Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Full Review: Unlocking Value and Great Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G is the newest member of Samsung’s popular A-series, bringing the power of AI—branded as “Awesome Intelligence”—to a much more affordable level than its flagship counterparts. While it doesn’t carry the high-end Galaxy S-series name, the A56 strikes an impressive balance between durability, display quality, camera performance, and long-term software support. With a refreshed design, a promise of six years of updates, and several features borrowed from premium models, the Galaxy A56 makes a strong case for itself. But is it truly worth the price? Let’s dive in and find out.
Table of Contents
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Specifications
Its Appearance
The Galaxy A56 features a slimmer, more refined design that instantly feels more premium. That sense of quality is further enhanced by the return of key elements like a glass front and back, paired with a sturdy, cool-to-the-touch aluminum frame. It’s about as close to a flagship feel as you’ll find at this price point—and it’s one of the standout reasons to consider this year’s mid-range Galaxy.
Samsung hasn’t cut corners on durability either. Unlike many competitors, the A56 uses Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both sides, offering far greater protection against everyday wear and tear. It’s also built to withstand the elements, boasting IP67 dust and water resistance. While it’s not the higher IP68 rating that’s starting to appear in some mid-range rivals, unless you’re planning on fully submerging your phone, IP67 is more than enough for real-world use.
All of this is packed into a thoughtfully sized body that’s just 7.4mm thick and weighs 198 grams—making it noticeably thinner and lighter. The upgraded cameras are neatly arranged to complement the phone’s sleek new linear design. All the side buttons are positioned higher up on the right edge, giving you plenty of space to grip the phone comfortably without accidentally pressing anything. The USB-C port, SIM card slot, and second speaker are all located at the bottom of the device.
One noticeable downgrade is the lack of a microSD card slot, which was available on its predecessor. This may be inconvenient, especially for those upgrading from the A55 who use a microSD card for additional storage.
The Galaxy A56 is available in a range of fun colors like what we have on hand, the Awesome Graphite while other options are Awesome Light Gray, and Awesome Pink. It’s a nice change compared to flagship phones, which usually stick to safer, more muted colors.
Its Display and Features
With a 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display (1080 x 2340 resolution), the Galaxy A56 5G makes everything—from scrolling to streaming—look and feel incredibly smooth. The display is sharp, vibrant, and bright, and with Vision Booster technology pushing brightness up to 1200 nits, you can enjoy your content comfortably, even in direct sunlight.
The slim bezels on the Galaxy A56 5G really enhance the media consumption experience, giving you an immersive display that’s perfect for everything from social media to videos. The AMOLED screen delivers vibrant, true-to-life colors and deep, inky blacks, making everything pop. We thoroughly enjoyed scrolling through social media and watching videos—there’s no noticeable color washout, and reds, in particular, are handled with impressive clarity and vibrancy. Overall, it’s a screen that brings your content to life, with none of the dullness you might find on lesser displays.
The Galaxy A56 5G comes with stereo speakers that deliver decent bass and great clarity, along with clear highs and mids. The sound quality is good enough for an immersive experience, especially in quieter settings or enclosed spaces.
The Galaxy A56 features face recognition and an in-display fingerprint sensor for biometric security. Both methods work quickly, but we feel the fingerprint sensor offers a higher level of security.
Its Performance
The Galaxy A56 5G truly shines with its upgraded Octa-core processor, delivering a performance boost that handles multitasking, streaming, and gaming with ease. Coupled with an enhanced cooling system, it stays cool even during intensive use. Plus, with storage options of up to 256 GB, there’s plenty of room for all your apps, media, and games, making it a seamless experience no matter what you’re doing.
In the few days I’ve been using the Galaxy A56 5G, it’s shown that it can handle a variety of games without breaking a sweat. From casual titles like Honor of Kings to more demanding games like Genshin Impact, it performs well, though you might experience occasional stuttering on higher settings. Lowering the graphics does improve performance for a smoother experience. For less demanding games like Mobile Legends, the gameplay is smooth with the optimal graphic settings.
Here are the benchmark results of the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G:
Its Cameras
Phone camera enthusiasts will appreciate the Galaxy A56 5G’s impressive setup. It includes a 50 MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP macro camera, and a 12MP front-facing shooter. Whether you’re snapping night shots, capturing intricate macro details, or just taking everyday photos, the A56 5G delivers sharp, well-balanced images with a range of useful features.
When it comes to still photography, the Galaxy A56 5G impresses with its ability to capture fine details, accurate colors, and well-balanced exposure, especially with the main camera. While there’s room to improve color accuracy on the ultra-wide lens, as well as in low-light conditions and portrait shots, the overall performance is solid for its class. Samsung has also included a range of AI features to elevate the photography experience, making it even more versatile.
While Samsung’s flagship AI features aren’t included in their budget phones, the A56 5G still offers a nice selection of AI tools. Features like its Awesome Intelligence, Circle to search, Object Eraser, Edit Suggestion, Filters (adjust film styles), Auto Trim, Best Face, AI Select and Read Aloud add a touch of flair without overwhelming users who prefer a more straightforward experience. With all of these, the object remover could have been better if the subject and the object has a more plain background. Still, camera set up and quality meets what is expected with this price range.
When it comes to video recording, the Galaxy A56 can shoot up to 4K at 30fps with both the rear and front cameras. It’s great to see a camera that can capture selfies in 4K resolution—definitely a nice touch.
Record amazing videos of your adventures and everyday moments with Super HDR. The front camera on the Galaxy A56 5G is designed to bring out the best in colors and contrast, giving you high-res selfie videos that look great.
Here are the sample actual photos from the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G:
The Battery
The Galaxy A56 5G is equipped with a reliable 5,000mAh battery that offers solid performance for everyday tasks. Whether you’re streaming videos, browsing the web, or scrolling through social media, it handles these activities with ease. While more intensive usage, like heavy gaming or running demanding apps, can cause the battery to drain a bit faster, it still holds up well throughout the day. For regular use, you can expect it to last all day without issue. In my experience, after a full day of use, the device still had around 20-25% charge left by bedtime—enough to get you through the evening without worrying about a recharge.
Final Thoughts about the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
Right now, the budget smartphone market is flooded with stiff competition, but the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G stands out as a top choice for anyone who wants great performance without breaking the bank. Despite its mid-tier price, this phone feels and acts like a premium device. From its sleek design to its powerful performance, the Galaxy A56 offers an experience that punches well above its weight. Whether you’re into gaming, streaming, photography, or simply need a reliable everyday device, the A56 delivers all the essentials and more.
If you’re searching for a well-built, high-quality phone that’s packed with features, all while offering incredible value, the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G should be at the top of your list. With its solid camera performance, stunning display, and long-lasting battery, you get a phone that delivers on all fronts. For just P25,990.00, this is a smartphone that truly gives you more for less.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G is available at the official Samsung store and online shops, making it easy to get your hands on one. If you want a device that combines style, performance, and value, this is the one to go for.
