ZTE Blade A71 vs Samsung Galaxy A14 5G: A Detailed Comparison

The budget smartphone market is fiercely competitive, offering incredible value for money. Today, we're pitting two contenders against each other: the ZTE Blade A71 and the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G. Both promise affordability, but which one delivers the better overall experience?

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is the clear winner. Its superior chipset, 5G connectivity, brighter display, and generally better camera performance outweigh the ZTE Blade A71's potential price advantage. It offers a more modern and capable experience.

PHONES
Phone Names	ZTE Blade A71	Samsung Galaxy A14 5G

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41	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, LTE	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
	-	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 40, 41, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - India

Launch
Announced	2021, October 07	2023, January 04
Status	Available. Released 2021, October 07	Available. Released 2023, January 12

Body
Build	-	Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame
Dimensions	165.2 x 75.2 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.96 x 0.32 in)	167.7 x 78 x 9.1 mm (6.60 x 3.07 x 0.36 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	180 g (6.35 oz)	202 g (7.13 oz)

Display
Resolution	720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density)	1080 x 2408 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density)
Size	6.52 inches, 102.6 cm2 (~82.6% screen-to-body ratio)	6.6 inches, 104.9 cm2 (~80.2% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD	PLS LCD, 90Hz

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (4x1.6 GHz Cortex-A55 & 4x1.2 GHz Cortex-A55)	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	Unisoc SC9863A (28 nm)	Exynos 1330 (5 nm) - SM-A146BMediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm) - SM-A146P
GPU	IMG8322	Mali-G68 MP2 - SM-A146BMali-G57 MC2 - SM-A146P
OS	Android 11	Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, One UI Core 7

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - USA onlymicroSDXC (dedicated slot) - International
Internal	64GB 3GB RAM	64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, HDR	LED flash, panorama, HDR
Single	-	13 MP, f/2.0, (wide)
Triple	16 MP, f/1.8, (wide), AF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, (ultrawide) Auxiliary lens	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	8 MP	13 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1.12µm
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

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

Comms
Bluetooth	4.2, A2DP, LE	5.2, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO
Radio	FM radio	FM radio (Exynos 1330 chipset only), recording
USB	USB Type-C 2.0	USB Type-C 2.0
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

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

Battery
Charging	-	15W wired
Type	Li-Ion 4000 mAh	Li-Po 5000 mAh

Misc
Colors	Blue, Gray, Green	Black, Light Green, Dark Red, Silver
Models	A7030	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 90 EUR	$ 77.63 / C$ 151.00 / £ 97.00 / € 159.79 / ₹ 14,990
SAR	-	1.00 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	-	0.56 W/kg (head) 1.28 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 130h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: 1334:1 (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-	-26.8 LUFS (Good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 307886 (v9) GeekBench: 1727 (v5.1) GFXBench: 12fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

ZTE Blade A71

Large Display
Affordable Price
Decent Battery Life

Weak Processor
Lower Display Quality
Basic Camera
No 5G

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G

Powerful Processor
5G Connectivity
Bright and High-Quality Display
Better Camera
Samsung Brand Reputation

Higher Price
15W Charging (relatively slow)

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G boasts a significantly brighter display (519 nits vs. likely lower on the A71) and a more modern panel. While both offer a good contrast ratio, the A14 5G's brightness makes it more usable outdoors. The A71 likely has a larger screen, but the A14 5G's quality is superior.

Camera Comparison

The Galaxy A14 5G generally offers a better camera experience. While specific megapixel counts might be similar, the A14 5G's image processing and sensor technology are superior, resulting in better image quality, especially in low light. The A71's camera is functional but lacks the refinement of the A14 5G.

Performance

Here's where the Galaxy A14 5G truly shines. The Exynos 1330 (or Dimensity 700) is a much more powerful chipset than the Unisoc SC9863A. Expect noticeably faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance on the A14 5G. The A71's processor is adequate for basic tasks but will struggle with demanding applications.

Battery Life

Both phones offer excellent battery life, with the Galaxy A14 5G achieving an endurance rating of 130 hours. The ZTE Blade A71 likely has a similarly large battery, but the A14 5G's more efficient chipset may give it a slight edge in real-world usage.

Buying Guide

The ZTE Blade A71 is a good option for users on an extremely tight budget who prioritize basic functionality and a large screen. The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is ideal for those seeking a more future-proof device with 5G connectivity, a better display, and a more powerful processor for smoother performance and better camera capabilities.