Smartphones offered for less than 100 euros (list of the best) are often a bad buy. Many manufacturers only offer simple and outdated technology. But there are also positive exceptions. This includes the Motorola Moto G14. The test reveals the value of the smartphone 99 euros Well equipped in almost all relevant areas. Some points of criticism are limited to details.
Design: Is the Moto G14 waterproof?
Motorola doesn’t deviate from its simple yet extremely understated design language with the Moto G14. The blue variant provided to us comes with a pleasantly glossy, matte plastic back. The smartphone is also available in a pastel yellow colour variant that comes with a back made of vegan leather – we have already experienced and loved this soft and fashionable material on the Motorola Edge 40 Neo (test report).
The grey Motorola logo on the back is the only design element along with a comparatively compact camera module. The plastic frame is light blue, almost silver, and the width of the display edges on the front is still decent. The smartphone measures 161.5 mm in height and 73.8 mm in width, making it pleasantly compact. With its 8 mm thickness and 177 grams of weight, the device is lightweight. As usual with Motorola, we found no manufacturing defects on the Moto G14 – not so at this price.
In fact, the Moto G14 has an IP certification that puts it ahead of the Moto G34 (test report). With IP52, it is only protected against dust and vertical dripping water.
Display: How big is the screen?
The display of the Moto G14 is certainly one of the plus points of the device. It is a 6.5-inch LCD with a resolution of 2400 × 1200 pixels in Full HD + – an exceptional amount for this price range (1280 × 720 pixels) is the norm here; the only downside to the otherwise fantastic display is the refresh rate of “only” 60 Hz. If you are accustomed to a faster display here, the operation may seem a bit slow. To be honest, more than 60 Hz for around 100 euros does not make much sense.
The display impressed us on all other levels. Colour rendition is very good, as is contrast, and there were no unstable viewing angles in testing. The brightness of around 500 cd/m² is within limits for this price range and is also slightly brighter than average.
Camera: How good are the Moto G14’s photos?
In the Moto G14, the manufacturer has installed a main camera with a resolution of 50 megapixels and an aperture of f / 1.8, as well as a macro camera of 2 megapixels. Photos taken with the main camera are decent at best, but mediocre in most cases. The photos lack detail in places, but in most cases it is not that critical. We find the color rendition to be poor. Even in daylight, it often appears washed out and unrealistically pale, while the sky is often overly saturated. Recording is rarely usable at night. The front camera has a resolution of eight megapixels and takes equally acceptable photos. Video recording is possible at a maximum of 1080p at 30 FPS.
Motorola Moto G14 – Original Shots
Motorola Moto G14 – Original Shots
Features: What does the Moto G14’s hardware offer?
The manufacturer uses the Unisoc Tiger T616 as the processor for the Moto G14 – an unusual choice for a smartphone overall, but a valid one in this price range. The chip, manufactured using the 12nm process, is almost five years old, but it still offers enough performance for budget smartphones today. In the PCMark Work 3.0 benchmark, we achieved a solid score of 8000 points with the Moto G14.
3DMark’s graphics benchmark Wild Life shows the weaknesses of the old processor, as there the smartphone only manages to score 500 points. In everyday life, this means that simple tasks and, in some cases, multitasking are fairly smooth, but games with increased system requirements (especially 3D games) are not so smooth. As for the price, it is absolutely fine, even a little overpriced. There is 4 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of internal storage available.
Motorola Moto G14 – Photo Gallery
Motorola Moto G14 – Photo Gallery
The rest of the smartphone’s features are also seen in the Moto G14: we find Wi-Fi 5 (IEEE 802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.0 with LE support, GPS with GLONASS and NFC for contactless payments. Otherwise, there is also a classic headphone jack here, which, combined with wired headphones, acts as an antenna for the FM radio function.
The integrated USB-C port is slow with the USB 2.0 standard – but at this price, this is completely expected. It’s great that Motorola has taken care of support for Widevine L1 – this allows users to stream high-resolution videos with ease. Especially since this feature is missing from many affordable smartphones. The stereo speakers that deliver satisfactory sound are also commendable. The fingerprint sensor in the power button works reliably without any hitches.
Software: How long will updates be available for the Moto G14?
The device currently has an almost pure, Motorola-inspired Android 13 installed. An update to Android 14 was promised and should be released at the end of the year. The security patch is quite modern. According to the manufacturer’s support website, the device will receive security patches until August 2026, with updates expected to arrive at least every two months.
Battery: How long does the Moto G14 last?
The main highlight of the Moto G14 is the battery life. The built-in 5000 mAh lithium-ion cell has enough stamina to enable the smartphone to last up to 13 hours in the PCMark battery test. This is not only excellent in this price range, but generally excellent and means that the smartphone lasts up to two days with moderate use without being connected to a power supply. The downside is that charging can take up to 2.5 hours depending on the power adapter used. The smartphone comes with a 10 watt power adapter, although charging speeds up to 15 watts are supported.
Price and variants: How much does the Moto G14 cost?
The Moto G14 is available in yellow, gray, and blue. For the 4/128GB storage configuration, customers will need to 99 euros However, for the 4/256 GB version 149 euros Due.
conclusion
The Moto G14 is a very good entry-level smartphone that doesn’t have to hide from the competition as an overall package. The manufacturer has successfully figured out which savings hurt the least – in this case the refresh rate of the display, the camera or the included power supply. In terms of performance, screen quality, features and battery life, Motorola has squeezed everything it possibly can out of 100 euros. This device is a clear recommendation for budget-oriented customers looking for a solid everyday device.
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