realme 14 Pro review
The Realme 14 Pro Plus is a color-changing smartphone that's hard to ignore. With its unique thermochromic design, this device promises a good overall package under ₹30,000. While it boasts impressive specs like a high-refresh-rate display and a triple-camera setup, there are some compromises to be made. Performance might not be the strong suit of this phone, but its camera capabilities are noteworthy, especially for portrait shots. Let's dive into the pros and cons of this device.
Build Quality and Design
The Realme 14 Pro Plus boasts an impressive build quality and design that sets it apart from its competitors in the mid-range market. The phone's back panel features thermochromic pigments that change color as the temperature drops, a unique touch that initially sparked interest but eventually lost its appeal. However, this color-changing design is only one aspect of the phone's solid build quality and robustness. Realme has clearly paid attention to detail in crafting a premium-looking device that feels substantial in hand. The phone meets military standards (A10 Edge compliant) and boasts various IP ratings (IP 66, IP 68, and IP 69), demonstrating its ability to withstand harsh environments. The design is undoubtedly the most premium-looking aspect of this mid-range phone, making it a standout in the market. While the screen's Gorilla Glass 7i might not be as robust as some may like, the overall build quality and aesthetics of the Realme 14 Pro Plus are genuinely impressive. It's clear that Realme aimed to deliver a premium experience with this device. In terms of design, the phone is sleek and well-balanced, making it easy on the eyes. The thermochromic pigments add an interesting twist, even if they don't particularly stand out as a unique selling point. Overall, the build quality and design of the Realme 14 Pro Plus are major positives that justify its mid-range price tag.
Battery Life
The Realme 14 Pro Plus boasts an impressive 6,000mAh battery, which is a significant upgrade from its predecessor. In my testing, I found the phone to deliver exceptional battery life, even with heavy usage. On average, I was able to squeeze over eight hours of screen-on time, which translates to around 1.5 days of regular use. This is an impressive feat, considering the phone's powerful display and processor. Charging the phone is also a breeze, thanks to its 8W charger, which can charge the battery up to 55% in just under an hour. The fast charging capabilities make it even more convenient for users who need to top up their battery on-the-go. I was thoroughly impressed with the Realme 14 Pro Plus's battery life, and it's definitely one of its standout features. If you're looking for a phone that can last you a full day or more with moderate usage, this is certainly worth considering. Overall, I'm pleased to say that the battery life on the Realme 14 Pro Plus is a major win, making it an excellent choice for users who value all-day battery performance.
Display
The Realme 14 Pro Plus boasts an impressive display that is sure to please even the most discerning users. The phone's screen features high PWM dimming, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a higher 1.5K resolution, all of which contribute to a sharp and vibrant visual experience. Color reproduction is also noteworthy, with accurate and detailed colors on display. The touch response is smooth and responsive, making it easy to navigate through menus and apps. Additionally, the phone's high brightness of 1200 nits ensures that visibility remains excellent both indoors and outdoors. However, there are a couple of minor issues worth mentioning. Firstly, there is no HDR video playback support on OTD platforms, which may be a drawback for some users. Secondly, YouTube videos may not appear as bright on the Realme 14 Pro Plus compared to other devices. Despite these minor quibbles, the display on the Realme 14 Pro Plus is undoubtedly one of its strongest features. The phone's screen is a joy to behold, with clear and detailed visuals that are sure to please even the most demanding users. In terms of overall performance, the display on the Realme 14 Pro Plus is hard to fault. It is an excellent display for the price, and it's one of the main reasons why this phone stands out from its competitors. If you're in the market for a new smartphone with a great display, the Realme 14 Pro Plus is definitely worth considering. Overall, I would give the display on the Realme 14 Pro Plus a solid 8 out of 10. It's a minor letdown that there isn't HDR video playback support and YouTube videos may not appear as bright, but these are small complaints in an otherwise excellent display.
Camera
The Realme 14 Pro Plus boasts an impressive camera setup, particularly when it comes to portrait photography. The 3x Periscope lens does a commendable job in handling skin tones and highlights on the face. In comparison to its predecessor, the Realme 13 Pro Plus, the new model has been optimized for better performance. I took over 100 photos with this phone and was pleased with the results. While not perfect, the images exhibit good color reproduction and sharpness. The white balance can be a bit off at times, but overall, I'm satisfied with the quality of these shots. Even in low-light conditions, the primary lens performs admirably, capturing nice details and managing exposure well. However, there's room for improvement in the ultra-wide camera department. With an 8-megapixel sensor, it falls short of expectations, producing average images during both daytime and nighttime photography. The inability to shoot 4K videos with this camera is also a notable drawback. When I switch from the primary camera to the ultra-wide angle lens while recording video, I'm forced to downgrade from 4K to 1080p. This limitation is particularly frustrating since the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 doesn't support 4K 60 FPS recording. Nevertheless, the quality of 4K 30 FPS videos captured with this phone is satisfactory, featuring good exposure management and minimal movement blur. While not perfect, the camera on the Realme 14 Pro Plus has its strengths. The primary lens excels in portrait photography, producing high-quality images with excellent skin tone and background detail. Additionally, selfies taken with this phone look decent, albeit with a slight sharpening effect. However, the ultra-wide angle sensor's average performance is a letdown, making it less versatile for overall camera experiences. Ultimately, the Realme 14 Pro Plus's camera capabilities are its most impressive feature. While not without some room for improvement, it offers great value for those who prioritize portrait photography and decent selfies.
Price and Value
Priced under ₹30,000, the Realme 14 Pro Plus is an interesting offering from the Chinese brand. While it may not be perfect, this phone offers a good overall package that makes it worth considering. One of its standout features is its unique color-changing design, which uses thermochromic pigments on the back panel to change colors when exposed to different temperatures. It's certainly a conversation starter, but I found myself getting tired of it after some time. However, the build quality is solid and premium, with a sturdy feel that's rare in phones at this price point. The display is another highlight, offering good color reproduction, touch response, and brightness (up to 1200 nits). While there's no HDR video playback support, the screen performs well indoors and outdoors. The battery life is also impressive, with over eight hours of screen-on time on heavy usage. Where the Realme 14 Pro Plus falls short is in its performance. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset is average, and the phone struggles to deliver seamless performance. However, this doesn't impact the camera performance, which is surprisingly good for a mid-range phone. The primary lens takes excellent photos, both during the day and at night. The Ultra-wide camera, on the other hand, is a letdown. With an 8-megapixel sensor, it struggles to deliver decent images in bright light conditions. I would have appreciated a higher-resolution sensor or better software enhancements to make up for its limitations. Considering its price, the Realme 14 Pro Plus offers good value for money. While it's not perfect, this phone is worth considering if you're looking for a solid mid-range device with a good camera and battery life.
Performance
The Realme 14 Pro Plus boasts an impressive design with thermochromic pigments that change color in response to temperature changes. While this feature may be intriguing at first, it ultimately feels like a gimmick. The phone's build quality is solid and premium, meeting military standard A10 Edge compliance. Under the hood, the Realme 14 Pro Plus runs on the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset. While an improvement over its predecessor, this processor is not ideal for gaming or demanding tasks. In our tests, we observed slight lags while opening app folders and a hint of delay when installing apps. The phone can reach up to 45 FPS in games like Genshin Impact, but overall performance falls short. We also noticed that the Realme UI 6 lacks some essential features, such as uninstallsable bloatware, which remains present even after disabling notifications. The camera-centric approach of the Realme number series is evident, with a decent primary lens and a 3x Periscope lens for portraits. However, the ultra-wide-angle sensor is disappointing, offering average daytime and nighttime images. The lack of a high-resolution ultra-wide-angle sensor is particularly notable, given that this feature should complement the primary camera. Furthermore, shooting in 4K video with the ultra-wide-angle sensor is not possible, limiting creative flexibility. Battery life is a redeeming aspect, with a large 6,000 mAh battery offering over eight hours of screen-on time and easily lasting 1.5 days on heavy usage. Overall, while the Realme 14 Pro Plus excels in some areas, its average performance holds it back from being considered a top-tier mid-range device. A more powerful chipset would have elevated this phone to a true flagship contender, but as it stands, it's merely satisfactory.
Pros
1. The color changing design is quite interesting, even if it's a gimmick over time. It feels much better than last year's Real Mi 13 Pro Plus or Xiaomi's Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus for that matter.
2. It has a solid premium and robust design, military standard A10 Edge compliant, shock resistant, and has all kinds of IP ratings like IP66, IP68, and ip69, which is a first in Realme's mid-range phone.
3. The display on this thing is nice too, with good color reproduction, touch response, and everything else. It has high PWM dimming, 120Hz refresh rate, works well, and the higher 1.5k resolution makes everything look sharp and RIS.
4. It also has a huge 6,000 mAh battery that easily gets over eight hours of screen on time with this phone, so 1.5 days of battery life plus it charges pretty fast like within 55 minutes with its 8wat charger.
5. The camera performance is decent, with good color reproduction and sharpness in images. The primary lens does a fantastic job during nighttime too, with nice details and exposure management.
Cons
1. It's not the most balanced mid-range phone mainly because of its average performance and a lack of a good Ultra wide lens.
2. The ultra-wide camera has an average resolution (8 megapixel) that results in average ultra-wide angle images during daytime as well as night, and you cannot shoot 4K videos with it.
3. You have to settle for 1080p video recording when switching from the primary camera to the ultra-wide camera.
4. The Snapdragon 7s gen 3 chipset doesn't support 4K 60 FPS recording, so the max you can shoot from the main and front camera is 4K 30 FPS with quality issues like movement wble.
5. It's not perfect for every aspect, it has some flaws like average performance, ultra-wide lens issues and lack of better chipset which could have made it a king among mid-range phones.