Oppo’s K14 series got a grand launch last month with the introduction of the base K14x model. With the standard K14 variant on the way, the ‘x’ model makes some tradeoffs in specs to keep its price in check. Fetching Rs 13,000, this smartphone is designed for users looking for a reliable daily driver that can handle routine tasks without a struggle. The 6.75-inch display is ideal for consuming content, and the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC is a decent processor for the price bracket that the device finds itself in. We used the phone for a week and put it through a series of rigorous tests to find out if it offers good value for money. Here is our review of the Oppo K14x 5G.
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In This Article
Oppo K14x 5G Review: Design and Display
Here’s what you get inside Oppo K14x’s retail box:
- Smartphone
- 45W power adapter
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- Silicone cover
- SIM ejector
- Quick start guide
For an affordable smartphone, the Oppo K14x has a pretty stylish look. Its plastic back panel has a fractal pattern that shines when light falls on it. The vertical camera panel does not have a big bump, which keeps the phone from wobbling when it’s placed on a flat surface. The smooth finish on the plastic panel offers a nice in-hand feel, but it tends to attract fingerprints and smudges quite easily.
The plastic frame houses the volume rocker and the side button on its right edge. The fingerprint sensor is mounted on the side button. The SIM tray has a microSD card slot and is positioned on the left edge. The 3.5mm headphone jack, microphone, USB-C port, and speaker grille are placed on the bottom edge. The smartphone has an IP64 rating, which means it can survive exposure to light splashes of water.
The 6.75-inch LCD panel has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 1,125 nits. It maintains optimum legibility in outdoor conditions under direct sunlight. The bezels surrounding the display get thicker around the chin – a common occurrence in this price segment. The touch response is fine once you set the refresh rate to 120Hz. The fingerprint sensor on the side key is fast and accurate.
During the review period, we used the Oppo K14x to stream TV and movie titles across OTT apps like Netflix, Prime Video, and JioHotstar. The 720 x 1,570p display produced good details and vibrant colours. While it is easily outclassed by its AMOLED counterparts, it is pretty solid for its price bracket. We found the overall viewing experience to be quite fun. The single, bottom-firing speaker produced a surprisingly well-balanced audio output.
Oppo K14x 5G Review: Performance and Cameras
Powering the Oppo K14x is the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC. This chipset is based on a 6nm process. There are 3 RAM (LPDDR4X) and storage (UFS 2.2) variants on offer:
- 4GB + 64GB: Rs 12,999
- 4GB + 128GB: Rs 14,999
- 6GB + 128GB: Rs 16,999
We ran a couple of benchmark tests on the smartphone. Here is how it performed:
- Geekbench 6: 769 (single-core) | 1,819 (multi-core)
- AnTuTu 3D: 577,610
For a budget phone, the Oppo K14x delivers a solid everyday performance. It handles routine tasks like calling, instant messaging, emailing, web browsing, and media streaming without breaking a sweat. The Dimensity 6300 isn’t the flashiest of processors, and LPDDR5X and UFS 2.2 aren’t the fastest configurations out there, so the odd lag and stutter are inevitable. But as long as you stick to basic tasks, you won’t have any major complaints with the device.
The gaming experience on the K14x is decent if you keep the graphics and frame rate limited to their medium settings. At a 60fps frame rate, we were able to enjoy titles like Call of Duty Mobile and BGMI without any major hindrances to the gameplay. Sure, you are likely to come across the odd frame drop, but that’s something to be expected of a budget phone in the sub-Rs 13,000 price range. On the bright side, the smartphone is able to sustain a smooth performance for an extended period of time. The back panel starts to warm up once you hit the 20-minute mark.
Software duties on this device are handled by the Android 15-based ColorOS 15. The lack of Android 16 out of the box is a bit of a letdown, but an update seems to be on the way. The interface is riddled with bloatware apps, but we can’t complain much, given the affordable price tag. Thankfully, the bloatware apps can be removed completely.
Oppo’s ColorOS 15 offers a good range of customisation options for the lock screen and home page. The native Flux themes are aesthetically pleasing and functionally sound. If you can’t land on a favourite, the Theme Store has a lot of third-party options waiting for you. Since the smartphone uses an LCD panel, it misses out on Always on Display.
Another thing we like about ColorOS is that it has its own native apps for Phone and Messages. Not only does it offer an alternative to users who don’t want to link their Google accounts to these services, but it also gives the device its own unique flair. The native Photos app is equipped with AI tools to erase objects, remove reflections, and enhance the quality of your pictures. You also get Google’s Circle to Search tool and Gemini AI assistant right out of the box.
The massive 6,500mAh battery pack is one of the biggest highlights of this device. It can last an entire day of heavy use with some charge to spare for the next day. If you are conservative with your usage, you can push the battery life to 2 days. On average usage, we ended our days with ~35-40% charge left in the tank. The 45W power adapter takes up to 90 minutes to fully charge the device.
The rear camera panel houses a 50MP primary shooter and an auxiliary lens. The primary shooter captures good shots in outdoor daylight conditions. The images, while on the softer side, flaunt delightfully vibrant colours. If your main priority is posting on social media, you won’t be disappointed by these shots. In limited lighting conditions, the camera relies on Night Mode to light up the shots. The final results are soft and grainy.
We were pleasantly surprised by the portraits taken by this smartphone. It did a good job of detecting the subject’s edges to distinguish it from the background. It even applied a light background blur to make the portraits pop. The 5MP front-facing camera captures clear selfies in natural lighting. It doesn’t overcorrect the skin tone or texture. The results feel natural. The front and rear cameras can record 1,080p videos at 30fps.
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Verdict
For a smartphone priced at Rs 13,000, the Oppo K14x checks all the essential boxes and then some more. It has a big, bright display that’s ideal for media consumption. The 3.5mm headphone jack saves you the money that you would have to spend on a wireless headset. The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC handles routine tasks without any hiccups. The 50MP main camera impresses with the vibrant shots it captures in natural lighting. The selfies taken from the 5MP front-facing camera aren’t too bad either. Tying the bow on this neat experience is the 2-day battery life offered by the 6,500mAh battery pack.
Pros
- Big display
- Amazing battery life
- Expandable storage
- Good camera
Cons
- Does not run Android 16 out of the box
