The Galaxy A56 is the worst mid-range cellphone I utilized in 2025

There are many contenders for the best phone of 2025; I loved utilizing the Vivo X200 Pro, Xiaomi 15 Ultra, Find X8 Ultra, Honor Magic 7 Pro, and the Find N5. What actually stands out is the positive factors made by finances telephones; units just like the POCO X7 Pro and Nothing Phone 3a showcase simply what’s doable when manufacturers take note of the finances class.

Equally, mid-range telephones have by no means been higher, with the OnePlus Nord 4, OnePlus 13R, and Pixel 9a delivering standout cameras and highly effective {hardware}. On the different finish of the size is the Galaxy A56; Samsung’s newest mid-ranger has incremental upgrades, and whereas it seems to be a little bit totally different to its predecessor, it has the identical foibles. In a yr of sturdy choices, the Galaxy A56 is the worst mid-range cellphone on sale right now.

Picture 1 of 3

Samsung by no means actually provided a powerful {hardware} package deal with its A collection units, as an alternative positioning these telephones as “all-rounders.” As such, the Exynos 1580 on the Galaxy A56 is significantly slower than different mid-range telephones, and that is instantly evident once you push the {hardware} — it simply would not do an excellent job with gaming, and I seen some lag after every week of use even with the optimized One UI 7.

I used to be holding out for Samsung to make appreciable modifications on this space. That is not the case, and the A56 continues to be simply as middling as its predecessors — the {hardware} simply is not ok for a cellphone that prices $499. The one optimistic change is that the panel will get brighter, and it does an excellent job with HDR content material. Nonetheless, it would not get as vivid because the Nord 4 or the Telephone 3a Professional in day by day use.

One other uptick has to do with the visible aesthetic; Samsung tweaked the design on the again, introducing an rectangular digicam island that appears clear. The cellphone has a metallic mid-frame and glass again, and has a greater in-hand really feel than a few of its predecessors. You additionally get Samsung Knox, and there is IP67 ingress safety.

Samsung is doubling down on AI, so the A56 will get Finest Face, Instantaneous Slo-mo, and auto-trim options. Nonetheless, you do not get the complete Galaxy AI suite of utilities — you may want to purchase the Galaxy S25 collection to unlock the extras. Google did a a lot better job porting over most of its AI utilities into the Pixel 9a, and if you happen to’re able to dive into AI-assisted options, that is the mid-range cellphone I like to recommend.

The Galaxy A56 has the identical 5000mAh battery as final yr, and counter to each different cellphone I examined in 2025, the battery would not final so long as its predecessor. I nonetheless bought a day’s price of use at instances, however push the machine to any extent, and you will must plug it in earlier than the night time’s out.

Samsung switched to 45W charging, however it nonetheless takes the A56 nicely over 75 minutes to cost the battery, and it is likely one of the slowest-charging mid-range telephones round — solely the Pixel 9a takes longer. Samsung would not use silicon-carbide battery tech both, and which means one more yr the place the A56 would not fairly measure as much as its rivals.

Then there’s the cameras; the cellphone has an excellent selfie digicam, and whereas there is no autofocus, it does a good sufficient job in well-lit situations. The primary 50MP digicam proved to be inconsistent, and the standard of the pictures I bought out of the machine simply did not maintain up with different mid-rangers. Equally, the auxiliary cameras simply aren’t definitely worth the hassle, and Samsung actually must take a web page out of Nothing’s playbook and concentrate on delivering two nice cameras on its units.

I shared these findings with a Samsung India consultant, and was informed that the model jotted down the suggestions and would get again to me if there’s something to share. Contemplating my earlier interactions with Samsung over time, I doubt something would come of it.

Having tested all Galaxy A series devices going again to the unique Galaxy A5, and A7, I might prefer to assume that I’ve a good understanding of Samsung’s mid-range Galaxy A portfolio. In recent times, the model began to relaxation on its laurels, mainly rehashing the identical machine with little to no modifications. That allowed its Chinese language rivals to catch up, and with the Galaxy A56, we’re at some extent the place it would not make any sense to purchase the machine when there are a lot better options obtainable.

I do know {that a} massive attract with Samsung’s telephones is the acquainted software program, however even with One UI 7, the cellphone simply would not do sufficient to justify its $499 asking value. Whereas Samsung did not have a lot in the best way of rivalry within the U.S., that is not the case now — the Pixel 9a and OnePlus 13R ship a greater expertise in nearly each space, they usually price the identical because the A56. For those who’re outdoors North America, it is best to take into account looking on the POCO X7 Professional or the Nord 4 along with the aforementioned units.