CheckMag | Samsung Galaxy A smartphones in 2025: Galaxy A56, A36, A26 and A16 in comparison
The Samsung Galaxy A-series is quite popular and has captured a significant market share in Europe and many other regions around the world. However, with six smartphones to choose from, it's not exactly straightforward. Starting at roughly $100, the Galaxy A06 (from $103 on Amazon) is the entry-level option. This is the only device in the Galaxy A-series that we haven't tested thus far, so it won't be included in this comparison.
One step further up is the Galaxy A16, which is available in both LTE and 5G variants. All other phones support the latest cellular standard. There are also differences in terms of the display glass, as both Galaxy A16 models use Corning Gorilla Glass 5, while the others opt for the newer Gorilla Glass Victus+. Similarly, these handsets are equipped with different types of memory. Only the Galaxy A56 comes with LPDDR5 RAM, while Samsung’s other mid-range phones use older LPDDR4x RAM. It's a similar situation with internal storage. The A16 gets UFS 2.2, all other Galaxy A models offer UFS 3.1.
Samsung has not specified any differences regarding the main camera sensors, all of which have 50 megapixels and an identical aperture of f/1.8. The displays are also very similar, but the more expensive offerings also offer a better screen-to-body ratio.
All further differences between Samsung's current Galaxy A-series smartphones are summarized in the table below. You will also find a brief description of all models underneath.
Galaxy A-series smartphones in comparison
| Galaxy A16 4G | Galaxy A16 5G | Galaxy A26 5G | Galaxy A36 5G | Galaxy A56 5G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.7 inchesSuper AMOLED90 Hz, Full HD+max. 733 nits | 6.7 inchesSuper AMOLED90 Hz, Full HD+max. 750 nits | 6.7 inchesSuper AMOLED120 Hz, Full HD+max. 1,265 nits | 6.7 inchesSuper AMOLED120 Hz, Full HD+max. 2,012 nits | 6.7 inchesSuper AMOLED120 Hz, Full HD+max. 2,001 nits |
| SoC | MediaTek Helio G99 | Exynos 1330 | Exynos 1380 | Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 | Exynos 1580 |
| Performance rating (CPU/GPU) | 64 / 9 % | 68 / 10 % | 70 / 21 % | 72 / 27 % | 85 / 41 % |
| Storage | 4/128 GB8/256 GB | 4/128 GB8/256 GB | 6/128 GB8/256 GB | 6/128 GB8/256 GB | 8/128 GB8/256 GB |
| microSD | yes | yes | yes | - | - |
| Cameras | 50 MP5 MP ultrawide2 MP macro | 50 MP5 MP ultrawide2 MP Macro | 50 MP (OIS)8 MP ultrawide2 MP macro | 50 MP (OIS)8 MP ultrawide5 MP macro | 50 MP (OIS)12 MP ultrawide5 MP macro |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Charging speed | 25 W | 25 W | 25 W | 45 W | 45 W |
| Battery life | 15h 03min | 12h 25min | 12h 19 min | 14h 48min | 19h 59min |
| SIM | Hybrid SIM | Hybrid SIM | Hybrid SIM | Dual nano SIMDual eSIM | Dual nano SIMDual eSIM |
| Fingerprint sensor | capacitive | capacitive | capacitive | optical | optical |
| Vibration motor | ERM | ERM | ERM | linear | linear |
| Communication | LTE, Wi-Fi 5Bluetooth 5.3 | 5G, Wi-Fi 5Bluetooth 5.3 | 5G, Wi-Fi 5Bluetooth 5.3 | 5G, Wi-Fi 6Bluetooth 5.3 | 5G, Wi-Fi 6Bluetooth 5.3 |
| IP rating | IP54 | IP54 | IP67 | IP67 | IP67 |
| Updates | Android 14, 6 years | Android 14, 6 years | Android 14, 6 years | Android 15, 6 years | Android 15, 6 years |
Galaxy A56 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G features a sleeker design, a bright 6.7-inch AMOLED display with up to 2,000 nits brightness and a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s powered by the new Exynos 1580, while the 5,000mAh battery now supports 45W fast charging. The triple camera remains unchanged, and although the front camera has been downgraded to 12MP, it impressed us with improved low-light performance and 4K video recording.
On the software side, the A56 5G runs Android 15 with One UI 7.0, and Samsung promises six years of major Android updates and security patches. There are some caveats, including the lack of a microSD card slot, wireless charging, as well as the absence of 6GHz Wi-Fi and UWB. Overall, the Galaxy A56 5G offers a strong overall package in the mid-range segment.
Galaxy A36 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G offers IP67 certification for water and dust protection, along with Gorilla Glass Victus+ for better durability. The smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, which provides solid everyday performance. Its 6.7-inch AMOLED display offers a 120Hz refresh rate and excellent color reproduction.
Additionally, the camera setup includes a 50MP main camera, complemented by ultrawide and macro lenses. While the main camera delivers decent results in daylight, it shows weaknesses in poor lighting conditions and when taking selfies. That said, battery life is very good, and thanks to 45W fast charging, the 5,000mAh battery can be recharged quickly. A drawback is the absence of a microSD card slot for storage expansion.
Galaxy A26 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A26 5G features a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 120Hz and an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. It's powered by the Exynos 1380 processor, which provides sufficient performance for everyday usage. The internal storage has 128 or 256GB of capacity can be expanded by up to 2TB via microSD.
The camera setup includes a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization, complemented by ultrawide and macro lenses. The battery capacity is 5,000mAh, and the device can be charged with up to 25 watts via cable.
Limitations include the lack of eSIM support, wireless charging, and stereo speakers. Instead of Wi-Fi 6, the smartphone relies on the older Wi-Fi 5 standard.
Galaxy A16
The Samsung Galaxy A16 4G and A16 5G are very similar. Like the higher model variants, they feature a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, though it has a lower peak brightness and only runs at 90Hz. Additionally, both are only splash-resistant and come with an IP54 rating.
The Helio G99 processor provides solid everyday performance but is somewhat older, and the same applies to the Exynos 1330 in the 5G model. Thanks to hybrid SIM, storage can be expanded via a microSD card. The main camera delivers good picture quality, but this doesn’t apply to the two additional lenses. Furthermore, Samsung’s "Awesome Intelligence" features are not available on these phones.
Source(s)
Notebookcheck's reviews of the Samsung Galaxy A16 LTE, Galaxy A16 5G, Galaxy A26 5G, Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A56 5G
