Samsung has debuted its newest midrange telephones, the $500 Galaxy A56, $400 A36 and $300 A26. All three units have bigger shows, extra highly effective processors and, inevitably, new AI options. I obtained a primary have a look at the telephones throughout Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and my first impression was that they felt impressively extra premium than their sticker worth, because of their vivid shows, glass backing and use of Samsung’s newest One UI 7. Watch this: Galaxy A Series First Look: Three New Phones Under $500
04:46 Arriving on the heels of the $599 iPhone 16E, Apple’s concept of an inexpensive cellphone that is removed from low-cost, all three new Samsung Galaxy A telephones appear to show a phone-maker can nonetheless make an inexpensive cellphone that is really inexpensive and flexes new options like Android 15 and Google’s Circle to Search device. All the telephones are constructed to final you some time, with six years of OS and safety updates, Samsung’s Knox Vault for gadget safety and privateness and an IP67 score for mud and water resistance. Here’s all the pieces to know in regards to the Galaxy A36, A26 and A56. Read extra: MWC 2025: All the Phones, Wearables, Robots and AI Live From BarcelonaSamsung Galaxy A36: $400 The Galaxy A36 5G prices $400. SamsungAt 8.2mm thick and 196 grams, the Galaxy A36 5G is thinner and lighter than final yr’s Galaxy A35 5G, which was 7.4mm thick and weighed 209 grams. Like final yr, the cellphone packs a 5,000-mAh battery however now options 45-watt tremendous quick charging, which Samsung says can cost the cellphone almost 70% in 30 minutes. (CNET will take a look at this as soon as we get the units in for overview, so keep tuned.)Thinner bezels bump the show to 6.7 inches, in comparison with the A35’s 6.6 inches. The A36 includes a 120Hz refresh charge, and an elevated peak brightness of 1,900 nits, ideally making it simpler to see the display screen even if you happen to’re in a brightly lit surroundings. Both the back and front function Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus Plus, which Samsung says improves sturdiness. The firm says they’re all “FHD+” decision, which normally means 2,220×1,080 pixels.In individual, the show seemed good and vivid, and the bezels are nonetheless fairly noticeable, however not obtrusive. There’s simply sufficient heft to the cellphone to assist it really feel extra premium than its worth suggests, nevertheless it’s nonetheless light-weight altogether.Cameras get an improve, too, with assist for HDR video recording on the 50-megapixel major digicam. Like final yr’s cellphone, the A36 additionally options an 8-megapixel ultrawide and 5-megapixel macro digicam. The entrance digicam goes from 13 to 12 megapixels, however helps 10-bit HDR video recording. It’s price noting that extra megapixels would not robotically imply a greater digicam. HDR assist may help photos and movies have a wider dynamic vary (the distinction between the brightest elements of a picture and the darkest elements) and look extra detailed and colourful. For nighttime photographs, Samsung says bigger pixels serve up sharper, extra vibrant photos with minimal noise, even in extraordinarily low gentle — bigger pixels can collect extra gentle and have much less picture noise. Stay tuned to CNET’s checks to see how the digicam performs. The Galaxy A36 5G runs Android 15 and One UI 7. SamsungYou may discover AI options on the A36 like Google’s Circle to Search, which may now additionally translate on-screen textual content and establish music. Samsung debuted these new capabilities on its flagship Galaxy S25 lineup in January. AI-powered picture modifying instruments embody an enhanced Object Eraser that now lets you choose a number of objects to be eliminated, and a Filter function that allows you to create a customized filter primarily based on any picture. For instance, if in case you have a shot of a sundown and also you just like the tone of the picture, you possibly can apply that filter to different photographs, too. Edit Suggestion will use AI to research a picture and serve up suggestions to enhance it, like eradicating shadows or reflections. The A36 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, versus the Exynos 1380 featured on the Galaxy A35. It has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Samsung says there’s additionally a bigger cooling system to raised dissipate warmth and optimize for gameplay and streaming. The Galaxy A36 will likely be out there on March 26 in black and lavender. An unique lime model can also be out there via Best Buy. Read extra: Best Android Phone for 2025Samsung Galaxy A26: $300 The Galaxy A26 5H prices $300. SamsungThe (even cheaper) Galaxy A26 can also be thinner than its predecessor, measuring at 7.7mm in comparison with the Galaxy A25’s 8.3mm. It additionally will get a much bigger FHD+ show, because of lowered bezels, matching the A36’s 6.5 inches. It shares a 120Hz refresh charge. The bezels on the A36 are extra apparent than on the A26 and A56, particularly alongside the underside of the cellphone and across the digicam. The show can also be a bit dimmer. While final yr’s A25 featured a glass entrance and plastic again, the A26 steps issues up with Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on each the back and front, identical to the A36. The body stays plastic. Despite the improve to a glass backing, the A26 would not have the identical premium, heftier really feel in hand because the A36 and A56. But it has a clean interface and is extremely responsive, identical to its A sequence sisters.Like final yr’s mannequin, the A26 includes a 50-megapixel wide-angle digicam, 8-megapixel ultrawide digicam and 2-megapixel macro digicam, in addition to a 13-megapixel selfie digicam. The Galaxy A26 5G is the most affordable of the three new A sequence telephones from Samsung. SamsungDespite the cheaper price, you may nonetheless get AI options like Photo Edit Suggestion and Object Eraser, in addition to Circle to Search. The A26 runs the Exynos 1380 chipset, and comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It additionally has expandable reminiscence as much as 2TB, and packs a 5,000 mAh battery. The A26 will develop into out there March 28, and is just out there in black. Read extra: These Are the Best Camera Phones for 2025 For 2025, the Galaxy A sequence has three fashions: the Galaxy A36 (left), the Galaxy A26 (proper) and the Galaxy A56 (not pictured). SamsungSamsung Galaxy A56: $500To full the trio, the Galaxy A56 has a 6.7-inch show and a 5,000 mAh battery, which, just like the A36, helps 45-watt charging. The A56 is powered by the Exynos 1580 chipset and in addition has a bigger vapor chamber that will help you play video games and watch movies for longer.The A56 has a 50-megapixel extensive digicam, a 12-megapixel ultrawide digicam and a 5-megapixel macro digicam. The selfie digicam has a 12-megapixel sensor in comparison with the Galaxy A55’s 32-megapixel front-facing digicam, which took both 12- or 8-megapixel photos after pixel binning. The selfie digicam additionally will get 10-bit HDR assist, and a Low Noise Mode helps to take sharper low-light photographs, Samsung says. A function solely out there on the A56 is named Best Face, which may help you nail a bunch picture by selecting the perfect expressions on as much as 5 folks after which combining them into one picture. This is analogous — in identify and in execution — to Google’s Best Take function on the Pixel sequence. The A56 additionally will get an enhanced Object Eraser and Filter capabilities. Samsung hasn’t but shared colour choices for the A56, however the model I obtained a fast have a look at was white. It feels just like the A36 when it comes to weight, thickness and really feel, and the display screen brightness can also be comparable. The A56 will likely be out there later this yr. Samsung Galaxy A sequence comparabilitySamsung Galaxy A56, A36 and A26 specs Samsung Galaxy A56 5GSamsung Galaxy A36 5GSamsung Galaxy A26 5G Display dimension, tech, decision, refresh charge 6.7-inch AMOLED; FHD+; 120Hz refresh rate6.7-inch AMOLED; FHD+; 120Hz refresh rate6.7-inch AMOLED; FHD+; 120Hz refresh chargePixel density TBDTBDTBDDimensions (inches) 6.39 x 3.05 x 0.29 in6.41 x 3.08 x 0.29 in6.46 x 3.05 x 0.3o inDimensions (millimeters) 162.2 x 77.5 x 7.4 mm162.9 x 78.2 x 7.4 mm164 x 77.5 x 7.7 mmWeight (grams, ounces) 198g (6.94 oz.)195g (6.89 oz.)200g (7.05 oz.)Mobile software program Android 15Android 15Android 15Camera 50-megapixel (extensive), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 5-megapixel (macro)50-megapixel (extensive), 8-megapixel (ultrawide), 5-megapixel (macro)50-megapixel (extensive), 8-megapixel (ultrawide), 2-megapixel (macro)Front-facing digicam 12-megapixel12-megapixel13-megapixelVideo seize TBDTBDTBDProcessor Exynos 1580Snapdragon 6 Gen 3Exynos 1380RAM + storage 8GB + 128GB6GB + 128GB6GB + 128GBExpandable storage NoneNoneNoneBattery 5,000 mAh5,000 mAh5,000 mAhFingerprint sensor TBDTBDTBDConnector USB-CUSB-CUSB-CHeadphone jack NoneNoneNoneSpecial options Galaxy AI, OneUI 7, Circle To Search, Best Face, Object Eraser, 6 generations of Andoid OS, 6 years of software program and safety assist, IP67 water and dirt resistance, 10-bit HDR recording, 1,200 nits peak brightnessGalaxy AI, OneUI 7, Circle To Search, Object Eraser, 6 generations of Andoid OS, 6 years of software program and safety assist, IP67 water and dirt resistance, 10-bit HDR recording, 1,900 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass Victus PlusGalaxy AI, OneUI 7, Circle To Search, Object Eraser, 6 generations of Android OS, 6 years of software program and safety assist, IP67 water and dirt resistance, 10-bit HDR recording, Gorilla Glass Victus PlusUS worth begins at $500 (128GB)$400 (128GB)$300 (128GB)UK worth begins at Converts to £400Converts to £320Converts to £240Australia worth begins at Converts to AU$805Converts to AU$645Converts to AU$485