Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Tracfone Review

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G (Tracfone) Specs, Features and Review

The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is one of the latest budget-friendly 5G smartphones available on Tracfone for 2025. It packs a solid combination of features for its price, making it a great option for those who want a reliable smartphone without breaking the bank. 

Samsung offers several new phones in their popular Galaxy A line for this year, including the A36 and A56. While neither of these are available from Tracfone yet, they may become available in the future.

The A16 5G is the most affordable in Samsung's lineup, while still offering some exciting features and upgrades over last year's model. We will also be comparing it closely to the newly available Moto G Power 2025, which has a similar price point from Tracfone.

Let's start this review with our pros and cons for the A16.

Galaxy A16 5G Pros: 

• Affordable 5G smartphone with sleek design
• Super AMOLED display
• Good battery life
• Long-term Android updates
• Decent camera setup

Galaxy A16 5G Cons: 

• No 3.5mm headphone jack
• No wireless charging
• Not the most powerful processor
• Only 4GB RAM

Samsung's budget-friendly smartphones blend features from some of the higher end phones while maintaining a reasonable price point. One of those features is the SuperAMOLED display on the Galaxy A16 5G which has beautiful colors and solid brightness. 

Now let's go over the full list of features and specifications.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Features and Specs

• Display: 6.7" Super AMOLED, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 90Hz refresh rate, 800 nits (HBM)
• Processor: Exynos 1330 (5 nm)
• RAM & Storage: 4GB RAM, 128GB storage, microSDXC
• Operating System: Android 14 with One UI 6.1, up to six major Android upgrades
• Main Camera: 50MP (wide), 5MP (ultrawide), 2MP (macro)
• Front Camera: 13MP (wide)
• Battery: 5000mAh with 25W wired charging
• Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC
• Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
• Durability: IP54 dust and splash resistant
• Audio: Single speaker, USB-C audio (no 3.5mm headphone)

Additional features from Tracfone include LTE/5G network access on Verizon's network, no-contract service, data carryover and a variety of flexible plans. When purchasing a Tracfone device, it comes locked to Tracfone, but is automatically unlocked after two months. Follow our Guide to Unlocking your Tracfone Smartphone if you run into any issues.

A big benefit of purchasing the Galaxy A16 5G from Tracfone is the subsidized price which is significantly lower than the unlocked retail price. We will go over the best options for buying this phone later on, but first, let's get to our review.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Tracfone Smartphone Review

Design and Build
The Galaxy A16 5G has a sleek and modern design with a glass front, plastic back, and plastic frame. It weighs 200g, making it a bit on the heavier side but still comfortable to hold. The phone also features an IP54 rating, meaning it’s dust and splash resistant—an added bonus for durability. 

The phone does not include a 3.5mm headphone jack or stereo speakers, but it does include NFC and a side-mounted fingerprint reader.

By comparison, the Moto G Power 2025 has better durability, waterproof rating and a 3.5mm headphone jack, but is slightly heavier.

Display
One of the highlights of the A16 5G is its 6.7" Super AMOLED display with full HD resolution (1080x2340). It has a 90Hz refresh rate, and brightness rating of 800 nits. The A16's touchscreen provides accurate colors and deeper blacks that are a step above phones at this price level. The display is sharp and snappy, and has about 385 ppi, and an 86% screen-to-body ratio, which are both good.

Whether you're streaming videos, browsing, or gaming, the display provides an excellent viewing experience that is one of the things Samsung is well known for.

Performance and Software
The phone is powered by the Exynos 1330 chipset, paired with an octa-core CPU. It comes 128GB storage and just 4GB RAM, which affects the overall performance of the phone. This setup allows for decent multitasking and everyday performance, but heavy gaming or intensive applications may see some noticeable slowdowns. We would really like to see at least 6GB RAM to help with the overall performance on the A16 5G (unlocked versions do include 4-8GB RAM).

Running on Android 14 with One UI 6.1, the A16 5G is guaranteed to receive up to six major Android upgrades, which is an impressive commitment to software longevity for a budget phone.

The Moto G Power offers similar performance, but increased RAM. For those looking for better performance, look to some of Samsung's more expensive models like the A36 or A56.

Cameras
The triple rear camera system includes a 50MP main sensor, a 5MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro lens. Photos in good lighting are clear and detailed, though low-light performance is average. Video recording is limited to 1080p at 30fps with gyro-EIS for stability. The 13MP front-facing camera does a decent job for selfies and video calls.

The image results of the cameras are better than average for this price point and quite useable in most situations. For those that want 4K video or higher quality night photos, plan to spend a lot more for an Apple, Google or higher end Samsung phone.

Battery Life and Charging
Equipped with a 5000mAh battery, the A16 5G easily lasts a full day with moderate use. The 25W wired charging ensures you can top up the battery fairly quickly, though there’s no wireless charging support (A feature included on this year's Moto G Power). 

Final Thoughts
For Tracfone users looking for an affordable 5G smartphone with a great display, long software support, and decent performance, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is a solid choice. While it lacks premium features like stereo speakers or wireless charging, it delivers great value for its price point.

Compared to the Moto G Power 2025, the A16 5G includes a beautiful screen, elegant design, 6 major  software updates - all at a lower price from Tracfone. However the Power offers double the RAM (8GB), much better durability rating, wireless charging, stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Both phones are competitive budget options that many Tracfone users will find enticing. And while the Power has the slight lead for features, Samsung fans won't miss out on much by going with the A16 over the Power. For those who want a little more performance, we suggest considering last year's Samsung Galaxy A35 5G or waiting until Tracfone releases more options.

Where to Buy the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G

Get the Tracfone version of the Galaxy A16 5G from Tracfone or Walmart for $149.

For the Unlocked version of the Galaxy A16 5G, shop on Amazon or Samsung starting at $200

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is a well-rounded budget smartphone that offers great features for the price. It’s a great option for Tracfone users looking for an affordable way to experience 5G speeds and prefer Samsung smartphones. 

Get the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G User Manual to learn more about the device and how to setup your phone.

That concludes our review of the Galaxy A16 5G. Please leave a comment below with your thoughts or questions. 

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