Samsung Galaxy A56 review: Stylish looks, fine performance

Rating -- 3.5/5

Refinement. The term itself is self-explanatory for the Galaxy A56 5G. And, if you are unaware, the Galaxy A56 is Samsung ’s latest affordable premium phone that sits in between the flagship Galaxy S series and the budget Galaxy M/F series phones. This does not come as a surprise, as the Galaxy A50 series from Samsung has been doing the balancing act between affordability and premium features for ages.

The new Galaxy A56 is no different. The phone is priced starting at Rs 41,999. At this price, Samsung is promising to deliver improved performance, a better camera setup and a middle ground for AI features. And, long-term software support, which is unmatched in this segment. The real question is—does the Galaxy A56 live up to expectations? And perhaps more importantly, does it offer enough to justify its price tag?


We've spent some time with the Samsung Galaxy A56 and have put it to the test in various real-world scenarios. And this is what we think about the new smartphone:


Design and display

The moment we unboxed the Galaxy A56, we realised that Samsung has done a good job at designing the phone. The phone makes a good first impression with its glass sandwich design and flat side rails. Feels premium and solid and nothing else. The design and build are no less than the more premium Galaxy S series phones.



It even features Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection at both the front and back of the phone. The aluminium frame with slightly edged side rails for volume and power buttons adds convenience and a distinct look.

The standout design element is its vertically aligned, pill-shaped camera housing that replaces the island-style lenses from the previous generation Galaxy A55.


One thing to note about this new design is the slightly more pronounced camera bump compared to the A55, and it makes the phone wobbly when placed on a flat surface. Nothing deal breaker, though, adding a simple case will solve this.

Still, the updated design enhances overall comfort during daily use. For example, the flat side rails and rounded corners made it easier for us to hold the phone for extended periods. We could easily browse the web or catch up on social media during our morning commute. We didn’t feel any fatigue even during long gaming sessions.


The phone has a slim profile, measuring just 7.4 mm thick, but it has a tall stance and weighs 198 grams. The weight of the phone feels well distributed and balanced, however, the glass back design feels slippery. Adding a back cover is probably a good idea here.

The power button, as well as the volume rockers, are placed on an elevated island on the right edge of the phone, which helps our fingers to locate them even when the phone is in our pocket. Meanwhile, the USB-C charging port and the SIM tray are placed on the bottom panel.

At the front, the phone has a 6.7‑inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display. While the display is brilliant, thicker bezels might become a problem for some. For what it’s worth, the phone’s bezels are symmetrical and that adds to the viewing experience.


The selfie camera is positioned in the middle inside a punch hole module, while the in-display fingerprint sensor is placed at the bottom, and it also feels snappy and responsive.

Watching movies and playing games on the Galaxy A56’s display was a delightful experience. The colours were vivid and lifelike, making cinematic scenes and game graphics pop with impressive saturation and contrast.

The display truly shines on a bright, sunny day at the park. Its peak brightness of up to 1200 nits ensured that every detail was clear, even under harsh sunlight. The 120Hz refresh rate further enhanced our gaming sessions and scrolling through feeds. This made the experience feel incredibly smooth.

Even after a few accidental splashes at a café, the IP67 water and dust resistance provided peace of mind. While the phone’s durable build was affirmed after it was able to escape occasional bumps and falls unscathed.


Performance and AI features


Powered by the Exynos 1580 chipset, the Galaxy A56 is a reliable device as a daily driver. We used the phone for various tasks that require switching between emails, social media, and navigating between apps. The experience was seamless and smooth, and the device never misses a beat, even under heavy load.


Gaming is another story with the Galaxy A56. Don’t worry, things are smooth here as well. It’s just small things that Samsung could have done better. To test, we decided to give a few of our favourite titles a try. We played everything from lightweight titles to more demanding games like BGMI and Asphalt 9 Legends.

Lightweight games were smooth without any frame drops. But if you are a heavy gamer and play titles like BGMI and Asphalt 9 or even Genshin Impact, then you might experience occasional frame drops during prolonged sessions. The overall experience remains fluid and engaging, and the 120Hz display adds to the experience, too.


But the better experience is with the thermals. The phone remains calm and composed even under heavy load, and that’s something Samsung has improved a lot compared to the previous generation models.

The real standout, however, has been the AI features. While editing photos from a weekend get-together, we used the Object Eraser tool to quickly remove an unexpected photobomber from our group shot, resulting in a picture that looked as if nothing had ever been amiss.

Additionally, the Best Face feature consistently picked the best expressions for our selfies during a night out with friends, making the process effortless and fun.

The Circle to Search feature also came in handy while we were in a café; we simply circled a restaurant name in a flyer, and the Galaxy A56 immediately provided us with reviews and location details. These AI capabilities not only simplified everyday tasks but also added a creative spark to our routine.


Camera

The Galaxy A56’s camera setup appears to be a satisfactory everyday shooter. The 50MP primary sensor with OIS captured photos in daylight with plenty of details and vibrant colours. Samsung has fine-tuned the 50MP sensor over the years, and that reflects in the photos. The dynamic range is on point and one of the finest in this price segment.

Every single shot was delivered with fine details and an impressive dynamic range. The videos shot from this lens were also detailed and vibrant. Thanks to onboard OIS, the footage also came out shake-free. Here are some camera samples:










Then we switched to the 12MP ultra-wide lens for group photos in a restaurant, the results were consistently sharp and true to life. Despite being an ultra-wide sensor, the distortion levels are contained well and colours at the corners of the photos are retained without losing details. However, we noticed a slight drop in detail under low-light conditions with this sensor. However, the Galaxy A56 also has Nightography – a dedicated Night mode – and enabling it compensated for the lost details and returned impressive images with a good amount of details and sharpness.

And, if you are wondering, the phone has a dedicated Portrait mode as well – it works with both front and rear cameras. The quality of portrait photos is good, with a clear and precise cutout between the subject and the background. No complaints there.

The 5MP macro sensor came in handy while clicking images of flowers in a garden. It allowed us to capture intricate petal textures at close range. Considering the phone’s price and the competition out we missed the presence of a telephoto lens

On the front, the 12MP selfie shooter also clicked some decent selfies with natural skin tones and detail retention. At night, the Galaxy A56’s Super HDR capability ensured that our selfies remained bright and well-balanced, even in challenging lighting.


Battery

The Galaxy A56’s 5000mAh battery proved to be a reliable companion in our daily routine. On a typical workday filled with emails, messaging, social media scrolling, and occasional Instagram breaks, we wrapped up the day with around 30% battery still left.

Even on busier days when we had multiple video calls and some camera usage, the phone easily lasted till the night without looking for a charger.

Gaming was where we put the battery to the test. A solid hour of BGMI with graphics set to high drained about 20%, which was impressive considering how demanding the game can be.

After a two-hour binge-watching session on Netflix during a long commute, the battery dropped by about 15%, which meant we didn’t have to worry about running out of juice before reaching home.
Charging speeds, while not the fastest in the segment, were still decent. With a 45W fast charger (purchased separately), we managed to go from 0 to 50% in roughly 20 minutes, and a full charge took about an hour and 15 minutes. However, the phone tends to get slightly warm when charging and during video calls.


Verdict

So, it's time for the verdict and to answer the two big questions that we mentioned earlier. The short answers are ‘Yes’. In detail, the Samsung Galaxy A56 is a solid everyday companion – a reliable one – balancing performance, camera quality, and battery life quite well. From handling a full day of work-related tasks without slowing down to capturing vibrant shots during weekend outings, the phone rarely left us wanting more.

The AI features made a significant level of difference here. The important part is that Samsung has added the AI features that matter most to users. The battery life is also a big plus for the Galaxy A56.

Starting at Rs 41,999, the Galaxy A56 justifies almost every single penny by offering a refined overall experience. Having said that, if you’re looking for a premium mid-range smartphone that delivers on all fronts, including long-term software support, the Galaxy A56 will top the reliability charts and is an easy recommendation from us.