On paper, the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G ought to really feel premium. It has a glass again and a metallic body with some fine-looking contouring, and it is sturdy, too, with IP67 mud and water resistance. Tapping the again, nonetheless, feels hole; the shiny glass clings onto fingerprints when you get a darker-colored end, and the flat sides do not circulate into the back and front, with no 2.5D glass on the show, making it really feel barely underbaked alongside some extra inexpensive competitors.
Out there in Lightgrey, Graphite, Olive, and Pink, we examined the Lightgrey mannequin, and it is super-safe however struggles to face out. It is also the worst perpetrator for being a fingerprint magnet.
Just like the Galaxy A55 5G earlier than, the A56 5G has a flat front and back, although the upgraded brushed metallic body is a pleasant contact this time. The ramp alongside the rail, contouring to the ability and quantity buttons, helps elevate issues (actually and figuratively); there is a triple digicam across the again, a USB-C port on the base, a dual-SIM slot, and a loudspeaker.
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(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
The cellphone measures a slender 7.4mm skinny and weighs 198g, but it surely does not really feel as skinny because the numbers counsel with its expansive floor space and barely chunky bezels (although it is received nothing on the big-bezelled Pixel 9a).
The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G can be IP67-rated for mud and water resistance and guarded by Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the back and front which is aggressive at its value.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G’s 6.7-inch AMOLED show is giant and appears nice, with a decision of 1080 x 2340 pixels and a pixel density of 385 pixels per inch. It is comparatively sharp, has an awesome distinction ratio for depth and punchy highlights, and it additionally glides at as much as 120Hz.
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
With a peak brightness of as much as 1900 nits when displaying HDR content material, 1200 nits in excessive brightness mode (in direct daylight), and HDR and HD Netflix certification, it is easy to see what’s on-screen and watching content material on the A56 5G is a improbable expertise.
Going past the display screen, the A56 5G can be an awesome streaming possibility due to its audio system, that are wonderful in its class, outperforming alternate options just like the Poco X7 Professional. Matched with the expansive, high quality show, watching content material on it’s a deal with.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G assessment: digicam specs The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G has three cameras across the again – a large, ultra-wide, and a macro digicam – with the vast being the very best specced, and the ultra-wide, macro, and selfie cameras falling behind with smaller sensors and no autofocus.
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
23mm essential digicam: 50MP, 1/1.56-inch sensor with an f/1.8 aperture lens and OIS.
13mm ultra-wide digicam: 12MP, 1/3.06-inch sensor with an f/2.2 lens.
25mm macro digicam: 5MP sensor with an f/2.4 lens.
25mm entrance digicam: 12MP sensor with an f/2.2 lens.
The principle, ultra-wide, and selfie cameras help video recording as much as 4K at 30 frames per second, which is aggressive with out being class-leading, with some alternate options in a position to shoot 4K 60fps footage.
Whereas there’s a Professional mode for handbook capturing, not one of the Galaxy A56 5G’s cameras seize RAW photographs natively, and you’ll’t entry Skilled RAW, which is out there for the Galaxy S and Z sequence.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G: digicam verdict There are some highlights of the Galaxy A56 5G’s digicam – the first digicam is comparatively dependable, and the ultra-wide is very vast at 13mm. In brilliant environments, each cameras do a stable job of capturing detailed pictures with wealthy colours, and you’ll comfortably punch right into a 2x zoom and nonetheless get usable outcomes.
Indoors and in darker scenes, all three cameras battle, however the primary digicam is unsurprisingly the strongest. The quick lens and comparatively giant lens ensure that there’s depth separation for close-up objects, and a gradual hand usually yields a clear image.
In darker environments, shadow element is not as sturdy because it could possibly be, and throughout the board, Samsung applies a number of sharpening that makes focal factors look unnatural when viewing pictures on a giant display screen.
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(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
Colours are dealt with a bit clumsily by the A56 5G, particularly when cropping in with the digital zoom, even in brilliant scenes. It is also price noting that this is not a cellphone you need when you have a shaky hand, with motion pictures and fast snaps when strolling, typically popping out blurrier than some equally priced alternate options.
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A photograph captured on the A56 5G’s macro digicam (Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
A photograph captured on the A56 5G’s main digicam (Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
The macro digicam provides very restricted worth in comparison with the primary digicam. With its 5MP decision and small sensor, its photographs can look tremendous, however usually, we received extra element from the 50MP essential digicam once we cropped in on pictures. Being fixed-focus, it is finicky, and it struggles in low gentle, too, so it is beginning to really feel like an pointless digicam for the sake of it.
Finally, we seldom took a photograph on the A56 5G and thought to ourselves – it is a keeper – and that has loads to do with Samsung’s photograph processing on its midrange telephones. In contrast, alternate options just like the Nothing Cellphone (3a) Professional and Redmi Notice 14 Professional Plus left us with extra usable pictures.
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(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
Video shot on the Galaxy A56 5G’s essential digicam appears to be like good in brilliant environments, and hand shake is saved at bay with OIS and EIS kicking in. Keep away from switching to the ultra-wide in something however ideally suited lighting; not solely will the decision drop, however noise is dealt with badly, so that you’re higher off sticking to the first digicam.
The place the A56 5G shines is selfies and video, with 4K seize from the primary digicam held regular and the image trying aggressive throughout lighting circumstances. The cellphone’s selfies are additionally good and sharp whereas nonetheless being reasonably flattering, and selfie video additionally appears to be like sturdy, so vloggers on a funds may do loads worse.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G assessment: efficiency and battery
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
We skilled complicated efficiency outcomes from the Galaxy A56 5G. On the one hand, the Exynos 1580 chipset dealt with a recreation that usually stalls low-end telephones comparatively properly (Wuthering Waves), whereas one other usually well-optimized recreation (Genshin Influence), floor the cellphone to a stuttery halt. Whenever you’re paying as a lot as Samsung is charging for the A56 5G, it is truthful to anticipate a reliably easy gaming expertise, albeit not a maxed-out one. Sadly, you do not get that right here.
Day-to-day use, in distinction to gaming, was easy. We did not expertise any UI grumbles, Samsung’s newest model of OneUI is feature-rich, although misses out on the Now Briefing function launched on the flagship Galaxy S25 sequence. That is no large loss based mostly on our early testing, and anybody coming from a Samsung cellphone ought to really feel proper at residence with the A56 5G.
With 256GB storage (although there may also be a 128GB enterprise model for companies), the Galaxy A56 5G is the primary Samsung A-series cellphone we have examined to compete with manufacturers like Honor, Xiaomi , Poco, and Redmi with regards to cupboard space, which is a step in the best path.
(Picture credit score: Basil Kronfli)
The Galaxy A56 5G’s 5000mAh battery lasts a full day with normal to heavy use and may creep into the second day with gentle use comparatively comfortably. Lacking out on quick or wi-fi charging holds the cellphone again from besting alternate options just like the Poco X7 Professional or Pixel 9a, with a full cost taking rather less than 80 minutes.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G verdict The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G is a superb cellphone for watching on. Its giant, brilliant, easy display screen and punchy audio system shine, and the cellphone’s upgraded storage is a superb transfer from Samsung, so anybody coming from a previous A-series machine stricken by low-memory warnings, these must be a factor of the previous.
The cellphone’s highlights cannot fairly compensate for its shortcomings, a minimum of not at its asking value on launch. The A56 5G’s digicam is weak for stills, the digicam combine is overbaked – fewer cameras with cleaner processing would assist issues alongside – and the efficiency inconsistencies when gaming really feel at odds with the cellphone’s positioning.
So whereas anybody who picks the A56 5G up on an awesome worth community or provider plan will get a improbable watching and listening expertise, to not point out all-day battery life and respectable video recording, at full value, it may possibly’t fairly stand out amongst powerful competitors.
