Hands On: Samsung’s $499 Galaxy A56 Looks Sharp

BARCELONA—Samsung announced a slew of Galaxy A phones just ahead of Mobile World Congress that span the lower end of the market. While we already took a look at the $299 Galaxy A26 and $399 Galaxy A36, we had to wait until the show floor opened to get some time with the $499 Galaxy A56.

The A56 closely resembles the A26 and A36 thanks to its shared 6.7-inch screen, 5,000mAh battery, 50MP camera, and IP67 rating for protection against dust and water. However, its 12MP ultra-wide camera, 5MP macro camera, and 12MP selfie camera set it apart from the others. It also charges at a faster rate of 45W.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

The phone feels surprisingly nice to hold and use. It’s got a metal frame and Samsung’s “glasstic” material on the back. The frame is somewhat sharp where it borders the front and rear panels, but I like the metal pattern. The phone comes in several colors, but we were only able to see the Olive green one.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

The rear panel is very smooth, reflective, and glass-like. The camera module contains the three rear lenses in a raised vertical pill with a chrome border. A flash is set off to one side. It’s a clean design.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

Anyone shopping in the $499 price tier will be pleased with the display. It’s got 2,340 by 1,080 pixels, and it pumps out 1,200 nits of peak brightness. Icons and text look sharp and well-defined on the screen.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

Its performance felt quick enough. The A56 has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. While we didn’t get to test the Galaxy AI features available to the A56, everything else about the user interface felt fluid and fast.

Samsung says the Galaxy A56 won’t reach the market until later this year. It may be a good alternative to those considering the $599 Apple iPhone 16e. It’s $100 less and has several appealing features, like high-speed charging and a larger, faster screen.

Fully Mobilized newsletter to get our top mobile tech stories delivered right to your inbox.”,”first_published_at”:”2021-09-30T21:18:21.000000Z”,”published_at”:”2025-01-23T16:40:05.000000Z”,”last_published_at”:”2025-01-23T16:38:44.000000Z”,”created_at”:null,”updated_at”:”2025-01-23T16:40:05.000000Z”})” x-show=”showEmailSignUp()” x-intersect.once=’window.trackGAImpressionEvents(“pcmag-on-site-newsletter-block”, “Fully Mobilized”, $el)’ readability=”32.80412371134″>

Like What You’re Reading?

Sign up for Fully Mobilized newsletter to get our top mobile tech stories delivered right to your inbox.

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links.
By clicking the button, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our
Terms of Use and
Privacy Policy.
You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.

About Eric Zeman

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

I’m PCMag’s managing editor for consumer electronics content, overseeing an experienced team of reviewers and product testers. I’ve been covering tech for more than 22 years. Prior to PCMag, I worked at outlets such as Android Authority, Fortune, InformationWeek, and Phonescoop. 

Read Eric’s full bio

Read the latest from Eric Zeman