Samsung Galaxy A16 5G review

The competition

At the time of writing, a Galaxy A16 5G unit will set you back around €220 for the base 128GB/4GB RAM variant. The phone isn't universally available yet and seems to be a bit hard to find from reputable sources.

For about as much as the Galaxy A16 5G, you can currently get yourself a Galaxy A25. And not the base 128GB/4GB RAM version, either. You can get the much more futureproof 128GB/6GB RAM one. And sure, Samsung isn’t promising up to six major OS upgrades on the A25, just four, but we have much more faith in its longevity performance-wise. The Galaxy A25 also has a brighter display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Plus, stereo speakers, a 3.5mm audio jack and a slightly higher-resolution 8MP ultrawide camera.

Samsung Galaxy A25 • Samsung Galaxy A15 5G • Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 • Xiaomi Poco X6

Of course, there is always the option to go cheaper and save a few bucks with last year’s Galaxy A15 5G. It is a very similar phone to the A16 5G through and through. You will be getting a slightly lesser, at least theoretically, MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chipset and shorter software support with up to four major OS upgrades. On the plus side, the A15 5G has a 3.5mm audio jack and more memory configurations, including an interesting “middle of the road” 128GB/6GB one.

Xiaomi has at least a few interesting offers in the price range, like the ever-popular Redmi Note 13. Some of its highlights include a 6.67-inch, 120Hz, bright AMOLED panel, 6GB of RAM, even in the base variant and, up to 12GB in general and a 108MP main camera.

Better still, you could pay slightly more and get yourself a Poco X6. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 256 GB of UFS 2.2 storage in its base config. Also, a decently-powerful Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset. Its display is a real treat with its high brightness, Dolby Vision certification and 120Hz refresh rate. You also get stereo speakers and OIS on the main 64MP camera. Also, the 5,100 mAh battery supports fast 67W charging.

Our verdict

The Galaxy A16 5G is a nicely constructed device covering most bases. We particularly like Samsung's fairly new commitment to up to six major Android upgrades on modest devices. Undoubtedly, there is a lot to love about One UI and all of the added features it offers.

However, the Galaxy A16 5G seems to be behind the times in more ways than one. Samsung just isn't packing in that budget value like many other competitors. For example, the phone is only IP54 rated, it lacks stereo speakers, and its display, while not bad in any way, only has a 90Hz refresh rate and pretty modest maximum brightness. The Exynos 1330 chipset that we tested offers modest performance at best. The UI doesn't run particularly smoothly and is not snappy at all, which makes us worried about usability after a few Android updates have gone through, as promised. 4GB of RAM on a modern phone, even a budget one, just doesn't cut it anymore. We also don't particularly like the fact that video capture is limited to 1080p, and in general, the cameras on the A16 5G failed to impress us. While the phone has a decent Active Use Score, its charging time also failed to impress.

You all know that old saying: "There are no bad products, just bad pricing". While there is room for nuance in such a broad statement, we feel that it perfectly describes the Galaxy A16 5G in its current state. It is just too close in MSRP to the much superior Galaxy A35, and if savings are what you are after, there is the very similar Galaxy A15 5G. Perhaps, at this right price, the Galaxy A16 5G can become popular, even majorly so, but the way things currently stand, we can't give it an outright recommendation. You are better off shopping around.

Pros

• Attractive & sturdy design with slightly thinner bezels.
• Latest OneUI and up to six major OS upgrades.
• Solid main camera in photos and videos.
• Great selfie quality.
• Great battery life in gaming and calls.
• 5G, NFC, microSD.

Cons

• Not very bright display and no HDR video support.
• No automatic refresh rate switching and no AOD.
• No stereo speakers.
• Unsatisfactory real-world performance with stutters and slowdowns.
• Pretty basic 5MP ultrawide and no 4K video recording with the stock app.
• Virtual proximity sensor.