Unfortunately, new smartphone versions aren’t always better than previous ones. At the beginning of the year, the Realme 16 and Realme 16 Pro became a prime example of this, noticeably lagging behind the Realme 15 series in terms of specs, and in some individual parameters—even the Realme 14.
⚡ If you are in a hurry, here is a brief summary:
- Screen: The Realme 16 screen is smaller, and its refresh rate has decreased by 16.7%.
- Brightness: Realme 16 is 12.5% dimmer than its predecessor, and Realme 16 Pro is 22% dimmer.
- Processors are 10–38% inferior to their predecessors.
- Gaming performance in the new models may be 2–3 times worse than Realme 15 models due to simplified GPUs.
- Realme 16 Camera lost optical stabilization (OIS), and its sensor area decreased by 56%.
- Realme 16 Pro Camera boasts 200 MP resolution, but the sensor size remains the same.
- Both smartphones lost Wi-Fi 6 support; Realme 16 Pro cannot record 4K@60 FPS video, and Realme 16 cannot even record 4K@30 FPS.
Realme introduced the new numbered smartphone series in two stages. The Realme 16 Pro and Pro+ were officially announced on January 8 in India, while the Realme 16 was shown on January 30 in Vietnam. Now all these devices are heading to the global market.
Alas, the joy of new releases is overshadowed by the fact that the new models lose devastatingly to the Realme 15 lineup. Perhaps this was done to reduce prices, or to compensate for rapidly rising prices for RAM and storage. In this article, we will analyze exactly what was downgraded.
Contents of the article:
Realme 16 vs. Realme 15
Out of the trio of new models, the standard Realme 16 seems to have received the most significant spec simplification. Here is a clear comparison table:
At the end of the article, there is also a more detailed table that additionally covers the Realme 14 models and a greater number of various parameters.
In Vietnam, **Realme 16 prices** on the official website start from 11.5 million dong (~$442) for the 8/256 GB version. For comparison, the Realme 15 model with the same memory capacity costs 10.5 million dong, i.e., approximately $403. In other words, **the new model is 9.5% more expensive**. However, prices in Vietnam are traditionally high, and the smartphone is not yet sold in other regions.
Display – smaller diagonal, wider bezels
The first difference you will likely notice without us pointing it out. The display of the new model has become smaller:
As you can see, not only the size has changed: the screen refresh rate has also taken a step back compared to Realme 15, returning to 120 Hz. Brightness has also dropped. The manufacturer claims 1400 nits of full-screen brightness for the Realme 16, against 1600 nits in the Realme 15 model.
Realme also promises 4200 nits for the new model, but this is only peak brightness in specific areas, not full-screen brightness.
Also, pay attention to the width of the gadget. Despite the significantly reduced diagonal, the width has decreased very slightly. Only from 75.9 mm on the Realme 15 to 75.1 mm on the new model. This means that the bezels themselves have become noticeably thicker.
Processor – second downgrade in a row
The base model Realme 16 received the MediaTek Dimensity 6400 processor. Here is how its performance* in the AnTuTu 10 test compares with the chips installed in previous numbered Realme models:
- Realme 16, Dimensity 6400 – 605 000
- Realme 15, Dimensity 7300 – 671 500
- Realme 14, Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 – 759 000
Yes, you understood correctly. The processor in the standard models of the series has become worse twice in a row, scoring fewer and fewer points. Perhaps the company chooses less powerful chips to save money.
It turns out that performance from Realme 14 to Realme 16 has “sagged” by more than 20%.
Moreover, above we mentioned the total score in AnTuTu. If we look specifically at the power of the graphics processor (GPU), which is important for games, the steps backward turned out to be much more dramatic here:
- Realme 16, Dimensity 6400 – 48 000
- Realme 15, Dimensity 7300 – 146 000
- Realme 14, Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 – 184 000
The appearance of the standard Realme 16 differs greatly from most other Realme smartphones.
A threefold drop in GPU performance looks so impressive that it might seem like a mistake. And yet it looks like the truth. The Dimensity 6400 uses a graphics accelerator with a theoretical speed of about 137 GFLOPS, while the Dimensity 7300 has a much more powerful GPU providing up to 536 GFLOPS.
In other words, the new Realme 16 smartphone is suitable for undemanding daily tasks, but for games and serious loads, it is practically several times weaker than Realme 15 and 14. This article was conceived precisely to warn users about such nuances.
Cameras – did they get worse too?
Yes, Realme 16 cameras are worse than Realme 15, and very significantly so. The main camera retained the previous resolution of 50 MP, but became completely different.
The sensor lost optical image stabilization (OIS) and also became much smaller in size:
- Realme 15 used the Sony IMX882 sensor measuring 1/1.95″
- Realme 16 uses a much smaller Sony IMX852 sensor (1/2.93″)
- The area of the IMX852 is 56% smaller than that of the IMX882
This is a critically important difference not in favor of the new models. Sensor size is one of the most important, and sometimes the most important characteristic for mobile photography. A sensor that is too small is objectively bad. The difference will be especially noticeable during evening or night shooting.
The Vietnamese Realme website reveals the main camera sensor. Unfortunately, the IMX852 is one of the smallest modern sensors from Sony.
Another major downgrade in camera specs is the ability to record video only in Full HD resolution instead of 4K. This means a drop in detail and a fourfold decrease in the number of pixels.
In turn, Realme 16 can record even Full HD video only at 30 frames per second instead of smooth 60 frames. But the strangest thing: Full HD@60 FPS recording is supported by the front camera. In other words, its sensor might be somewhat better and more technologically advanced than the main camera matrix.
Note that 4K shooting and optical stabilization were available even in the Realme 14 model.
Realme 16 colors.
Finally, looking at the appearance of the Realme 16, one might think that it has three cameras on the back. However, in reality, there is only the main camera. The other two holes are an autofocus assistant and, most likely, a useless “dummy” with a resolution of 2 MP.
There is no ultrawide camera on the Realme 16. Recall that ultrawide cameras in smartphones shoot with a viewing angle about one and a half times larger than that of the main modules (usually ~120 versus ~80 degrees). This is convenient for shooting landscapes, interiors, and groups of people.
Other disadvantages
The screen, processor, and cameras are just the main things. However, Realme 16 has other spec simplifications compared to Realme 15.
Thus, the novelty has become thicker, going from 7.7 to 8.1 mm. Support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 has also disappeared, replaced by support for only Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.3. The flash memory has also become slightly worse: UFS 2.2 is used instead of UFS 3.1. Finally, the charging power was reduced from 80 to 60 watts.
In what ways is Realme 16 actually better than Realme 15?
As you understood, in general, the new model is worse than its predecessor. However, there are still a few points where the novelty is better.
The most obvious plus is battery life. The screen has become smaller, the refresh rate and brightness are lowered, but the silicon-carbon battery remains the same — an impressive 7000 mAh. This combination gives hope for improved autonomy.
Selfie mirror on the Realme 16.
Also, the microSD card slot has returned to the smartphone. Additionally, the novelty has a miniature round mirror on the back. The latter can be useful for taking selfies with the main camera. Although, on the Realme 16, it might not be much better than the front camera.
Finally, in the spec description of the model, we see a curious point about an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. In other numbered Realme models, including 16 Pro and Pro+, this is not used. An ultrasonic scanner is better than traditional optical ones because it works correctly with wet and dirty fingers.
Realme 16 Pro vs. Realme 15 Pro
Just as the base Realme 16 model yields to its predecessor, a similar fate befell the more expensive Realme 16 Pro. Compared to the Realme 15 Pro, it also became less attractive in terms of a number of characteristics:
In India, **prices for the Realme 16 Pro** start from 32,000 rupees for the 8/128 GB version, which is ~$354 USD. For comparison, the Realme 15 Pro model with the same memory capacity costs 34,000 rupees ($376) on the company’s Indian website. Thus, in India, **the new model is 6% cheaper** than the smartphone that has been on sale for more than half a year.
The display only seems the same
At first glance, the Realme 16 Pro screen hasn’t changed much compared to the Realme 15 Pro. Users can expect almost the same diagonal of about 6.8″, a refresh rate of 144 Hz, and an impressive peak brightness of up to 6500 nits.
However, peak brightness in all smartphones is more of a marketing term, as only small areas of the screen can shine with such values in the thousands of nits, not the entire display.
The real full-screen brightness of the Realme 16 Pro has become worse compared to its predecessor — now it is 1400 nits versus 1800 nits. In other words, 22% worse, which can be especially noticeable on the street on a sunny day. Although, in fairness, 1400 nits of full-screen brightness is also a very decent indicator for a mid-range smartphone.
Recall again that 6500 nits is only peak brightness for individual areas of the screen. In real life, full-screen brightness is much more important.
In addition to brightness, also pay attention to the bezels around the screen. Its diagonal remained almost the same, but the bezels became larger. This is especially noticeable in the side bezels: the width of the device increased from 76.2 to 77.6 mm because of them.
Processor returned to the level of the model before last
The “heart” of the Realme 16 Pro is the Dimensity 7300 processor from MediaTek. Users could already see this chip in the Realme 14 Pro.
In turn, the Realme 15 Pro was equipped with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor. The difference in the AnTuTu 10 test is as follows:
- Realme 16 Pro (and 14 Pro), Dimensity 7300 – 671 500
- Realme 15 Pro, Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 – 1 086 500
In other words, the previous processor in this test showed a result approximately 62% higher.
On its website, Realme claims 971,755 points for the Dimensity 7300 processor in the AnTuTu test. It seems to us that this is quite far from reality.
Moreover, if we look not at general numbers, but specifically at the graphics unit indicators, the downgrade looks even more impressive:
- Realme 16 Pro (and 14 Pro), Dimensity 7300 – 146 000
- Realme 15 Pro, Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 – 325 500
It turns out that for gaming, the new model is more than twice as bad. Yes, AnTuTu gives very approximate results, and yet it is quite suitable as a general guide.
Camera – 200 MP, but don’t rush to rejoice
In cameras, at first glance, there has been great progress. The main module with a resolution of 50 MP was replaced by a new one — 200 MP.
This is indeed not bad: such high resolution will increase shooting variability due to frame cropping capabilities. In addition, 200 MP will help make zoom (still that same cropping), partially compensating the gadget for the lack of a full-fledged telephoto camera.
And yet the progress is not as big as it seems. The sensor resolution increased fourfold, but its size remained absolutely the same — 1/1.56″.
- Realme 16 Pro – 200 MP, 1/1.56″, Samsung ISOCELL HP5
- Realme 15 Pro – 50 MP, 1/1.56″, Sony IMX896
For shooting quality, sensor size is much more important than the number of megapixels, but specifically here, no progress occurred.
Additionally, the matrix itself is now not from Sony, but from Samsung, which theoretically can also be a minus. The fact is that in flagship smartphones, you can mostly meet Samsung sensors only in Samsung’s own Galaxy devices. Apple and Chinese brands prefer to use Sony sensors for main cameras in flagships. Probably for a reason.
Realme 16 Pro cameras.
The gadget’s ultrawide camera has also become worse. The resolution decreased from 50 to 8 MP, and the sensor size shrank from 1/2.88″ to 1/4.0″. Consequently, the sensor area of the new camera is 48% smaller than that of its predecessor.
Finally, pay attention to video recording capabilities. Due to the simplified processor or camera sensor change, Realme 16 Pro lost the ability to record 4K@60 FPS video compared to Realme 15 Pro. Now 4K video can only be recorded at 30 frames per second, which deprives it of smoothness. The same applies to the front camera.
Two more important minuses
In addition to the listed, Realme 16 Pro has other simplifications. Instead of a metal frame, the smartphone now has a plastic one, and instead of Wi-Fi 6, there is only support for Wi-Fi 5.
Why did the specs get worse and what about the Pro+ model?
We believe there are two main factors why most characteristics took a step back.
The first is a sharp rise in memory prices. Due to the artificial intelligence boom and the construction of huge data centers for it, prices for all types of memory have now increased literally several times over. This applies to storage and, to an even greater extent, to RAM.
Realme 16 Pro colors.
For some time, manufacturers held on to component stocks, but now these stocks are running out, and new components are being purchased at new prices.
Realme, with its Realme 16 models, became one of the first companies to show the 2026 novelties. Not the most pleasant “surprises” from other manufacturers may still be ahead.
The second factor: Realme decided to return to the previous strategy, where there is a Pro+ version in the numbered series. Recall that last summer, in the Realme 15 lineup, the company abandoned this most advanced model, significantly strengthening the standard version and the Pro version instead.
It can be assumed that Realme thus wanted to simplify the model range. It is simpler for the user, and it saves the manufacturer from excessive spending on designing additional models.
Realme 16 Pro+ looks visually similar to Realme 16 Pro, but has curved side edges instead of flat ones. Photo: GSMArena.
However, perhaps sales of the “15” series did not please the company very much, which is why the Pro+ model is now returning.
It is this model that “absorbed” the most advanced characteristics. Realme 16 Pro+ surpasses its predecessor — Realme 14 Pro+ (recall, there was no 15 Pro+) in almost everything. The screen, processor, and battery of the novelty have become significantly better.
Although regarding cameras, everything is controversial. The main sensor went from a resolution of 50 MP to 200 MP, but its size remained the same. In turn, the matrix for the telephoto camera decreased in size by 50%: from 1/1.95″ to 1/2.76″. Additionally, both in the case of the main camera and the telephoto lens, Samsung sensors are now used instead of Sony.
Large comparative table
Let’s summarize the article with a large table in which we compare not only the Realme 15 and 16 series models but also Realme 14:
Comparative table of numbered Realme models of the last three generations. Click to open the full version in a new tab.
It is easy to notice that Realme 16 turned out to be the simplest device in terms of characteristics compared to its predecessors. So all hopes now are only for lower prices. Otherwise, it will be difficult to explain such a step back.
Finally, we remind you not to get too upset about the current downgrades. Realme is one of those companies that update their smartphones extremely often. The numbered series gets an upgrade twice a year. Therefore, the Realme 17 lineup should be expected as early as mid-summer.
Let’s hope the new items fix the shortcomings of the current models and, following the trend, receive even more capacious silicon-carbon batteries than now.
* – performance values in the AnTuTu test are taken based on the NanoReview portal database. However, in the smartphones themselves, depending on the firmware version, memory capacity, and other factors, you may see noticeably different indicators.
Founder and Lead Editor at MobileNotes.ru. Tech enthusiast covering modern technology for about 15 years.