realme 14x 5G Review: The Budget Beast You Can’t Ignore

The realme 14x 5G has made a bold entry into the budget smartphone market, offering a blend of durability, performance, and affordability.

The smartphone was just launched today, on January 24, 2025 with this device is designed to cater to users who seek a rugged yet feature-packed smartphone without breaking the bank.

As I mentioned earlier, thanks to realme Malaysia, I obtained a a Carbon Black coloured unit for this review. For quick access of the review, check the links below.

Main highlights

This smartphone is an upgraded version of the realme 12x 5G and it comes with six highlights which include it’s powerful processor, its Military-grade Shock Resistance and IP64 rating and it’s inclusion of Google Gemini and Circle to Search.

Aside from that, it also has a luxurious design, 120Hz Eye Comfort Display and a massive 18GB Dynamic RAM which is paired with 256GB storage space.

Design, Build Quality and Durability

In terms of design, the realme 14x 5G looks very profesional in my opinion, especialy in this Carbon Black colour. The nice matte black back is complemented with a silver realme name, and a camera bump that’s nicely fitted with luxury looking silver edges to boost its premium profile.

The SIM tray is on the left of the phone and the right has the fingerprint scanner (which is also the power and digital assistant button) and the volume button.

At the rear bottom there’s the speaker of the phone, a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB-C port for USB cables.

The edges are flat, which makes it ‘indipendently standing’ when placed on flat surface, and its super thin body is just 7.94mm, hence making it more comfortable when in use, while the weight keeps things light.

The phone feels strong and sturdy and it comes with Military-Grade Shock Resistance which includes Military-Grade Shock Resistance Ultra shock resistance with shock absorption, Solid aluminum alloy structure which is resistant to bending, and the phone passing SGS Military-Grade Shock Resistance Test.

What this means is that the phone will likely still be ‘alive’ despite experiencing any accidental drops.

In addition, the phone also boast an IP rating of IP64 which means it is splashproof, rainproof and dustproof.

To test this, I purposely dunked the water in a sink of water, and the phone is not only still usable after, but could be used almost immediately (without wiping the screen completely dry) thanks to realme’s rainwater smart touch feature.

…and yes, the phone is still very much alive and functioning as it should days after the innitial test as well.

In addition, the phone also now having SonicWave Ejection which removes any liquid from the speaker, and mini capsule, further protecting the phone from any accidental liquid spills.

Screen & Display

The 6.67-inch HD+ display of the realme 14x 5G comes with a 120Hz refresh rate and it delivers smooth and fluid visuals.

According to realme, the phone has the most eye protection feature for a phone within similar price range, with no less than 10 functions listed to give the naked eye more comfort when using the phone.

Some of these eye protection features however needs to be activated manually, and it will of course chnage how the screen displays colours.

Under bright sunlight, I can also still use the phone without problem as the screen is clear enough despite the bright light.

Anyway, in terms of screen, there is little for me to complaint as it generally serves it purpose and displays what Iwant to see without much issues.

Audio System

The realme 14x 5G comes with a single down firing speakers.

Despite being just single firing speakers, the audio produced is loud, thanks to the 300% Ultra Volume Mode. This function prooved to be very useful when I forget to bring my external bluetooth speakers or earbud, or when I want to listen to something in a very noisy environment.

Despite that loudness, the sound quality is slightly a bit ‘loose’ side when it comes to listening to music, but I do think it’s all good for gaming, movies and videos.

Processor, RAM & Storage

Inside the realme 14x 5G is a very capable Dimensity 6300 5G which is very smooth at multitasking. I opened no less than 10 apps at one time, and everything was smooth.

This processor is known for being energy efficient while providing better frame rate gaming experience and faster 5G speeds.

Played COD and there was no lag during my game play with the game itself running smoothly once it had loaded.

The phone comes with 8GB of RAM which can be increased to 18GB through realme’s Dynamic RAM feature, and 256GB of storage space which can be expanded to 2TB by using the expandable external storage space.

Software

The software used in the realme 14x 5G is the realme UI 6.0 which offers a very smooth and likeable usage.

The operating system is easy to use as well, and usage of the device is seamless and without any complaints.

One thing I do not favour however is the number of pre-installed apps in the device.

In additon to that, the phone also comes with 360 degrees NFC capabilities which allow it to be used for payment and access card functions. I personally really love having NFC on my smartphone, so this is a huge plus point.

The device also comes with Free Call, which is its ability to make calls via Bluetooth for up to 85m (depending on obstructions), despite not having any network connectivity.

This function is great when telco signals aren’t great, and when in places without any internet connectivity. Your contact however has to turn on their Free Call function to be callable.

Last but not least, there’s also Google Gemini equipped in the realme 14x 5G, hence making this among the most powerful smartphones in its category.

The built-in Google Gemini APP uses AI assistant to help handle various tasks more efficiently, improving work and life efficiency. Gemini really helps in a lot of task, and it is really something worthwhile to have in a smartphone. Personally I love interacting from Gemini for information as it is really capable and seamless, and having the app built-in the realme 14x is another big plus point for me.

Other AI enhancement worth noting in the phone is the Circle to Search feature which improves searching of objects, and AI Smart Loop which enables the sharing of information.

Camera Capabilities

A 50MP AI main camera and an 8MP selfie camera is equipped with this device.

While the camera performance is decent in bright conditions, it may struggle in low-light settings. The AI-powered features enhances photo quality, but the zoom is limited to 2X, which to me is not adequate as this also means there is no ultra wide angle, a feature I personally use a lot.

Below are some shots in different situations to show how capable the camera performs.

The photo below shows a building taken during good lighting.

Indoors, colours pop up without doing any setting and are sharp enough to enjoy.

At night, the photos are also not so bad as you can see below.

For close-up shots, the photo also appears acceptable and good as seen below.

When taking portraits, the results are not that bad as seen below.

In general, photos appear to have enoough detail when taken with proper lighting but they do struggle when lighting is poor.

Videography of the realme 14x 5G is also average in my opinion despite as it max shooting capability is at 1080p at 30fps. There is no image stabilisation so videos are shaky although the colours are very vivid and nice.

I do enjoy the fact that it does have dual-view video which was great for vlogging.

A brief video or vlog, made using the camera of the realme 14x 5G can be seen HERE to show you how the videography of the phone is.

Battery Life and Charging

The realme 14x 5G has a 5,000mAh battery, which comes with a 15W Fast Charging block.

15W isn’t the fastest charging block out there, but for 5 minutes, you can get almost 2 hours of call time, enough to discuss a lot of things when you are not able to charge your phone longer.

In addition, the battery can still be charged at temperatures below -10 degrees, and the it can retain at 15 hours of video watching on a single full charge.

Final Verdict

The realme 14x 5G is a solid choice for budget-conscious users who prioritize durability and battery life.

While it is a huge improvement from the 12x, the camera is rather average.

Despite that, it still offers great value for money and if you’re looking for a rugged smartphone that can withstand tough conditions, the realme 14x is worth considering.

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