A few weeks back, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A16 5G in India at a price starting under Rs 20,000. The company has promised to ship the Galaxy A16 with 6 years of OS and security updates as one of its USPs. But is this strategy potent enough to make the Galaxy A16 compete with the iQOO Z9s, which is safely a terrific option in the sub-20k segment? We have put them in the ring to see which one is better. So, let the battle begin.
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Samsung Galaxy A16 5G vs iQOO Z9s 5G: Specifications at Glance
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G vs iQOO Z9s 5G: Price in India
Smartphone
Configuration
Price
Availability
iQOO Z9s
8GB+128GB
Rs 19,999
iQOO eStore and Amazon
8GB+256GB
Rs 21,999
12GB+256GB
Rs 23,999
Samsung Galaxy A16
8GB+128GB
Rs 18,999
Samsung eStore, Amazon and Flipkart
8GB+256GB
Rs 21,999
Both phones are similar in pricing with minuscule differences. The difference lies in the RAM offered. While the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G comes with the standard 8GB of RAM, the iQOO Z9s offers up to 12GB, which makes it a more value-for-money option.
You can purchase both phones from Amazon, though the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is also up for grabs on Flipkart.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G vs iQOO Z9s 5G: Design and Build
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G borrows the key island frame design from mid-range Galaxy phones, where the side-mounted button is placed on a slightly bumped frame section. The phone measures 7.9mm in thickness, making it one of the slimmest phones in the Galaxy A lineup, and weighs 192 grams. It is offered in Gold, Light Green, and Blue Black colours. It is IP54-rated.
The iQOO Z9s flaunts a curved design with rounded corners, drifting from the usual look of budget iQOO phones. The camera module on the rear is reminiscent of upper mid-range Vivo phones like the Vivo V40 Pro and the back has a glossy texture. It comes in two colours: Titanium Matte and Onyx Green. The phone is IP64-rated and weighs 182 grams, which makes it relatively lighter.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G’s design
The iQOO Z9s sports a slender, curved design and the camera pill design lends the phone a premium design. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G goes for a simple design and if you like that approach, you can go for the Samsung offering. But if you want something different, the iQQOO Z9s will appeal more.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G vs iQOO Z9s 5G: Display
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G has a 6.77-inch Super AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution and supports a 90hz refresh rate. The phone feels dated from the front due to its Infinity U punch hole.
The iQOO Z9s has a curved 6.77-inch AMOLED display featuring a 120hz refresh rate, 1800 nits of peak brightness and support of HDR10+ in streaming apps.
Curved display of the iQOO Z9s 5G
With the inclusion of a 120hz refresh rate, the iQOO Z9s 5G feels relatively smoother than the Galaxy A16 5G, hence, it wins in the display department.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G vs iQOO Z9s 5G: Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G has the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC, built on the 6nm process. It features an integrated Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage.
The iQOO Z9s is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC, built on the 4nm process. It has the Mali-G615 MC2 GPU, accompanied by up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
The iQOO Z9s is a better companion for productivity-oriented users as it has a much more powerful chipset backing the entire workload. That said, we have yet to test how both phones perform on benchmarks, so stay tuned for that.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G vs iQOO Z9s 5G: Software
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is shipped with One UI 6.0 based on Android 14. The brand has guaranteed six years of software updates and security patches.
The iQOO Z9s 5G runs FunTouch OS 14 based on Android 14. It is promised to get two years of OS updates and three years of security patches.
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G has a longer update cycle, making it quite reliable. Moreover, it has a much cleaner softer experience, except for a few preinstalled apps. On the contrary, while the iQOO Z9s provides more customisation options, it comes with some bloatware and pre-installed iQOO apps.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G vs iQOO Z9s 5G: Camera
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G sports a 50MP primary camera, a 5MP ultrawide camera, and a 2MP macro camera on the back. The notch on the front screen accommodates a 13MP selfie camera.
The iQOO Z9s 5G’s camera module on the rear houses a 50MP Sony IMX883 primary camera with OIS and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, you get a 16MP selfie camera.
While the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G has a wide array of cameras at your disposal, the iQOO Z9s 5G’s primary camera has OIS support, which makes it a better option here for those stable photos and videos.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G vs iQOO Z9s 5G: Battery and Charging
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G packs a 5,000mAh battery. It supports 25W fast charging but you don’t get a charger in the box just like its expensive siblings.
The iQOO Z9s has a relatively bigger 5,500mAh battery. Unlike the Galaxy A16, the phone comes with a 44W charger in the box and supports 44W speedy charging.
The iQOO Z9s has a comparatively larger battery capacity and can service you well with faster charging and therefore, wins here.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G vs iQOO Z9s 5G: Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G would be a perfect fit for you if the lavish look, the longer software support, and the wide variety of cameras are on your list. While the phone is cheaper than the iQOO Z9s, it doesn’t include an in-box charger, so, there will be additional costs.
The iQOO Z9s would suit you if you want a powerful phone accompanied by the primary camera with OIS, all wrapped in a sleek, curved design. It also comes with a 120Hz display.
