Enter, realme 14 Pro+ 5G
The realme 14 Pro+ 5G arrives with a bold promise: “Triple Clarity in Every Shot.” As someone who’s spent considerable time with this device – 2.5 weeks to be exact, I can tell you it delivers on that promise while offering much more.
This smartphone targets performance-driven young professionals who love sharing their experiences both in person and online, and it’s equipped with features that make capturing those moments easier than ever.
Build and Design
The realme 14 Pro+ 5G makes a striking first impression with its unique Pearl White design. This isn’t just another white smartphone – it’s the world’s first color-sensitive changing back panel that transforms from white to blue (sorta) when exposed to temperatures below 16°C. The design is visually impressive and can be eye-candy especially to those who are into stylish-looking smartphones without being too flashy.
What’s particularly cool is that each unit features a unique pattern on the back, bringing a personal touch to every device. The development took nearly a year and involved user research across 8 countries, with 10 rounds of design adjustments. The result is a phone that’s not only beautiful but also resistant to stains from coffee, oil, and other substances, as well as fingerprint smudges (this is my personal favorite).
Unfortunately, this beauty can easily be hidden by the included gray silicon case, which feels anti-climactic given how much effort went into the back design. It’s a shame to cover up such a distinctive feature, though protection is obviously important. Buy a clear case instead or use it without any case at all.
Beyond aesthetics, the build quality is impressive with IP69, IP68, and IP66 ratings for comprehensive water and dust resistance. This means the phone can withstand high-temperature, high-pressure water jets, submersion in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes, and is completely dustproof. realme even claims it works just like before even after 48 hours under 2 meters of water. The device also passes military-grade shock resistance tests and has TÜV Rheinland Rugged Smartphone Certification. Note that each certificate requires cost, so I always marvel smartphone companies that are able to keep the price at a minimum despite having badges or certifications like the ones previous mentioned.
At 7.99mm thick (White variant) and weighing just 194g, the phone manages to feel premium while remaining comfortable to hold, despite housing a massive 6000mAh battery. More on the battery later.
Display
The realme 14 Pro+ 5G features a gorgeous 6.83-inch 1.5K resolution OLED display with quad-curved edges. This combination of a straight, flat display with subtle curved characteristics results in a smooth, premium feel while reducing the likelihood of accidental touches.
The screen packs impressive specs as well: 120Hz refresh rate, 1500 nits of local peak brightness, a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and support for 1.07 billion colors. In testing, the display reaches up to 1,168 nits in auto brightness mode, making it perfectly visible even in bright sunlight. This is flagship level.
The bezels are incredibly thin at just 1.6mm, creating an almost bezel-less look with a 93.8% screen-to-body ratio. This, combined with the quad-curved design, allows the phone to punch above its class in terms of visual appeal.
For eye comfort, the display features 3840Hz PWM high-frequency dimming that automatically activates at low brightness, plus AI eye protection that intelligently detects eye fatigue and adjusts the screen’s color temperature.
Hardware
The realme 14 Pro+ 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 5G processor, built on a 4nm process for improved power efficiency. With CPU clock speeds reaching up to 2.5GHz and the Adreno 810 GPU, it provides enough power for most tasks including content creation and casual gaming.
My review unit came with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, which is quite generous. I like that they managed to give the realme 14 Pro+ 5G this amount of storage, providing ample space for photos, videos, and apps. The phone also supports Dynamic RAM Expansion, allowing you to add up to 14GB more from the storage, bringing the total potential RAM to 26GB.
Hardware performance, unfortunately, is not on par with other smartphones in the same category. However, it’s important to note that this device isn’t targeting gaming-performance-driven consumers. If you’re getting this for that purpose, you’re going to miss the point of this phone’s key selling proposition – smartphone photography. This is where the phone excels, and it can definitely go toe-to-toe even with flagship smartphones.
Despite not being advertised as a gaming smartphone, it does have performance-specific features that help keep the phone cool during intense operations thanks to its 6000mm² large Vapor Chamber Cooling System. This helps maintain performance stability during extended use.
Connectivity options are comprehensive, with support for dual 5G nano SIM cards, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and 360° NFC. The in-display fingerprint sensor works reliably and can even measure your heart rate through the Settings Menu under realme Lab.
Benchmark
Performance benchmark shows acceptable performance, albeit lackluster when compared to other high midrange devices. The phone scored 832,092 on Antutu Benchmark, 1171 on Geekbench Single Core, 3062 on Geekbench Multi Core, 1073 on 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme, and 13,925 on PC Mark 3.0.
These benchmark results, however, fall within the advertised range of performance for devices with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 5G processor. The AnTuTu score is slightly higher than the advertised 820,000+, which is a good sign.
The realme 14 Pro+ offers outstanding sustained performance and stability, scoring 88% on CPU and 99% on GPU stress tests. This means that while raw performance isn’t class-leading, the phone maintains its performance levels consistently without significant throttling.
For gaming, the phone supports up to 120FPS in Honor of Kings and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and 90FPS in Call of Duty: Mobile. While not a gaming powerhouse, it’s more than capable of handling popular mobile games at respectable frame rates.
Software and Other Software Features
The realme 14 Pro+ 5G runs realme UI 6.0 based on Android 15 out of the box. In other countries, realme has committed to 2 major OS upgrades and 3 years of security patches, though the update policy for the Philippines models hasn’t been announced yet as of writing this review.
The UI is clean and responsive, with features like split notifications and quick settings, Smart Sidebar for floating apps, and various gesture controls. Air gestures leverage the front-facing camera for palm recognition, allowing you to answer calls, open the smart sidebar, or scroll through pages without touching the screen.
AI implementations work wonders as well. AI Ultra Clarity 2.0 instantly removes blurs by detecting objects or subjects in a photo and correcting them with a single click. AI Snap Mode functions as a built-in “Action Mode” in the camera UI that’s perfect for capturing fast-moving objects.
AI Eraser 2.0 allows users to easily remove unwanted items or people from photos without manual selection. This proved useful when I tried erasing some people in the background of a photo of my wife below the Eiffel Tower.
Google Gemini and Circle to Search are now integrated into the system, giving users multiple ways to search for information. When I forgot the name of a marble statue I photographed at Versailles Palace, Circle to Search quickly identified it and even provided its history.
Other software features include Live Photos, which transform still captures into quick video snippets, and SonicWave Ejection, which helps flush out water residue from the device using specific sound frequencies.
Camera
Camera performance is where this smartphone truly excels. The realme 14 Pro+ 5G features a Triple Sony Camera system that delivers impressive results across various shooting scenarios.
The main camera uses a 50MP Sony IMX896 sensor with OIS, featuring a large 1/1.56″ sensor size and f/1.88 aperture. This camera excels in low-light conditions, capturing bright, detailed images even in challenging environments. The OIS helps reduce blur from hand movements, resulting in sharper photos.
The second camera is a 50MP Sony IMX882 3x Periscope telephoto lens with OIS, capable of zoom levels from 3x to 120x. It maintains good detail and sharpness for zoomed-in shots and performs well even in low light, though it isn’t flawless in dimmer environments.
Rounding out the rear camera system is an 8MP Sony IMX355 ultrawide camera with a 112° field of view, which provides vibrant shots with minimal distortion at the edges in good lighting, though it struggles a bit in low-light conditions.
The included MagicGlow Triple Flash is a well-thought-out design feature. This industry-first triple flash system features three different LED lights on the back that produce varying temperatures and brightness levels, customizable to your preference. It maintains the right natural tone of skin even in dimly lit environments. The system includes preset filters like Déjà vu for a dreamy warm atmosphere and Retro for a vintage look while preserving skin texture details.
For selfie enthusiasts, the 32MP Ultra Clear Selfie Camera delivers high-quality self-portraits with natural skin tones and good detail. It supports both 1× and 0.8× views with flagship-level Eye Auto-focus, a 90° FOV, and f/2.0 aperture.
A standout feature is the Underwater Mode, which leverages the phone’s IP68 rating to allow photography while submerged in freshwater up to 2 meters deep for 30 minutes. Camera controls work via the volume and power buttons, making it easy to capture underwater moments.
Audio
In terms of audio performance, the realme 14 Pro+ 5G comes equipped with Hi-Res Dual Stereo Speakers that provide a balanced sound experience. The setup consists of one speaker at the bottom and the earpiece acting as a secondary speaker with top and front-facing outlets.
While the earpiece focuses on high-frequency range and vocals and is noticeably quieter, the overall audio balance is quite good. We’re giving this an 8.5/10 on quality and loudness tests, though the sound quality is somewhat mediocre with shallow vocals and underwhelming bass.
For those who prefer personal audio, the phone supports Hi-Res Audio for added clarity when using headphones. There’s also a neat feature in the Realme lab section that offers dual audio support (for both wired and wireless headphones simultaneously) and water ejection from the speaker via specific sound frequencies.
Battery
Battery performance is impressive, with the realme 14 Pro+ 5G housing a massive 6000mAh battery despite its slim design. realme managed to equip this phone with a battery just as capable as those found in flagship gaming devices like the ROG Phone 9 Pro. While this isn’t a gaming device, it excels as a mobile photography tool, making it perfect for travels and content creation.
In our testing, the phone lasted for 19 hours and 22 minutes, easily providing all-day use without needing to recharge.
Charging is equally impressive with 80W SUPERVOOC technology that charges the battery to 50% in just 23 minutes and to 100% in less than an hour. The phone also includes several battery preservation options, including Smart Charging (which learns your habits and optimizes charging patterns), Charging Limit (keeps the battery at 80% for longer lifespan), and Resume Charging (stops charging at 100% and won’t restart until the battery drops below 95%).
Verdict
The realme 14 Pro+ 5G is a compelling mid-range smartphone that excels in photography while offering solid all-around performance. Its standout features include the unique color-changing design, comprehensive water resistance, impressive camera system with Sony sensors, and long-lasting battery life.
For content creators, social media enthusiasts, and anyone who prioritizes camera quality, this phone delivers exceptional value. The Triple Sony Camera system, MagicGlow Triple Flash, and AI photography features combine to create a versatile photography experience that rivals much more expensive devices.
While it may not be the fastest phone in its price range, its performance is more than adequate for everyday tasks and even casual gaming. The beautiful display, premium design, and extensive battery life further enhance the overall package.
However, there are some drawbacks to consider. The price is still less competitive, although I have to commend realme for starting to improve their pricing setup. There is also no lower storage option – if you want a cheaper realme 14 Pro+ by getting a 256GB variant, you wouldn’t be able to do so as such model is only available with 512GB storage.
If you’re looking for a smartphone that prioritizes photography, offers excellent battery life, and comes with a unique, eye-catching design, the realme 14 Pro+ 5G should definitely be on your shortlist. It successfully delivers on its promise of “Triple Clarity in Every Shot” while offering much more.
The realme 14 Pro+ 5G is now available for PhP27,999.
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
