Galaxy A16 5G vs iPhone Air: Which One Should You Buy?

iPhone Air edges ahead with a BeastScore of 78.1/100 — but the right choice depends on what matters to you.

Head-to-head
Comparing 2 devicesSwipe ⇄
Samsung · 2024

Galaxy A16 5G

Galaxy A16 5G
78/ 100
Launch price$199
Apple · 2025

iPhone Air

iPhone Air
78/ 100
Launch price$999
Head-to-head

iPhone Air wins 5 of 8 categories

Here's exactly where each phone is stronger.

Galaxy A16 5G
Galaxy A16 5G
3 wins
iPhone Air
iPhone Air
5 wins
At a glance

Bigger shape = better phone.

SpeedCameraSelfieBatteryDisplayConnectivitySecurityValue
Galaxy A16 5GiPhone Air
Category winners

Scores out of 100. How we score

  • SpeediPhone Air
    64
    90
  • CameraGalaxy A16 5G
    84
    82
  • VideoNot enough data
  • SelfieiPhone Air
    60
    76
  • BatteryGalaxy A16 5G
    86
    58
  • DisplayiPhone Air
    74
    90
  • ConnectivityiPhone Air
    57
    88
  • SecurityiPhone Air
    34
    100
  • ValueGalaxy A16 5G
    90
    55
Key differences
  • Galaxy A16 5G has the bigger battery5,000 mAh vs 3,149 mAh
  • Galaxy A16 5G charges faster25W vs 20W
  • Galaxy A16 5G has a sharper main camera50 MP vs 48 MP
  • iPhone Air has a smoother screen120 Hz vs 90 Hz
  • Galaxy A16 5G has the bigger screen6.7" vs 6.5"
  • iPhone Air is lighter165 g vs 200 g
  • Galaxy A16 5G launched cheaper$199 vs $999
  • iPhone Air has a sharper selfie camera18 MP vs 13 MP
  • iPhone Air has newer Bluetooth6 vs 5.3
  • iPhone Air has more RAM12 GB vs 4 GB
  • iPhone Air has the faster chipApple A19 Pro vs MediaTek Dimensity 6300
  • iPhone Air has faster Wi-FiWi-Fi 7 vs Wi-Fi 5
  • iPhone Air is better protected from water and dustIP68 vs IP54
See all specs ↓

Why buy each phone

Swipe ⇄
Reasons to buy Galaxy A16 5G
  • ✓$800 cheaper at launch ($199 vs $999)
  • ✓Bigger 5,000 mAh battery (+1,851 mAh)
  • ✓50 MP main camera
Reasons to buy iPhone Air
  • ✓35 g lighter (165 g vs 200 g), easier to hold
  • ✓48 MP main camera
  • ✓6.5" display at 120 Hz

Full specifications

Swipe ⇄
SpecificationGalaxy A16 5GiPhone Air
1. Display & Screen🏆 iPhone Air Wins Display
Screen typeSuper AMOLEDLTPO Super Retina XDR OLED
Screen Size6.7"6.5"
Resolution & Density2340x1080 (385 ppi)2736x1260 (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate90 Hz120 Hz ProMotion
Brightness800 nits peak3,000 nits peak
Screen ProtectionNot listedNot listed
2. Platform & Performance🏆 iPhone Air Wins Performance
Chipset / ProcessorMediaTek Dimensity 6300 (6nm)Apple A19 Pro (3nm)
CPU CoresNot listedNot listed
GPU GraphicsMali-G57 MC2Apple GPU (6-core)
Operating SystemAndroid 14iOS 26
3. Memory & Storage
RAM Memory4 GB LPDDR12 GB LPDDR
Internal Storage128GB / 256GB256GB / 512GB / 1024GB
Storage SpeedNot listedNot listed
Card SlotNoNo
4. Main Camera Optics🏆 Galaxy A16 5G Wins Camera
Primary Camera50 MP, f/1.848 MP, f/1.6, OIS, Fusion 48MP
Telephoto ZoomNone (digital zoom only)None (digital zoom only)
Ultrawide Camera5 MP, f/2.2N/A
LiDAR / DepthNoneNone
5. Video
Main Camera Video
Not listed
Not listed
Front Video
Not listed
Not listed
6. Selfie Camera
Selfie Lens13 MP, f/218 MP, f/1.9
7. Body & Dimensions🏆 iPhone Air Lightest Chassis
Dimensions164.4 x 77.9 x 7.9 mm156.2 x 74.7 x 5.64 mm
Weight200 g165 g
Build MaterialsNot listedNot listed
SIM TypeNot listedNot listed
Water ResistanceIP54IP68
8. Battery & Charging🏆 Galaxy A16 5G Wins Battery
Battery Capacity5,000 mAh3,149 mAh
Wired Fast Charging25W wired fast charging20W wired fast charging
Wireless ChargingNot listed25W wireless charging
Reverse ChargingNot listedNot listed
9. Sound & Audio
LoudspeakerNot listedNot listed
3.5mm Headphone JackNoNo
10. Connectivity
Wi-Fi StandardWi-Fi 5Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth5.36.0
USB Port & SpeedUSB-C 2.0USB-C 2.0
NFCYes (contactless payment)Yes (contactless payment)
11. Sensors & Security
SensorsNot listedNot listed
Satellite FeaturesNot listedNot listed
12. Colors & Overview
ColorsNot listedNot listed
Launch Price$199$999
Our verdict

iPhone Air wins — BeastScore 78.1/100

The iPhone Air is the better pick for most people thanks to its smoother screen (120 Hz vs 90 Hz) and lighter body (165 g vs 200 g). The Galaxy A16 5G is worth a look if you prefer its bigger battery (5,000 mAh vs 3,149 mAh).

Buy Galaxy A16 5G if you want

Larger battery: 5,000 mAh vs 3,149 mAh · Lower launch price: $199 vs $999

Buy iPhone Air if you want

Smoother display: 120 Hz vs 90 Hz · Brighter screen: 3,000 nits vs 800 nits

Common questions

Which is better: Galaxy A16 5G or iPhone Air?

The iPhone Air is the better pick for most people thanks to its smoother screen (120 Hz vs 90 Hz) and lighter body (165 g vs 200 g). The Galaxy A16 5G is worth a look if you prefer its bigger battery (5,000 mAh vs 3,149 mAh). BeastScore: Galaxy A16 5G 78.0/100, iPhone Air 78.1/100.

What are the main battery and display differences between Galaxy A16 5G and iPhone Air?

Galaxy A16 5G has a 6.7-inch display and 5000 mAh battery. iPhone Air has a 6.5-inch display and 3149 mAh battery.

How do Galaxy A16 5G and iPhone Air compare for speed?

Galaxy A16 5G scores 64/100 for performance; iPhone Air scores 90/100.

Similar Smartphones

Gear for the iPhone Air

All Amazon Finds →

Related articles

All articles →
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs. Honor Magic V3 vs. OnePlus Open: The Definitive Flagship Foldable Architecture, Hinge Engineering, Crease-Free Displays, and Camera Benchmark Showdown (2026)Flagship Showdown
14 min read

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs. Honor Magic V3 vs. OnePlus Open: The Definitive Flagship Foldable Architecture, Hinge Engineering, Crease-Free Displays, and Camera Benchmark Showdown (2026)

An exhaustive microarchitectural breakdown, hinge mechanism durability, crease analysis, dual-screen multitasking benchmarks, and periscope camera shootout across the 4 premier book-style foldables of 2026.

Read →
Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 57" vs. Odyssey OLED G9 49" vs. ASUS ROG Swift PG49WCD vs. LG UltraGear 45GS96QB: The Definitive Flagship Super Ultrawide & Curved Gaming Monitor Architecture, Dual 4K 7680x2160 vs. Dual QHD QD-OLED, DisplayPort 2.1 Bandwidth (UHBR 13.5/20), 240Hz Refresh Rates, 2,392 Mini-LED Local Dimming Zones vs. Infinite Contrast OLED, KVM Multitasking, and GPU Driveability Shootout (2026)Flagship Monitor Shootout
16 min read

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 57" vs. Odyssey OLED G9 49" vs. ASUS ROG Swift PG49WCD vs. LG UltraGear 45GS96QB: The Definitive Flagship Super Ultrawide & Curved Gaming Monitor Architecture, Dual 4K 7680x2160 vs. Dual QHD QD-OLED, DisplayPort 2.1 Bandwidth (UHBR 13.5/20), 240Hz Refresh Rates, 2,392 Mini-LED Local Dimming Zones vs. Infinite Contrast OLED, KVM Multitasking, and GPU Driveability Shootout (2026)

A comprehensive architectural shootout of the world's most advanced curved super ultrawide monitors. We compare Samsung's 57-inch Dual 4K Quantum Mini-LED titan against 49-inch Gen 2 QD-OLEDs and LG's 45-inch 800R curved WOLED across DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth tunneling, 240Hz motion clarity, text rendering subpixel matrices, multi-window KVM workflows, and GPU horsepower requirements.

Read →
Here are the Apple iPhone Duo alternativesGuide
6 min read

Here are the Apple iPhone Duo alternatives

Explore top alternatives to the $2,000 Apple iPhone Duo, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, Xiaomi 18 Fold 5G, Vivo X Fold5 Pro, and OnePlus Open 2.

Read →