Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy A57

Our Verdict: Galaxy A57 has the better claim for contract value, led by the lower contract price from £18.79/mo and the higher-resolution 32MP front camera. iPhone 16 Plus is not just a fallback, though: it brings the sharper 460 PPI display and storage options up to 512GB. Pick Galaxy A57 if those advantages are decisive, but lean toward iPhone 16 Plus when display sharpness is more important.

The A57 is the cheaper one to own: around £442 over a typical contract, £354 less than the iPhone 16 Plus.

Expert Rating
4.2
12 reviews
3.6
11 reviews
Screen
6.7" 6.7"
Display
Super Retina XDR OLED Super AMOLED
Resolution
2796 x 1290 1080 x 2340
Pixels Per Inch
460 385
Rear Camera
48 Megapixels 50 Megapixels
Front Camera
12 Megapixels 32 Megapixels
Chipset
Apple A18 (3 nm) Exynos 1580 (4 nm)
Battery
4,674 mAh 5,000 mAh
Storage
128GB, 256GB, 512GB 256GB
OS
Apple iOS Android 16
SIM Type
nano-SIM and e-SIM nano-SIM and e-SIM
Connectivity
Up to 5G Up to 5G
Wi-Fi
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6
Bluetooth
5.3, A2DP, LE 5.3 with A2DP, LE
Dimensions
160.9 x 77.8 x 7.80 mm 162.2 x 77.5 x 7.4 mm
Weight
199 grams 179 grams
Water Resistance
IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 mins) IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Contracts
£32.79/mo (£9.00 upfront) £14.99/mo (£60.00 upfront)
SIM-free
£510.00 £389.00

Prices updated 26 July 2026

Apple iPhone 16 Plus Apple iPhone 16 Plus Samsung Galaxy A57 Samsung Galaxy A57
Expert Rating 4.2
12 reviews
3.6
11 reviews
Screen 6.7" 6.7"
Display Super Retina XDR OLED Super AMOLED
Resolution 2796 x 1290 1080 x 2340
Pixels Per Inch 460 385
Rear Camera 48 Megapixels 50 Megapixels
Front Camera 12 Megapixels 32 Megapixels
Chipset Apple A18 (3 nm) Exynos 1580 (4 nm)
Battery 4,674 mAh 5,000 mAh
Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB 256GB
OS Apple iOS Android 16
SIM Type nano-SIM and e-SIM nano-SIM and e-SIM
Connectivity Up to 5G Up to 5G
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6
Bluetooth 5.3, A2DP, LE 5.3 with A2DP, LE
Dimensions 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.80 mm 162.2 x 77.5 x 7.4 mm
Weight 199 grams 179 grams
Water Resistance IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 mins) IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Contracts £32.79/mo
£9.00 upfront
£14.99/mo
£60.00 upfront
SIM-free £510.00 £389.00
Prices updated 26 July 2026
Deals Deals

Cheapest Deals

Apple iPhone 16 Plus
Apple iPhone 16 Plus

24 Months

128GB

Black

Refurbished

10GB

Data

£32.79 per month, £9 upfront.

Samsung Galaxy A57
Samsung Galaxy A57

24 Months

256GB

Awesome Navy

30GB

Data

£14.99 per month, £60 upfront.

Use code: SAVING10 (£10)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Apple iPhone 16 Plus or Samsung Galaxy A57 cheaper on contract?

Based on total cost of ownership, the Samsung Galaxy A57 is cheaper on contract at £442.16 over the life of the deal from £14.99 per month with £60.00 upfront.

Which has the better screen, the Apple iPhone 16 Plus or Samsung Galaxy A57?

Both phones have a similar screen size at around 6.7", the Apple iPhone 16 Plus has the sharper display at 460 pixels per inch versus 385, and the Apple iPhone 16 Plus uses a Super Retina XDR OLED panel while the Samsung Galaxy A57 has a Super AMOLED.

Which has the better camera, the Apple iPhone 16 Plus or Samsung Galaxy A57?

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus features a 48 Megapixels rear camera, while the Samsung Galaxy A57 has a 50 Megapixels rear camera. Both devices also have front-facing cameras for selfies and video calls.

Which is cheaper to buy SIM-free, the Apple iPhone 16 Plus or Samsung Galaxy A57?

The Samsung Galaxy A57 is cheaper SIM-free, starting from £389.00.

What storage options are available for the Apple iPhone 16 Plus and Samsung Galaxy A57?

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, while the Samsung Galaxy A57 comes in 256GB.

What processors do the Apple iPhone 16 Plus and Samsung Galaxy A57 use?

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is powered by the Apple A18 (3 nm), while the Samsung Galaxy A57 uses the Exynos 1580 (4 nm).

Which is easier to carry and hold, the Apple iPhone 16 Plus or Samsung Galaxy A57?

It's a trade-off: the Samsung Galaxy A57 is lighter but the Apple iPhone 16 Plus is more compact. It's 20g lighter at 179 grams, though the Apple iPhone 16 Plus is actually the more compact phone at 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.80 mm, the Samsung Galaxy A57 is slimmer at 7.4mm thick.

Which is more water resistant, the Apple iPhone 16 Plus or Samsung Galaxy A57?

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is rated IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 mins), while the Samsung Galaxy A57 is rated IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min).

What operating system do the Apple iPhone 16 Plus and Samsung Galaxy A57 run?

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus runs Apple iOS and the Samsung Galaxy A57 runs Android 16. This is one of the biggest factors when choosing between the two, as each ecosystem has its own apps, services and features.