All eyes may be on the Galaxy S25 release expected later this month, but you actually won’t have to wait that long to get Samsung’s cheapest phone — the Galaxy A16. This $199 handset won’t be a huge burden on your budget, but I know that it sets a precedent for any other budget phone released in 2025 because it comes with six years of major Android and security updates.
Interestingly enough, we’ve heard whispers about the Galaxy A16 5G for quite some time now because of a listing that was leaked back in October. But now the phone’s finally official and we have all the juicy details about this best cheap phone contender.
Even though it shares the same $199 starting cost as last year's Galaxy A15 5G, Samsung introduced several changes that make the A16 much more formidable. For starters, the Galaxy A16 features a larger 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, and it’s rated for up to 800 nits. Not only is it thinner with slimmer bezels, the Galaxy A16 5G also boasts an improved IP54 rating to give it a little bit of dust and water resistance.
On the back, the A16 features a triple camera setup that consists of a 50MP main sensor, 5MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro. Sure, it’s not the most versatile system, but it at least gives content creators the basics. Meanwhile, the phone’s powered by the Exynos 1330 chip and runs Android 14 out of the box. Samsung generously gives the Galaxy A16 5G six years of major Android and security updates, which is a big deal because phones in this price range rarely get more than three years.
Rounding things out, there’s a 5,000 mAh battery under the hood with support for 25W wired charging. These specs are unchanged from the Galaxy A15, so the A16's battery endurance will ultimately come down to the efficiency of the Exynos 1330. Given how the Pixel 8a tops our best cheap phones list, the Galaxy A16 5G makes for a compelling challenger — but we’ll need to put Samsung's new phone through proper testing to see if it can.
If this isn’t enough to be excited for the new year, Samsung’s also pairing the Galaxy A16 with an affordable fitness tracker, the Galaxy Fit 3. It features a larger 1.6-inch display, blood oxygen monitor, sleep tracking, IP68 rating, fall detection, and much more. What’s really impressive about the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is the company’s claim of 13 days of battery life.
Both the Galaxy A16 5G and Fit 3 will be available online and at national retailers beginning on January 9 in the U.S. for $199 and $59, respectively. Those who buy the Galaxy A16 5G will get a 50% discount on the Galaxy Fit 3.
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