The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is an entry-level 5G phone. It appeared on Samsung’s European websites on October 7, 2024. It reached the US on January 9, 2025, priced at $199.99 for the 4GB + 128GB model. In Europe, it launched at €249. Samsung has since removed it from its current lineup, and the Galaxy A17 5G took its place. A separate 4G model, the Galaxy A16, was sold alongside it.
Design and display
The phone has a flat plastic frame and a glossy plastic back. It measures 164.4 x 77.9 x 7.9 mm and weighs 200 g. That makes it thinner than the Galaxy A15 5G, which was 8.4 mm thick. It is also IP54 rated against dust and water splashes, a first for the Galaxy A1x series.
The 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel has a 1080 x 2340 resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. Samsung rates its peak brightness at 800 nits. A small notch at the top holds the selfie camera.
Performance
In the US and Europe, the phone runs on the Exynos 1330, a 5nm chip. It has two 2.4GHz Cortex-A78 cores and six 2.0GHz Cortex-A55 cores. In some markets, including India and Malaysia, Samsung uses the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 instead. The US model has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage. Other markets also got 8GB versions with 128GB or 256GB.
A microSD slot adds up to 1.5TB of storage, but it shares the tray with the second SIM. Compared with the 4G Galaxy A16, the main differences are the chip and 5G support. The 4G model uses the MediaTek Helio G99 and keeps the same display, cameras and battery.
Cameras
The rear setup has a 50MP f/1.8 main camera with autofocus. It sits next to a 5MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro camera. There is no optical stabilization. Video recording tops out at 1080p at 30fps. On the front, a 13MP f/2.0 camera handles selfies and video calls.
Battery and charging
A 5,000mAh battery powers the phone. It supports 25W wired charging, but Samsung does not include a charger in the box. There is no wireless charging.
Software and updates
The Galaxy A16 5G shipped with Android 14 and One UI 6.1. Samsung promises six generations of OS upgrades and six years of security updates. This was the first time Samsung offered that much support on a phone in this price range. The phone also uses Samsung Knox Vault to protect passwords and PINs.
Should you buy the Galaxy A16 5G?
The phone suits buyers who want a large OLED screen, 5G and long software support at a low price. It also offers NFC, a microSD slot and basic splash resistance. However, it has only 4GB of RAM in the US, a single speaker and no headphone jack. Keep in mind that Samsung no longer produces it. If you want a current model, look at its successor, the Galaxy A17 5G.
