Samsung Galaxy A57 vs A56: Expected differences
The Galaxy A57 is largely familiar, with one upgrade worth noting.
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Samsung’s Galaxy A5x series has built a reputation for delivering some of the most balanced mid-range phones on the market. They typically offer a very balanced mix of more premium materials with capable mid-range performance, all at a reasonable price. The Galaxy A56 is a prime exampel of that — it brought a sleeker build, a bright 6.7-inch display, a faster Exynos 1580 chip, improved battery life, and introduced Samsung’s new Galaxy AI features to the $499 segment.
But now, with the Galaxy A57 expected release in March getting closer, we are starting to look forward. The next Galaxy A mid-ranger is already in its development, and according to early leaks it won't be too different from the A56. The main upgrade will likely come from the rumored Exynos 1680 chip, which could bring the biggest GPU jump the A-series has seen in years.
So how different will the A57 be from its predecessor, and will the increased performance be the only meaningful reason to upgrade?
Galaxy A57 vs Galaxy A56 expected differences:
| Galaxy A57* | Galaxy A56 |
|---|---|
| New Exynos 1680 chip with much stronger GPU | Exynos 1580 with modest GPU performance |
| Possibly slimmer design, still aluminum + Victus+ | Aluminum frame, Victus+, 7.4 mm |
| Rumored 50 MP selfie camera | 12 MP selfie camera |
| Same 6.7" AMOLED but likely One UI 8.5 optimizations | 6.7" AMOLED, 1200–1700 nits measured |
| Android 16 + One UI 8.5 out of the box | Android 15 + One UI 7 |
| Same 5000 mAh battery and 45W charging | 5000 mAh, 45W charging |
| Six OS upgrades expected | Six OS upgrades |
| Starts at $499 for 128 GB model | Starts at $499 for 128 GB model |
Table of Contents:
Read more:
- Samsung Galaxy A37 vs A36
- Samsung Galaxy A37 vs Galaxy A26
- Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Review: A mid-range contender approaches
Design and Size
A familiar premium mid-range design
The Galaxy A56 brought the A-series closer than ever to Samsung’s premium lineup. It introduced a fully flat aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both sides, and a much slimmer (and lighter) 7.4 mm body that felt noticeably more comfortable.
The Key Island element remained part of the design language, and the phone felt significantly more polished than its predecessors.
| Galaxy A57* | Galaxy A56 |
|---|---|
| Thickness ~7.1 mm | Thickness 7.4 mm |
| Dimensions ~162.2 x 77.5 | Dimensions 162.2 x 77.5 |
| Weight Around 200 grams | Weight 198 grams |
Samsung isn’t expected to change much with the Galaxy A57. The overall design should remain nearly identical, including the flat frame, Victus+ glass, and IP67 dust and water resistance.
That said, Samsung might slim down the A57 even more, potentially making it 7.1 mm — Samsung is really focused on this change with its latest phones.
Dimensions haven't leaked yet, but the A56 measured 162.2 x 77.5 x 7.4 mm at 198 grams, and the A57 should remain in the same ballpark apart from being slightly thinner.
The potential color options are also not known for now, though Samsung will likely continue with understated tones rather than the more playful A3x ones. As for the in-box contents, the A57 is expected to include the same accessories as the A56: the phone, a USB-C cable, and documentation.
Display Differences
The Galaxy A56 did not introduce any major display upgrades outside an increased brightness. It came with a 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED panel with a 60-120 Hz refresh rate, which performed well in our lab tests: 1129 nits at 100% APL and an impressive 1715 nits at 20% APL.
| Galaxy A57* | Galaxy A56 |
|---|---|
| Size 6.7" | Size 6.7" |
| Brightness 1900 nits (peak) | Brightness 1900 nits (peak) |
*rumored/expected
We don't expect to see any major changes to the display with the Galaxy A57. Leaks suggest Samsung will use the same panel, with no evidence of LTPO support or a brightness increase.
Just like the A37, there are rumors saying the A57 will receive a slightly improved fingerprint scanner, which should make it feel snappier. It wouldn't be an ultrasonic sensor like the ones we see on Samsung’s flagships, though, so don't expect a massive difference.
Performance and Software
A major GPU upgrade could define the A57
Performance will be where the A57 pulls ahead the most. The Galaxy A56 uses Samsung’s Exynos 1580, a decent 4 nm chip that handled everyday tasks well but didn’t keep up with Apple or Google’s mid-range options. In our testing, CPU and GPU results were respectable but still behind the Pixel 8a and iPhone 16e.
The Galaxy A57 is rumored to introduce the new Exynos 1680, and this time the GPU is expected to be much more powerful. Early leaks suggest its Xclipse 550 GPU could be roughly twice as powerful as the Exynos 1580’s. If this is true, the A57 could deliver a noticeable bump in gaming performance and be quicker at more demanding tasks that rely on the GPU.
The Galaxy A57 is rumored to introduce the new Exynos 1680, and this time the GPU is expected to be much more powerful. Early leaks suggest its Xclipse 550 GPU could be roughly twice as powerful as the Exynos 1580’s. If this is true, the A57 could deliver a noticeable bump in gaming performance and be quicker at more demanding tasks that rely on the GPU.
| Galaxy A57* | Galaxy A56 |
|---|---|
| Chip Exynos 1680 | Chip Exynos 1580 |
| Process 4nm | Process 4nm |
| RAM, Storage 8/128GB 8/256GB LPDDR5 RAM UFS 3.1 storage | RAM, Storage 8/128GB 8/256GB LPDDR5 RAM UFS 3.1 storage |
As for its software version, the A57 is expected to ship with Android 16 and One UI 8.5, the same software that will debut on the Galaxy S26 series. Galaxy AI should also expand with new features, though Samsung will likely still limit the A-series to “Awesome Intelligence” rather than the full flagship suite.
Software support is expected to remain at six OS upgrades, which is still one of the best policies in the mid-range market.
Camera
Hardware may stay the same, except for the selfie camera
The Galaxy A56’s camera system was one of its weaker parts when we reviewed it. It came with the same camera setup as the A55, which included — a 50 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide, and 5 MP macro — and delivered slightly worse image and video results than its predecessor in our testing.
The A56 scored 122 overall in the PhoneArena Camera Score, falling behind competitors like the Pixel 8a.
| Galaxy A57* | Galaxy A56 |
|---|---|
| Main 50 MP, f/1.8 1/1.56" sensor size | Main 50 MP, f/1.8 1/1.56" sensor size |
| Ultrawide 12 MP, f/1.7 123˚ FOV 1/3.06" sensor size | Ultrawide 12 MP, f/1.7 123˚ FOV 1/3.06" sensor size |
| Macro 5 MP | Macro 5 MP |
*rumored/expected
The leaks we've seen so far don't give any indication that the Galaxy A57 will get a major upgrade to its rear cameras — this would make it the third year in a row. In other words, we expect similar photo and video performance unless Samsung introduces a major change to its image processing.
We do have one rumored upgrade, though — a new 50 MP selfie camera. This would replace the 12 MP selfie snapper used in the A56 and could offer sharper detail and better low-light performance. Samsung already tested this with mid-range models like the Galaxy M55 and F55, so the A57 adopting it would not be surprising.
The bad news is, of course, that the Galaxy A57 will still not include a telephoto, meaning users are stuck with the old 5 MP Macro camera that's mostly uselsess.
We do have one rumored upgrade, though — a new 50 MP selfie camera. This would replace the 12 MP selfie snapper used in the A56 and could offer sharper detail and better low-light performance. Samsung already tested this with mid-range models like the Galaxy M55 and F55, so the A57 adopting it would not be surprising.
Battery Life and Charging
Little to no change expected
Battery life was one of the strongest aspects of the Galaxy A56. Its 5000 mAh battery delivered a solid 7h 3m total score in our Battery Test, outperforming the A55, Pixel 8a, and iPhone 16e. It was particulary strong in our Browsing test, where it exceeded 17 hours. Video playback reached 9 hours, and gaming lasted over 10 hours, making the A56 a reliable phone that will probably last you a full day.
| Galaxy A57* | Galaxy A56 |
|---|---|
| Battery size 4,700 mAh | Battery size 4,000 mAh |
Charging speeds 27/45W wired 21W wireless charging USB-C 3.0 | Charging speeds 25W wired 15W wireless charging USB-C 2.0 |
*rumored/expected
The Galaxy A57 is expected to keep the same 5000 mAh battery capacity, and if the Exynos 1680 is more efficient, we could see modest gains — around 10-15 minutes. Charging speeds should remain identical too: 45W wired charging with a full charge in a little over an hour.
Unfortunately, there is no word on wireless charging, so we doubt this will be the year when the A5x finally gets this feature.
Specs Comparison
|
|
| Samsung Galaxy A57 5G | Samsung Galaxy A56 5G |
Design
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 162.2 x 77.5 x 7.4 mm (~8.9 mm with camera bump) | |
| Weight | |
| 198.0 g | |
Display
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.7-inch | 6.7-inch |
| Type | |
| Super AMOLED, 120Hz | Super AMOLED, 120Hz |
Hardware
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Samsung Exynos 1580 | |
| Memory | |
| 8GB (LPDDR4)/128GB (UFS 3.1) 8GB/256GB 12GB/256GB | 8GB (LPDDR4)/128GB (UFS 3.1) 8GB/256GB 12GB/256GB |
Battery
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 45.0W | Wired: 45.0W |
Camera
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 50 MP (OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.8 Sensor size: 1/1.56" Pixel size: 1.0 μm | 50 MP (OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.8 Sensor size: 1/1.56" Pixel size: 1.0 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 12 MP (Ultra-wide) Aperture size: F2.2 Sensor size: 1/3.06" Pixel size: 1.12 μm | 12 MP (Ultra-wide) Aperture size: F2.2 Sensor size: 1/3.06" Pixel size: 1.12 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 5 MP (Macro) Aperture size: F2.4 | 5 MP (Macro) Aperture size: F2.4 |
| Front | |
| 12 MP | 12 MP |
See the full
Samsung Galaxy A57 5G vs Samsung Galaxy A56 5G specs comparison
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Phone Comparison tool
Summary
For now, we are looking at a rather modest upgrade with the Galaxy A57. The most notable change, and the one that would make a difference if you upgrade, is the new chip.
What would make the new model a lot more exciting is a telephoto camera, which would definitely attract more attention. The lack of wireless charging is not that big of a deal breaker, though.
Other than that, the design is expected to stay nearly identical, the display should behave the same, and the battery experience will likely remain unchanged.
Given the lack of any major upgrades, we don't expect the starting price to move upwards from $499, so the A57 should still make for a good deal in the mid-range phone market. But the A56 already delivers a well-rounded experience with excellent battery life, fast charging, and a solid display, so you probably won't feel too tempted to get the A57 once it comes out.
Given the lack of any major upgrades, we don't expect the starting price to move upwards from $499, so the A57 should still make for a good deal in the mid-range phone market. But the A56 already delivers a well-rounded experience with excellent battery life, fast charging, and a solid display, so you probably won't feel too tempted to get the A57 once it comes out.
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