Samsung Galaxy A16 5G: Samsung’s Galaxy A-series is known for offering good value for money, and the Galaxy A16 5G is no exception. This phone packs in a lot of features for its price tag, including a 50MP main camera, a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, and a long-lasting 5,000mAh battery. But what truly sets the A16 5G apart is its promise of six years of Android updates and security patches. This is a significant advantage over many other budget phones, which typically only offer two or three years of updates.
The Galaxy A16 5G launched in the US in January 2025 for $199 (around Rs 17,000) for the base 4GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. It’s available in black and blue colors and can be purchased from Samsung.com and other major retailers across the country.
The US variant of the Galaxy A16 5G is powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 1330 SoC, built on a 5nm process. This chip promises better performance and efficiency compared to the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC found in the Indian variant. The US model also boasts a slightly larger 6.7-inch display and an IP54 dust and water resistance rating, which is missing on the Indian variant. However, the US variant skips the headphone jack that was present on the A15 5G.
One of the biggest selling points of the Galaxy A16 5G is its extended software support. Samsung is promising six years of Android updates and security patches for the phone. This means you’ll be able to enjoy the latest features and security fixes for a much longer time than with most other budget phones. This extended support is especially beneficial for users who want to keep their phone for a long time.
The Galaxy A16 5G has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate for a smooth viewing experience. The phone is powered by the aforementioned Exynos 1330 SoC, paired with 4GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. There’s also a microSD card slot for expandable storage.
The camera system on the A16 5G is fairly basic, with a 50MP main sensor, a 5MP ultrawide sensor, and a 2MP macro sensor. The front-facing camera for selfies is 13MP. The phone packs a 5,000mAh battery that should provide good all-day battery life. However, the included charger is only 15W, so charging can be a bit slow.
