best Galaxy A14 cases to protect your phone.