The Galaxy A16 is here.
Samsung has quietly launched its latest budget phone in Europe, where it’s available in 4G and 5G variants once again.
But what has changed compared to January’s Galaxy A15 5G and A15 (4G), and are both models contenders to be among the best budget phones?
Here’s everything you need to know about their release dates, pricing and key specs.
When will the Samsung Galaxy A16 be released?
The Galaxy A16 5G is out now, having been first spotted on Samsung’s regional websites in Netherlands (via SamMobile) and France (via GSMArena). The latter is also where you’ll find the 4G version of the Galaxy A16, as evidenced by an official blog post.
As for the Galaxy A16 5G, you can now buy it in the UK directly from the Samsung UK website, though there’s no sign of the 4G model.
As a reminder, here’s when the recent models came out:
- Samsung Galaxy A15 – January 2024
- Samsung Galaxy A15 5G – January 2024
- Samsung Galaxy A14 – January 2023
- Samsung Galaxy A14 5G – March 2023
Samsung France / Samsung Netherlands
How much will the Samsung Galaxy A16 cost?
The Galaxy A16 5G costs £199 in the UK, €229 (Netherlands) or €249 (France) in Europe. This marks a slight increase compared to the Galaxy A15 5G, which cost £169 in the UK.
Here’s how much the previous models cost at launch:
- Samsung Galaxy A15 – £169
- Samsung Galaxy A15 5G – £199/$199.99
- Samsung Galaxy A14 – £179/$150
- Samsung Galaxy A14 5G – £219/$199.99
It remains to be seen how much it’ll cost in the US, or if the 4G model will ever be sold in either the UK or US.
What specs and features will the Samsung Galaxy A16 have?
The Galaxy A16 5G brings several notable enhancements in terms of design, performance, and software support. Here’s a breakdown of what the device offers.
Design
The Galaxy A16 5G features a slim design at just 7.9mm thick, though this sleekness comes at the cost of losing the 3.5mm headphone jack.
It is available in multiple colours, including Midnight Blue, Turquoise, and Gray, offering a modern aesthetic.
The phone also has an IP54 rating, giving it protection against dust and splashes of water, though it’s not fully waterproof.
As expected, its right side features the ‘Key Island’ where the power and volume rocker buttons are, which is raised compared to the rest of the right side. It allows you to easily access these important controls through touch alone.
The power button also doubles as a fingerprint scanner. The back houses a vertically aligned triple-camera setup, plus an LED flash.
Display
The phone boasts a larger 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, an upgrade compared to the 6.5-inch panel on the Galaxy A15 5G.
With a Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate (both unchanged), the Galaxy A16 5G should deliver vibrant visuals and smooth scrolling.
Samsung France / Samsung Netherlands
The front camera is housed in a small waterdrop notch, maintaining a minimal bezel design.
Performance
Under the hood, the A16 5G varies its processor depending on the region. In Europe, it features the Exynos 1330 chipset, while GSMArena reports that markets like India and Thailand are expected to receive the Dimensity 6300 variant.
Both versions come with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, expandable via Micro-SD card up to an impressive 1.5TB, a first for Samsung Galaxy phones.
Samsung France / Samsung Netherlands
While we don’t yet know how these processors will work in the practice, recent leaks shed some light on this.
The Geekbench listing (via MySmartPrice) revealed the performance of the Galaxy A16 5G with MediaTek’s Dimensity 6300 chipset.
The single-core and multi-core scores of 514 and 1464, respectively, suggest a performance boost over its predecessor, making it more than capable of handling everyday tasks and moderate gaming.
Cameras
The camera setup on the Galaxy A16 5G is quite versatile for a budget phone. The rear camera system includes a 50Mp main camera, a 5Mp ultrawide lens and a 2Mp macro lens.
On the front, there’s a 13MP selfie camera housed in the waterdrop notch. The Galaxy A15 5G featured exactly the same setup.
Samsung France / Samsung Netherlands
Samsung may introduce incremental improvements in image processing and software features, but that remains to be seen.
Battery & Charging
The Galaxy A16 5G comes with a robust 5,000 mAh battery and supports 25W fast charging.
According to a report from Android Headlines, it’s likely that both 4G and 5G models will come with a 25W charger included in the box.
However, as is the case for most budget phones, there’s no wireless charging.
Software
The phone will ship with Android 14 and One UI 6.1, ensuring the latest features and security right out of the box.
However, it’s unlikely to include any Galaxy AI, which is reserved for Samsung’s more expensive phones.
One of the most impressive aspects of the Galaxy A16 5G is its software support. Samsung is offering a full six years of Android updates and security patches, which is the best commitment of any budget phone.
This extended support means the Galaxy A16 5G will remain up-to-date until at least 2030, making it an attractive choice for those who don’t want to upgrade their phone frequently.
Samsung France / Samsung Netherlands
This is all we currently know about the Galaxy A16. In the meantime, be sure to check out the best budget phones currently available to see what Samsung will be against.
Author: Artur Tomala, Mobile Writer, Tech Advisor
Artur is a Mobile Writer at Tech Advisor, where he covers a range of smartphone, tablet and smartwatch-related topics. He has been working in the tech industry since 2021, including time spent leading a team focused on mobile news, reviews and product rankings. As an ambassador for the productivity app Notion, he runs training workshops and creates advanced templates to help people stay organised and productive.