Earlier this year, Samsung announced that its Galaxy A56 would be available in the US, following a brief hiatus last year with the Galaxy A55. I was thrilled, as the Galaxy A55 was one of my favorite devices of last year, and I was disappointed Samsung didn’t bring it stateside.
I felt it was intentional, allowing the Galaxy S23 FE room to breathe, as one more phone would have crowded Samsung’s midrange lineup.
I’ve been patient, as Samsung released the Galaxy A16, A26, and A36 in the US, with promises that the A56 would be available later in the year. But months have passed, and we’ve had no word on when we can expect the Galaxy A56 to hit our shores.
It’s a shame, because I’ve used the overseas version, and it’s fantastic. It’s the best midrange phone the company currently ships, and you can’t buy one. I’m tired of waiting for the Samsung Galaxy A56, and you should be, too.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 is a wonderful smartphone
Premium design and a gorgeous display
When you pick up the Galaxy A56, it’s difficult to tell it apart from one of Samsung’s flagship models. It features Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and back, and an aluminum frame.
Being an A-series phone, it features many of the design elements common to Samsung’s other midrange devices, such as the Key Island, a raised section along the frame that houses the volume rocker and sleep/wake button.
I can’t help but think Samsung is holding back the Galaxy A56 artificially again this year.
The Galaxy A56 does share a display with the Galaxy A36, but that’s not a bad thing. Its screen is an outstanding 6.7-inch Super AMOLED 1080p panel refreshing at 120Hz. It’s saturated and vibrant and gets plenty bright for outdoor viewing.
I’m impressed that Samsung equips its less expensive devices, such as the $200 Samsung Galaxy A16, with high-quality OLED panels. I’ve always enjoyed Samsung displays, and the Galaxy A56 features an excellent one.
The Galaxy A56 punches above its weight
I enjoy the Exynos 1580
The Exynos 1480 in the Galaxy A55 was an outstanding chipset. The battery life was stunning, and the performance never disappointed me for the midrange price I paid.
I expected more of the same with the Exynos 1580 in the Galaxy A56, and I got it. The user experience is silky smooth, and I have yet to experience severe lag or slowdowns. One UI 7 is running well, and Samsung promises six years of OS upgrades and support for the Galaxy A56.
You won’t be running Genshin Impact at high settings, but that’s not unexpected at this price. The game is playable, and you’ll enjoy your time with the Galaxy A56.
I recently reviewed the Samsung Galaxy A36, and while I appreciate some of the features the company has brought to a more affordable price point, the phone falls short.
The Moto G Stylus 2025 utilizes the same Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset and gets significantly improved performance. The Galaxy A36 is plagued by a lack of RAM, a problem the Galaxy A56 doesn’t have.
My Galaxy A56 comes with 12GB of RAM, but Samsung offers variants with as little as 6 GB of RAM. Samsung has a nasty habit of selling only the lowest RAM options in the US.
The Galaxy A36 can be purchased overseas with 12GB of RAM, which I’m sure drastically improves performance; however, that option is not available here.
When the Galaxy A56 comes to the US later this year, I hope it’s equipped with at least 8GB of RAM.
Samsung’s lineup gets awkward
The Galaxy A56 is going to eat into another device
I can’t help but think Samsung is holding back the Galaxy A56 artificially again this year. If the company were to offer it for only $50 more than the Galaxy A36, there would be no reason to buy the latter. Not to mention that the Galaxy A56 is routinely available on Amazon for under $400, making the conversation even more awkward.
I wish the two devices were swapped. The Galaxy A36 should be the odd man out, sold in other regions with more RAM, while we get to enjoy the Galaxy A56. Frequent sales have also reduced the price of the Galaxy S24 FE, further complicating matters.
Samsung has plenty of midrange choices, and no clear slot for the Galaxy A56, as things stand, which is why I believe it hasn’t yet made its US debut.
Time is running out
There are only so many months left in the year until we’re talking about the Galaxy A57, and we’ll have missed out on one of Samsung’s best midrange phones for a second consecutive year. Samsung went through the trouble of designing an excellent smartphone with a fantastic chipset — we should get the opportunity to buy it.
