Samsung Galaxy A16 5G review: Safe and sound

Samsung’s flagship telephones are likely to get all of the glitzy launch occasions, leaving the likes of the Galaxy A16 5G to slide out with little to no fanfare. That’s a disgrace, as a result of Samsung’s newest £200 smartphone is accessible to a a lot wider vary of customers.

Very like the Galaxy A15 5G it replaces, it is a finances cellphone with a clear design, a big 90Hz show, exemplary stamina, and a digicam that can seize you respectable snaps in suitably beneficial situations.

With little modifications of consequence from the earlier mannequin, nevertheless, does it nonetheless supply good worth for cash?

Design & Construct

• Blue Black, Gentle Inexperienced, or Gentle Gray colourways
• Acquainted flat-edged plastic physique
• No IP ranking

One factor that I’ve come to understand about Samsung’s whole smartphone vary lately is its unified design language. Other than the very prime canine (your Galaxy S24 Extremely and your Galaxy Z Fold 6), all the producer’s telephones form of look alike.

And so once I sit the £199 Galaxy A16 5G alongside the £649 Galaxy S24 FE, as I’ve proper now, there’s actually not a lot between them. Positive, the cheaper cellphone’s energy/fingerprint button and quantity keys bulge out barely from the flattened rim, however that’s an embellishment I fairly like.

The distinction lies in such minor particulars, with the cheaper A16 5G having a bigger chin bezel, and its plastic rim having a softer edge than the S24 FE’s sharp metallic different.

However the level stands that purchasing a Samsung cellphone launched 2024 in ensures you a sure look – minimalist digicam module strip and all – to not point out a sure degree of match and end.

The Galaxy A16 5G may be low-cost, but it surely doesn’t really feel plasticky, regardless that it’s manufactured from plastic. At 164.4 x 77.9 x 7.9mm it’s fairly giant however comparatively skinny (about 0.5mm thinner than the A15 5G), and at 200g there’s real heft to the cellphone. My mannequin is available in a tender Gentle Inexperienced hue, however you may as well specify it in sober Blue Black or Gentle Gray.

It’s a disgrace there’s nonetheless no IP ranking right here, however that’s not an anticipated function at this value. You’ll have to spend £70 extra on a Motorola Moto G75 5G if that’s a precedence for you.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Display & Audio system

• Bigger 6.7-inch, 90Hz AMOLED show
• Teardrop selfie notch
• Twin stereo audio system

Samsung has gone with a barely bigger 6.7-inch show this time round, however with the identical vibrant Tremendous AMOLED colors and a fairly fluid 90Hz refresh charge.

Some may quibble about that 90Hz determine, with 120Hz quick turning into the business customary. However with telephones on this class, the place efficiency is restricted, it is smart to scale issues again a bit of. It’s nonetheless 50% extra responsive than the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus shows.

Brightness tops out at 800 nits in excessive brightness mode (HBM), which is precisely the identical because the Galaxy A15 5G, so no change there. It’s completely respectable when seen indoors and even outdoor on these gray winter days, however I believe it’ll really feel a bit of dim come summer time. It ought to nonetheless be usable, although.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

As I alluded to within the earlier part, the Galaxy A16 5G has some chunky display bezels, significantly with its elongated chin. You’ll additionally must make do with one other teardrop notch, which feels a bit of dated.

All in all, it’s an honest panel for watching media again on, although it doesn’t give throughout that ‘painted on the floor’ sensation of costlier Samsung telephones.

You don’t get stereo sound to accompany that media content material both, which is a disgrace. The Galaxy A16 5G depends on a single speaker on the underside fringe of the cellphone which, to its credit score, will get good and loud.

It will get fairly piercing and tinny at greater volumes, with just about nothing in the best way of low-end steadiness, but it surely’s clear sufficient at extra sociable volumes.

Specs & Efficiency

• Exynos 1330 chipset
• 4GB RAM and 128GB storage
• MicroSDXC slot

Samsung hasn’t been promoting the Galaxy A16 5G’s chipset, which maybe displays the truth that it makes use of two totally different chips relying on the area.

The worldwide mannequin that I’m utilizing right here packs Samsung’s personal entry-level Exynos 1330 chip, together with a really modest 4GB of RAM. The mixture produces modest efficiency, which continues to be the weak level of Samsung’s sub-£200 smartphone line.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

As soon as the cellphone was warmed up and didn’t must take care of too many background processes, basic navigation proved fluid sufficient. Nevertheless, stutters and micro-pauses aren’t precisely rarities when utilizing the cellphone when firing up and flitting between a number of apps.

It’s a must to suspect that these glitches would have been considerably smoothed out if Samsung had solely squeezed 8GB of RAM in, which appears to be Android’s snug spot.

When you’ve solely ever used low-cost telephones, it’s fairly attainable you received’t discover this halting efficiency. All I can say, as somebody who makes use of a variety of gadgets, is that I did.

For sure, any high-end gaming ambitions are most likely greatest left on the door. It’ll run Genshin Impression on the bottom settings, however you’ll have to be very affected person with it.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G benchmarks

Each CPU and GPU benchmark assessments recommend a minimal improve on the Galaxy A15 5G at greatest. The £200 Moto G55 with its MediaTek Dimensity 7025 chip soundly beats it.

Digicam

• 50Mp major rear digicam
• 5Mp ultrawide
• 2Mp macro lens
• 13Mp selfie digicam

So far as I can inform, Samsung has used precisely the identical digicam setup because the Galaxy A15 5G on Galaxy A16 5G. There’s the identical 50MP major digicam with f/1.8 aperture, identical 5Mp f/2.2 ultra-wide, and the identical pointless 2Mp macro lens.

You additionally get the identical 13Mp entrance digicam in that dated teardrop notch.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Because of this you’ll get fairly so-so outcomes, even with Samsung’s strong picture processing chops. In good lighting, with the principle 50Mp digicam, the Galaxy A16 5G is able to capturing respectable pictures with satisfactory publicity and dynamic vary.

Samsung’s punchy color science (which is definitely much more pure than it was once) ensures that you simply don’t get any of the flatness or muddiness that low-cost cellphone cameras used to provide.

Step away from very best situations, nevertheless, and the standard will fall off quick. The 5Mp ultra-wide brings with it an enormous drop-off in high quality, with baggage of noise and a pronounced lack of element and color tone.

Zoomed pictures crop in on that major sensor, which produces nearly acceptable (if barely grainy) outcomes at 2x, and complete fuzz fests at 4x and 10x.

Enable the sunshine to drop, and even the principle digicam received’t bail you out. In low-lit eating places and pubs that sharpness began to disintegrate, whereas Night time mode pictures lack any form of readability, with no OIS to allow correctly prolonged shutter instances.

Samsung’s 13Mp entrance digicam is a reasonably good performer for the cash, producing moderately detailed selfies in good lighting. I significantly preferred the choice of a close-up view or a wider view.

Battery Life & Charging

• 5000mAh battery
• 25W wired charging
• No charger within the field

Samsung has caught with the usual 5000mAh battery within the Galaxy A16 5G, and it produces predictably strong battery life. It’s not massively noteworthy when a cellphone lasts two days of sunshine utilization, however that’s what the A16 5G offers.

Elsewhere, nevertheless, there are a few alarm bells ringing. Working the usual PCMark Work 3.0 battery take a look at, which mimics a sustained day by day workload, yielded a rating of simply 10 hours and 24 minutes.

Whereas not horrible, this rating falls about 4 hours half-hour in need of the Galaxy A15 5G, and about 3 hours in need of the Moto G55. That is removed from all-time low for a contemporary inexpensive cellphone – the Redmi Notice 13 5G scored a superb 35 minutes decrease – but it surely’s additionally approach in need of the highest.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

Samsung doesn’t supply a charger within the field, which might be extra problematic in an inexpensive cellphone the place this may simply be the first-ever smartphone for many individuals. If you do lay your arms on a USB-C charger, it’ll assist the identical bathroom customary 25W charging as earlier than.

In my expertise, utilizing a 65W Samsung charger, the Galaxy A16 5G went from empty to 26% in quarter-hour, and as much as 51% in half-hour. A full cost takes round 1 hour 25 minutes, which is much from fast.

There’s no wi-fi charging, which isn’t any shock within the sub-£200 class. Nevertheless, it’s value providing one other shout-out to the Moto G75 5G, which provides wi-fi charging for just a bit extra money (£270).

Software program

• Android 14
• One UI 6
• Six years of updates
• None of Samsung’s AI enhancements

The Galaxy A16 5G runs on Android 14 out of the field with Samsung’s One UI 6.1 layered on prime. That’s not the most recent model of Google’s working system, however I’m not nervous about that.

Samsung has equipped an intensive six-year replace promise working by way of to October 2030. That’s a wonderful degree of assurance for a cellphone of this value, and the superb software program assist is as one of many Galaxy A16 5G’s standout options.

As for One UI 6.1, it’ll be acquainted to anybody who’s used a Samsung cellphone or pill over the previous a number of years. Like Samsung’s {hardware} design, its software program seems and handles broadly the identical proper throughout the vary, with one notable exception that we’ll get to in a minute.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

I’ll confess at this level that One UI has by no means been my favorite Android pores and skin. It’s a bit of too busy and Samsung appears too decided to wrestle your interplay away from the strong Google core at each flip.

Whether or not it’s having to manually set up and swap over to Google Pockets, determining the opaque technique to vary the default calendar app, or having to dive into the Settings menu to change over to gesture management, all of it seems like a bit of extra laborious work to get all the pieces how I personally like issues.

When you do, One UI is a crisp and immensely customisable UI. It may possibly decelerate a bit of, however that appears to have extra to do with the Galaxy A16 5G’s efficiency limitations than any UI points.

Jon Mundy / Foundry

It’s removed from the worst offender in the case of bloatware too. TikTok and Pinterest may be erroneously listed as ‘important apps’ at set-up, whereas Spotify and Netflix are pre-installed with out point out, however that’s it for third-party apps.

The one evident factor lacking from One UI 6.1 on the Galaxy A16 5G in comparison with Samsung’s costlier telephones is AI. There’s no signal of Galaxy AI, Samsung’s suite of AI-assisted instruments that show you how to to put in writing higher messages, translate calls, summarise notes and the like.

You don’t get any of Google’s AI instruments both, with no signal of the highly effective Circle to Search software. You’ll have to spend extra if Samsung’s splurge of AI options takes your fancy.

Worth & Availability

The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is out there now at a value of £199, which is similar launch value because the Galaxy A15 5G earlier than it. You should buy it instantly from Samsung, or from established third-party retailers like Amazon, Very and Currys.

There’s just one mannequin within the UK, which comes with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of inner storage. Different areas have entry to a greater mannequin with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The cellphone isn’t obtainable on contract, so that you’ll have to purchase one outright and pair it with a SIM-only deal. See the most effective choices under:

There’s additionally a less expensive non-5G mannequin that provides you an analogous package deal, however with a Mediatek Helio G99 processor in addition to the plain 4G connectivity.

There’s no signal of the Galaxy A16 5G within the US as but, however we’ll amend this overview if and when it seems.

On the subject of options, the Galaxy A16 5G goes instantly up towards finances telephones such because the the Motorola Moto G55 at £199 and CMF Telephone 1 at £209. Our advice can be to search for reductions on telephones from the likes of Poco, Redmi, Honor and certainly Samsung that usually promote for nearer to £300.

Reductions run steadily at this finish of the market, and also you’ll discover that you could get much more in your cash, significantly when it comes to efficiency and digicam high quality.

Must you purchase the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G?

The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is one other satisfactory low-cost cellphone from Samsung, providing an interesting design and a punchy AMOLED show for slightly below £200.

Not a lot progress has been made on the Galaxy A15 5G, with equally sluggish efficiency and the identical middling digicam set-up. One large enchancment is Samsung’s vastly improved software program replace promise.

Conversely, battery life doesn’t look like fairly as robust as earlier than, significantly in the case of sustained utilization.

All in all, the Galaxy A16 5G is a wonderfully acceptable low-cost cellphone. Nevertheless, you’ll discover a lot better worth by both spending a bit of extra money or wanting round for a reduction and spending extra properly.

Specs

• Android 14 with six years of updates
• 6.7-inch, FHD+, OLED, 90Hz, flat show
• Facet-mounted fingerprint sensor
• Exynos 1330 or MediaTek Dimensity 6300 (varies by area)
• 4GB/8GB RAM
• 128GB/256GB storage
• 50Mp, f/1.8 major digicam
• 5Mp, f/2.2 ultra-wide digicam
• 2Mp, f/2.4 macro digicam
• 13Mp, f/2.0 front-facing digicam
• Twin stereo audio system
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
• Bluetooth 5.3
• 5000mAh battery
• 25W charging
• 164.4 x 77.9 x 7.9 mm
• 200g