Intro
Samsung has a brand new finances cellphone on the town, the Galaxy A16 5G, and also you won’t understand it however the Galaxy A1X sequence are among the many world’s prime 10 best-selling telephones.
The reason being clear: this cellphone is tremendous inexpensive at simply over $200, however what adjustments does Samsung deliver to the Galaxy A16 5G this yr? And what are the variations between the Galaxy A16 5G and the Galaxy A15 5G?
Disclaimer: The Galaxy A16 5G is already in shops in lots of nations, however it’s nonetheless not accessible in the US. We anticipate the mannequin to reach stateside round December 2024 to January 2025.
Galaxy A16 5G vs Galaxy A15 5G variations defined:
| Galaxy A16 5G | Galaxy A15 5G |
|---|---|
| 6 years of software program updates | 4 years of software program updates |
| Bigger, 6.7-inch display screen | 6.5-inch display screen |
| Similar 1080p decision, 90Hz refresh charge, 800 nit brightness | 1080p decision, 90Hz refresh charge, 800 nits brightness |
| Barely wider, but in addition a bit thinner: 164.4 x 77.9 x 7.9 mm |
160.1 x 76.8 x 8.4 mm |
| Barely sooner processor: Exynos 1330 OR MediaTek Dimensity 6300 (in some nations) |
Mediatek Dimensity 6100+ |
| Similar 4GB RAM | 4GB RAM |
| Similar 128GB base storage, possibility for 256GB | 128GB base storage, possibility for 256GB |
| Equivalent digital camera system | 50MP essential digital camera, 5MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro |
| Similar measurement, 5000mAh battery | 5000mAh battery |
Desk of Contents:
Design and Show High quality
A much bigger display screen, however design nonetheless feels a bit low-cost
Aside from the marginally greater measurement of the A16 5G, these two really feel comparable (Picture by PhoneArena)
There are two noticeable adjustments within the A16 5G design: the larger measurement and the lacking 3.5mm headphone jack.
Other than that, you continue to have a plastic again and plastic body, which assist the A16 5G really feel simply as mild because the A15 5G, however on the similar time… simply as plasticky, too.
Regardless of this cheaper really feel, plastic has some benefits. At first, it will not break like glass, so this would possibly assist you to determine to go case-less with a plastic cellphone.
The button island on the aspect is current on each (Picture by PhoneArena)
Buttons are on the precise handside on each telephones, with the facility button being flush with the “button island” and the amount rocker protruding a bit.
The facility key doubles as a fingerprint reader on the A16 5G, and it is fairly correct, however a beat slower than we’re used to on different telephones.
The A16 5G can also be a tiny bit slimmer at 7.9mm (the A15 5G measures 8.4mm). That is a small element, nevertheless it’s one we wish to see.
Bezels are barely slimmer on the A16 5G, however nonetheless greater than on most different telephones and you’ve got that chin (Picture by PhoneArena)
The display screen is greater on the A16 5G at 6.7 inches, up from a 6.5-inch measurement on the A15 5G.
Each have greater than ordinary bezels across the display screen, however barely thinner on the A16 5G. General, regardless of the larger display screen, the width has not grown by a lot.
Show Measurements:
As you may see above, the utmost brightness is roughly the identical on these two, reaching almost 740 nits when measured on an all-white display screen (100% APL). That’s respectable, however not in the identical league as dearer telephones which regularly attain round 1,000 nits lately. However hey, we won’t blame Samsung at this value!
Each telephones additionally help 90Hz quick refresh charge for easy scrolling, which is a welcome addition. General, these are handsome display screen! We all know just a few dearer telephones that also rock older LCD panels that look WAY worse than this, so the show is definitely one of many benefits of the A16 over the competitors.
Efficiency and Software program
A noticeable uptick in efficiency
The brand new Exynos chip is quicker than the MediaTek one used within the A15 5G (Picture by PhoneArena)
With the A16 5G, Samsung makes the leap to an Exynos 1330 chipset, a 5nm processor, which is… satisfactory. Additionally, it is nonetheless coupled with the identical inadequate 4GB RAM. It is all about price chopping right here!
Final yr, we had been harsh with the A15 5G due to its very sluggish efficiency. The A15 runs on a good slower, 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ processor.
We will undoubtedly see an enchancment, however we additionally see stutter fairly often and the A16 5G is much from even respectable.
Efficiency Benchmarks:
The GeekBench CPU-focused take a look at exhibits massive positive factors on the newer cellphone, in comparison with the earlier era, however we’ve to reiterate that regardless of these positive factors our greatest want for the A16 5G remains to be a sooner chipset.
The 3D Mark gaming take a look at however exhibits nearly no enchancment on the A16 5G, which signifies that you will not be enjoying a lot Genshin Influence on this cellphone. It is simply too gradual for these extra intense video games, however hey, informal video games will run okay.
The bottom mannequin of each the A16 5G and A15 5G include 128GB of storage, which is an efficient quantity.
Digicam
Samsung has tweaked the picture processing and colours
Similar digital camera {hardware}, however colours in photographs really look totally different (Picture by PhoneArena)
By the seems to be of it, the Galaxy A16 5G and A15 5G each seem to have three cameras on the again, however because the ultra-wide is a 5MP one with not a lot element and the third one is a trashy 2MP macro digital camera, you primarily solely have one helpful digital camera on each telephones.
It makes use of a 50MP sensor with f/1.8 aperture.
PhoneArena Digicam Rating:
On our PhoneArena Digicam Rating, we detected an enormous leap in video high quality on the A16 5G, particularly in terms of the principle digital camera and digital zoom. Nevertheless, picture high quality really drops by fairly a bit due to some surprising adjustments to the colours and picture processing.
Fundamental Digicam
On this shot, you may clearly see an enormous divide within the coloration replica of the brand new and older mannequin, the place the older goes for hotter, extra pleasing colours, whereas the brand new one has colder tonalities.
The identical repeats on this portrait shot and it is a unusual change in picture type. We guess it has to do one thing with a change to the ISP with the change to an Exynos processor, however we actually desire the hotter look of the earlier cellphone.
Zoom High quality
There isn’t any devoted zoom digital camera on both of these, so on this picture captured with digital zoom we see extra similarities than variations.
Extremely-wide Digicam
Lastly, the ultra-wide digital camera has the identical unimpressive 5MP decision on each telephones, so it lacks a bit intimately.
Selfies
The entrance digital camera on each makes use of seemingly the identical 13MP sensor and {hardware}, however as soon as once more we see the colder tonalities and the change in coloration replica on the A16 5G.
Video High quality
Video high quality is comparable in terms of element, however there are variations within the coloration science, with the identical colder tonality on the A16 5G that we noticed in images.
One additional functionality it has earned is you may change to the ultra-wide digital camera after beginning a recording with the principle one, a helpful characteristic lacking on the earlier mannequin.
Battery Life and Charging
Similar battery measurement
The headphone jack is gone on the A16 5G (Picture by PhoneArena)
With a 5,000 mAh battery measurement on each the A16 5G and A15 5G, we additionally anticipate real-world battery life to be largely comparable.
Let’s examine if our in-house PhoneArena battery checks present that.
PhoneArena Battery and Charging Take a look at Outcomes:
Apparently, we see the A16 5G lasts a bit lower than the earlier mannequin. That is one thing we see in all three of our checks.
On our first and lightest, net looking take a look at, the A16 5G received near 10 hours, whereas the older mannequin scored an hour extra. Comparable story on our YouTube video take a look at, and eventually, on our 3D gaming take a look at, there was a smaller distinction of half an hour.
General, we estimate you may anticipate utilization of round 6 hours and 43 minutes in the actual world on the A15 5G, and a half an hour much less of display screen time on the A16 5G.
We additionally examined wired charging on each telephones, utilizing a appropriate 25W+ charger, and there have been some slight variations. We attribute this to some slight variability that’s doable on this take a look at, however total a full cost takes round one hour and a half on each.
Audio High quality and Haptics
The A15 5G was a disappointment when it got here to its speaker high quality, so it is good to listen to that the A16 5G has made at the least some progress.
Sadly, you continue to solely get a sinlge backside firing speaker as earlier than, however this speaker distorts much less and might be pushed a bit extra, nearly to its most whereas retaining cheap readability. And that was not fairly the case on the A15 5G.
Haptics on each really feel a bit low-cost and imprecise, however we didn’t have enormous expectations about that.
Specs Comparability
| Specs | Galaxy A16 5G | Galaxy A15 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 164.4 x 77.9 x 7.9 mm | 160.1 x 76.8 x 8.4 mm |
| Weight | 200 g | 200 g |
| Display | 6.7-inch Tremendous AMOLED 90Hz |
6.5-inch Tremendous AMOLED 90Hz |
| Processor | Exynos 1330 (5nm) | MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ (6nm) |
| RAM, Storage | 4/128GB | 4/128GB |
| Cameras | 50MP essential, f/1.8 5MP ultra-wide, f/2.2 2MP macro 13MP entrance |
50MP essential, f/1.8 5MP ultra-wide, f/2.2 2MP macro 13MP entrance |
| Battery Measurement | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Charging Speeds | 25W wired No wi-fi |
25W wired No wi-fi |
Which one must you purchase?
The A16 5G has improved in a significant means, nevertheless it nonetheless feels gradual (Picture by PhoneArena)
It is clear that the Galaxy A16 5G makes some enhancements, whereas solely barely bumping the value tag. It isn’t a foul improve, contemplating the filth low-cost value tier we’ve right here, however we do want the cellphone was sooner. The efficiency remains to be the largest bottleneck for Galaxy’s A1X sequence.
All the remaining is satisfactory. You get respectable battery life and delightful SUPER AMOLED display screen colours.