Introduction and specs
Samsung just updated its mid-range models, and there is quite a bit to go through. It’s always fun to look at the company’s latest and greatest flagship devices, but the fact is that most users don’t need such high-end devices. The sales numbers reflect this nicely. While arguably less exciting, the Galaxy A-series is what moves volumes and really rakes in profits for Samsung. So, every new crop of devices is important.
Left: Galaxy A36 • Right: Galaxy A56
We got to spend a few hours with the new Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A56 and have some early impressions to share. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the Galaxy A26 at hand, but we’re sure we will get a look at it soon enough.
We’ll start with the Galaxy A36 first and work our way up. First things first, the new Galaxy A trio (A26, A36 and A56) now has the same 6.7-inch display-diagonal and 1080p+ resolution. The panels aren’t exactly the same across all three, but the size has been unified in the end, representing a 0.1-inch increase over last year’s Galaxy A35. The display is said to reach 1,200 nits of brightness in high brightness mode with a 1,900 nits peak.
Galaxy A36
The camera island is a bit changed visually, but the camera hardware itself is mostly the same. Samsung also preserved the battery capacity at 5,000 mAh but upgraded the charging to 45W. We will go through the rest of the specs details on the following pages.
Samsung Galaxy A36 specs at a glance:
- Body: 162.9×78.2×7.4mm, 195g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), plastic frame, glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+); IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min).
- Display: 6.70″ Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 1200 nits (HBM), 1900 nits (peak), 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 385ppi; Always-on display.
- Chipset: Qualcomm SM6475-AB Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4 nm): Octa-core (4×2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55); Adreno 710.
- Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; UFS 2.2.
- OS/Software: Android 15, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 7.
- Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 1/1.96″, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 123-degree, 1/4.0″, 1.12µm; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4.
- Front camera: 12 MP, f/2.2, (wide).
- Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, 10-bit HDR.
- Battery: 5000mAh; 45W wired, 66% in 30 min, 100% in 68 min.
- Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 6; BT 5.4; NFC.
- Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers; Virtual Proximity Sensing, Circle to Search.
Moving on to the Galaxy A56, while the A36 gets a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, its higher-tier sibling sports the new Samsung Exynos 1580. Samsung says the chip should offer a big performance boost over the Galaxy A55. Unfortunately, the rumors weren’t true, and the A56 still only has 8GB of RAM to pair with the chipset, not 12GB.
As we said, all three phones now have a 6.7-inch display-diagonal with FullHD+ resolution. The display here is rated for the same 1,200 nits of regular brightness and 1,900 nits peak. We believe the A36 and A56 might share the same display panel. The A26, however, definitely has a different one since it has a selfie camera notch instead of a punch hole.
Galaxy A56
Just like the Galaxy A36, the A56 has Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both sides, but it has an aluminum frame instead of a polycarbonate one. The battery capacity hasn’t changed at 5,000 mAh, but again you get 45W of charging, which was previously reserved for flagship models only.
Samsung Galaxy A56 specs at a glance:
- Body: 162.2×77.5×7.4mm, 198g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame; IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min).
- Display: 6.70″ Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1900 nits (peak), 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 385ppi; Always-on display.
- Chipset: Exynos 1580 (4 nm): Octa-core (1×2.9 GHz & 3×2.6 GHz & 4×1.9 GHz); Xclipse 540.
- Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
- OS/Software: Android 15, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 7.
- Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 123-degree, 1/3.06″, 1.12µm; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4.
- Front camera: 12 MP, f/2.2, (wide).
- Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 10-bit HDR.
- Battery: 5000mAh; 45W wired, 65% in 30 min, 100% in 68 min.
- Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 6; BT 5.3; NFC.
- Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers; Virtual Proximity Sensing, Circle to Search.
Speaking of things that used to be more or less flagship exclusives, Samsung has really extended the software support window for the new Galaxy A models. Both the Galaxy A36 and A56 come with the promise of a whopping six major OS updates. Plus, they launch with the latest Android 15 and One UI 7 combo, chuck-full of Galaxy AI goodies. Even the Galaxy S24 generation is yet to receive its One UI 7 and Android 15 update, so that’s an interesting titbit.
Samsung Galaxy A36 hands-on
As we said, Samsung’s Galaxy A family is on top of the game when it comes to device popularity, and we believe that the A3X is the sweet spot for many buyers. Last year’s Galaxy A35 definitely represented great value in the segment, and the new Galaxy A36 seems to follow its steps nicely. At least, that’s our first impression.
There are no really drastic changes in the overall formula here, nor the design, for that matter. The Galaxy A36 is visually distinct from its predecessor when examined from the back side since the trio of individual cameras has now morphed into a singular vertical, well-rounded camera island.
Speaking of the camera island, while it is a lot harder to tell the A36 apart from the A56, it is possible since the A36 seems to have a flat glass surface over all three of its rear cameras, while the A56 has these glass bits sort of separate. Also, the A36 has a slightly less protruding camera island than the A56. Both still wobble on a flat surface without a case, though, but it’s much worse for the A56.
Speaking of differences between the A36 and A56, the colors are definitely one of them or rather the finishes. The Galaxy A36 can be had in Lavender, Black, White or Lime. All of the colors, except for the black one, have this slight iridescent effect to them.
It makes the colors look more “engaging”, for lack of a better term. They play with the light a lot more. That is compared to the Galaxy A56, which has more “solid” and monotone colors.
There have seemingly been some upgrades to the bill of materials on the Galaxy A36 compared to last year’s A35, namely, that the back side is now covered with Gorilla Glass Victus+, just like the front.
The middle frame is still made of polycarbonate with a matte look. This is another subtle way to tell the A36 apart from the A56, which has a brushed metal aluminum frame instead. The Galaxy A36 still comes with IP67 ingress protection, just like the Galaxy A35.
As mentioned, all three new Galaxy A devices share the same 6.7-inch display-diagonal. Hence, they look very similar from the front. The Galaxy A26 is easy enough to tell apart since it has a camera notch rather than the punch hole shared by the A36 and A56. As we mentioned, we believe that the two phones share the same 120Hz FullHD+ panel.
In typical Samsung fashion, the display looks very impressive in person. It is vibrant and very responsive, with no signs of ghosting. We will be testing Samsung’s brightness claims in the full review but we have no reason not to believe the 1,200 and 1,900 nits numbers. Pixel density and sharpness are great.
Samsung has reduced the display bezels and slimmed them down a bit. They are still not flagship-grade slim, but they are better than last year. There are no visible sensors here, and everything is nicely hidden under the display. This includes the optical, under-display fingerprint reader. It is both snappy and reliable and works well.
Looking around the rest of the phone, the buttons are all where you would expect them. Nice and clicky.
Galaxy A36
We can’t fail to mention that the Galaxy A36 has lost its microSD expansion slot. The Galaxy A35 did have one.
Quickly going through some other hardware specs, it is worth noting that the hybrid stereo speaker setup is still there. There is NFC in some markets. Bluetooth has been updated to 5.4 with LE support, but the Wi-Fi is still dual-band Wi-Fi 6. Not that we can expect much more from a midranger.
Finally, it is quite interesting that the Galaxy A36 supports up to 45W charging. This is a feature Samsung previously had reserved for its premium devices. Whether or not it actually makes a huge practical difference compared to 25W charging is a whole other question, but it is still a bit odd that the Galaxy A36 now has 45W charging while the Galaxy S25, for instance, is stuck at 25W.
If you are after some early benchmark results of camera samples, be sure to head on over to the following pages.
Samsung Galaxy A56 hands-on
We are hesitant to refer to the Galaxy A56 as the “bigger sibling” here since the Galaxy A26, A36 and A56 all have the same display diagonal and roughly the same proportions. Samsung’s Galaxy A5X line has always been the last midrange step before the proper Galaxy S flagship family, so the expectations are pretty high here.
Like with the Galaxy A36, there are no major changes here, just iterative upgrades. Samsung seemingly didn’t want to mess with the established formula that is known to work well too much, so this makes perfect sense.
Once again, the back side hasn’t changed too much but is still different enough to make the A56 recognizable compared to its A55 predecessor. The separate camera modules are gone and have morphed into a single, rounded camera island.
At first glance, we were practically convinced that it looked the same as the A36, but that is not exactly the case. There is a subtle difference in the design of the camera cover glass, but you have to really know what to look for.
Also, even though the Galaxy A56 has the same official 7.4mm thickness as the A36, its camera island does protrude a bit more, making it more wobbly on a flat surface.
Speaking of differences, we must bring up the colors and, specifically, the finishes.
While the Galaxy A36 has this whole iridescent thing going on, the colors on the Galaxy A56 are more “traditional” and “solid”. You can get the A56 in Pink, Olive, Graphite or Light gray.
The Galaxy A56 is getting the same upgrade in terms of its bill of materials as the A36, namely that the back side is now also made of Gorilla Glass Victus+, just like the front.
Being the more premium device, the Galaxy A56 understandably has an aluminum frame. It comes with a brushed finish for a really classy look, in our opinion. Like the Galaxy A36 and the A55, you still get an IP67 ingress protection rating. It’s pretty good, though Samsung could have made the effort to bump that up a bit to say IP68.
As mentioned, all three new Galaxy A devices share the same 6.7-inch display-diagonal. Hence, they look very similar from the front. The Galaxy A26 is easy enough to tell apart since it has a camera notch rather than the punch hole shared by the A36 and A56. As we mentioned, we believe that the two phones share the same FullHD+, 120Hz panel.
Just like on the A36, the display looks great in person on the A56. It is very clear and sharp, with vibrant colors and no ghosting or smearing. Once again, we will double-check the brightness numbers in the full review, but the cited 1,200 nits and 1,900 nits peak figures sound perfectly believable and plausible.
The Galaxy A56 looks practically indistinguishable from the Galaxy A36 from the front. Samsung has slimmed down the display bezels in this generation. Practically all of the hardware, including the sensors, is hidden away and not visible. This includes the snappy and reliable under-display optical fingerprint reader.
There is nothing to note about the rest of the controls on the Galaxy A56. The buttons are where you would expect them and offer great tactile feedback.
Galaxy A56
Just like the Galaxy A36, the A56 has lost its microSD expansion slot. The Galaxy A55 used to have it, and it’s a bit of a bummer that it is gone.
Quickly going through some other hardware specs, it is worth noting that the hybrid stereo speaker setup is still there. There is NFC in some markets. Interestingly enough, while the Snapdragon-powered Galaxy A36 gets Bluetooth 5.4, the Exynos-powered A56 is still stuck with Bluetooth 5.3. A minor difference but an interesting one. Also, Samsung didn’t deem it necessary to upgrade the Wi-Fi. It is still just dual-band Wi-Fi 6.
The charging situation here is the same as the Galaxy A36. That is to say that the A56 gets an upgrade to 45W charging – a feature previously reserved for Samsung’s premium models. So much so that even the base Galaxy S25 is still stuck with 25W charging, which we still find hilarious.
If you are after some early benchmark results of camera samples, be sure to head on over to the following pages.
One UI 7.0 and Android 15
Following in the footsteps of the Galaxy S25 flagship lineup, the Galaxy A-series trio is launching with the latest Android 15 and One UI 7.0 combo. The new UI now has a more modern and simplified look while still focusing on AI and personalization.
While we didn’t spend much time with the Galaxy A36 and A56, we can confirm that Circle to search is present, and so is the Now briefing tab and interface. The Object Eraser for image editing and a simple way to make your own image filters (by picking an example image to copy its style) are also present. Auto Trim is interesting as well. It uses AI to effortlessly extract highlights from multiple videos.
You can find a more in-depth look at One UI 7 and all of its features in any of our Galaxy S25 family reviews. Most of the features are carried over from the flagship family to both the Galaxy A56 and A36m except for, say, Samsung DeX.
It is important to note that Samsung is setting a new bar when it comes to the software support cycle for midrangers. Both the A36 and A56 will see six OS updates and six years of security patches.
Benchmarks
Let’s start with the Galaxy A36 first. After a mix of Dimensity and Exynos chips in the previous A3X generation, this year, Samsung decided to go with a Qualcomm chip – the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3. It is not a performance beast by any stretch of the imagination, but Samsung gave it the best chance to stretch its legs with a 15% larger vapor chamber this year. Here are some quick stress tests that we ran that clearly show the A36 excelling in thermal stability.
Galaxy A36 stress tests
The base memory configuration is 6/128GB (though some regions will get 8/128GB), and there is an upgrade option to 8/256GB. As we said, unfortunately, the storage expansion slot is gone. The Galaxy A36 uses UFS 2.2 storage chips.
Samsung went in a different direction with the Galaxy A56. This is the first phone to sport the Exynos 1580 chipset, despite Samsung’s introduction of the SoC back in October. The 1580 is a major upgrade over its predecessor, giving the Galaxy A56 a big performance advantage over the A55. Here, we have a 2.9 GHz CPU, AMD-based GPU with 2x WGP and an NPU with 14.7 TOPS, meaning performance should be up 37% from last year. As far as we can tell, the Galaxy A56 also has a bigger vapor chamber and offers excellent thermal-throttling behavior from our preliminary testing.
Galaxy A56 stress tests
You can get the A56 with either 128GB or 256GB of non-expandable storage. On the plus side, it uses faster UFS 3.1 chips than the Galaxy A36.
We did manage to run a few preliminary benchmarks during our time with the Galaxy A36 and A56. Keep in mind that the units are running pre-release software. These numbers need to be verified for the full review, but they should still be good enough for now.
