The Samsung Galaxy A16 proves most buyers just want a good phone — not a $1,000 one

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the allure of flagship phones. They feature tremendous power with premium builds — with a monster price tag to match.

However, most people aren’t willing to walk into their carrier store or local Best Buy and plunk down over $1,000, and they don’t need to.

Budget smartphones aren’t what they used to be, and if you haven’t been paying attention, you’ll be shocked to see how useful they are.

The Samsung Galaxy A16 was last quarter’s best-selling Android phone, and that’s probably the least surprising fact I’ve heard all year.

It’s a remarkably capable device, with features we couldn’t have dreamed of in a phone for under $200 just a short time ago.

If you’re tired of spending so much on flagship phones only to not feel satisfied with the return, or you just need a competent daily driver, here’s why the Galaxy A16 tops the charts.

Better-than-expected performance for a fraction of the price

The Galaxy A16 can do more than you think

I love the performance I get from the Galaxy A16 for the price. Some people might see an Exynos 1330 chipset and run for the hills, but that’s not fair.

Exynos chipsets have significantly improved over the last few years, addressing overheating and poor performance issues from previous generations.

The Exynos 1330 runs most apps without problems, and there aren’t many daily tasks the A16 can’t handle.

Light gaming is fine on the Galaxy A16, and I have no problem firing up Pokémon Go for a raid or hitting a gym.

It’s not a speedy phone, and if you’re expecting the performance you’d see from a Galaxy S25 Ultra, you’re going to be disappointed. But that isn’t the point, and the Galaxy A16 is more than enough for plenty of users.

Some Galaxy A16 models will ship with a Dimensity 6300 chipset, but that shouldn’t be a cause for concern. I’ve used the Dimensity 6300 in several other devices with excellent results.

If there is a limiting factor on the Galaxy A16, it’s RAM. I hoped Samsung would include 6GB of RAM this year, but we only got 4GB again in the United States.

You’ll feel it as the A16 aggressively manages RAM, closing apps to free up space.

Multitasking isn’t ideal either, but these are compromises I’m willing to live with for $200 — especially if the software experience is excellent.

More support than we’re used to

One UI updates for years to come

Budget phones used to get one, maybe two major Android upgrades before they went out of support, and if you were lucky, you might have gotten another year of security patches added on.

It made trusting the phone after a couple of years more difficult, especially with your financial apps.

Samsung promises six years of software updates for the Galaxy A16, and so far, the company has delivered.

One UI 7 ran well on my Galaxy A16, and One UI 8 has been a smooth experience so far. However, I don’t get the full Galaxy AI experience.

Still, I get enough, and Samsung did an excellent job bringing improved multitasking to the Galaxy A16, letting me swipe between apps like I can on the company’s more expensive offerings.

It’s one thing to promise six years of software support, but it’s another to deliver.

It would’ve been easy enough for Samsung to throw together an update and slap it onto the Galaxy A16, without worrying about optimization or whether the phone’s budget chipset could handle it.

That’s not what Samsung has done so far.

I’m OK with not getting every new software feature the company offers if it means I can keep a baseline of performance on my older (or budget) hardware.

Creature comforts you wouldn’t expect

Excellent battery life, too

One of the highlights of the Galaxy A16 is its 6.7-inch Super AMOLED 1080p panel. It’s a gorgeous screen on a budget phone, making the device more enjoyable to use.

I recently tested the Moto G Play 2026, and while I appreciate what Moto has to offer, using an LCD on the G Play is noticeable, especially given Samsung’s high-quality OLED on its budget phone.

I get two days of mixed use on a single charge from the Galaxy A16’s 5,000mAh battery, and the cameras are adequate. I would rely only on the phone’s 50MP primary sensor, but in good lighting, you’ll get a decent photo.

It’s easy to see why the Galaxy A16 sells so well

We grossly overestimate the power we need from a smartphone. I’m not saying I’d want to switch to a Galaxy A16 tomorrow, but if I needed to, I could manage.

Not everyone needs all the flash and features of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and I’m pleased that Samsung put as much effort into making the Galaxy A16 a worthwhile device, with both hardware and software, for only $200.