Samsung simultaneously releases three low-cost phones. Galaxy A56 5G, Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G
A little over a month ago, Samsung introduced the Galaxy S25, and now the Korean company is back with three new devices. This time, the company is focusing on the mid-range segment, introducing the renewed Galaxy A series, designed to compete directly with models like the Google Pixel 8a and Apple's new iPhone 16e. The three new models are the Galaxy A56 5G, Galaxy A36 5G, and Galaxy A26 5G.
- Design and screen: amazing quality
The three new devices share features in this department, starting with their displays. All smartphones feature 6.7-inch high-resolution AMOLED displays with a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring a smooth visual experience. This provides vivid colors and clarity that rivals high-end devices.
As for the battery, the three phones are equipped with a capacity of 5000 mAh, which ensures more than enough autonomy for daily use. Moreover, both the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 support 45W fast charging, which is a significant improvement over the A36, which did not have this feature in its previous version.
- Storage and performance:
In terms of storage, all three devices offer 128GB and above, but with one caveat: there’s no option to expand the space via microSD cards, as Samsung doesn’t include support for this type of external storage. In terms of RAM, the Galaxy A56 edges out at 8GB, while the A36 and A26 come in versions starting at 6GB, which is more than enough for everyday tasks and multitasking.
One of the highlights of these new phones is their software support. All of these phones come with Android 15 on top of Samsung’s One UI 7 customization layer, and what’s even more interesting is that they’ll receive six OS updates. This means users will be able to enjoy the latest Android features until Android 22. While this phone doesn’t live up to the company’s promise of seven years of updates for its flagship lineup, it’s a big step forward compared to the four generations that the Galaxy A series introduced last year.
- Cameras and AI options
Where these devices really differ is in the photography department. Samsung has decided to focus a large part of its marketing strategy on the selfie capabilities of these phones. The Galaxy A56 packs a 12MP front camera, accompanied by a 12MP ultra-wide-angle sensor (F: 2.2), a 50MP main camera, and a 5MP macro camera. The Galaxy A36, for its part, retains a similar configuration, although its ultra-wide-angle sensor is 8MP instead of 12MP.
The Galaxy A26 5G, on the other hand, offers a more modest configuration. While it retains the ultra-wide-angle sensor and main camera, its macro camera is only 2 MP, and the front camera, while on paper superior at 13 MP, is likely to deliver lower results compared to the other two models. All the technical details have yet to be revealed, but Samsung is likely to have opted for less advanced components in this device to keep the price more reasonable.
As is often the case with recent smartphone launches, AI plays a major role in this new product lineup. The Galaxy A56 5G includes Samsung’s Best Face technology, which lets you edit multiple photos from a single session. For example, if one friend has their eyes closed in the photo, but the rest of the group looks perfect, you can take that person’s face from another photo and superimpose it on the best shot. While similar features have already been seen on Pixel devices, this is the first time Samsung has incorporated this technology into its mid-range phones.
Additionally, all three devices feature the latest version of Samsung's Object Eraser, a tool that uses AI to remove unwanted objects from photos. It's a fun tool to experiment with, so it's a nice addition.
- Prices
The Galaxy A26 5G is the cheapest model in the series, at €299 for the less powerful model (the 8GB model goes for €369). It will be available in green, black, and white. The Galaxy A36, for its part, is priced at around €379, rising to €449 for the most complete option. In this case, it is sold in white, black, and lime.