Quite a few people are considering the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G as their next mobile phone option. And I was a little surprised to see how many people thought this phone would last six years. That’s how long Samsung will update the software on this entry-level 250 euro phone.
Some people may like the A16 5G but don’t think it will last six years. Performance is an obvious concern. How will the Exynos 1330 or Dimensity 6300 hold up to late 2020s software? Is 4GB of RAM enough?
People in the comments also had other concerns – what if the screen (or something) breaks? You can get it replaced, of course. However, this is a 250 euro phone and after a few years the cost of replacing the screen is likely to be more than what you would spend on something like the Galaxy A18 or A19. Samsung frequently offers enhanced trade-in deals, offering the same value for a fully working phone as a broken one.
And some people are still undecided. We received the Galaxy A16 5G unit and are already working on the review, so expect our thoughts on the phone to be published soon.
There was little interest in the 4G version of the Galaxy A16. Instead, I saw a lot of comments saying, “Why not buy the Galaxy A15 5G instead?” Now it’s cheaper, and Samsung offers four OS updates and five years of security patches. A15 5G will reach end-of-life status once Android 18 and patches are released by the end of 2028. It’s not bad – not as good as the A16, but it still lasts quite a while (especially for those who didn’t plan on getting a full 6 years in the first place).
Although not sexy, the Galaxy A16 5G is becoming a reliable seller for Samsung. The addition of an IP54 rating would have been helpful, but the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack was a no-no, and more RAM would have helped. Still, this is a solid entry-level device overall.
