Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Awesome Graphite 256GB

The Galaxy A56 5G brings a 6.7-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED display and a 5000mAh battery that both rank in the 80th percentile range. Performance is middle of the pack at the 58th percentile, and the feature set is a disappointing 25th percentile. At USD 367 to USD 425, it's a solid basics phone that skimps on extras.

The Exynos 1580 is an 8-core chip clocked at 2.90GHz, paired with 12GB of RAM. In our database, that combo lands at the 58th percentile for performance. Translation: it's fine. Apps open quickly, multitasking is smooth, and Android 15 runs without drama. But this isn't a phone that's going to impress anyone who's used a flagship in the last two years. The 58th percentile means it's middle of the pack, and that's exactly how it feels.

The display is where this phone actually shines. 3840 x 2160 resolution on a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel at 120Hz is a lot of screen for the money. 1200 nits of brightness means outdoor visibility is genuinely good, and the 81st percentile display ranking backs that up. The 5000mAh battery is another bright spot, hitting the 82nd percentile. With 45W wired charging, you're looking at 65% in 30 minutes and a full charge in 68 minutes. That's quick enough that you won't be babysitting the charger.

Stacked against the competition, the A56 5G is a mixed bag. The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and Google Pixel 10 Pro XL will absolutely crush it on performance and features, but they cost dramatically more. The OnePlus 13 also outclasses it on raw speed. Where the A56 gets interesting is against the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro and the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. The Nothing Phone competes directly on price and offers a more distinctive feature set, while the Razr Ultra brings the foldable form factor at a higher cost. The A56's 81st percentile display and 82nd percentile battery are genuinely competitive, but the 25th percentile feature score means it loses the extras war to basically everyone in this group.

Pricing is all over the place depending on where you shop. In the US, you'll see USD 367 to USD 425 across two listings, a USD 58 spread. In Europe, it's EUR 370 to EUR 410 across four listings, a EUR 40 gap. The cheapest US listing at USD 367 is the one to grab if you're stateside. For European buyers, the EUR 370 option is the clear winner. At those prices, you're getting a 120Hz AMOLED display, 12GB of RAM, and a 5000mAh battery, which is a solid value proposition. But if you're paying the top end of those ranges, the value math gets shakier, especially with the feature set sitting at the 25th percentile.

The Galaxy A56 5G lands with a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel running at 120Hz and 1200 nits of brightness, which puts it in the 81st percentile for displays in our database. That's a genuinely nice screen for a mid-ranger. You also get 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a 5000mAh battery that hits the 82nd percentile for battery life. On paper, Samsung packed a lot of phone into this thing.

But the numbers tell a more complicated story. Performance sits at the 58th percentile, which is solid but not exciting. The feature set lands at the 25th percentile, which is a real weak spot. And while the camera scores in the 70th percentile, the 5MP telephoto feels like an afterthought next to the 50MP main sensor. This is a phone that does the basics well and skimps on the extras.

Skip this one if you care about features or raw performance. The 25th percentile feature score means you're missing out on the extras that make phones interesting in 2025, and the 58th percentile performance won't satisfy anyone who pushes their phone hard. Business users should look elsewhere too, with a 54.2 out of 100 score in that category. If you're coming from a flagship or want a phone that feels cutting-edge, the A56 will feel like a step backward.

The Galaxy A56 5G is a phone that nails the fundamentals and forgets the flourishes. The display is excellent, the battery is strong, and 12GB of RAM keeps things running smoothly. But the 25th percentile feature score is hard to ignore, and the 58th percentile performance means this isn't a phone for power users. If you can find it at the low end of the price range, around USD 367 or EUR 370, it's a reasonable buy for someone who wants a big, bright screen and all-day battery without flagship pricing. Just don't expect it to surprise you.