Samsung Galaxy A57 vs A56: Expected differences

The Galaxy A57 is largely familiar, with one upgrade worth noting.

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By Aleksandar Anastasov , with contribution from

Orhan Chakarov

Updated: Jan 06, 2026, 4:45 AM

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Samsung Galaxy A Series

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Samsung Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A56 side by side in a comparison graphic.

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 well-balanced mix of more premium materials with capable mid-range performance, all at a reasonable price. The Galaxy A56 is a prime example 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's expected release in March getting closer, we are starting to look forward. The next Galaxy A mid-ranger is already in 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?

6.7-inch

Triple camera

5000 mAh

8GB

$299 at Amazon

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

*rumored/expected

Table of Contents:

Design
Display
Performance
Camera
Battery
Specs
Summary

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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

*rumored/expected

Samsung isn’t expected to change much with the Galaxy A57. The overall design should remain nearly identical, including the flat frame, Victus Plus glass, and IP67 dust and water resistance.

Samsung may slim the A57 down even further, potentially making it about 7.1 millimeters thick. This seems to be a major focus for the company across its recent phones.

Dimensions haven’t leaked yet, but the A56 measured 162.2 by 77.5 by 7.4 millimeters at 198 grams, and the A57 should stay in the same range aside from being slightly thinner.

The potential color options are also unknown for now, although Samsung will likely continue using more understated tones rather than the playful A3x colors. As for the in-box contents, the A57 is expected to include the same basic 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 of 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.

Samsung may still be making an important behind-the-scenes change with its mid-range displays. According to supply chain reports, Samsung is expected to source OLED panels from CSOT for devices like the Galaxy A57 and Galaxy S26 FE, marking a rare departure from relying exclusively on Samsung Display. The move would allow Samsung to use flexible OLED panels with thinner bezels while also keeping production costs under control. This shouldn’t result in a noticeable downgrade in image quality, but it helps explain how Samsung can keep the A57’s price stable at $499 despite rising component costs in 2026.

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 debut the new Exynos 1680, and this time the GPU may see a significant jump. Early leaks suggest its Xclipse 550 graphics processor could be nearly twice as powerful as the Exynos 1580’s.

If accurate, the A57 should offer a clear improvement in gaming performance and handle GPU-heavy tasks more smoothly, giving it a much-needed boost in day-to-day responsiveness.

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

*rumored/expected

Memory and storage options are expected to remain the same: 8 GB of RAM with either 128 GB or 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Unfortunately, no leaks suggest Samsung is bringing back the microSD slot that the A56 removed.

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 so far don’t suggest a major rear-camera upgrade for the Galaxy A57. If that holds, it would mark a third straight year without hardware changes, meaning photo and video performance should stay similar unless Samsung significantly updates its image processing.

One change may be coming to the front. The A57 is rumored to switch to a 50 MP selfie camera, replacing the A56’s 12 MP shooter. This should deliver sharper detail and improved low-light results, especially since Samsung already uses this sensor in models like the Galaxy M55 and F55.

The downside is that Samsung still isn’t adding a telephoto camera. Instead, the phone is expected to keep its 5 MP macro camera, which remains one of the least useful parts of the A-series setup.

Battery Life and Charging

Little to no change expected

Battery life was one of the Galaxy A56’s strongest qualities. Its 5000 mAh battery delivered a solid 7h 3m total score in our battery test, surpassing the A55, Pixel 8a, and iPhone 16e.

It excelled in our Browsing test with over 17 hours, reached 9 hours of video playback, and delivered more than 10 hours of gaming. Overall, the A56 proved to be a phone that can easily last 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 or compare them to other phones using our 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.

View Full Bio

Aleksandar is a tech enthusiast with a broad range of interests, from smartphones to space exploration. His curiosity extends to hands-on DIY experiments with his gadgets, and he enjoys switching between different brands to experience the latest innovations. Prior to joining PhoneArena, Aleksandar worked on the Google Art Project, digitizing valuable artworks and gaining diverse perspectives on technology. When he's not immersed in tech, Aleksandar is an outdoorsman who enjoys mountain hikes, wildlife photography, and nature conservation. His interests also extend to martial arts, running, and snowboarding, reflecting his dynamic approach to life and technology.

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