Galaxy A26 vs A16: You might want to pay the higher price
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Intro
Towards the end of last year Samsung released the budget-friendly Galaxy A16 for $200, and soon the company is expected to announce the Galaxy A26, which is a somewhat better option with an expected price of $300.
So, the question is what do $100 more give you in return? Well, as usual, the A26 is said to come with a much better processor, which should offer a more fluid user experience than the A16, which can't even use screen recording.
The A26 is also expected to come with a better display, a design that resembles more that of the upcoming Galaxy A36 and A56, more RAM, and higher resistance to the elements.
Galaxy A26 vs Galaxy A16 expected differences:
| Galaxy A26 | Galaxy A16 |
|---|---|
| Significantly faster Exynos 1380 processor and 6 GB RAM | Weak Exynos 1330 chip that's mostly suitable for light use only; 4 GB RAM |
| Brighter and smoother 120Hz display | Not as bright display with 90Hz refresh rate |
| Better dust and water resistance with an IP67 rating | IP54 dust and water resistance |
| Triple camera setup with 50 MP main, 8 MP ultra-wide and 2 MP macro | Triple camera setup with 50 MP main, 5 MP ultra-wide and 2 MP macro |
| 5000 mAh battery capacity and 25W charging; no wireless charging | 5000 mAh battery capacity and 25W charging; no wireless charging |
| 6 years of OS upgrades | 6 years of OS upgrades |
Table of Contents:
Read more:
- Samsung Galaxy A16 5G vs Galaxy A15 5G: What's new?
- Samsung Galaxy A36 5G vs Galaxy A16 5G: Twice the price, double the phone?
- Galaxy A16 5G Review: Some improvements, but one red flag remains
Design and Size
The Galaxy A26 should be much better for durability
Samsung usually uses the same design for its A1x and A2x series, but this time things could be different. The latest leaked renders show the Galaxy A26 having a camera module that houses all three cameras (similar to the Galaxy A56 and A36), instead of the three protruding lenses you have on the Galaxy A16.
Other than that though, both phones have boxy bodies with flat sides and a slight bump where the power and volume keys are. The power button is also where the fingerprint scanner lives on both phones, which tends to be accurate but somewhat slow.
These are rather big, with the Galaxy A16 measuring 164.4 x 77.9 x 7.9 mm and the A26 said to be 164 x 77.5 x 7.7 mm. Materials-wise, the Samsung uses plastic for the frames and glass for the back panels. Unfortunately, Samsung does not say what glass is used for the display and the back panel, so we have to assume it's not super durable. In other words, a case is a must no matter which one you go for.
Surprisingly, rumor has it that Samsung will make the Galaxy A26 water resistant enough to pass the IP67 rating certification. That means the device is fully dust-tight and can withstand immersion in up to 1 meter of (fresh) water for 30 minutes. That's the same as the A36 and even the A56.
The Galaxy A16, on the other hand, comes with an IP54 dust and water resistance rating, which means it is not even fully protected from dust particles.
Display Differences
Just like the A16, the Galaxy A26 is also rumored to keep the tear-drop notch at the top center of the display. Leaked renders also show it having just as thick bezels, including that massive chin of the A16.
Where the A26 will differ, however, is in its 120Hz display refresh rate, which will offer a smoother user experience compared to the 90Hz on the Galaxy A16. It's also safe to expect somewhat higher brightness levels on the pricier model, as even the older A55 beats the A16 in that regard.
Performance and Software
The one reason to go for the A26
If there's anything that would justify spending more money on the A26, it is its processor. Leaks are saying that we should expect the Samsung Exynos 1380 chipset, which is considerably more powerful than the Exynos 1330 of the A16.
If it is better performance you are looking for, then the A26 is worth the investment. The A16 is more suitable for folks that simply want to browse the web, check emails and chat. =
The A26 should also come with more memory, 6 GB of it to be exact, compared to the 4 GB of the A16. This helps the phone function more smoothly and load things quicker.
In terms of features, you won't find many on the A16. That's most likely due to its rather slow chipset, but we found it to be a bit surprising that the phone doesn't even have screen recording.
The 16 launched with Android 14 and Samsung's One UI 6.1 custom layer on top, but we expect the A26 to come with Android 15 and One UI 7. The good thing is that Samsung has promised 6 years of OS updates for the A16 and, presumably, it will do the same for the A26. That's some serious commitment given these are budget phones we are talking about, so it will be interesting to see how well the company keeps its promise.
Camera
Some small differences
It's hard to deliver a good camera experience at such a price point, but nowadays at least the main camera does a good-enough job for family snapshots and videos. For some reason though, Samsung still insists on putting a useless 2 MP macro camera on these budget phones—the A16 has one and the A26 probably will too.
The A16 also comes with a 5 MP ultra-wide camera, which is somewhat decent during the day. Meanwhile, the A26 is said to inherit the 8 MP ultra-wide from its predecessor, which did a better job during our camera testing compared to the A16 one.
Overall, however, the camera experience between these two phone shouldn't be drastically different, but if you want a slightly better ultra-wide camera, then the A26 is the pick to go for.
Battery Life and Charging
Should be very similar to each other
The Galaxy A16 comes with a 5,000 mAh battery, which is also what we expect the A26 to have. During our battery tests of the A16 it got an estimated 6 hours and 12 minutes of battery life, which is quite a bit better than the A25. So, we are hoping that Samsung has also improved the battery life of tha A26—maybe the new chip will do the trick.
Charging-wise, the A26 is said to come with 25W wired and no wireless charging support, just like the A16.
Specs Comparison
Here's a quick overview of the expected Galaxy A26 vs Galaxy A16 specs. Just keep in mind that everything about the A26 is still under wraps, so all of the information below is based on leaks and rumors.
| Galaxy A26 | Galaxy A16 |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 164 x 77.5 x 7.7 mm, 200 g | Size, weight 164.4 x 77.9 x 7.9 mm, 200 g |
| Screen 6.7" OLED 120Hz refresh rate | Screen 6.7" OLED 90Hz refresh rate |
| Processor Exynos 1380 (5nm) | Processor Exynos 1330 (5nm) or Mediatek Dimensity 6300 (6nm) in some countries |
| Versions: 6/128GB 6/256GB LPDDR4X | Versions: 4/128 GB 4/256 GB LPDDR4X |
| Cameras: 50 MP main 8 MP ultra 2 MP macro 13 MP front | Cameras: 50 MP main 5 MP ultra 2 MP macro 13 MP front |
| Battery: 5000 mAh* | Battery: 5000 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 25W wired No wireless | Charging: USB-C 25W wired No wireless |
Just like with previous years, the most obvious difference when comparing these two spec sheets is the processor. There's also the slightly higher RAM on the A26 and the slightly higher resolution of its ultra-wide camera. The A16 also has a slower display refresh rate in comparison.
Summary
So, there you have it. For just hundred bucks more you get a device that you will surely be more happy with. The best thing the A26 has going for it, like usual, is that faster processor. Even if you don't use your phone for anything more than web surfing, chat and calls, the extra horsepower of the Exynos 1380 will have a positive effect on your experience with the phone.
The A16 is not a bad option if you really want to spend as little as possible though. In fact, it is one of the best phones at that price point you can get. It can be a great back-up phone. That said, if you want a new affordable daily driver, it sounds like the A26 would be the better option.
Of course, nothing is too certain until we actually get to test out the A26, so stay tuned for the full comparison.
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