Samsung Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 Review: Polished Looks, Modest Upgrades

The Galaxy A sequence is one in every of Samsung’s hottest and best-selling smartphone lineups, recognized for delivering premium design and options at a extra inexpensive value than the flagship Galaxy S sequence. For 2025, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 with minor upgrades over the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35. The new A sequence telephones characteristic a barely refreshed design as nicely. However, are the minor upgrades and refined redesigns sufficient to tackle the competitors? Read on to search out out.

I’ll begin with the pricing. The Galaxy A56 was initially priced at Rs. 41,999 for the bottom variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage at launch. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A36 had a beginning price ticket of Rs. 32,999 (8GB + 128GB). For our overview, Samsung supplied us with the Awesome Olive variant of the Galaxy A56. As for the Galaxy A36, we’re trying out the Awesome Lavender possibility.

Samsung Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 Design: Premium

• Dimensions – 162.2×77.5×7.4mm (A56), 162.9×78.2×7.4mm (A36)
• Weight – 198g (A56), 195g (A36)
• Colours – Awesome Graphite, Awesome Light Grey and Awesome Olive (A56), Awesome Black, Awesome Lavender and Awesome White (A36)
• IP score – IP67 (Both)

As talked about earlier, the Galaxy A sequence is understood for providing a premium design at a extra accessible value level, typically borrowing options from Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S lineup. For occasion, each the Galaxy A56 and A36 include a glass again protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, whereas the A56 additionally options an aluminium body with a brushed end. The extra budget-friendly A36 opts for a matte plastic body. Both handsets characteristic a flat body, show, and rear panel.

Both telephones characteristic a glass sandwich design

 

Design-wise, the 2 telephones look almost equivalent from the entrance and again. Both sport a pill-shaped digicam module that seems to be floating and homes three cameras. An LED flash is positioned outdoors, proper subsequent to the module. This new digicam module design marks a refined shift from what we noticed on the Galaxy A55 and A35, which featured three separate digicam rings.

The proper aspect body on each telephones includes a protruding part that homes the Power and Volume buttons. You’ll discover the USB Type-C port, SIM tray (supporting twin nano SIM playing cards), two microphones, and a loudspeaker on the backside. The high a part of the cellphone options two extra microphones.

The proper body includes a bump, which homes the quantity and energy button

 

On the entrance, the bezels are slimmer than these of final 12 months’s fashions, though the chin stays barely thicker than the remainder of the bezels. You’ll discover a hole-punch cutout on the high centre for the selfie digicam. Both telephones additionally provide an IP67 score.

The telephones characteristic a hybrid stereo speaker setup

 

Overall, each telephones look and really feel premium and minimalist. The in-hand really feel can be fairly good, with the flat body providing good grip. I would not name them one-handed telephones, although, even in case you’ve obtained massive arms.

Samsung Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 Display: Brighter and greater

• Screen measurement and kind – 6.7-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED (Both)
• Refresh fee – 120Hz (Both)
• Glass safety – Gorilla Glass Victus+ (Both)

Just like final 12 months, each the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 share the identical display screen measurement. However, this 12 months, the screens are barely bigger and brighter. Both telephones provide a display screen decision and a 120Hz refresh fee. You can select between Adaptive and Standard refresh fee in show settings. The A56 gives HDR10+ assist, whereas the A36 does not.

Both telephones sport a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED show with a 120Hz refresh fee

 

In phrases of brightness, the shows on each telephones are rated to supply a peak of 1,900 nits. In real-world utilization, the panel on each the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 performs excellently indoors and works nicely open air as nicely. Watching content material on each telephones is a nice expertise, but it surely’s much more gratifying on the Galaxy A56, because it gives HDR10+ assist.

The telephones characteristic an in-display optical fingerprint sensor that labored nicely throughout the overview. However, the location might’ve been higher.

Samsung Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 Software: AI is right here

• OS – Android 15
• UI – One UI 7

The Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 provide the Android 15-based One UI 7 out of the field and one of many longest software program assist cycles amongst mid-range telephones. Samsung guarantees 6 years of Android OS updates and safety patches, which is superb.

Apart from the same old One UI 7 options, the brand new Galaxy A56 and A36 additionally get just a few AI options. There’s a lot to check out, but it surely’s positively not as lengthy a listing as what you’ll discover on the Galaxy S sequence telephones. Apart from Google Gemini and Circle to Search, you get AI Select, which helps you to seize textual content from photographs, create a clipping or a GIF from a picture, and even design a wallpaper from a picture that is on the display screen.

The Galaxy A56 and A36 provide a few AI options

 

You’ll additionally discover an AI Object eraser in Samsung’s Gallery app that does an honest job at eradicating objects and distractions from photographs. The Galaxy A56 additionally has a Favourite face characteristic in Motion Photos that helps you discover the very best faces in group photographs. Another helpful characteristic is the Read Aloud possibility present in Samsung Browser, and is accessible on each telephones.

Overall, the software program expertise on the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 is analogous primarily and good. There are loads of customisation choices, it is easy to navigate across the UI, and not too many pre-installed apps. You will, nevertheless, discover the Glance lockscreen on each telephones, however that can be disabled within the Settings, in case you did not do it throughout the preliminary Setup course of.

Samsung Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 Performance: Good sufficient for each day use

• Processor – Exynos 1580 (A56), Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (A36)
• RAM – Up to 12GB RAM (Both)
• Storage – Up to 256GB storage (Both)

Samsung has supplied improved chipsets on each the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36. However, the latter now includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC, quite than an Exynos. The Galaxy A56 carried out considerably higher than the A36 in artificial benchmarks. Both telephones additionally carried out higher than their predecessors.

Benchmark	Samsung Galaxy A56 5G	Samsung Galaxy A36 5G
AnTuTu v10	8,91,530	6,28,956
PCMark Work 3.0	14,006	13,056
Geekbench 6 Single	1,367	1,011
Geekbench 6 Multi	3,883	2,945
GFXB T-rex	115fps	109fps
GFXB Manhattan 3.1	71fps	51fps
GFXB Car Chase	40fps	29fps
3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL	NA	5,170
3DM Slingshot	Maxed Out	6,641
3DM Wild Life	5,084	3,412
3DM Wild Life Unlimited	5,272	3,489

In phrases of real-world utilization, I discovered each the Galaxy A56 and the A36 to be ok for performing most duties. The telephones additionally did fairly nicely throughout our traditional gaming checks, the place I performed BGMI and Asphalt. Both handsets additionally did not get too scorching throughout the gaming classes or whereas charging.

The Galaxy A56 includes a bigger vapour chamber in comparison with final 12 months’s mannequin

 

Overall, the Galaxy A56 and A36 provide good efficiency for multitasking, gaming, and different utilization eventualities.

The telephones characteristic a hybrid stereo speaker setup, and audio efficiency is kind of good. The audio output from each the A56 and A36 is loud sufficient, with some bass, and reveals zero distortion even at full quantity.

Both telephones provide good loudspeakers and microphones

 

Microphone and earphone high quality have been additionally good on each telephones. I additionally did not encounter any name drops throughout the overview.

Samsung Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 Cameras: Does the job

• Main rear – 50-megapixel with OIS (Both)
• Ultrawide – 12-megapixel (A56), 8-megapixel (A36)
• Macro – 5-megapixel (Both)
• Selfie – 12-megapixel (Both)

The digicam programs on the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 are equivalent on the subject of the variety of sensors and kind. You get a important, an ultrawide, and a devoted macro sensor. However, the primary cameras on the A56 and A36, though a 50-megapixel unit, use completely different sensors. The ultrawide can be completely different on each telephones, however the macro sensor is similar. Samsung has up to date the selfie digicam on each telephones, now that includes a 12-megapixel unit. Again, the entrance sensors are completely different on the handsets.

The telephones include a redesigned rear digicam module housing three sensors

 

The digicam app is simple to make use of and gives the picture, video, and just a few different modes on the backside, beneath the shutter button. Some toggles can be found on the high, and you may discover the digicam zoom toggles above the shutter button. There’s a More possibility that provides further modes comparable to Pro and Night.

The Galaxy A56 takes good, detailed photographs in daylight situations with barely oversaturated colors. However, the publicity and highlights are one thing that wants some tuning. In low-light situations, the primary digicam carried out decently, however photographs are usually comfortable with decrease particulars and washed-out colors.

Top to backside: Two x Daylight, One x Lowlight photographs from the first rear digicam [Tap to expand]

 

The ultrawide digicam produces good photographs in daylight situations, however you may discover much less element and an okay dynamic vary. It does not carry out very nicely in low-light situations, with photographs showcasing noise and blurry particulars. The Macro digicam can be nothing nice, however it may be enjoyable when there’s loads of mild. Selfies on the A56 are fairly good, with sufficient particulars and good dynamic vary.

Top – Daylight; Bottom – Lowlight ultrawide pictures [Tap to expand]

 

Moving on to video, the Galaxy A56 helps 4K 30fps recording throughout all cameras, apart from the Macro digicam. The main rear digicam carried out decently nicely in each daytime and night time movies. Daylight movies have an excellent quantity of element and color replica with very much less noise. Nighttime movies do introduce some noise, but it surely’s fairly usable. The ultrawide and entrance digicam additionally shoot good movies in daylight situations with good particulars and vivid colors. You get OIS within the main digicam, however the cellphone utilises EIS in 4K decision. The stabilisation is fairly good, however you’ll discover jitters in case you begin working with the cellphone. You additionally get 360 audio recording and audio playback options.

The Galaxy A36 does an excellent job with its important rear digicam, particularly in daylight pictures. The photographs provide loads of element, vibrant colors, and a large dynamic vary. However, the publicity is inconsistent. In low-light situations, the first digicam produces first rate and usable outcomes.

Top – Daylight picture; Bottom – Lowlight picture from the primary rear digicam [Tap to expand]

 

The ultrawide digicam on the cellphone is okayish at finest, however the photographs are usable. It’s the identical with the macro digicam. Lastly, the selfie digicam on the cellphone performs nicely in daylight situations with photographs providing good particulars, however its low-light efficiency is not nice.

Top – Ultrawide daylight; Bottom – Ultrawide lowlight [Tap to expand]

 

In phrases of video efficiency, the A36 permits you to shoot 4K 30fps movies utilizing the primary rear and the selfie digicam. Video high quality from the primary rear digicam is nice with enough particulars and punchy colors throughout daylight. Night movies are noisy and provide much less element. The stabilisation is first rate on the primary digicam, however you may discover some shakes. You can shoot 1080p movies utilizing the ultrawide digicam, however the output is not something nice. Daylight ultrawide movies are usable, however lowlight efficiency is poor.

Samsung Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 Battery: Nothing nice

• Capacity – 5,000mAh (Both)
• Charging pace – 45W (Both)

Both telephones characteristic a 5,000mAh battery, the identical capability as their predecessors. Add the brighter and barely bigger show and extra highly effective processors, and you get decrease battery life in comparison with the A55 and A35.

The Galaxy A56 and A36 provide the identical battery capability as their predecessors

 

In the PCMark Work 3.0 battery check, the Galaxy A56 delivered a runtime of 12 hours and 13 minutes, whereas the Galaxy A36 lasted 12 hours and 2 minutes. During the overview, I did get a day’s price of life from each telephones with 4-6 hours of screen-on-time relying on utilization.

As for charging, each handsets assist 45W quick charging, however you have to to make use of a 5A cable to realize this pace, because the cable supplied within the field does not assist it. In our charging checks, the Galaxy A56 and A36 attained a full cost in about 1 hour and 20 minutes, charging from 10 %.

Samsung Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 Verdict

The Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 are wonderful mid-range telephones, providing nice software program assist, premium design, high-quality shows, first rate cameras, and enough efficiency. However, there are many different telephones in the identical value bracket that supply higher efficiency, battery life, and significantly better cameras. If you do not care an excessive amount of about efficiency, cameras, and battery life, however do care about software program assist and premium construct, then you can think about the A56 or A36, relying in your funds.

However, if efficiency, battery life, and cameras are increased priorities, then I’d suggest the Nothing Phone 3a Pro (Review), Motorola Edge 50 Pro (Review), OnePlus Nord 5 (Review), or the Poco X7 Pro (Review) as a substitute of the Galaxy A56. For these contemplating the Galaxy A36, you can once more take a look at the Poco X7 Pro or the Nothing Phone 3a (Review).

Samsung’s Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36, whereas good telephones, are positively outshone by the competitors, particularly when you think about the pricing.