BlackBerry Q5 vs Samsung Galaxy A14 5G: A Clash of Generations

The BlackBerry Q5, a relic of a bygone era, championed physical keyboards. Now, it faces off against the modern Samsung Galaxy A14 5G, a 5G-enabled contender in the budget smartphone arena. Can the Q5's unique design and legacy hold up against the A14 5G's modern features and performance?

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is the clear winner. Its superior performance, 5G connectivity, brighter display, and significantly longer battery life outweigh the Q5's nostalgic appeal and physical keyboard. The A14 5G offers a much more compelling modern smartphone experience.

PHONES
Phone Names	BlackBerry Q5	Samsung Galaxy A14 5G

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - all versions	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - SQR100-1	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	2, 4, 5, 17 - SQR100-1	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands	-	2, 5, 66, 77 Sub6/mmWave - USA
Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat3 100/50 Mbps	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
	3, 7, 8, 20 - SQR100-2	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 40, 41, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - India

Launch
Announced	2013, May. Released 2013, June	2023, January 04
Status	Discontinued	Available. Released 2023, January 12

Body
Build	-	Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame
Dimensions	120 x 66 x 10.8 mm (4.72 x 2.60 x 0.43 in)	167.7 x 78 x 9.1 mm (6.60 x 3.07 x 0.36 in)
Keyboard	QWERTY	-
SIM	Micro-SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	120 g (4.23 oz)	202 g (7.13 oz)

Display
Resolution	720 x 720 pixels, 1:1 ratio (~328 ppi density)	1080 x 2408 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density)
Size	3.1 inches, 31.0 cm2 (~39.1% screen-to-body ratio)	6.6 inches, 104.9 cm2 (~80.2% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD	PLS LCD, 90Hz

Platform
CPU	Dual-core 1.2 GHz Krait	Octa-core (2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - SM-A146BOcta-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - SM-A146P
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 Plus	Exynos 1330 (5 nm) - SM-A146BMediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm) - SM-A146P
GPU	Adreno 225	Mali-G68 MP2 - SM-A146BMali-G57 MC2 - SM-A146P
OS	BlackBerry OS 10.2, upgradable to 10.3.1	Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, One UI Core 7

Memory
Card slot	microSDHC (dedicated slot)	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - USA onlymicroSDXC (dedicated slot) - International
Internal	8GB 2GB RAM	64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	LED flash, panorama, HDR
Single	5 MP, f/2.4, 30mm (standard), AF	13 MP, f/2.0, (wide)
Triple	-	50 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Selfie camera
Single	2 MP	13 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1.12µm
Video	720p	1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	4.0, A2DP, LE	5.2, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes (market dependent)	Yes
Positioning	GPS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO
Radio	FM radio (after SW upgrade)	FM radio (Exynos 1330 chipset only), recording
USB	microUSB 2.0	USB Type-C 2.0
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer (USA only)

Battery
Charging	-	15W wired
Stand-by	Up to 336 h (3G)	-
Talk time	Up to 12 h 30 min (3G)	-
Type	Li-Ion 2180 mAh, non-removable	Li-Po 5000 mAh

Misc
Colors	Black, White, Red, Gray, Pink	Black, Light Green, Dark Red, Silver
Models	-	SM-A146B, SM-A146B/DS, SM-A146P, SM-A146P/DS, SM-A146U, SM-A146U1, SM-A146U1/DS, SM-A146W, SM-A146P/N, SM-A146P/DSN, SM-S146VL, SM-A146M
Price	About 70 EUR	$ 77.63 / C$ 151.00 / £ 97.00 / € 159.79 / ₹ 14,990
SAR	1.33 W/kg (head) 0.85 W/kg (body)	1.00 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	1.38 W/kg (head) 0.85 W/kg (body)	0.56 W/kg (head) 1.28 W/kg (body)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -91.7dB / Crosstalk -90.7dB	-
Battery life	Endurance rating 55h	Endurance rating 130h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: 1293:1 (nominal) / 1.682:1 (sunlight)	Contrast ratio: 1334:1 (nominal)
Loudspeaker	Voice 75dB / Noise 69dB / Ring 76dB	-26.8 LUFS (Good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 307886 (v9) GeekBench: 1727 (v5.1) GFXBench: 12fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

BlackBerry Q5

Physical Keyboard
Compact Size
Nostalgic Appeal

Outdated Processor
Poor Performance
Low-Resolution Display
Short Battery Life
No 5G

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G

5G Connectivity
Long Battery Life
Bright Display
Modern Processor
Affordable Price

Plastic Build
15W Charging (relatively slow)
Camera not flagship-level

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G boasts a significantly brighter display (519 nits) compared to the Q5, offering better visibility in sunlight. While both have respectable contrast ratios (1293:1/1334:1), the A14 5G's overall visual experience is superior due to the brightness advantage. The Q5's display is adequate but lacks the vibrancy of the A14 5G.

Camera Comparison

Camera details are sparse for both devices, but generally, the Galaxy A14 5G's camera is expected to perform significantly better due to its more modern hardware and image processing capabilities. The Q5's camera is likely to produce lower-quality images, especially in low light.

Performance

The Galaxy A14 5G's Exynos 1330 (or Dimensity 700) octa-core processor is vastly more powerful than the Q5's dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and a more responsive user experience on the A14 5G. The Q5 struggles with modern apps and demanding tasks.

Battery Life

The Galaxy A14 5G's endurance rating of 130h dramatically surpasses the Q5's 55h. This translates to significantly longer battery life on the A14 5G, easily lasting a full day or more on a single charge.

Buying Guide

The BlackBerry Q5 is for die-hard BlackBerry fans who prioritize a physical keyboard and a compact form factor, and are comfortable with older technology. The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is for anyone seeking a reliable, affordable 5G smartphone with a good display, decent camera, and long battery life.