Samsung Galaxy A56 5G (256GB / 8GB RAM) specifications and in-depth review

Samsung Galaxy A56 5G (256GB / 8GB RAM)

Manufacturer: Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G is a mid-range Android smartphone running Android 15, built around a 6.7″ OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1080 x 2340 px. It carries an IP67 rating, making it waterproof in everyday conditions, and features Gorilla Glass Victus for added screen durability. At 7.4 mm thick and 198 g, it sits in a familiar form factor without a folding mechanism or rugged casing, offering a straightforward slab design with support for two physical SIM cards and two eSIMs. The device ships with 256GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM, and it does not include a charger in the box.

Under the hood, the A56 5G is powered by the Samsung Exynos 1580 chipset, built on a 4 nm process with eight CPU threads arranged in a big.LITTLE configuration running at up to 2.9 GHz. The Xclipse 530 GPU achieves a 3DMark Wild Life score of 4836, and the AnTuTu benchmark result sits at 932,578. The rear camera system consists of three lenses — a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP wide, and a 5MP depth unit — all capable of recording 4K video at 30 fps with optical image stabilization and continuous autofocus. The 5000 mAh battery supports 45W wired fast charging and is rated for up to 29 hours of use, though wireless charging is not supported. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, GPS with Galileo support, and 5G, while audio is handled by stereo speakers without a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Pros
  • IP67 waterproof rating provides reliable protection against water ingress in everyday situations
  • The 6.7-inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and 1200 nits brightness delivers a sharp and responsive visual experience
  • 45W fast charging on a 5000 mAh battery rated for 29 hours of use offers a practical balance of endurance and quick top-ups
  • A French Repairability Index score of 8.4 out of 10 indicates the device is relatively straightforward to repair
  • The triple rear camera system includes optical image stabilization, phase-detection autofocus, 4K video recording, and a broad set of manual controls including exposure, ISO, focus, and white balance
  • Wi-Fi 6 support, Bluetooth 5.3, dual physical SIM plus two eSIM slots, and 5G connectivity make for a well-rounded communications package
Cons
  • Wireless charging is not supported, limiting charging flexibility
  • No 3.5 mm headphone jack is present, requiring an adapter or wireless headphones for wired audio
  • The USB port is limited to USB 2.0 speeds despite using a Type-C connector, restricting wired data transfer rates
  • No external memory slot is available, making the 256GB fixed storage non-expandable
  • The charger is not included in the box, requiring a separate purchase to take advantage of 45W fast charging
  • RAW photo capture and manual shutter speed control are absent, limiting advanced photography options
Who is this for?

This device is a solid fit for everyday users who want a large, visually capable screen paired with reliable all-day endurance — the 6.7-inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support makes it well-suited for media consumption, casual gaming, and general browsing. The IP67 waterproof rating and high French Repairability Index score appeal to users who prioritize durability and long-term ownership, while the 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 6, dual SIM plus dual eSIM support serve frequent travelers or those who manage multiple lines. Users who want flexibility in photography without diving into fully manual workflows will also find the triple camera system with OIS, phase-detection autofocus, 4K recording, and timelapse a practical and capable toolset for everyday shooting.

Who is this NOT for?

Users who rely on wired headphones will find the absence of a 3.5 mm headphone jack a persistent inconvenience, and those who need fast wired data transfers will be limited by the USB 2.0 speeds despite the Type-C connector. The fixed 256GB storage with no external memory slot makes the device a poor fit for users who accumulate large volumes of local media or files without access to cloud storage. Professional or enthusiast photographers expecting RAW capture, manual shutter speed control, or optical zoom will find the camera system too constrained for serious work, and users who depend on wireless charging as part of their daily routine will need to look elsewhere, as that capability is entirely absent.

Design:

water resistance Waterproof
weight 198 g
thickness 7.4 mm
width 77.5 mm
height 162.2 mm
volume 93.0217 cm³
Ingress Protection (IP) rating IP67
French Repairability Index 8.4
has a rugged build
can be folded

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G measures 162.2 mm tall, 77.5 mm wide, and 7.4 mm thick, with a total volume of 93.0217 cm³ and a weight of 198 g, giving it a standard rectangular slab form — it neither folds nor carries a rugged build. It holds an IP67 rating, confirming full waterproof protection under defined conditions. Repairability is notably strong, with a French Repairability Index score of 8.4 out of 10.

Display:

Display type OLED/AMOLED
screen size 6.7"
pixel density 385 ppi
resolution 1080 x 2340 px
refresh rate 120Hz
brightness (typical) 1200 nits
has branded damage-resistant glass
Gorilla Glass version Gorilla Glass Victus
supports HDR10
supports HDR10+
Always-On Display
supports Dolby Vision
Has a secondary screen
has a touch screen

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G features a 6.7″ OLED/AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 px at 385 ppi and a 120Hz refresh rate, paired with a typical brightness of 1200 nits. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and supports both HDR10 and HDR10+, while Dolby Vision is not supported. An Always-On Display mode is available, though there is no secondary screen. Dolby Vision aside, the panel covers a well-rounded set of display capabilities for its class.

Performance:

internal storage 256GB
RAM 8GB
AnTuTu benchmark score 932578
Chipset (SoC) name Samsung Exynos 1580
GPU name Xclipse 530
CPU speed 1 x 2.9 & 3 x 2.6 & 4 x 1.95 GHz
Geekbench 6 result (multi) 3893
Geekbench 6 result (single) 1360
3DMark Wild Life benchmark 4836
GPU clock speed 1300 MHz
Has integrated LTE
RAM speed 3200 MHz
semiconductor size 4 nm
Supports 64-bit
DirectX version DirectX 12
Has integrated graphics
OpenGL ES version 3.2
Uses big.LITTLE technology
CPU threads 8 threads
Uses HMP
Has TrustZone
maximum memory bandwidth 51.2 GB/s
pixel rate 0.2274 GPixel/s
OpenCL version 2
memory channels 4
maximum memory amount 12GB
uses multithreading
GPU turbo 1300 MHz
DDR memory version 5
L3 core 4 MB/core
shading units 256
L3 cache 4 MB

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G runs on the Samsung Exynos 1580, a 4 nm chipset with eight CPU threads arranged in a big.LITTLE configuration with Heterogeneous Multi-Processing, clocked at up to 2.9 GHz, and paired with 8GB of DDR5 RAM running at 3200 MHz across four memory channels, offering a maximum memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s and support for up to 12GB. The 256GB of internal storage sits alongside the Xclipse 530 GPU, which runs at 1300 MHz, carries 256 shading units, and scores 4836 on the 3DMark Wild Life benchmark, while the chipset as a whole achieves an AnTuTu score of 932,578 and Geekbench 6 results of 1360 single-core and 3893 multi-core. Graphics support includes DirectX 12, OpenGL ES 3.2, and OpenCL 2, with integrated LTE on the SoC, TrustZone security, 64-bit support, multithreading, a 4 MB L3 cache, and a pixel rate of 0.2274 GPixel/s rounding out the platform's technical profile.

Cameras:

megapixels (main camera) 50 & 12 & 5 MP
wide aperture (main camera) 1.8 & 2.2 & 2.4f
Has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) main camera
megapixels (front camera) 12MP
has built-in optical image stabilization
video recording (main camera) 2160 x 30 fps
Has a dual-tone LED flash
number of flash LEDs 1
has a BSI sensor
has a CMOS sensor
has continuous autofocus when recording movies
Has phase-detection autofocus for photos
supports slow-motion video recording
has a built-in HDR mode
has manual exposure
has a flash
optical zoom 0x
has manual ISO
has a serial shot mode
has manual focus
has a front camera
Has laser autofocus
Shoots 360° panorama
has manual white balance
shoots raw
has touch autofocus
has manual shutter speed
can create panoramas in-camera
wide aperture (front camera) 2.2f
Has timelapse function
Has a front-facing LED flash
has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) front camera
supports HDR10 recording
supports Dolby Vision recording
has a front-facing camera under the display
Has a RGB LED flash
has 3D photo/video recording capabilities

The rear camera system on the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G consists of three lenses — a 50MP main sensor at f/1.8, a 12MP wide at f/2.2, and a 5MP unit at f/2.4 — all built on a CMOS sensor without back-illumination, and supported by optical image stabilization, phase-detection autofocus, touch autofocus, and continuous autofocus during video recording, though laser autofocus is absent. Video capture reaches up to 2160p at 30 fps, with slow-motion recording also available, while HDR10 and Dolby Vision recording are not supported. Manual controls cover exposure, ISO, focus, and white balance, though manual shutter speed and RAW shooting are not available, and optical zoom is absent; the camera does support burst mode, panoramas, and timelapse. A single LED flash is fitted at the rear — not dual-tone or RGB — and there is no front-facing flash. The 12MP front camera at f/2.2 is a single-lens unit positioned above the display rather than under it, and it does not support 3D or 360° capture.

Operating system:

Android version Android 15
has clipboard warnings
has location privacy options
has camera/microphone privacy options
has Mail Privacy Protection
has theme customization
can block app tracking
blocks cross-site tracking
has on-device machine learning
has notification permissions
has media picker
Can play games while they download
has dark mode
has Wi-Fi password sharing
has battery health check
has an extra dim mode
has focus modes
has dynamic theming
can offload apps
Has customizable notifications
has Live Text
has full-page screenshots
supports split screen
gets direct OS updates
has PiP
Can be used as a PC
Has sharing intents
has a child lock
Supports widgets
Is free and open source
Has offline voice recognition
has voice commands
Tracks the current position of a mobile device
is a multi-user system
has Quick Start

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G ships with Android 15, an open-source platform that supports multi-user operation, widgets, split-screen multitasking, Picture-in-Picture, app offloading, sharing intents, and the ability to play games while they are still downloading. Privacy tools include clipboard warnings, location privacy options, camera and microphone access controls, and the ability to block app tracking, though cross-site tracking blocking and Mail Privacy Protection are not available. The interface offers theme customization, dynamic theming, dark mode, extra dim mode, customizable notifications with notification permission controls, a media picker, full-page scrolling screenshots, and Live Text for selecting text within images. On-device machine learning, offline voice recognition, voice commands, battery health check, child lock, and device tracking are all present, while focus modes, Wi-Fi password sharing, Quick Start, and the ability to function as a PC are not supported. OS updates do not arrive directly from the platform vendor.

Battery:

battery power 5000 mAh
has wireless charging
Supports fast charging
charging speed 45W
comes with a charger
has a removable battery
Has an ultra power-saving mode
has a battery level indicator
Battery life 29 hours
has a rechargeable battery

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G is equipped with a 5000 mAh non-removable rechargeable battery rated for up to 29 hours of use, with a battery level indicator and an ultra power-saving mode available for extending runtime when needed. It supports 45W wired fast charging, though no charger is included in the box and wireless charging is not supported.

Audio:

has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
has stereo speakers
has LDAC
has aptX Lossless
Has a radio
number of microphones 2

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G handles audio through stereo speakers and a dual-microphone setup, with no 3.5 mm headphone jack present. LDAC, aptX Lossless, and a built-in radio are all absent from the feature set.

Connectivity & Features:

has 5G support
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
SIM cards 2 SIM, 2 eSIM
Bluetooth version 5.3
has an external memory slot
Has USB Type-C
USB version 2
has NFC
download speed 5100 MBits/s
upload speed 1280 MBits/s
Has a fingerprint scanner
has emergency SOS via satellite
has crash detection
is DLNA-certified
has a gyroscope
supports ANT+
Has a heart rate monitor
has GPS
has a compass
supports Wi-Fi
Has an infrared sensor
has an accelerometer
has a cellular module
Has a barometer
has an HDMI output
Uses 3D facial recognition
Has an iris scanner
Stylus included
supports Galileo
Has motion tracking
Has optical tracking
Has a built-in projector

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G supports 5G cellular connectivity alongside Wi-Fi 4, 5, and 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC, with download speeds reaching up to 5100 Mbit/s and upload speeds up to 1280 Mbit/s. It accommodates two physical SIM cards and two eSIMs, connects via USB Type-C at USB 2.0, and does not include an external memory slot, HDMI output, or DLNA certification. Location is handled through GPS with Galileo support, and onboard sensors include a gyroscope, accelerometer, and compass, while a barometer, infrared sensor, heart rate monitor, and both motion and optical tracking are absent. A fingerprint scanner is present for biometric authentication, though 3D facial recognition and an iris scanner are not supported, and no stylus is included. Emergency SOS via satellite, crash detection, and ANT+ support are likewise not available.

Miscellaneous:

has a video light
Has sapphire glass display
Has a curved display
Has an e-paper display

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G includes a video light for use during video recording, while the display is flat rather than curved and uses neither sapphire glass nor an e-paper panel.

Final Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G presents a well-rounded mid-range smartphone built around a strong display, dependable waterproofing, and a versatile camera setup that covers most everyday shooting scenarios. Its 6.7-inch OLED panel with 120Hz refresh rate, paired with a 5000 mAh battery and 45W fast charging, gives it genuine appeal for users who spend significant time consuming media or need reliable endurance through a full day. Certain limitations — including the absence of wireless charging, a USB 2.0 data ceiling, and no expandable storage — mean it won't satisfy every use case, and those with more specialized photography or audio needs may find its feature set constraining. Nevertheless, for users who want a capable, durable, and connectivity-rich daily driver running Android 15 with a solid repairability score, the Galaxy A56 5G makes a coherent and practical choice.

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