The new Samsung Galaxy A56 steps in to challenge the A55, and while they might look nearly identical, there are a few key upgrades that could sway your decision. If you’re wondering whether the newer model is worth the extra cash or if last year’s A55 still holds strong, this article breaks down how these two phones compare in terms of screen quality, battery life and charging speed, chipset performance, and camera image quality.
Design and Build Quality
When you first look at the Galaxy A56 and A55, they seem pretty similar. But the A56 has some nice upgrades. For starters, the A56 is a bit thinner and lighter, which makes it feel better in your hand. Both phones have an aluminum frame, which is a good touch for durability.
One big difference is the glass on the back. The A56 uses tougher Gorilla Glass Victus Plus, while the A55 has standard glass. This means the A56 might handle drops a bit better. Both phones have the same IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, so they're equally protected there.
Display
The screens on these phones are very similar, but the A56's display is slightly bigger at 6.7 inches compared to the A55's 6.6 inches. Both are OLED screens with a 1080p resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. This means content looks good on both, with smooth scrolling and vibrant colors.
However, the A56's screen is brighter. We saw it hit over 1,200 nits, while the A55 reached around 1,000 nits. This extra brightness on the A56 can make a difference when you're using your phone outside in bright sunlight.
Audio and Storage
Both phones come with stereo speakers. The A55's speakers are a bit louder, but the A56 offers a warmer, deeper sound with more bass. So, if you like your music with a bit more punch, the A56 might be better for you.
For unlocking, both phones use an optical under-display fingerprint reader, which works well. When it comes to storage, both the A56 and A55 offer 128GB or 256GB options. But here's a key point: only the older A55 lets you expand storage with a microSD card. The A56 doesn't have that option.
Software and Performance
The Galaxy A56 runs on Samsung's latest software, One UI 7, which is based on Android 15. The A55 is still on One UI 6, but it should get the update to One UI 7 soon. The newer software on the A56 includes some AI-based features.
One big advantage for the A56 is software support. It gets six major OS updates and six years of security patches. The A55, on the other hand, gets four OS updates and five years of patches. So, the A56 will stay updated for longer.
Both phones use Samsung's in-house chipsets. The A56 has the newer Exynos 1580, while the A55 uses last year's Exynos 1480. As you'd expect, the A56 performs better in benchmarks, showing a clear improvement. If you're into gaming or need more power, the A56 is the better choice. For everyday tasks, though, both phones run smoothly.
Both the A56 and A55 also manage heat well, even during long stress tests, with hardly any drop in performance.
Battery Life and Charging
Both phones have a 5,000 mAh battery. Surprisingly, the older A55 actually has better battery life. In our tests, the A55 lasted 13 hours and 27 minutes of active use, while the A56 managed 12 hours and 8 minutes. So, the A55 is a bit more power-efficient.
Samsung did upgrade the charging speed on the A56 to 45 watts, compared to 25 watts on the A55. However, this doesn't make a huge difference in real-world charging times. The A56 charges faster for the first 30 minutes (0 to 65% vs. 55% on the A55), but a full charge actually takes longer on the new model for some reason.
Camera Quality
Both the Galaxy A56 and A55 have the same camera setup on the back: a main camera, an ultrawide, and a macro camera. For regular photos from the main camera, there's almost no difference in quality. They both produce similar results.
For zoomed photos, the A56 is slightly cleaner and sharper. At night, the A55 tends to have more balanced exposure with natural-looking shadows, while the A56's shadows can be a bit too bright. Ultrawide photos during the day are decent on both, with no noticeable differences. At night, ultrawide photos on both are soft and noisy.
On the front, the A56 has a new 12-megapixel selfie camera, while the A55 has a 32-megapixel one. Despite the megapixel difference, both phones take great selfies. The A56 might be slightly sharper.
For video, 4K footage from the main cameras on both phones is comparable—sharp, detailed, and colorful. The ultrawide cameras also capture good videos. At night, the A56's main camera has an edge, producing sharper and more detailed footage.
- Galaxy A56: Lighter, more durable glass, brighter screen, better speakers, more powerful chipset, longer software support.
- Galaxy A55: Longer battery life, expandable storage via microSD, potentially lower price.
Which One Should You Get?
So, which phone is better? Both the Galaxy A56 and A55 offer a similar experience in terms of design, software, and camera performance. The A56 has some nice upgrades like a lighter build, more durable glass, a brighter screen, better speakers, a more powerful chipset, and longer software support.
However, the A55 has better battery life, expandable storage, and in some places, it's a lot cheaper. Overall, while the A56 is slightly better, you get a very similar experience with either phone. Unless you find the A56 at a good discount, it probably makes more sense to go for the A55 and save some money. You'll still get a great phone for your daily needs.
