MMGuardian Phone Models Compared
At first sight there does not appear to be much difference between the A36 and the A16. Both are about the same size, both have a large screen, three cameras on the back plus a selfie camera on the front.
However, when you look into the details of each phone, some significant differences emerge. These differences explain why the A36 has a somewhat higher price than the A16. Is it worth it? We think so! Read on to find out why…
External Appearance
MMGuardian A16
MMGuardian A36
Displays
Both phones feature a large 6.7″ display. Both have the same FHD+ 1080×2340 pixel count and both use similar AMOLED screen technology. However, after that the differences mount up.
The A36 front display and back uses Corning Gorilla Glass 7+ for enhanced durability against scratches and cracks.
Cameras
Both phones have three rear mounted cameras, and a front mounted selfie camera.
The three rear cameras consist of a main picture camera, a wide-angle camera, and a macro (short focus) camera. The wide angle and macro cameras on the A36 have a considerably higher pixel count. And whilst the main camera on both phone models have the same 50MP specification, the A36 phone main camera includes optical image stabilization. The result is that all three rear cameras on the A36 deliver better picture quality than on the A16.
The front selfie camera on both phones have a similar 13MP (A16) and 12MP (A36) pixel count, but again the A36’s images are somewhat superior and far more real to life.
Water Resistance - IP67 vs IP54
This is an area where the A36 clearly stands out, even though it is not a visible thing! The A36 has an IP67 rating, whereas the A16 is only rated as IP54.
IP67 basically means that the phone is designed to survive submersion up to 1 meter for up to 30 mins in fresh water. Samsung advises that this of course does not apply to swimming pools or beaches. But it does mean that an accidental drop of the phone into a wash basin, or being subject to rain, does not immediately result in the ‘dead phone’ outcome that can readily occur on phones that are not IP67 rated.
By contrast, whilst IP54 does provide some protection not found on all phones, it is basically just protection against water splashes. Not heavy rain or submersion.
Performance
Under the hood, the A36 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 chipset, which is rather more powerful than the Exynos 1330 chipset in the A16.
This results in a very considerable difference in performance. In day to day use, the A36 is more ‘snappy’; however the difference is quite noticeable when playing games that are more graphics intensive.
The audio performance of the A36 is also superior to that of the A16. This is in part because the A36 includes two loudspeakers. Whilst the actual speaker volume of the A16 is not a problem, the sound quality from the A36 loudspeakers is very much better.
Memory and Storage
Both the MMGuardian A36 and A16 phone models support 128GB internal storage memory. (Not all of this is available to the user, as around 20GB is taken up by the Android software that runs the phones).
However one area where the A16 is arguably superior is that a microSD ‘external’ memory card can be inserted into the A16 phone, to add up to 1.5TB of extra storage.
What's the Same?
Most of the above has been about the differences between the phones. However there are a few things that are the same:
- Battery Size: Both phones have a 5,000mAh battery.
- Battery Life: Despite the higher performance of the A36, Samsung have been able to maintain a similar level of usage times for each phone, and certainly enough for a typical day or two’s usage before needing to recharge the battery. Your child will be able to get around 10 hours gaming (more than you’ll likely want to allow in one day!), or over 10 hours web browsing from a charge.
- Fingerprint Sensor: Both have a sensor, but in different locations. On the A16, the sensor is integrated on the side-mounted power button, whereas it is ‘in-display’ on the the A36.
Our Verdict - Which phone should you buy for your child?
Either of the MMGuardian A36 and A16 phones represent an excellent choice for you child, and both provide the same built-in parental control functions. However, the attributes of the A36 make it stand out as a better choice, if your budget can stretch that far.
We especially consider it to be a better choice for older children for the following reasons:
- Robustness: Older children are more likely to be out and about more often in all weathers! The combination of a Corning Gorilla Glass 7+ display, plus the IP67 water protection rating, makes the A36 rather more robust than the A16.
- Performance: The more powerful processor and better display of the A36 delivers a superior experience. This is especially relevant for the sorts of more demanding games that many older children like to play.
- Cameras: Older children are more likely to want to capture higher quality pictures, whether of themselves or their surroundings. The cameras on the A36 look the same externally as those of the A16, but the picture quality is superior.
- Audio: With dual (stereo) loudspeakers and an overall higher audio quality, the A36 significantly outperforms the A16. Whether listening to music or watching videos, your child will much prefer the audio performance of the A36.
Specifications
| Feature | MMGuardian A16 | MMGuardian A36 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.7" FHD+ | 6.7" FHD+ |
| Main Camera | 50 MP | 50MP OIS |
| Wide-Angle Camera | 5MP | 8MP |
| Macro Camera | 2MP | 5MP |
| Selfie Camera | 13MP | 12MP |
| Battery | 5,000mAh | 5,000mAh |
| Dimensions | 6.47 x 3.07 x 0.31 inches | 6.41 x 3.08 x 0.29 inches |
| Weight | 7.05 ounces | 6.88 ounces |
| IP 67 Water and Dust Rating | ||
| Corning Gorilla Glass 7+ | ||
| Supports 5G | ||
| Storage | 128GB | 128GB |
| Memory (RAM) | 4GB | 6GB |
