How many of us want to spend very little on a smartphone without regretting the purchase? With a price under € 100, the Motorola Moto G14 is able to satisfy practically all the requirements that we look for in a modern phone, starting from the design and construction quality but above all the user experience dictated by multimedia needs and uncompromising performance. Let's find out together in this review.
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DISPLAY
I'll immediately start talking to you about the display, as the Moto G14 is equipped with an IPS panel with Full HD+ resolution (2400 x 1080 pixels) of 6.5 inches diagonal in 20:9 format and 405 PPI. We have a standard refresh rate, i.e. 60 Hz but I prefer to have a higher resolution than the many HD+ in circulation which enjoy a 90 Hz refresh rate. Having a full resolution means being able to benefit from the Widevine L1 and therefore high resolution streaming for example on Netflix and Prime Video.
The Moto G14 screen is bright, the colors are vibrant and readability in direct sunlight is really good. Viewing angles are also superb. Although it is not specified in any technical data sheet, the display actually also supports HDR but limited to 720p videos, probably due to the processor with which the phone is equipped. There is also the possibility via software to calibrate the colors and white point as well as a specific function for improving the display of content on apps such as YouTube, Photos etc.. Another point of merit compared to the competition is that the design is modern and therefore no teardrop notch, now outdated, but we find a punch hole in which the selfie camera is inserted. The frames are pronounced but nothing as invasive as seen on other smartphones.
Worthy of note is that Moto G14 integrates physical and non-virtual sensors for brightness and proximity, thus avoiding the typical defect of some cheap devices, i.e. the screen that remains lit when brought towards the cheek, with the risk of involuntarily pressing buttons. Finally, the display is protected by Panda Glass, which was found to be resistant and above all with a good oleophobic treatment, against fingerprints and dirt.
The Moto G14 doesn't have a notification LED, but it does offer a preview screen option that lets you see interactive notifications and quick information when the screen is off, though it doesn't work like the always-on display found in AMOLED phones.
CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS
The design of the Motorola Moto G14 is nothing innovative but the construction is exemplary. On the back we find a back cover in premium matt acrylic glass (PMMA) which saves you from having to constantly clean fingerprints but in any case in the package you also find a protective silicone case to protect the smartphone. We could define this smartphone as compact, due to a weight of 177 grams and dimensions equal to 161,46 x 73,82 x 7,99 mm, which allows comfortable use even with a single hand as well as top ergonomics for via a square form factor, which facilitates grip without ever being slippery.
Also on the back we find the bump camera and LED flash, almost flush with the body and therefore the entire back appears clean. In fact, the usual certification writings have been shown on the lower profile, where the main microphone, the Type-C input for charging with OTG support and the main speaker are located. I underline main because Moto G14 offers stereo audio, released by the second speaker incorporated into the ear capsule, but with balanced sound between the two speakers. Dolby ATMOS technology is also supported, but if you want maximum listening quality, on the upper profile you will find the 3,5 mm jack input for wired earphones. However, a second microphone for noise suppression on calls is absent, but despite its absence the conversations were clear and clean.
On the left side alone there is the SIM tray, complete and non-hybrid, in fact we have 2 slots dedicated to SIMs in nano format with 4G LTE connectivity and a third slot for micro SD cards up to 1 TB, in order to expand the integrated memory without giving up the Dual SIM function. However, the E-SIM function is absent. Finally on the right side we find the volume rocker and the power button which integrates the biometric sensor for unlocking the phone via fingerprint, which has proven to be reliable, quick and precise. The phone also has facial recognition, but it's not as secure as fingerprint.
AUTONOMY
The phone has an IP52 certification, so it is resistant to dust, drizzle and light splashes but despite its limited weight and thickness, a 5000 mAh battery is used with support for 15W "fast" charging. Nothing sensational but autonomy is guaranteed whether you use the smartphone in a stressful way or in a more traditional way, always taking home at least a full day with a residual of at least 20/30% of residual charge. There is no wireless charging but at less than €100 it would have been too much to ask for this feature.
CONNECTIVITY
However, Moto G14 does not give up complete sensors which include, for example, accelerometer, gyroscope, Dual WiFi, GPS with Galileo satellite fixes, Bluetooth 5.0 but also NFC for digital payments. Finding this sensor on such a cheap smartphone is utopian, but Motorola has succeeded. The connectivity is 4G LTE and despite the fact that I wasn't always able to connect to 4G+, navigation was always stable but above all with a more than decent speed, exceeding my expectations. However, it is possible to make WiFi calls, which is also a function that I would not have expected on such a cheap device.
CAMERA AND VIDEO
Perhaps the only point truly in line with the selling price concerns the performance on the camera and video side. On the rear, Moto G14 offers a dual camera of which the main lens uses a 50 MP sensor with quad pixel technology (12.5 MP shots) with f/1.8 focal aperture and equipped with PDA focusing, while the second sensor is 2 MP f/2.4 with macro function. The selfie camera instead adopts an 8 MP f/2.0 lens with fixed focus.
The camera interface is familiar to the one found in many Motorola smartphones, with a quick switch between the main and macro cameras at the bottom, plus convenient buttons for flash, timer, aspect ratio, and more. Some of the camera features include Night mode, Portrait Mode, Live Filters, Panorama photos, Pro Mode (with Long Exposure), Digital Zoom (up to 4x), Google Lens integration, code reader bars and more.
Moving on to image quality, photos taken during the day are of good quality, with a wide dynamic range and the automatic HDR function was particularly effective. The macro camera does not give great satisfaction, more than anything for the final result that messes up the colors, making them unnatural and at times pastel. Photos in portrait mode are really good, offering a natural effect and well outlining the subject in the frame. The 8MP front camera offers decent results during the day and mediocre results in low light conditions. In reality, it is precisely in unfavorable light conditions that Moto G14 shows its weakness, failing to eliminate the presence of digital noise as well as unclear details. There is also no form of stabilization which negatively affects video recording, which occurs at a maximum of 1080p 30fps on both the rear and front cameras, with decidedly shaky results.
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
Moto G14 was born with Android 13 and with the various updates received the patches are currently from March 2024. We find practically no pre-installed Bloatware and the interface follows that provided by Google Stock with some gems in terms of typical Motorola features, such as the Moto Actions with which you can turn on the camera by rotating the smartphone twice or turning on the torch by shaking the phone with a hammer. The update to Android 14 should be expected in May or in the next few months, while the phone's security updates are guaranteed for 3 years. In any case, we do not find duplicate applications, as the complete Google suite is present, so we will use the Photos app for Gallery, Gmail for email and so on.
Moto G14 runs on a Unisoc T616 CPU (octa-core 2.0 GHz with 12nm process), Mali-G57 MP1 GPU with support for Open GL ES 3.2 and Open CL 2.0 graphics which is accompanied by 4 GB of LPDDR4X and 128GB RAM of expandable UFS 2.2 storage. Although this combination doesn't make you tear your hair out, the phone was always fluid and snappy, but above all decidedly faster than other devices tested in the same price range.
Overall performance is really satisfactory. I was able to play "pretentious" titles in graphic terms without any slowdown or drop in frames, they gave up maximum graphic details, but above all I never experienced any particular overheating. Every required task is performed without hesitation and therefore the Moto G14 has proven to be a reliable and high-performance smartphone, so much so that I would not define it as an entry level but rather a good mid-range one.
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CONCLUSION AND PRICE
On the market you can find the most recent Moto G04 which costs practically the same as the Moto G14, but I preferred the latter because in terms of performance and specifications it is significantly better, such as for example the presence of an FHD+ screen. In conclusion, with a price under €100, the Moto G14 practically meets all the requirements of a budget phone, indeed it goes beyond all expectations. Some goodies such as the presence of NFC, stereo audio, Full HD+ display, a processor capable of handling most tasks and a long-lasting battery should not be taken for granted. Any reviewer would define it as a best buy and in this case I join them, because not buying the Moto G14 would be crazy. Furthermore, the variant with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of memory is available, which you can purchase for around €20 more than the basic version.
