Samsung Galaxy A16 Evaluation

The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is the South Korean firm’s newest addition to its Galaxy A sequence of smartphones, and it’s a midrange handset that runs on Android 14, and the corporate has promised as much as six main Android OS upgrades. Its direct rivals in the identical value section (underneath Rs. 20,000) are the Poco X6, Realme Narzo 70 Professional, Infinix Be aware 40 Professional 5G, Moto G85, OnePlus Nord CE Lite, in addition to Samsung’s personal Galaxy M35 5G mannequin.

Pricing for the Galaxy A16 5G is about at Rs. 18,999 (8GB+128GB) and Rs. 20,999 (8GB+256GB), however how does it fare in opposition to related smartphones in a really aggressive value section? After spending a while with the handset because it was launched in India, listed here are my ideas.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G: S-Tier Design

• Dimensions – 164.4 x 77.9 x 7.9 mm
• Weight – 192g
• Colors – Blue Black, Gold (On this assessment), Gentle Inexperienced

Lately, Samsung’s midrange and premium midrange smartphones have began to resemble its flagship fashions. We noticed this with the Samsung Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35 (Review), and now the Galaxy A16 is the newest cellphone from the corporate to bear a resemblance to the Galaxy S24. There are some notable variations, although — the Galaxy A16 5G has a polycarbonate again with plastic edges.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is supplied with a triple rear digicam setup

Samsung has geared up the Galaxy A16 5G with the Key Island on the fitting fringe of the cellphone, which homes the amount rocker and energy buttons. The SIM tray and reminiscence card tray are positioned on the left edge, whereas the underside edge features a USB Kind-C port and a speaker grille.

This handset ships with out an included cowl, and that is the way it was used all through the assessment. Whereas it is easy to grip with out utilizing a case, the plastic edges have a tendency to select up scratches after some time, so you may positively wish to purchase a third-party cowl for the Galaxy A16 5G. You may additionally have to buy a charger, because the cellphone solely ships with a USB Kind-C cable and a SIM ejector device.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Software program: Helpful Options, Pointless Bloatware

• Software program – One UI 6.1
• Model – Android 14
• Newest safety patch – September 1, 2024

The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G ships with One UI 6.1, primarily based on Android 14. It’s the similar software program that runs on the costlier Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55 fashions. This implies you get assist for Samsung’s SmartThings, Pockets, TV and different purposes. Sadly, it does not supply assist for Good Lock, which permits a fair larger degree of customisation and management over Samsung telephones.

The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G runs on One UI 6.1, which is predicated on Android 14 (Faucet to increase)

Like different smartphones out there on this value section, the Samsung Galaxy A16 will obtain third-party purposes after establishing the cellphone when the default setup choices are chosen, so it is essential to concentrate if you are establishing the cellphone for the primary time. The cellphone downloaded apps and video games like Paytm, CallApp, Water Type, Adobe Photoshop Categorical, Snapchat, and a handful of different apps that may also be uninstalled.

When it comes to software program assist, the Galaxy A16 5G far exceeds expectations from any handset on this value class. Samsung says it is going to present as much as six years of OS upgrades for the smartphone, which implies it must be updated till no less than 2030. It is really spectacular that Samsung has dedicated to updating the Galaxy A16 5G with six main Android OS updates, whereas its most costly A-series mannequin out there at the moment — the Samsung Galaxy A55 — will get 4 upgrades.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Efficiency: Could possibly be Higher

• Processor – Mediatek Dimensity 6300
• Reminiscence – 8GB LPDDR4X
• Storage – 256GB UFS (Unspecified model)

The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G has a 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC, the successor to the Dimensity 6100+ launched in 2023. This chipset has two Cortex-A76 efficiency cores (2.4GHz) which are barely quicker than those on final 12 months’s processor (2.2GHz), together with six Cortex-A55 effectivity cores (2GHz). It additionally has the identical Arm Mali-G57 MC2 GPU as MediaTek’s older chip.

The Cortex-A76 cores on the Dimensity 6300 look like displaying their age, as I seen some lagging and stuttering in day-to-day use. Regardless of these visible stutters, the smartphone is usable when operating apps like Chrome, WhatsApp, Google Maps, Instagram, and X (previously Twitter).

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G benchmark take a look at outcomes (Faucet to increase)

You will not have the ability to use the Galaxy A16 5G to play resource-intensive video games corresponding to Name of Obligation: Cell or Free Fireplace Max — these titles don’t really feel as easy as different video games in the identical value section. However, it may well run Asphalt Legends: Unite on the bottom graphics settings or informal video games like Indignant Birds Pop! and Bubble Witch 3 with none points.

On artificial benchmark exams, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G delivered decrease scores than different equally priced smartphones like Moto G85 and the Infinix Note 40 5G. These outcomes aren’t shocking because the competitors is supplied with extra succesful processors, such because the Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 and the MediaTek Dimensity 7020.

In actual fact, Samsung’s personal Exynos 1380 SoC, which powers the handset (in addition to the Galaxy M35 5G) in different markets, has extra highly effective Cortex A78 efficiency cores. It will have been a significantly better match for the smartphone — contemplating it has a six-year lengthy software program assist window.

This is a useful desk to point out you the way the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G fares in opposition to different smartphones in well-liked benchmark exams.

Whereas it will get much less brilliant throughout the day in winter, the 6.7-inch Full-HD+ (1,080×2,340 pixels) Tremendous AMOLED show on the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G was brilliant sufficient after I took the cellphone open air, besides when it was in direct daylight. The ambient gentle detection took a few seconds to reply after I took the cellphone out of my pocket, but it surely cranked up the brightness to the utmost degree, and I might learn the contents of my display screen with none points.

The show on the Galaxy A16 5G is brilliant sufficient so long as lengthy as you keep away from direct daylight

I did not discover any touchscreen associated points whereas utilizing the Galaxy A16 5G. The refresh price switches between 60Hz or 90Hz, however there is no choice to routinely swap between the 2. The upper refresh price is certainly the one to go for, and it barely has a noticeable affect on battery life.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Cameras: Respectable Daytime Pictures

• Important digicam – 50-megapixel (f/1.8), AF, as much as 1080p/ 30fps video
• Ultrawide digicam – 5-megapixel (f/2.2)
• Macro digicam – 2-megapixel (f/2.4)
• Selfie digicam – 13-megapixel

The first digicam on the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G captures first rate photos throughout the day, particularly when capturing topics with ample pure gentle, however some fast-moving topics may seem blurry. Some colors seem a little bit extra vibrant than ordinary, however they give the impression of being nice when shared on social media. 

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Digicam Samples. Prime to backside – Major, Ultrawide, Major (Faucet photos to increase)

Sadly, the 5-megapixel ultrawide digicam does not produce photographs which are remotely nearly as good as the first digicam. Photos lack element, and so they can seem overexposed in brilliant eventualities. Even when there’s sufficient gentle, zooming in on the picture reveals a whole lot of smoothening.

Samsung has additionally geared up the handset with a 2-megapixel macro digicam, which works reliably throughout the day, however colors can seem a little bit washed out in comparison with the first digicam. I needed to faucet on some topics within the viewfinder to ensure they had been in focus.

As soon as once more, the 50-megapixel digicam on the Galaxy A16 5G is probably the most dependable when clicking photos in low-light eventualities. The digicam app has a built-in night time mode, however you may have to allow it manually. The mode does not work on the ultrawide digicam, which delivers noisy and blurry pictures at night time.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Digicam Samples. Prime to backside – Low Gentle, Macro (Faucet photos to increase)

On the entrance, there is a 13-megapixel selfie digicam that may be very dependable for selfies and video calls. It really works nicely throughout the day, capturing clear photographs and colors which are reproduced precisely. At night time, the digicam nonetheless takes first rate photos if there’s sufficient gentle. In very low gentle eventualities, the selfie digicam nonetheless captures a substantial quantity of element, with a little bit of softening.

The first digicam on the Galaxy A16 lacks optical picture stabilisation (OIS), which is clear whereas capturing movies. You’ll be able to seize movies in as much as 1080p decision at 30fps, and clips captured throughout the day are usable should you aren’t transferring round too rapidly. The video high quality drops sharply in low-light eventualities.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Battery: Lasts Lengthy, Fees Slowly

• Battery Capability – 5,000mAh
• Wired Charging: 25W (USB Kind-C)

The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is supplied with a 5,000mAh battery that gives about two days of backup with conservative use. On days after I used the handset for longer intervals (about 6 hours of display screen on time), the cellphone delivered a couple of day and a half of battery life. That is on par with the course for smartphones on this value section.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G supplies over 24 hours of battery backup on a single cost

Like the corporate’s different smartphones, the Galaxy A16 5G does not ship with a charger within the field. Utilizing a third-party 18W charger, the cellphone took almost two hours to cost — the battery degree was at 35 p.c after half-hour and 66 p.c after an hour.

In our HD video battery loop take a look at, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G lasted for 19 hours and 45 minutes, which is barely decrease than the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite (22 hours and 17 minutes) however increased than the Infinix Be aware 40 (17 hours and 56 minutes). It is essential to keep in mind that it is a artificial take a look at for offline video playback, and the cellphone gives dependable battery backup for day-to-day use.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Evaluation: Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G resembles one of many firm’s most costly smartphones, and it subjectively appears extra “premium” than the competitors. It’s straightforward to carry, and it has a brilliant show. The handset additionally has a big battery, which delivers ample battery backup at a single cost.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G faces a whole lot of competitors from different telephones underneath the Rs. 20,000 mark

You additionally get six years of software program updates — that is good, however provided that the smartphone stays snappy sufficient for as a few years. The presence of the Dimensity 6300 chipset and the lacklustre ultrawide digicam are two components holding this smartphone again.

There are a handful of different smartphones underneath the Rs. 20,000 mark that provide arguably higher efficiency than the Galaxy A16 5G, together with the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite (Review), the Infinix Be aware 40 5G (Review), and the Moto G85 (Review).

Different equally priced handsets you can think about embrace the Poco X6 and the Realme Narzo 70 Professional. One other handset that you need to think about over the Galaxy A16 5G is the Galaxy M35 5G (Review), which is supplied with higher specs (together with an Exynos 1380 chipset) and is accessible in the identical value section.