This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
The Galaxy A56 looks and feels like a flagship | Image by PhoneArena
If the Galaxy S26 Ultra is too expensive for you, but the regular S26 and the S26 Plus feel underwhelming, there's a third option!
You can get almost all the features of the non-Ultra S26 models at half the money. The secret option I'm teasing you with here even does some things better than the base S26. What's that secret option, you might ask? Well, it's not a secret at all.
Get the Galaxy A56 and you'll thank me later. Let me explain!
The “non-Ultra S26” problem
The Galaxy S26 Plus - almost no upgrades from the last generation | Image by PhoneArena
Leaving aside the lack of upgrades in almost any area apart from the chipset, the Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy S26 Plus suffer from an identity crisis, especially when put next to the Galaxy A56.
Design-wise, both phones don't stand out that much, thanks to Samsung's push to unify looks not only across S-series devices but also with the midrange A-series phones. The Galaxy A56 looks almost identical to the S26 Plus, and its size and weight are also very, very similar.
But let's put design considerations aside and take a look at some software and hardware features that have much more bearing on the overall smartphone experience.
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The Galaxy A56 has a better battery life and charges faster (than the S26)
Another big issue, especially for the vanilla S26, is the battery and charging speeds. The phone comes with a 4,300 mAh battery and 25W wired charging that I hesitate to call "fast." Even the S26 Plus has a smaller battery than the Galaxy A56 5G (5,000 mAh), matching the 45W charging.
It still boggles my mind how Samsung can get away with slapping 25W charging on its $899 phone, while the $499 Galaxy A56 supports 45W.
If we take a quick look at the battery life, the A56 is on par with the Galaxy S26 Plus and lasts longer than the vanilla S26. And in the real world, battery life is one of the most important quality of life features.
Big and fast screen on a budget
The screen of the A56 looks gorgeous | Image by PhoneArena
The Galaxy A56 5G comes equipped with a big 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate. It's bigger than what the S26 has to offer and matches the size of the Galaxy S26 Plus.
To be fair, the resolution and pixel density are both in favor of the S26 models, but I've seen all three phones in real life and didn't find any huge difference in screen sharpness or brightness.
Another thing to consider is the dynamic refresh rate on the S26 series devices, which might save some battery, but if you're like me, you'd set the refresh rate to 120 Hz and not bother anymore.
The price argument can't be overlooked
The A56 costs half the price of the S26 Plus | Image by PixaBay
The Galaxy A56 5G starts at $499, while the S26 and the S26 Plus cost $899 and $1,099, respectively. This is a massive price difference that will buy you some extras, that's undeniable.
The chipset inside the S26 models is much faster, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy is at the top of most benchmarks at the moment.
The cameras on both the S26 and the S26 Plus take better pictures than the ones on the A56, although the ultrawide camera of the A56 is pretty close. As you can see from the comparison table above, in our Camera benchmark, the S26 devices indeed perform better in the main and zoom categories, while the A56 holds its ground in the ultrawide and selfie tests.
And finally, in terms of software features and software support, the S26 series phones are still a tad better, offering seven years of major Android updates and the full Galaxy AI experience. The A56 5G, on the other hand, comes with "only" six years of software support and Awesome Intelligence, a trimmed-down version.
If you're not a heavy AI user or you rely on Gemini rather than Galaxy AI, the aforementioned won't be a dealbreaker. Furthermore, I think seven versus six years of support are almost identical in real-life scenarios. No one holds their phone for that long.
Conclusion: Reasons to get the Galaxy A56 or skip it in favor of the S26 or the S26 Plus
Get the A56 of just wait a couple of weeks for the Galaxy A57 | Image by PhoneArena
For me, the Galaxy A56 5G is a better deal than both the vanilla S26 and the S26 Plus. This doesn't mean it would apply to everybody. If you want the raw performance and the better main camera, the extra money you should pay for the S26 series might be worth it.
But if you use your phone as a normal do-it-all daily workhorse and don't mind not setting performance records or winning camera benchmarks, the Galaxy A56 is the better option. And with the Galaxy A57 5G right around the corner, we’ll soon get an even better value proposition if you’re willing to wait a couple weeks.
The price difference between the A56 and the S-series is so big (more than twice in the case of the S26 Plus) that if you really do want the best of the best, you might as well go for the Ultra.
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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