Realme 14 5G: A performance beast built for mobile gaming

We recently got our hands on the Realme 14 5G. But before we dive into the review, have a bit of patience for a nostalgic reminiscence.

Back in the day, waking up at 6 AM to rain meant no school. Instead, you just turn on your PC while your mother makes your favourite meal.

But this time we gave away to nostalgia by ramping up the Realme 14 5G before we have to eventually go into the office amidst the heavy rain outside (even if we don't want to).

But did the gaming performance of the device make it easier for us to deal with a hectic day ahead in the office?

Let's cut to the chase. If you're a gamer on a shoestring budget, the Realme 14 5G is the closest you will get to a pocket-sized esports rig without breaking the bank. From its blisteringly smooth AMOLED screen to a stamina-marathon battery, Realme has clearly prioritised what matters most to teen and young adult gamers and, in the process, created a handset that can be appealing at BDT 41,999.

First impression: Flashy looks

At 7.97 mm thin and 196 g, the Realme 14 5G strikes a pleasing balance between sleekness and solidity. While the device has a moderate size bezel, the bezel is a bit larger at the lower side of the device and the front camera is also outside the bezel. The matte-finish back resists fingerprints, and the subtle metallic sheen of mecha silver looks premium and futuristic but the plastic feels makes it a bit disappointing. Better still, the IP66/IP68/IP69 ratings ensure it shrugs off dust, rain or even an accidental splash ideal for those impromptu gaming sessions on the go.

Built for gamers (and it is)

The 6.67-inch AMOLED Esports Display with 1080x2400 FHD+ resolution is a standout. With a 120 Hz refresh rate, 180 Hz touch sampling (peaking at 1,500 Hz) and up to 2,000 nits peak brightness, animations glide by without delay, and colours pop even under harsh daylight. Whether you're racing on nitro or running through Erangel or catching up on Netflix, the fluidity and vibrancy is close to many flagship phones.

Under the hood sits Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 5G chipset, built on a 4 nm processor and paired with up to 12 GB RAM along with dynamic expansion options, coupled with 256 GB storage.

We tested 3 AAA games and the device delivered like a 'smooth criminal'. It can handle high frame rates, which is pretty rare in phones of this price segment. Third-person shooting games like PUBG mobile feels dynamic; the display feels a bit bigger, complemented by minimal lags, high response, and refresh rate when tilted. We suppose this is what Realme wanted when they said the phone had an 'esports' display.

Interestingly, after long hours of playing, we have seen very little heat generation which amplifies the mobile's efficiency and stability in gaming.

Cameras: Somewhat capable and playful underwater

The device has a 50 MP AI OIS main camera, a 2 MP macro for close-ups and a 16 MP front camera. Though the sharpness and camera preview is questionable, the main camera captures well-balanced shots in daylight, while portrait and night modes apply just enough algorithmic polish without venturing into cartoon territory. There is also a 'street mode' which lets you zoom to the subject of the photo with a single tap, along with a 'pro' mode and a 'movie' mode which helps control ISO and shutter speed, among others.

While the wide-angle shots are missing due to the camera setup, video captures up to 4K at 30 fps with 60 fps option in 720 p and 1080p. There is also a 'dual-view' mode that can record front and rear footage simultaneously, handy for reaction videos.

Photo taken by Realme 14 5G

When using its camera, we also saw an underwater mode and quickly got to it. The limit was around 200 centimetres but since we could not find any buckets that big, we submerged it into 25 centimetre deep water and the photos were surprisingly well-detailed. We submerged our friendly neighbourhood spiderman action figure into the water as well and took some photos from around 13 centimetres away from the phone. The results were impressively detailed, with accurate colours and minimal distortion.

Photo taken by Realme 14 5G underwater

Stamina for the whole day

The 6,000 mAh "Titan" battery is a true workhorse. In mixed use (gaming, streaming, browsing), we comfortably stretched to a day of use. When you do run low, 45 W SuperVOOC fast charging gives a superb backup.

Gamers who do not like to wait for charging can directly connect the charger through the 'bypass charging' option available in-game toggle. Other than gamers, traditional users can also use this huge battery and RAM capacity towards their advantage in case of multitasking and binging reels all day.

Extras worth mentioning

Realme UI 6.0 (based on Android 15) offers a clean interface with useful gaming tools in the GT Boost (AI eye comfort for gaming, breathing light effects, game focus mode, network optimisation). Extras include 5G dual mode, in-display fingerprint reader, and 300% speaker volume.

Verdict: Who it's for

• Buy it if you want flagship-style gaming performance, a vivid AMOLED screen and marathon-lasting battery life without splashing out.

• Skip it if you demand very sharp and top-tier photography.

Photos: Md. Zahidur Rabbi