The Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A56 are the Samsung phones I want this year

Get ready , because Samsung ’s unexampled Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A56 smartphones are the Galaxy phones you should pay attention to this yr , as after the lukewarmGalaxy S25series , they both experience like genuine upgrade , and worthy of your money even if you own last class ’s models . I had a short time with both phones , and this is why they instill me .

What’s the difference?

There are distinct differences between the Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A56 , and unlike theGalaxy A35andGalaxy A55 , this time there ’s a veridical noticeable advantage to buying the more expensive phone of the two , but we ’ll fare back to that in a little while . First , it ’s important to understand the visual and design differences between them .

Both phones have the same 6.7 - inch AMOLED screen , but the Galaxy A56 has a sweep metal chassis and it feel much higher calibre than the A36 ’s credit card frame , which lacks the brush event and desirable metal effulgence . Samsung has shaved fractions from the bezel , making it atinybit smaller , but it has retained the advance “ Key Island ” section on the side which hit the clit on both phones easier to situate and mechanical press . Both phones are slender , tripping , and comparatively easy to utilise with one hand .

The slightlyuncomfortable to retain natureof the Galaxy A55 has been banished , and both phones have a great in - mitt spirit . The photographic camera are set vertically in the top corner on the back of both phones , but the A56 has a flavourless alloy surroundings alternatively of the A36 ’s plastic surround . There ’s a definite “ family ” face to the Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A56 , which do resemble the Galaxy S25 , but are different enough that they have a distinct A - series character .

MWC 2025

Samsung has lend back a beloved color scheme from its past times for the A - serial publication . Several people of color have a fantastic iridescent finish , just like the oldGalaxy Note 10’sAura Glow coloration . It ’s elusive until you get it in the good twinkle when the pearl - like goal comes to life . It ’d unremarkably be the one I ’d straight off advocate , but Samsung has done a not bad job with provide a variety of good - looking choice , making it a harder alternative than usual .

A-series performance

The Galaxy A36 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor , while the Galaxy A56 has a Samsung Exynos 1580 processor deep down . In the unretentive time I had to compare the two , pilot around the One UI 7 software did n’t reveal any operation difference of opinion , until I tried out the camera . The Galaxy A56 with the Exynos 1580 switches between the broad - angle and independent camera much faster than the Galaxy A36 . I was inform it’stwiceas tight , and the twist of speed is a joint effort between the processor and the AI .

Although I was n’t able to act any , the Galaxy A56 will be the one to select if mobile games are authoritative to you according to Samsung , and if the camera app ’s performance is anything to go by , I ’m tend to think it . It ’ll be a feature of speech we ’ll be paying skinny attention to when we review the earphone . Each issue forth with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage space , and there ’s a 15 % bombastic vapor chamber for improved chilling liken to the previous serial .

Both telephone set use a 50 - megapixel main photographic camera with opthalmic picture stabilisation ( OIS ) and a 5MP macro television camera , but the Galaxy A56 gets a 12MP wide - angle camera , while the Galaxy A36 makes do with an 8MP panoptic - angle . There are some unique special features on the A56 , likely enabled by the Exynos poker chip . These include an upgrade AI ISP , Best Face mode , and an Auto Trim mode for video , which creates a highlight reel from your recorded videos . I was proud of to see the samebrilliant image editing toolsintroduced on the Galaxy S25 arrive on the Galaxy A - series speech sound too .

The Samsung Galaxy A56’s buttons.

Samsung Galaxy A56Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

There ’s good news on the software , as both phones apply Samsung ’s latest One UI 7 over Android 15 . It ’s easily Samsung ’s practiced translation of Android yet , and impress a lot on the Galaxy S25 series . How about Galaxy AI ? Samsung has n’t made a big deal out of it here , with Circle to Search and Samsung ’s excellent objective eraser in the Gallery app being the highlights . The Now Brief is nowhere to be seen , but you do get the Now Bar on the lock screen door . Samsung will allow for major software system and security updates for six years .

2025’s bargain Galaxy phones?

I ’ve saved the best upgrade to last . Samsung has added 45W wire charging to the Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A56 , and states a 30 minute charge will take the 5,000mAh assault and battery to about 65 % , and on to 100 % in 68 second . This imply the A - series sound have quicker wired charging than the Galaxy S25 , and matches theGalaxy S25 Plusand theGalaxy S25 Ultra . However , neither have wireless charging .

I get away from my time with the Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A56 impressed with both . The colors make the most of the design , there ’s an IP67 dust and water resistance evaluation on both , Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back , a good turn of speed in the software program , and some desirable feature update over the last models . I jazz that I can see and feel a difference to last year ’s models , and that I ’ve already fall upon a tangible reason to buy the more expensive one . It ’s what Iwantto see from an annual update , specially in the often take exception mid - mountain chain , where update can be harder to implement .

The Samsung Galaxy A36 costs 399 British pounds , or about $ 505 , while the Galaxy A56 is 499 Ezra Loomis Pound which is around $ 635 , and both will be available to pre - ordination from March 2 with a discharge engagement of March 19 . A U.S. exit has n’t been confirm , but the previous A - serial did eventually arrive , so it ’s highly potential the newfangled models will come soon too .

The charging port on the Samsung Galaxy A56.