You know how we’d say “gaming is life” when we pour our heart and soul into a game we love? However, smartphone limitations would usually get in the way… or worse — budget constraints! That won’t be the case with this newly launched smartphone, though. For only Php 15,299 (at a limited time), you can already carve your path to victory with the realme 14 5G in Mecha Silver.

Since lifestyle would still matter when choosing smartphones, here’s a quick look at all the important parts before you decide whether to #AddToCart or not:

Inside the Box

Opening the box reveals the usual set of essentials — the realme 14 5G unit in Mecha Silver, a 45W SUPERVOOC charging adapter, USB-C charging cable, and a pre-installed screen protector. realme also included a silicone case, a SIM ejector tool, user guide, and warranty card. And if you’re an early buyer, select promos include a free pair of TechLife Headphones G1—something you don’t usually get with phones in this price range.

My only comment about the inclusions is its case. Just like its Pro version, I feel like it’s a waste to use a cloudy/ semi-transparent silicone case which hides the futuristic design! I wish they’d bring back the transparent ones for smartphones with intricate designs like the realme 14 5G. This can easily be address by purchasing one from third-party sellers, though.

Design and Display

As for the design, the realme 14 5G immediately stands out, thanks to its futuristic Mecha Silver design. The laser-reflected geometric pattern on the back gives off a sleek, industrial vibe without going overboard. It’s also surprisingly resistant to smudges and fingerprints, which is a plus! The camera module uses realme’s recognizable Pulse Light/ Victory Halo design, housing two cameras within a stylish frame.

On the right side of the phone, you’ll find a silver volume rocker button and an orange lock/power button which makes it easier to differentiate the two. At the bottom, there’s a SIM card slot, USB-C charging port, and speaker grille. A secondary speaker and microphone is tucked at the top for better audio input.

In front, the phone features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080px. With a 120Hz refresh rate, everything from gaming to doomscrolling feels silky smooth. Outdoor visibility is also great, thanks to a peak brightness of 2000 nits.

I’ve been using it to play games and watch a lot of Netflix shows for the past weeks and I’m satisfied with the colors and sharpness. You can say it’s a full 360 visual treat! For hardcore gamers who don’t want anything in their way while gaming, you may just need to get used to the camera module at the back as it will really be within reach if you hold the smartphone horizontally. Just don’t forget to wipe the camera lens before taking a photo after!

Camera

While the realme 14 5G is positioned as a gaming smartphone, the cameras still deliver. At the back, this smartphone is equipped with a 50MP OIS AI camera s with 2MP bokeh. That main sensor is the real star here! It captures vibrant, detailed photos in daylight and does a decent job at night when using Night Mode. Let the samples do the talking:

DAY SHOTS

INDOOR SHOTS

NIGHT/LOW LIGHT SHOTS

They also didn’t call it AI camera for nothing – it’s packed with an AI Eraser to remove photobombers in your shot, AI Clear Face to make photos look sharper, AI Unblur to remove motion blur from photos, and AI Reflection Remover to erase glass reflections. Other AI features available include group photo enhancement, smart skin tone, auto zoom, and image matting.

I tested this out during my trip to Malaysia and I am honestly amazed at how well the photos turned out. I wasn’t expecting much to begin with because smartphones usually excel at only one department when it’s the base model, but that’s not the case for the realme 14 5G. Thanks to its AI Unblur, even aerial action shots turned out pretty sharp! The colors were also on point and same as what I saw in real life.

Up front, there’s an 16MP Sony IMX480 selfie camera tucked neatly into a punch-hole cutout. Selfies come out with accurate skin tones (so accurate that you’d see my skin a bit red after taking a selfie post-hike) and enough detail for social media, video calls, or quick content shoots.

Both front and rear cameras can shoot 1080p videos at 30fps, but the rear cam can go as high as 4K! The built-in Electronic Image Stabilization helps with handheld shots, though you’ll still want a steady hand for smoother footage.

Storage and Performance

Powering the realme 14 5G is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chipset, built on an energy-efficient 5G processor. It comes with 128GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, with support for expansion via microSD up to 2TB. There’s also realme’s Dynamic RAM Expansion that gives you an extra 14GB of virtual RAM when needed. That’s already more than enough for a year’s worth of gaming, files, videos, and photos!

Performance during our daily use was steady and responsive. It handled app multitasking, casual gaming, and even heavier mobile games like Honor of Kings and Pokemon Unite with ease. I would still recommend sticking to mid-level graphics, though, as it may drain the battery and heat up a bit faster. However, thanks to the built-in Bionic Cooling System which helps lower the phone’s temperature by 20°C, we didn’t encounter any significant overheating—even during longer play sessions. If you need an extra boost while gaming, GT Boost can also be toggled on to unlock max performance.

GT Boost is a new unified gaming platform that combines realme’s GT Mode with advanced software technologies. Features include AI adaptive frequency control, hyper response engine, memory freed up, AI power saving, smart dual-channel network, AI motion control, AI ultra touch control, and the basic features from previous models like geek power tuning, touch optimization, voice changer, focus mode, and more. Enabling this will cause faster battery consumption, though! Still worth every charge.

The realme 14 5G is running on the latest Android 15 with realme UI 6.0. If you’re used to Android devices, then navigating this would be a piece of cake. I would suggest that you uninstall some bloatware apps pre-installed in the smartphone, though! After this, it would already be easy to customize your widgets and apps of choice.

If you won’t be using this smartphone for gaming, it’s still pretty handy as it can stay responsive even with over 10 apps and multiple Chrome tabs running in the background. I mainly used it for its camera, video, social media, ride hailing apps, and Google Maps during our trip but it did not budge for over a day.

Battery

The device carries a 6000mAh battery that can last an entire day and a half on moderate use. With more intensive tasks like streaming, gaming, and frequent camera use, it still held up until the end of the day. Charging is quick, too—the 45W SUPERVOOC charger gets you to 50% in about 30 minutes and up to 100% in just a little over an hour.

In case you need to continue gaming while charging, no need to fret about your smartphone overheating (or worst case, suddenly exploding, too) because the realme 14 5G also has Bypass Charging which reduces battery heat and energy consumption while powering the system directly. The Bionic Cooling System, which I’ve mentioned earlier, also works its wonders here.

Price and Availability

The realme 14 5G is already available in the Philippines starting today for only Php 17,999. Purchases made from April 29-May 4 via realme’s TikTok Shop entitles you to platform vouchers that would further bring down the price to Php 15,299! This also includes free 800 ML Diamond while supplies last. On the other hand, purchases made via realme physical stores until May 11 entitles you to free TechLife Headphones G1 worth Php 2,199 while supplies last.

Overall, with a bright AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate, 50MP main camera, Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chip, and fast charging, the realme 14 5G punches above its weight in nearly every category. It’s tailor-made for students, first-jobbers, and gamers who want more without breaking the bank. The Mecha Silver variant adds that extra dose of style, making it a practical and fashionable pick for 2025!

For the full specs, visit realme.com.

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