Samsung Galaxy A16 4G review

GSMArena Team, 29 November 2024.

Display

The Galaxy A16 4G features a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with a U-shaped notch. The panel has a 1,080 x 2,340 px resolution and offers up to 90Hz refresh rate. There is no HDR support.

Samsung Galaxy A16 4G review

According to Samsung, the screen should be capable of up to 800 nits of maximum automatic brightness.

We have completed our display measurements, of course, and we can confirm the promised high maximum brightness - 808 nits, to be specific.

The minimum brightness at point white was just 1.8 nit.

Max display brightness test

White test pattern, 75% fill (nits)

  • Manual mode
  • Auto mode
Xiaomi Redmi 12 Xiaomi Redmi 12
541
6.79" IPS LCD 1080 x 2460 px
Galaxy A14 5G Galaxy A14 5G
519
6.6" PLS LCD 1080 x 2408 px
Moto G84 Moto G84
502
6.5" P-OLED 1080 x 2400 px
Poco M6 Pro Poco M6 Pro
493
6.67" AMOLED 1080 x 2400 px
 Galaxy A25 Galaxy A25
434
6.5" AMOLED 1080 x 2340 px
Galaxy A16 5G Galaxy A16 5G
413
6.7" Super AMOLED 1080 x 2340 px
Galaxy A16 4G Galaxy A16 4G
390
6.7" Super AMOLED 1080 x 2340 px
 Galaxy A15 Galaxy A15
372
6.5" Super AMOLED 1080 x 2340 px
 Galaxy A15 5G Galaxy A15 5G
363
6.5" Super AMOLED 1080 x 2340 px
Xiaomi Redmi 13 Xiaomi Redmi 13
342
6.79" IPS LCD 1080 x 2460 px
Poco M6 Pro Poco M6 Pro
1053
6.67" AMOLED 1080 x 2400 px
 Galaxy A25 Galaxy A25
1030
6.5" AMOLED 1080 x 2340 px
Moto G84 Moto G84
996
6.5" P-OLED 1080 x 2400 px
Galaxy A16 5G Galaxy A16 5G
824
6.7" Super AMOLED 1080 x 2340 px
Galaxy A16 4G Galaxy A16 4G
808
6.7" Super AMOLED 1080 x 2340 px
 Galaxy A15 Galaxy A15
808
6.5" Super AMOLED 1080 x 2340 px
 Galaxy A15 5G Galaxy A15 5G
786
6.5" Super AMOLED 1080 x 2340 px
Xiaomi Redmi 12 Xiaomi Redmi 12
541
6.79" IPS LCD 1080 x 2460 px
Galaxy A14 5G Galaxy A14 5G
519
6.6" PLS LCD 1080 x 2408 px
Xiaomi Redmi 13 Xiaomi Redmi 13
448
6.79" IPS LCD 1080 x 2460 px

The Galaxy A16 4G screen supports up to 90Hz refresh rate. There are two display options in the Motion Smoothness menu - High and Standard. The first locks the screen at 90Hz (excl. incompatible apps), while the other is fixed at 60Hz. There is no automatic switching.

Samsung Galaxy A16 4G review

The Super AMOLED panel does not support HDR content.

Battery life

The Galaxy A16 4G is powered by a 5,000mAh battery - the golden standard nowadays. Most of the Galaxy A series batteries have similarly large capacities.

The Galaxy A16 4G scored an Active Use Score of 14 hours and 43 minutes. It did marvelously across all battery tests, scoring nearly 11 hours of web browsing, almost 17 hours of video streaming and over 11 hours of non-stop gaming.

Charging test

The Galaxy A16 4G supports 25W fast wired charging but comes without a power adapter inside the box. We used the original 25W Samsung charger for this test, but you can use any USB-PD compatible plug.

Samsung Galaxy A16 4G review

The 25W power adapter recharges 29% of the A16 4G's dead battery in 15 mins, 53% in 30 mins and 100% in 79 mins.

Charging speed

  • in 15 min
  • in 30 min
  • Time to full charge (from 0%)
OnePlus Nord CE4 OnePlus Nord CE4
69%
5500 mAh 100W SUPERVOOC
Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G
49%
5100 mAh 67W
Poco F5 Poco F5
48%
5000 mAh 67W
Poco X6 Pro Poco X6 Pro
47%
5000 mAh 67W
Poco X6 Poco X6
47%
5100 mAh 67W
Poco M6 Pro Poco M6 Pro
40%
5000 mAh 67W
Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Motorola Edge 50 Fusion
33%
5000 mAh 68W TurboPower
Moto G84 Moto G84
30%
5000 mAh 33W TurboPower
Galaxy A16 4G Galaxy A16 4G
29%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Redmi Note 13 5G Redmi Note 13 5G
29%
5000 mAh 33W Mi Fast Charging
Galaxy A15 5G Galaxy A15 5G
29%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Galaxy A25 Galaxy A25
27%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Nothing CMF Phone 1 Nothing CMF Phone 1
26%
5000 mAh 33W Fast Charging
Galaxy A35 Galaxy A35
26%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Galaxy A16 5G Galaxy A16 5G
25%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Galaxy A15 Galaxy A15
25%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Redmi 13 Redmi 13
22%
5030 mAh 33W Fast Charging
Xiaomi Redmi 12 Xiaomi Redmi 12
16%
5000 mAh 18W PD
Xiaomi Poco C65 Xiaomi Poco C65
14%
5000 mAh 18W PD
OnePlus Nord CE4 OnePlus Nord CE4
100%
5500 mAh 100W SUPERVOOC
Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G
83%
5100 mAh 67W
Poco X6 Pro Poco X6 Pro
83%
5000 mAh 67W
Poco F5 Poco F5
83%
5000 mAh 67W
Poco X6 Poco X6
78%
5100 mAh 67W
Poco M6 Pro Poco M6 Pro
71%
5000 mAh 67W
Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Motorola Edge 50 Fusion
60%
5000 mAh 68W TurboPower
Moto G84 Moto G84
54%
5000 mAh 33W TurboPower
Galaxy A16 4G Galaxy A16 4G
53%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Galaxy A35 Galaxy A35
52%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Galaxy A15 5G Galaxy A15 5G
51%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Redmi Note 13 5G Redmi Note 13 5G
50%
5000 mAh 33W Mi Fast Charging
Nothing CMF Phone 1 Nothing CMF Phone 1
50%
5000 mAh 33W Fast Charging
Galaxy A25 Galaxy A25
49%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Galaxy A16 5G Galaxy A16 5G
47%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Galaxy A15 Galaxy A15
47%
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Redmi 13 Redmi 13
42%
5030 mAh 33W Fast Charging
Xiaomi Redmi 12 Xiaomi Redmi 12
29%
5000 mAh 18W PD
Xiaomi Poco C65 Xiaomi Poco C65
28%
5000 mAh 18W PD
OnePlus Nord CE4 OnePlus Nord CE4
0:29h
5500 mAh 100W SUPERVOOC
Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G
0:42h
5100 mAh 67W
Poco X6 Pro Poco X6 Pro
0:43h
5000 mAh 67W
Poco F5 Poco F5
0:47h
5000 mAh 67W
Poco X6 Poco X6
0:48h
5100 mAh 67W
Poco M6 Pro Poco M6 Pro
0:48h
5000 mAh 67W
Motorola Edge 50 Fusion Motorola Edge 50 Fusion
1:04h
5000 mAh 68W TurboPower
Moto G84 Moto G84
1:15h
5000 mAh 33W TurboPower
Redmi Note 13 5G Redmi Note 13 5G
1:16h
5000 mAh 33W Mi Fast Charging
Redmi 13 Redmi 13
1:17h
5030 mAh 33W Fast Charging
Galaxy A16 4G Galaxy A16 4G
1:19h
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Galaxy A16 5G Galaxy A16 5G
1:21h
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Galaxy A15 Galaxy A15
1:21h
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Nothing CMF Phone 1 Nothing CMF Phone 1
1:21h
5000 mAh 33W Fast Charging
Galaxy A15 5G Galaxy A15 5G
1:23h
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Galaxy A25 Galaxy A25
1:24h
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Galaxy A35 Galaxy A35
1:26h
5000 mAh 25W Samsung PD
Xiaomi Redmi 12 Xiaomi Redmi 12
2:07h
5000 mAh 18W PD
Xiaomi Poco C65 Xiaomi Poco C65
2:09h
5000 mAh 18W PD

Speaker - loudness and quality

The Galaxy A16 4G comes with a single bottom-firing speaker. The stereo speakers are reserved for higher-tier Galaxy models.

Samsung Galaxy A16 4G review

The speaker on the A16 4G scored a Very Good mark on our test loudness test. It also offers good audio quality with great vocals, high-frequency range and hearable bass.

Use the Playback controls to listen to the phone sample recordings (best use headphones). We measure the average loudness of the speakers in LUFS. A lower absolute value means a louder sound. A look at the frequency response chart will tell you how far off the ideal "0db" flat line is the reproduction of the bass, treble, and mid frequencies. You can add more phones to compare how they differ. The scores and ratings are not comparable with our older loudspeaker test. Learn more about how we test here.

Connectivity

The Galaxy A16 4G is a dual Nano-SIM model with a hybrid second slot that can take a SIM or a microSD card. There is no eSIM support.

Samsung Galaxy A16 4G review

There is GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS and QZSS support for location. Local connectivity is handled by dual-band Wi-Fi ac and Bluetooth 5.3 with LE support. There is NFC, but it is market-dependent, meaning its availability will depend on where you are getting the phone, so it's best to check with your retailer if it's an important feature to you. Some markets get an FM radio receiver, but most seemingly don't. Our unit lacks one. The 3.5mm audio jack has been retired this year.

The Type-C port on the Galaxy A16 4G is backed by a simple USB 2.0 controller, which means a theoretical max data transfer speed of 480 Mbps. There is nothing fancy like video output. However, the A16 4G does support USB Host/OTG.

Finally, the Galaxy A16 4G has a virtual proximity sensor. Given its budget price, this is not entirely unexpected, but it is still not ideal. Still, it works well enough to turn off the phone's display during calls.

Reader comments

You can't count on that. Galaxy A13, A14 and A15 have been consistently among the best selling phones worldwide. We're enthusiasts, we like and know tech, but most people wouldn't even spend 10 minutes here and they don't care t...

I'm not able to install Androbench on Android 14. Runs fine on my tablet which still has A13. Can you replicate?

  • Anonymous
  • 03 Dec 2024
  • vV5

The IP67 rating is moot when the back panel peels off after a year of use for most people.