Mother-of-pearl back and colour variation: every Realme 14 Pro is unique
I've never seen a smartphone back like this before: a mother-of-pearl shell design, colour-changing when cold and each device with an individual texture. The Realme 14 Pro also offers a lot for the money.
Realme is now one of the top 4 smartphone brands in Europe. And the rapid rise is set to continue. Not only with low-cost entry-level smartphones, which are selling in huge numbers, but also with the mid-range upwards. The aim is to double the number of users in three years.
The new Realme 14 Pro and 14 Pro Plus are part of the successful strategy. The Chinese manufacturer presented the two models at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. And in the first hands-on, the models certainly stand out from the crowd.
Each back is unique
The mother-of-pearl-coloured back of the smartphone is striking and feels very pleasant and high-quality thanks to its texture. The pattern, which is reminiscent of a shell, is different on every device. This makes every 14 Pro and 14 Pro Plus unique.
Source: Lorenz Keller
And what's more: as soon as the temperature drops below 16 degrees, the colour of the back of the mobile changes. However, you shouldn't imagine an extreme colour change - it's almost impossible to capture in photos or videos. Instead, the overall pattern shifts slightly from white to light blue - you can see this with the naked eye, but only at second glance. A subtle eye-catcher in other words.
Source: Lorenz Keller
A dark grey back is available as an alternative. This is less visually striking, but a haptic highlight. This is because it is made of artificial leather, which feels more like Alcantara: soft, cuddly, really pleasant.
Despite the unusual materials, the Realme models are waterproof. And not just IP68-rated, like most (also significantly more expensive) competitors, but even IP69-rated. The 14 Pro can therefore withstand high-pressure or steam cleaning. The device should also survive a drop from 1.5 metres undamaged.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Cameras as a second highlight
A second focus is on the cameras: The main camera is the 50-megapixel IMX896 sensor from Sony. There is also another 50-megapixel sensor from the Japanese manufacturer for the periscope camera with triple optical zoom. The selfie cam has a resolution of 32 megapixels. You will have to make concessions compared to the upper class with the wide-angle camera with just eight megapixels.
A new feature on the Realme is a triple flash, which doesn't brightly illuminate faces in portraits, for example, but instead artfully brightens them. The test will have to show whether this is convincing.
The 6.83-inch screen achieves a maximum brightness of 1,200 nits and has a refresh rate of 120 hertz. In the first hands-on, the screen looks very good and lacks nothing.
Despite weighing less than 200 grams, the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Plus have a 6,000 mAh battery. It can be charged with a maximum of 80 watts - but only with a cable, not wirelessly.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Fair prices for great performance
What are the differences between the two variants, both of which will probably find their way to our shop in the second quarter?
The 14 Pro Plus costs 530 francs or euros with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. 580 francs or euros is the price for the variant with twice as much memory.
The 14 Pro is slightly cheaper at 430 to 480 francs or euros. It uses the Mediatek Dimensity 7300 Energy processor, the screen is slightly smaller, the periscope camera is missing and the battery can be charged less quickly.
Header image: Lorenz Keller
10 people like this article
Lorenz Keller
Senior Editor
Lorenz.Keller@digitecgalaxus.chGadgets are my passion - whether you need them for the home office, for the household, for sport and pleasure or for the smart home. Or, of course, for the big hobby next to the family, namely fishing.
