On the big stages, Samsung’s Galaxy S lineup gets all the spotlight. It’s arguably the first family of Android, so I get that. However, did you know it isn’t even Samsung’s best-selling smartphone series? That prize goes to the Galaxy A series, for good reason. The phones are more affordable, and the high-end has enough power for most people.
Samsung has just unveiled the Galaxy A26, A36, and A56, the last three devices expected from the A series in the current generation. As the higher-end phones in the A family, there’s a lot to look at and talk about, so let’s do that.
The Samsung Galaxy A26, A36, and A56 Have a Lot of Things in Common
Before we talk about each device individually, it’s important to know that the newly-released Samsung Galaxy A devices all share a bunch of traits. If any of these are things that you prioritize, you’ll know you’re in good hands regardless of the model that you opt for.
All three devices pack the same 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. That’s not a bad deal, especially for the cheaper A26 5G. All three are available in the same 8/256GB storage configuration, and you’ll be in good hands in the photography realm as well, thanks to a 50MP primary camera. The lights are kept on with a 5,000mAh battery. That IP67 certification isn’t bad, either.
In the software domain, you’ll get the Android 15-powered One UI 7, giving you access to a new slew of software features, including what Samsung refers to as Awesome Intelligence—”AI,” get it? With that, you can use Circle to Search and Object Eraser on all three phones. Plus, six years of major OS updates and security updates don’t hurt.
The Samsung Galaxy A26 5G Prioritizes Your Pocket But Still Brings Plenty Value
The Samsung Galaxy A26 5G might be the little guy in the trio, but for those who want value without spending too much, it stands the tallest. It gets the same display as the higher-end models, the same battery, and the same storage configuration. The Exynos 1380 powers things. Sure, Samsung’s Exynos chips aren’t smiled upon by power users, but for a device smack in the middle of the A series, it’s good enough.
However, some aspects show its price. For one, it has a teardrop notch with only 25W fast charging. Plus, while it shares a 50MP primary camera with the others, its ultrawide is 8MP, and its macro is only 2MP. It has a 13MP selfie shooter, which is a higher resolution than the others but likely an inferior sensor.
The Samsung Galaxy A26 5G is available in Black, White, Mint, and Peach Pink colorways and will set you back by £299 in the UK.
Samsung’s Galaxy A36 5G Finally Brings 45W Fast Charging to the A Series
For those who want more than the A26 offers but are watching their coins, the A36 is a good option. Design-wise, it looks like the A26 but brings a more modern punch-hole selfie cam. Like the other models, it adopts the new A series design, housing the three rear camera lenses in a shared panel.
Besides the 50MP primary and the 8MP ultrawide that the A26 also has, it upgrades the macro to a 5MP unit. The selfie camera is 12MP, and while that’s lower on paper, I expect it to be a better module. This model is the cheaper of the only two A series smartphones that offer 45W fast charging—yes, it took Samsung until 2025 to do that. It’s also the only model to offer a Snapdragon chip, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, to be exact.
The A36 5G gets a brighter display than the A26 5G, with a peak brightness of 1,200 nits. The device will also support Digital Key functionality, which is a nice touch. It will cost you £399 at UK retailers and will be available in Awesome Lavender, Awesome Black, Awesome White, and Awesome Lime.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Is Perfect for the Camera Lovers
Finally, for those who want the very best that the A series has to offer in 2025 is the Galaxy A56 5G. This phone is quite like the A36 5G but has a few exclusive features. To start with, in the software field, it gets the Best Face feature that makes the perfect take from a group photo even easier. It also improves Nightography, adding Low Noise Mode to the selfie camera.
Speaking of cameras, it has the same main, macro, and selfie camera as the A36 5G. However, it upgrades the ultrawide to a 12MP unit. It’s nice to know that the phone also gets 45W charging, IP67 certification, and the same bright screen.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G is available in Awesome Lightgrey, Awesome Graphite, Awesome Olive, and Awesome Pink and will cost £499 in the UK.
