The Motorola Moto E14 is an entry-level Android smartphone running Android 14 Go Edition software. If you do not remember what Android Go is all about, it is a stripped down version of Android OS that is optimized for smoother running on entry-level smartphones.
At just £70, the Motorola Moto E14 may be cheap, but it arrives in the market with a range of features that punch above its price point. They include a 90Hz display, Gorilla Glass protection, some water and dust protection, as well as fast charging. Let me walk you through these features that make it stand out at the entry-level.
Table of Contents
90 Hz refresh rate
At this price point, it is more common to find displays with good old 60 Hz refresh rate. The E14 bucks that trend and shows up with a 90 Hz refresh rate. I do wish that the display resolution was bumped up to 1080p, but that just might be asking for too much.
Gorilla Glass 3 protection
But that display has another bonus feature that sets it above it peers – Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Once upon a time, Corning’s Gorilla Glass protection was the exclusive preserve of premium flagship phones. Now, we are seeing it in mid-range phones and a very small catalogue of entry-level phones. The display of Motorola Moto E14 comes with this layer of protection, and that is a good thing. To be sure, Gorilla Glass 3’s forte is scratch resistance, not drop resistance. As such, it is more likely to survive scrapes with keys and other materials than survive a drop to the hard floor.
IP52 dust and splash resistance
Again, getting an entry-level A droid smartphone with some level of suat and water resistance is novel. An IP52 rating means that the Moto E14 is protected from light dust and light water sprays. That’s better than no protection at all. Just remember not to expose it to strong sprays of water and front drop it inside water.
15W charging
I’d have been okay with 10W charging in a device like the Motorola Moto E14, so you can imagine that finding it supports 15W fast charging is a bonus point. But Motorola then proceeded to make things complicated by including only a 10W charging brick in the box. Which means that using that charger, the Moto E14 will charge only at 10W speed. To enjoy the full charging capacity of the phone, you have to buy a compatible 15W charger. Bummer.
Android Go Edition
Having Android Go Edition running in the Motorola Moto E14 means that this cheap phone runs smoother. The operating system and Android Go apps are all optimized to make your user experience smoother and more enjoyable. Do note that you might have issues running some apps that were not designed for Android Go phones. Thankfully, there are not a lot of them. But it is good to bear that in mind. For example, I know people who have had issues running some of their bank apps on Android Go phones.
The above features put the Motorola Moto E14 above its peers and make it an exciting smartphone to consider, if you are hunting for a £70 smartphone. Of course, at heart, it is still an entry-level Android phone and you have to remember that, so you don’t get carried away.
Do note that the Moto E14 does not have a fingerprint scanner, which is no shock. Perhaps in the future, all entry-level Android smartphones will have one. For now, it isn’t a given. Having examined the featured that make this smartphone exceptional, let’s see what the rest of the specs sheet is like.
Specs of Motorola Moto E14
- Processor: UNISOC T606 processor with 2xA75 1.6 GHz + 6xA55 1.6 GHz octa-core CPU,
- GPU: Arm Mali-G57 MP1 650 MHz
- RAM: 2 GB RAM
- Operating System: Android™ 14 (Go edition)
- Internal Storage: 64 GB built-in
- External Storage: up to 1 TB microSD card expandable
UFS 2.2 - Sensors: Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer
- Virtual RAM (RAM Boost): 4 GB
- Security: Face unlock
- Battery Size: 5000 mAh
- Battery Charging: 15W fast charging
- Display Size: 6.56”
- Resolution: HD+ (1612 x 720 p), 269 ppi
- Aspect Ratio: 20:9
- Screen to Body Ratio: Active Area-Touch Panel (AA-TP): 89.50%, Active Area-Body (AA-Body): 84.97%
- Display Technology: IPS LCD
- Refresh Rate: 90 Hz
- Protection: Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
- Dimensions: 163.49 x 74.53 x 7.99 mm
- Weight: 178.8 g
- Colors: Pastel Green, Graphite Gray, Pastel Purple
- Ports: 3.5 mm headset jack & Type-C port (USB 2.0)
- Water Protection: IP52 water-repellent design
- Rear Camera: 13 MP (f/2.2, 1.12 µm), PDAF, FHD (1080p @ 30fps)
- Front Camera: 5 MP (f/2.2, 1.12 µm), FHD (1080p @ 30fps)
- Single speaker with Dolby Atmos®
- Headphone Jack: 3.5mm headset jack
- Voice Control: Google Assistant
- Networks + Bands: 4G bands: LTE 1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41. 3G bands: 1/5/8. 2G bands: 3/5/8
- Bluetooth Technology: Bluetooth® 5.0
- NFC: No
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz. Wi-Fi hotspot
- Location Services: GPS, A-GPS, LTEPP, SUPL, GLONASS, Galileo
- SIM Card: Dual SIM (2 nano SIM)
As you can see from the specs sheet, a UNISOC T606 processor powers Motorola Moto E14, placing it firmly in entry-level territory. So does the 2GB RAM. But then, with Android Go Edition inside, this will make for a more bearable user experience. Google says that Android Go makes entry-level Android phones run 30% faster and smoother, as well as improve multitasking.
As far as personal preference is concerned, I am glad to see a punch hole, not the ugly waterdrop notch, for the selfie camera of the Motorola Moto E14. Phone brands really should get rid of all kinds of notches. They belong in the past. Punch holes are simply more elegant.
Price and Markets
Motorola Moto E14 is available in the UK for £70. It is available in three colorways: Pastel Green, Graphite Gray, and Pastel Purple. I am convinced that this is one of the best smartphones that £70 can buy today. If you are in the UK and looking for the best possible cheap smartphone to buy, you will be hard-pressed to find anything better than Motorola Moto E14.
It is also listed as available in Europe, though pricing isn’t published yet. At this time, there is no information on whether it will be sold in the United States, but I shall keep my eyes open and update this page should I find any updates.
InfoDesk