Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Review
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is a capable yet unambitious addition to the brand’s lineup, catering to users seeking essential functionality rather than standout features. Its understated design, lightweight build, and IP54 rating ensure a practical daily companion, while the Dimensity 6300 chipset delivers smooth performance for basic tasks. However, the display’s 90 Hz refresh rate and moderate brightness levels feel underwhelming in a competitive market. While its 50 MP camera impresses in daylight, low-light struggles and limited video capabilities reveal its budget nature. Battery performance is adequate but falls short of expectations, given the efficient hardware. At ₹18,999, it faces stiff competition from better-rounded options like the Motorola G85 and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite.
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G recently debuted in India, priced at ₹18,999. Samsung has long catered to budget-conscious buyers with its Galaxy A series, and the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is no exception. Positioned as an affordable entry into the 5G world, this phone emphasises practicality over innovation. While it doesn’t have cutting-edge performance, it promises to offer a dependable experience for everyday users.
With modest upgrades over its predecessor and a focus on essentials like battery and cameras, the Galaxy A16 5G competes in the crowded mid-range segment. But does it strike the right balance of features and value? Additionally, how does it fare compared to the likes of the popular Motorola G85 (review), iQOO Z9 (review), and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite (review)? Let’s find out.
The Galaxy A16 5G is quintessentially Samsung, flaunting a modern, minimalist design with gentle curves and a compact frame. Its glossy plastic back is a magnet for fingerprints, but it feels surprisingly robust in hand, lacking any hollowness or flex. The plastic frame and back, while less premium than metal or glass, ensure a lightweight build and signal-friendly design. The back also houses the typical vertical array of triple cameras you get to see across Samsung’s diverse portfolio of phones.
At just 7.9 mm thick, the A16 5G feels comfortable to hold, with subtle slopes along the right edge of the phone, enhancing the grip. Available in three colour options – Gold, Blue Black, and Light Green – the phone caters to diverse tastes. Our review unit in Light Green offers an understated elegance, though the glossy finish might not appeal to everyone.
One standout feature is its IP54 rating, which provides basic protection against dust and water splashes. While it won’t survive a swim, the device can handle occasional spills. The front is made of an unspecified glass, and it lacks a factory-fitted screen protector, so investing in one is advisable. The bezels are thinner than its predecessor, but the teardrop notch remains a relic in a world moving towards punch-hole cameras.
The phone, given its price, skips on an in-display fingerprint scanner, instead going for a simple capacitive one housed on the power button. I have no complaints here, as it’s exceedingly accurate and easy to use. One major gripe I have is the lack of stereo speakers; instead, you get a single loudspeaker on the A16, which is a huge disadvantage as competing Motorola and OnePlus phones house excellent dual stereo speakers.
Samsung is known for its superior display technology, however, the Galaxy A16 5G disappoints within its price bracket. While the 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel delivers vibrant colours and deep blacks, its 90 Hz display feels dated compared to similarly-priced 120 Hz budget phones. Discerning users will be able to feel the drop in smoothness compared to 120 Hz displays.
Brightness levels are decent, with the screen performing well indoors and under shade. However, direct sunlight can pose challenges, where competitors like the Redmi Note 13 Pro, Motorola G85, and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite fare better. The lack of HDR support also limits its appeal for streaming enthusiasts, however, you do get Widevine L1 support for HD viewing.
The Always-On Display feature, inherited from pricier Samsung models, is a pleasant surprise though. It adds convenience allowing users to quickly glance at notifications without unlocking their device. However, the lack of Corning Gorilla Glass or similar protection raises durability concerns.
All in all, I’d consider the Samsung Galaxy A16 to be one of the weaker displays in the budget smartphone market given its missing key features like 120 Hz refresh rate and high brightness levels. The phone also lacks adaptive refresh rate switching, which is present in several competitors.
Under the hood, the Galaxy A16 5G comes in two chipset variants: Samsung’s Exynos 1330 for the global market and MediaTek’s Dimensity 6300 in select regions. In India, you get the variant with the Dimensity 6300 chipset. It is built on a 6 nm process, emphasising power efficiency over raw performance. The phone is equipped with up to 8 GB RAM and up to 256 GB internal storage, expandable via microSD.
In day-to-day tasks like browsing, social media, and light gaming, the phone holds its own, delivering smooth performance with minimal hiccups. However, heavier workloads, such as multitasking with resource-intensive apps, reveal its limitations. Benchmark tests place it behind rivals like the iQOO Z9 and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite, but it’s adequate for basic users.
The phone scored a respectable 409592 points in AnTuTu, and it scored 730 in GeekBench Single Core, and 1922 in GeekBench multicore. In PCMark Work and GPU benchmarks, the score was particularly low compared to the competition.
Naturally, gaming enthusiasts might face some disappointment. Titles like Call of Duty: Mobile run acceptably at medium settings but tend to heat the device during extended sessions. On the software front, Samsung’s One UI 6.1 on top of Android 14 offers a clean and intuitive experience. Bloatware is minimal as well, especially compared to similarly priced iQOO, realme, and OnePlus offerings. Samsung also promises a whopping 6 years of OS updates, which is excellent for device longevity.
The Galaxy A16 5G features a triple-camera setup at the back, comprising a 50 MP primary sensor, a 5 MP ultrawide shooter, and a 2 MP macro sensor. On paper, it’s a modest setup, and in practice, the results are mixed.
In well-lit conditions, the primary camera captures 12.5 MP binned photos with good detail and natural colours. Dynamic range is respectable, though highlights occasionally appear blown out. The processing is quite aggressive in some shots as well. Portrait photos benefit from accurate edge detection and warm skin tones. The 5 MP ultrawide camera is basic, and allows for decent shots only in well-lit conditions.
Low-light photography is where the A16 5G struggles. Noise creeps in, and images often lack satisfactory dynamic range. Night Mode helps marginally, but it’s not a game-changer. The 13 MP front camera is satisfactory for selfies and video calls but struggles with detail in dim lighting. Video recording is capped at 1080p at 30 fps, which feels limiting when competitors offer 4K options at similar price points.
Battery life should have been one of the key strengths of the Galaxy A16 5G. However, its 5,000 mAh battery, while competent, is nothing extraordinary. It consistently delivers a day’s worth of juice with moderate use, but given the power-efficient chipset and the battery size, we expected a 2-day runtime, which didn’t happen, unfortunately.
In our standardised video loop test, the phone lasted 15 hours and 27 minutes, which isn’t the best result at this price. Charging isn’t remarkable too. The 25 W wired charging feels slow in 2024, with the device taking approximately 1 hour and 31 minutes to reach full capacity. Wireless charging is absent, but it isn’t expected at this price point.
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is a capable yet unambitious addition to the brand’s lineup, catering to users seeking essential functionality rather than standout features. Its understated design, lightweight build, and IP54 rating ensure a practical daily companion, while the Dimensity 6300 chipset delivers smooth performance for basic tasks. However, the display’s 90 Hz refresh rate and moderate brightness levels feel underwhelming in a competitive market.
While its 50 MP camera impresses in daylight, low-light struggles and limited video capabilities reveal its budget nature. Battery performance is adequate but falls short of expectations, given the efficient hardware. At ₹18,999, it faces stiff competition from better-rounded options like the Motorola G85 and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite.
For brand loyalists or those prioritising Samsung’s reliability and software support, the Galaxy A16 5G is worth considering. However, discerning buyers should explore alternatives offering more bang for their buck.
