Samsung Galaxy A16 5G evaluate: Specializing in what issues

Finances telephones are considerably extra enjoyable to evaluate than flagship units. I get to spotlight the worth of less-expensive smartphones and assist individuals who wish to lower your expenses whereas making a wise buy. Samsung needed to make compromises to maintain the Galaxy A16 reasonably priced, however it made the suitable selections. It’s not an ideal machine, and I didn’t anticipate it to be for $200. Nonetheless, should you’re coming from an older J-series Galaxy or a earlier A-series machine, it’s a super improve, particularly with Samsung’s promise of prolonged software program assist.

When you don’t get pleasure from spending over $1,000 in your cellphone however nonetheless need one thing that may do the fundamentals effectively, the Samsung Galaxy A16 would possibly simply be your subsequent buy; right here’s why.

Worth, specs, and availability

The Samsung Galaxy A16 is accessible by way of Samsung, Finest Purchase, and Amazon for $200, however frequent gross sales usually drop the value beneath $175. It’s bought in a single configuration within the US, with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage — one thing I’ll return to later. Samsung affords the Galaxy A16 unlocked in two colours: Blue Black, and Gentle Gray. A non-5G variant of the Galaxy A16 is accessible abroad; nonetheless, for this evaluate, I’ll solely be referring to the 5G variant.

The Galaxy A16 will work effectively with all main US carriers and most MVNOs. I used mine on each AT&T and T-Cellular with out encountering issues.

You gained’t all the time really feel such as you’re utilizing a $200 cellphone

Beautiful show and first rate efficiency

Final yr’s Galaxy A15 had a superb show, however Samsung’s completed even higher with this yr’s panel. The Galaxy A16 has the perfect display I’ve seen on a cellphone underneath $200, and that’s a major purpose why it is best to take into account choosing one up. It contains a 6.7-inch Tremendous AMOLED 1080p panel that refreshes at 90Hz. It is extra vibrant and saturated than final yr’s show, and it has higher colour accuracy. Samsung has additionally improved brightness, making the Galaxy A16 completely viewable open air on a sunny day.

Video games like Pokémon GO look improbable, and I loved scrolling by way of Instagram. It’s straightforward to get misplaced within the viewing expertise, and I by no means felt like I used to be utilizing a finances cellphone when watching content material. Shows on less-expensive telephones was once dismal, drab LCD panels with little saturation or brightness. I’m glad that development reversed, and Samsung supplies a stunning display on the Galaxy A16.

The Galaxy A16’s efficiency is considerably blended. It’s necessary to take care of perspective; it is a $200 (or much less) machine, so you will not get the identical clean expertise you’d from a midrange cellphone. Nevertheless, for the cash, the Galaxy A16 does the job. Each day staples like WhatsApp and Instagram operate effectively. Certain, it’ll take an additional second to load apps, and I did encounter frequent stutters when knocking down the notification shade, however it was by no means something disqualifying or insufferable. I by no means needed to carry out any onerous resets, and as soon as apps are up and working, the cellphone permits you to benefit from the 90Hz expertise.

I hoped that Samsung would go for a Dimensity 6300 chipset within the US model of the Galaxy A16. The Exynos 1330 is stable, however I barely choose the MediaTek processor. I additionally want Samsung made the upper RAM variants accessible in america. Different areas obtained 6GB and even 8GB choices, which would offer a noticeable efficiency increase. Extra RAM means the Galaxy A16 doesn’t should be as aggressive in closing apps, as extra of the system is cached. The less occasions a finances chipset has to open packages, the higher, and extra RAM would make the Galaxy A16 a a lot smoother performer.

Samsung commits to the long-term

Prolonged assist for a finances machine

If the show is the first purpose to choose up a Galaxy A16, its software program is a detailed second. The cellphone ships with One UI 6.1 on Android 14 out of the field, however an replace to One UI 7 is predicted quickly. One UI is great software program for a finances cellphone, and I’m excited to see how Samsung’s upgraded One UI 7 modifications the expertise. Nevertheless, it’s not simply the software program that attracts me to the Galaxy A16; it’s the assist.

Samsung guarantees six years of software program upgrades and safety patches for the Galaxy A16 — a large quantity for a finances machine. I can’t declare to know the way Android 20 will run in your cellphone in 2030, however I’m happy the corporate is a minimum of committing to optimizing software program on a reasonable machine for that lengthy.

You gained’t discover a full suite of Galaxy AI options in your Galaxy A16, and I wouldn’t anticipate to see them sooner or later. At the moment, I view that as a profit, as Galaxy AI nonetheless requires additional refinement earlier than I’m satisfied it has a optimistic affect on the consumer expertise.

Sufficient energy to final the whole day

First rate battery life and a serviceable digital camera

I anticipated barely higher efficiency from the Galaxy A16’s 5,000mAh battery, however I nonetheless acquired a complete day of blended use on a single cost. 25W wired recharging speeds aren’t precisely blistering, however I wouldn’t anticipate way more for this value. Equally, wi-fi charging is just not accessible on the Galaxy A16. I’m accustomed to simply getting by way of two days of use on different finances units attributable to their low-powered chipsets, however you gained’t really feel restricted by the Galaxy A16.

Cameras are one other blended bag. I’ll deal with the Galaxy A16’s secondary sensors later, however I wish to deal with its 50MP main shooter. Like final yr, the primary digital camera performs exceptionally effectively for the cash in good lighting situations. I get a crisp picture with vibrant colours and first rate distinction. As anticipated, low-light efficiency falls off shortly, however I’m not asking the Galaxy A16 to do way more than it does.

It’d be unreasonable to demand pictures just like a Google Pixel 9a for lower than half the value. The Galaxy A16 will seize that reminiscence and rating just a few likes on Instagram with out problem — and that’s all I’d anticipate.

It’s not all enjoyable and video games

Samsung undoubtedly lower corners

I discussed that Samsung did not give us extra RAM in america, however that’s not the one gripe I’ve with the Galaxy A16. I hate when firms embody subpar digital camera sensors in telephones simply to assert a tool has extra lenses. The 5MP ultrawide sensor and 2MP macro lens on the Galaxy A16 are borderline unusable, and I’ll by no means perceive why firms insist on together with low-quality macro cameras on finances telephones.

I’d reasonably Samsung didn’t hassle and save us a couple of bucks on the value, or take that cash and enhance one other space of the cellphone. It smells like pure advertising foolishness, and I’m not falling for it.

I admire that Samsung nonetheless included a microSD card slot for expandable storage, however I remorse it took away the three.5mm headphone jack from final yr’s mannequin. A spotlight of finances telephones is commonly the inclusion of legacy, fan-favorite options, so I used to be disenchanted to see one other one eliminated on the Galaxy A16. It additionally lacks an always-on show. I used to grasp why finances telephones with LCD panels didn’t have them, however with OLED screens and enormous batteries on even reasonably priced telephones, I don’t get the exclusion.

I can also’t stand the glastic backs Samsung places on a few of its telephones. I’ve hated it on each machine I’ve seen it on, because it doesn’t look premium, and it shortly turns into a magnet for fingerprints and ugly smudges. I perceive Samsung can’t use glass, however I’d reasonably the corporate take Motorola’s method with eco-leather or textured designs for its finances telephones.

It’s a minor grievance, simply remedied with a case, however Samsung might do higher. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor generally is a contact finicky, however I attribute that primarily to the cellphone’s finances efficiency.

Do you have to purchase it?

The Samsung Galaxy A16 is a finances workhorse, and should you can choose one up on sale or by way of a provider low cost, it’s onerous to beat. Sure, there are some points I want had been improved, and you will get better-performing midrange telephones for just a few extra {dollars}, however the Galaxy A16 will probably be bought by hundreds of thousands all over the world this yr for a purpose. When you’re in search of a cellphone that excels on the fundamentals whereas saving a major sum of money, the Galaxy A16 is price contemplating.