Samsung’s Galaxy A14 5G — the latest entry in the company’s A-series lineup — is a really interesting budget phone for 2023. It’s a $200 Android 13 smartphone with an expansive screen, 5G support, a new design, and a pretty solid camera array for the price.
While there’s enough going for the Galaxy A14 to make it a contender for anybody looking for a modern wallet-friendly smartphone, it’s impossible to build one at this price without making a few compromises. Some of these are to be expected: the panel is a 720p LCD, and it’s capped at 64GB of storage. However, the lower price tag may also have you wondering a very important question: Is the Samsung Galaxy A145G waterproof?
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The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is not waterproof
Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends
Unfortunately, this is one area where Samsung has cut a pretty big corner. The short answer is no, the Galaxy A14 5G is not waterproof. However, the reality is a bit more complicated.
Like the Galaxy A13 that came before, the Galaxy A14 5G has no IP rating, which means it has not been certified as waterproof, or even water-resistant, in any way. That’s a stark contrast to the company’s flagship S-series phones, nearly all of which carry an IP68 rating that allows them to survive extended dunks while also being completely dust-tight. Even the Galaxy A53 5G gets an IP67 rating, which is almost as good, while Samsung’s foldables — the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 — come in with an IPX8 — highly resistant to water, but not tested against dust.
The lack of an IP rating doesn’t mean the Galaxy A14 5G may not offer some small amount of water resistance; it merely indicates that Samsung hasn’t had it tested and certified as such. Ingress Protection (IP) testing costs money, so avoiding it is an easy way to shave a few bucks off what it costs to develop a budget smartphone. A little rain isn’t likely to do any harm, but don’t expect it to survive immersion in water. In either case, though, you get it wet at your own risk — there are no guarantees it will survive any exposure to water or even dust, and it probably doesn’t help that the built-in 3.5mm headphone jack provides another way for water to get inside.
Is the Galaxy A14 5G durable?
Water resistance isn’t the only area where the Samsung Galaxy A145G is lightweight. The phone is made entirely from plastic, and there’s no indication that it’s anything especially durable, like the Gorilla Glass 5 found on Samsung’s only slightly more expensive Galaxy A23 5G.
Instead, the screen has a layer of protective film and an oleophobic coating that should protect against light scratches and fingerprints. For anything beyond that, you’ll need to supply your own screen protector. Plan to add a case also, as there’s no indication that the Galaxy A14 5G offers any measure of drop resistance, and if you’re concerned about taking your smartphone out into the wild, you can always pick one up that’s waterproof too.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the slimmest and lightest Galaxy Fold device yet. It's also the most technically capable, offering a new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a brighter inner display, slightly improved cameras, and more. Simply put, it's one of the best folding phones you can buy in 2023. But did the thinner and lighter design have any impact on the Fold 5's water resistance?
Last year's Galaxy Z Fold 4 offered an IPX8 rating for water resistance, not waterproofing. The two terms are used interchangeably every now and then, but there’s a clear difference between the two. Does the Z Fold 5 keep that IPX8 water-resistance rating? Does it have something better? Something worse? Here's what you need to know.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is not waterproof
Does the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 have a headphone jack?
If you're in the market for a folding phone, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is one of the best you can buy. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (customized for Samsung) and features a sleeker build and brighter display, among other improvements, compared to its predecessor. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 also gets support for an improved S Pen and better multitasking abilities with support for up to four apps simultaneously.
Besides its productivity features, the Galaxy Z Fold's expansive inner screen also makes it an excellent device for entertainment and gaming. Samsung says the inner folding display gets as bright as 1,750 nits -- the brightest ever on any Galaxy Z Fold series device. This ensures the display delivers clear and well-defined output, irrespective of how challenging the ambient lighting may be. For purists looking to consume media on this large screen, one question remains: does the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 have a 3.5mm headphone jack?
The best Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 screen protectors: 6 best to buy now
Folding phones are the future, and flip smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 are likely to be the folding form factor of choice for many people. It's not hard to see why, as Samsung's newest flip phone has everything we loved about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 while adding a larger outer screen and a hinge that finally folds completely flat. It's a stunning piece of hardware, and the displays are absolutely the linchpin of what makes it great — whether we're talking about the internal folding screen, or the outer display that's now much larger and can do so much more.
But two screens comes with their own hazards, specifically, the risk of breakages. While the inner screen is relatively protected while folded, accidents do happen, and they can lead to an expensive repair bill. Thankfully, screen protectors exist to add more protection to your valuable smartphone. Here are six of the best Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 screen protectors you can buy right now. Also, make sure you double up on your protection by adding one of the best Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 cases as well.
