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Samsung just launched its cheapest 5G Galaxy phone yet
Samsung has unveiled the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G, which costs just under $200, making it the cheapest 5G smartphone in the Galaxy portfolio.
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Announced at CES 2023 and at a cost of $199.99, the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G costs $50 less at launch than the previous model -- the Galaxy A13 5G -- but also comes with a new camera and slightly bigger screen.
The addition of a hi-res 13-megapixel front-facing camera is an improvement offering better picture quality than the previous model, alongside the triple-lens rear camera.
Like the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G before it, the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G offers 5G connectivity where it's available, allowing apps and websites to be loaded at high-speed, as well as providing users with 64GB onboard storage -- plus the option to expand that to 1TB with a microSD card. The phone also features a 90Hz display and a 6.6-inch screen size (up from 6.5-inch on the previous model) and comes with Android 13.0.
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Other features include a Security and Privacy Dashboard, which allows you to see how apps track data and to quickly disable unwanted tracking, along with a partnership with Google which offers Google Meet integration into messaging and video calls.
As Lisa Eadicicco notes on ZDNET's sister-site CNET, the Galaxy A14 5G is part of Samsung's expanded push into budget smartphones, as the challenges posed by inflation and the cost-of-living crisis mean people aren't as willing to spend money on new phones or other tech products.
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That's represented by the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G price of $199.99, which is much lower than the price of the flagship Samsung Galaxy S smartphones.
However, it should be noted that the budget Galaxy A only offers you two generations of Android OS upgrades -- compared with four generations for Galaxy S devices -- and up to four years of security updates, compared with five for Galaxy S phones, meaning Samsung Galaxy phones can become out-of-date much faster than other models.