Verdict
The Realme 14 Pro Plus offers exceptionally good specifications for its asking price. The camera system is very well equipped, the battery is huge and the design is lovely. It’s a great all-rounder at a very approachable price point.
Pros
- Stylish colour-changing design
- Lovely display with micro-curved edges
- Solid camera system
- Massive battery and fast charging
Cons
- Not available everywhere
- No charger in the box
- Limited AI features
-
Unique colour-changing designThe Pearl White Realme 14 Pro Plus has a beautiful seashell-inspired rear panel, and when it gets cold, deep blue hues appear. It’s a bit of a gimmick, but it’s unique, and I think it looks great. -
Triple rear cameras with triple flash unitThe Realme 14 Pro Plus is one of the few phones in its class to boast a capable 3x periscope telephoto, in addition to a main and ultrawide camera. There’s also a triple flash setup that can adjust to match the ambient colour temperature for more flattering nighttime portraits. -
Massive battery and fast chargingWith a whopping 6000mAh battery pack, as well as 80W wired charging support, the Realme 14 Pro Plus lasts longer than most, and charges quicker, too.
Introduction
It has been a while since we’ve reviewed a Realme phone. Just like parent company Oppo, the brand pulled back from the European market amid a long-running patent dispute with Nokia. Now though, it seems things have settled, and Realme is aiming to impress with its latest feature-packed mid-ranger.
Converting from Indian pricing, the Realme 14 Pro Plus has an MSRP of around $325, and for that money, you get a massive 6000mAh battery, a triple camera setup with a very capable telephoto lens, a lovely display, a striking design and a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor. It seems like a pretty cracking deal to me.
And, while wider availability is yet to be announced, the company has confirmed that it’ll be in European storefronts very soon.
I wanted to find out what the Realme 14 Pro Plus is like to live with, and crucially, how it compares to the competition. After using it as my primary device for the past week, here’s everything I’ve learned.
Editor’s Note: We’re awaiting either UK or EU pricing before awarding our final star rating, as prices can vary greatly between the UK and Indian smartphone markets.
Design
- 163.51×77.34×8.29mm, 194g
- Plastic frame, fusion fibre back
- IP68/IP69 rated
For the design of the 14 Pro Plus, Realme enlisted the help of Valeur Designers, a Danish studio best known for its work with Bang and Olufsen. The studio has had a hand in creating some of B&O’s most iconic speakers and televisions, and now, some of that expertise has been funnelled into an affordable smartphone.
With such an iconic studio at the helm, it’s no surprise that the Realme 14 Pro Plus is a looker, especially in the Pearl White colour option that I have for testing. This variant has a swirly pearl-like texture on the rear, and due to the way it’s made, each phone has its own unique pattern.
The rear is made from an eco-friendly composite fibre material that includes real seashell powder for a matte yet sparkling finish. The most interesting part, though, is the inclusion of a thermochromic pigment that turns blue in temperatures below 16 degrees Celsius.
Seeing as it’s wintertime in the UK, I got to see this blue colour more often than not, and it’s equally fetching. However, there’s a slight catch. Realme says this temperature-sensitive effect won’t last forever, and after about a year of use, you can expect it to become less effective.
This is because the colour-changing pigment is sensitive to UV light, but using an opaque phone case can prolong its lifespan. Thankfully, there’s a matte black TPU number included in the box, so if you want to keep your temperature-sensitive party trick functioning for as long as possible, you’ll want to keep that case attached.
If you prefer something a little more subtle, you might prefer the Suede Grey model. It swaps the colour-shifting pearly rear for a solid grey vegan leather panel. It also looks lovely, in my opinion, but it’s less likely to turn heads.
The phone is lightweight and slim, and I found it refreshing to use after spending a lot of time with chunky flagships and foldables. It makes much less of a bulge in your pocket, and it’s easy to grip, despite having a fairly sizable display.
The side rails are gently curved and have a high gloss finish that looks like polished metal. Despite appearances, though, the frame is actually made from plastic, and that’s very noticeable on your fingertips.
On the plus side, plastic-framed phones tend to be very impact-resistant, and indeed, this model carries a military-grade shock resistance certification, as well as a “Rugged” classification from TUV Rheinland.
It’s also extremely well-sealed, it has been awarded both IP68 and IP69 classifications. We’ve seen this from a few recent Chinese flagship phones, but this is the first budget-focused phone I’ve come across with an IP69 rating. If you’re not familiar, it means the phone can withstand jets of hot water, as well as full submersion in fresh water. So if you like to use your phone in the hot tub, you can continue to do so worry-free.
Screen
- 6.83-inch 120Hz 1272×2800 OLED
- Quad micro curves
- 1500 nits peak brightness
The Realme 14 Pro Plus has a very spacious 6.83-inch display with a relatively high FHD+ resolution. It’s an OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, and it peaks at 1500 nits brightness. It’s not quite as bright as some of the top flagship phones, but given the price point, these specs are very impressive.
The screen has a quad micro curve design, with slim symmetrical bezels on all sides. From the front, it looks a lot like the latest flagships from Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi, which makes it feel very premium.
I’m a big fan of micro curve screens. It means that most of the screen is completely flat, while only the area around the bezels is curved. For the most part, it looks and feels like you’re using a flat-screen phone, but gesture controls that require you to swipe from the edge of the display feel much smoother and more natural.
Realme hasn’t stated what type of glass is covering the screen, but it comes with a factory-applied plastic screen protector attached. I removed this, and after using it for a week or so, it’s still completely free from scratches. Only time will tell how it fares in the long term, though.
By default, the screen looks vibrant and vivid with a fairly accurate colour rendition. However, if you want to tweak the output, there are tonnes of settings to adjust in the settings menu. You can choose your colour space, adjust the temperature, tweak the hue, RGB values and more.
Cameras
- 50MP main camera (1/1.56-inch sensor)
- 8MP ultrawide
- 50MP 3x telephoto (1/2-inch sensor)
- 32MP selfie camera
The Realme 14 Pro Plus has a triple camera setup on its rear, comprised of a 50MP main camera, a 50MP 3x telephoto and a (slightly less impressive) 8MP ultrawide.
Considering this phone has a 3x periscope camera, with a relatively large 1/2-inch sensor and OIS, the camera bump is impressively small. That’s because Realme has utilised a triple reflection design, just like the Oppo Find X8 Pro.
Nestled between each lens there’s an LED flash unit, an unusual configuration that I haven’t seen before. These LEDs can automatically adjust their temperature to match their surroundings, a bit like the Aura Light on the Vivo V40 Pro. However, the way they work is pretty unique, too.
Rather than using bi-colour LEDs, each unit has a different colour temperature, and the phone increases or decreases the brightness of each LED to change the overall colour output. It seems to work just as well, but just like Vivo’s solution, the lighting from this unit is a little harsh and not the most flattering.
Overall, I was very pleased with the results from the Realme 14 Pro Plus. Images are vibrant and poppy, but the colours aren’t too over-exaggerated and the sharpening is tasteful. It’s a very versatile camera system, the main camera is superb and the 72mm equivalent telephoto gets just as much use. Zooming beyond the optical range yields surprisingly decent results too, so long as you stay below 20x or so.
The only lens that lets the team down is the ultrawide. It’s only 8MP, and the drop in quality is immediately noticeable. There’s a distinct lack of detail and it heavily relies on night mode when the light gets low. It’s still useful, but an upgrade to this lens would really round out the system.
As for the selfie camera, it’s also a great performer. It has an ample 32MP resolution and it has autofocus, which is something even some of the priciest flagship models lack. It produces sharp detailed images, and if you activate portrait mode, the subject detection and blur effects are .top-drawer.
For video shooting, you can capture at up to 4K 30fps on the main, telephoto and selfie camera, while the ultrawide maxes out at 1080p. It’s a shame there’s no 60fps recording at 4K, but the audio and video quality is very decent. Stabilisation is basic, but it’s a lot better than nothing.
Performance
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3
- 12GB RAM, 512GB storage
- Dual stereo speakers
The Realme 14 Pro Plus is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, and my test unit comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. This is a mid-range chip, so I’m not expecting it to be at the top of any benchmark charts, but it should be powerful enough for most people’s needs.
In day-to-day use, it’s hard to tell the difference between this phone and a flagship. Navigating the OS is smooth and stutter-free, apps open quickly and animations are smooth. It’s very easy to live with.
It’s only when you open a demanding game, like Genshin Impact, that the difference becomes more apparent. I wasn’t able to run the game at a solid 60fps, no matter how low I adjusted the graphics preset. However, I could run it on the high preset at 30 fps, and with “GT mode” activated, the frame rate was very stable.
Of course, Genshin is an extreme example, and if you prefer less graphically challenging titles, the phone will have no issue running them.
There’s a game overlay that can be accessed by swiping from the left side of the screen while a game is running, and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of tools available. It doesn’t quite rival dedicated gaming handsets like those from RedMagic and Asus ROG, but it’s not far off, either. Here you’ll find everything from performance modes and monitoring to notification blocking, voice changers and network optimisation.
The Realme 14 Pro Plus has dual stereo speakers, which isn’t a given in this price range, and I’m always pleased to see it. They create a nice stereo effect and can get very loud if you need them to. The bass response is lacking, so they won’t be replacing your Bluetooth speaker anytime soon, but they sound decent enough otherwise.
Software
- Realme UI 6.0, based on Android 15
- Circle to Search and Gemini
- New AI features
The Realme 14 Pro Plus runs a customised version of Android 15 called Realme UI 6.0. Recently, I’ve been spending a lot of time with Oppo’s Find X8 series, and I was immediately struck by how similar the operating system is. The default look is almost identical, and some of the default wallpapers are the same, too.
This is a good thing. Oppo’s latest handsets impressed me with the speed and efficiency of the operating system, and it’s almost as good here, despite running on lower-end hardware. A lot of the same conveniences are included too, like Circle to Search with Google and Gemini set as the default voice assistant.
I was also impressed by the lack of bloatware that comes preinstalled. There are still a few random apps to clean up, but it can be egregious on mid-range devices, and that’s certainly not the case here.
The only area where the software is lacking, compared to its pricier counterparts, is with AI functionality. There are still a few features, but far less than most flagships. I’ve already mentioned Gemini, which covers most of my personal needs, but there’s also a built-in screen translation tool, as well as an AI image enhancer for your zoomed-in shots and an object eraser. Not the most comprehensive list, but all very useful.
Battery life
- 6000 mAh battery
- 80W wired charging
- No charger in the box
The Realme 14 Pro Plus has a mammoth 6000 mAh battery pack, it’s easily one of the largest in its class, and it outdoes a lot of flagship phones, too. This capacity, in tandem with a very efficient processor, results in phenomenal battery life.
I was frequently getting two days from a charge, and I wasn’t using the phone conservatively. Even those with crippling TikTok addictions will be able to make it through the day without battery concerns.
When you eventually manage to drain this phone, you won’t be waiting long for it to charge. It supports up to 80W fast charging, which is enough to take you from flat to full in well under an hour.
Unfortunately, there’s no charger supplied in the box, you only get the cable. So, you’ll need to factor in the cost of a good charger. It’s worth noting that Oppo’s fast chargers work at the maximum advertised speed, so you won’t be short on options, at least.
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
Buy if you want a stylish phone with solid cameras and a big battery
The Realme 14 Pro Plus is a great all-rounder. It’s good value, looks the part, takes very decent photos and lasts for ages. What’s not to like?
Don’t buy if you want to game at maximum settings
While I found the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 more than sufficient for daily tasks, it doesn’t game like a flagship device. With demanding titles, you’ll need to lower your settings to keep the frame rates high.
Final Thoughts
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Realme 14 Pro Plus. As a reviewer, moving into a budget-focused phone from a flagship can often be a frustrating experience, but that wasn’t the case here. The 14 Pro Plus is really well rounded, and frankly, a bit of a bargain.
The software looks good and performs well, the battery lasts an age, the screen is lovely and the cameras outperform most similarly-priced rivals. It’s not the best option for die-hard gamers, but unless you’re playing very graphically demanding titles, the power here is likely sufficient.
Of course, there are plenty of solid competitors to consider too. The recently launched (and similarly named) Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus is the first that springs to mind. It charges faster and has a larger and higher resolution main sensor, but it also comes with a much smaller battery and no telephoto lens. In my eyes, the Realme is the better overall package.
That said, if you’re not so bothered about cameras and are more interested in gaming performance, the Poco X7 Pro demands your attention.
In any case, the Realme 14 Pro Plus is a fantastic phone for the price, as long as its Indian pricing reflects that of its EU counterpart once it launches in the coming weeks.
How we test
We test every mobile phone we review thoroughly. We use industry-standard tests to compare features properly and we use the phone as our main device over the review period. We’ll always tell you what we find and we never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Used as a main phone for over a week
Thorough camera testing in a variety of conditions
Tested and benchmarked using respected industry tests and real-world data
FAQs
Yes, the Realme 14 Pro Plus carries both an IP68 and IP69 rating. This means it can withstand dunks in fresh water at up to 1.5-metre depths, as well as jets of hot water.
No, there’s no headphone port on the Realme 14 Pro Plus, you’ll need to use Bluetooth or a USB-C dongle.
