Samsung Galaxy A16 4G review

The Samsung Galaxy A16 4G is a budget-friendly smartphone offering a large, high refresh rate AMOLED display and decent main camera performance for its price. Compared to its 5G counterpart, the A16 4G boasts better battery life, smoother performance, and is a more appealing option for users who do not require 5G connectivity, though it lacks electronic video stabilization.

Design and Features

• 00:00:55 The Galaxy A16 4G has a matte, metallic plastic back and frame, incorporating the characteristic contour around the buttons found in the A-series design. It features an IP54 rating for splash resistance, a larger 6.7-inch 90Hz OLED display, and a single bottom-firing speaker. It also includes a side-mounted fingerprint reader embedded within the power button.

Performance and Software

• 00:03:11 Powered by the MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, the phone's performance is comparable to last year's A54 4G. While sufficient for everyday tasks, it's not ideal for demanding games, though it offers smoother performance than the A16 5G. It runs Samsung's One UI 6.1 based on Android 14 and promises six major OS updates.

Battery and Charging

• 00:03:56 The device has a 5,000mAh battery that delivers excellent battery life, with a measured active use time of 14 hours and 43 minutes. It supports up to 25W wired charging, although a charger is not included in the box, taking roughly 1 hour and 19 minutes for a full charge.

Camera Performance

• 00:04:31 The A16 4G maintains the same camera setup as the 5G model and last year's versions, featuring a 50MP main camera, a 5MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro camera. While the main camera captures decent photos with natural colors and good detail, the dynamic range could be improved. The ultrawide camera is less impressive, delivering softer images with poor dynamic range. The phone lacks electronic video stabilization.

Comparison with A16 5G

• 00:07:13 The A16 4G emerges as a more desirable option for users who do not need 5G, offering better battery life and performance than the A16 5G. However, it lacks electronic image stabilization present in the 5G variant. If 5G is not a priority, the A16 4G provides a superior value proposition compared to its 5G sibling.