GSMArena Team, 14 January 2026

Realme 16 Pro+ review

6. Alternatives, pros and cons, verdict

Competition

As of the time of writing, the Realme 16 Pro+'s main market is India at a starting price of INR 39,999 for the 8GB/128GB version. Since we are early in 2026, all of its competitors are from 2025. In fact, most of them are the same ones that the Realme 15 Pro used to compete with.

Overall, the Realme 16 Pro+ holds up pretty well, delivering relatively good raw performance, ranking behind only the Poco F7 and the OnePlus Nord 5. The Poco seems to be the best performer of the bunch. Still, we would say that the Realme 16 Pro+ strikes a good balance because it excels in other areas.

Xiaomi Poco F7 • OnePlus Nord 5

For instance, the Realme 16 Pro+ and the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro are the only handsets in this comparison that offer telephoto cameras. However, the Realme 16 Pro+ comes out on top with a much more potent 200MP main camera.

Nothing Phone (3a) Pro • Motorola Edge 70 • Realme 15 Pro

Realme's smartphone is also dwarfing the rest when it comes to battery life. The handset achieved one of the highest scores in its class, and although not the fastest when charging is involved, it's still pretty snappy.

All in all, if you are after battery life and camera experience, the Realme 16 Pro+ might be the most balanced choice. However, you do need to consider the price difference. The Realme 16 Pro+'s price tag is a bit too hefty at launch, especially considering the fact that the base storage iteration is 128GB. Some competitors are more than INR 10,000 cheaper, making them a better choice if you are not all that interested in the more advanced cameras.

Alternatively, you can always pick up last year's Realme 15 Pro as it's essentially the same phone without the fancy cameras. But at just around INR 5,000 difference, we'd pick the Realme 16 Pro+.

Verdict

If Realme's goal was to offer one of the best camera experiences in this class, we can confidently say it achieved it. The outstanding battery life is another standout feature. The display may not be the best, but it's solid nonetheless, providing a good viewing experience outdoors. The loudspeakers leave more to be desired, though.

Unfortunately, the cameras and battery life come at a price premium. At least at launch, the Realme 16 Pro+ is a bit too pricey and ships with 128GB base storage.

So, in case you are not into mobile photography that much, but value raw performance and charging speed highly, there are more sensible solutions at a much lower price. At least until Realme's price settles to more palatable levels.