Samsung Galaxy A56 5G vs Google Pixel 9a: Google might have a winner on its hands – Ultra-Sim

Intro

Samsung is already releasing the Galaxy A36 and A26 later this March, but the Galaxy A56 will be a more powerful crown jewel. 

Meanwhile, just a week remains until we see the Pixel 9a potentially unveiled. The newest affordable Pixel will be a value powerhouse, boasting the latest Tensor chipset, a flush camera, and a large battery in a fairly compact body. 

With Google’s regular software updates, this one will undoubtedly prove a top choice for Android fans on a budget.

Both phones will most likely start at $499, making them the perfect rivals. 

Design and Size

Best of both worlds

With the Galaxy A56, we get the familiar Galaxy DNA that has been guiding the Google mid-range design language for years now. The new phone employs a flat aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass Victus+ at the front and at the back. The design is notably thinner than before, with the phone being 7.4mm thin.  It’s also fairly lightweight for a 6.7-inch device, tipping the scales at 198gr. 

There’s just one major design change with the Galaxy A56––all cameras are unified in a unified vertical strip at the rear, whereas most other Galaxies use separate camera rings. And like most other phones, this one is slightly raised from the rear panel that surrounds it.

The Galaxy A56 5G arrives with IP67 water- and dust-resistance, and we expect that the Pixel 9a will do too. 

Samsung’s latest mid-ranger comes in Pink, Olive, Graphite, and Lightgray colors, while the Pixel 9a is expected to come in Obsidian (black), Porcelain (white), Iris (lavender/purple), and Peony (pink) colors. Talk about variety!

One thing is for certain, none is coming with a charger in the box. 

Display Differences

The Pixel 9a will utilize a smaller 6.3-inch OLED screen, but apart from that, it will be mostly similar to the Galaxy A56: FHD+ resolution and 120Hz screen refresh rate as well. One major difference between the two could be the peak brightness because the Pixel 9a could employ up to 2,000 nits of brightness. 

Biometrics-wise, we get in-display fingerprint sensors on both, but probably the slightly less accurate optical variety. Ultrasonic ones are faster and more accurate, so usually reserved for flagship phones.

Performance and Software

Tensor dominance

Samsung has put the Exynos 1580 built on a 4nm node on the Galaxy A56 5G, a capable mid-range chip that will do just fine in regular everyday situations. With 8GB of RAM and either 128 or 256GB of storage, it’s a pretty adequate device. Have in mind that Samsung has dropped the microSD card slot, so quick and easy storage expansion is no longer possible.

Meanwhile, the Pixel 9a is most certainly coming with the latest Tensor G4 chip, built on a 4nm manufacturing node. It’s the same chip found on Google’s latest Pixels, and although it’s not a particularly fast benchmark monster, this chip is more than enough for regular everyday workflows. We expect 8GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB storage options on the Pixel 9a as well. 

Performance-wise, we’d expect the Tensor G4 to perform much better in comparison with the Galaxy A56 5G. 

Both phones will be supported for seven years, which is great. 

Camera

Triple versus dual camera, but don’t let looks fool you

The Galaxy A56 5G comes with a triple camera, consisting of a 50MP main one, a 12MP ultrawide, and a gimmicky 5MP macro camera. That’s basically the same setup we’ve seen on previous Galaxy A phones, with only the front-facing camera being slightly different this time around. 

Most importantly, you won’t be treated to a useless macro camera with the Pixel phone.

Battery Life and Charging

5,000mAh batteries for all

The Galaxy A56 5G comes with a 5,000mAh battery, and the Pixel 9a is likely getting a slightly larger 5,100mAh battery. This is just the standard at this point, on par and even beating some flagship phones out there. 

Those are large batteries that will likely deliver great battery life, as the chipsets on deck are fairly efficient. The Tensor G4, in particular, isn’t half-bad when it comes to battery efficiency. We can only hope the Galaxy A56 is as efficient.

Meanwhile, the Pixel 9a will likely come with 18W wired and 7.5W wireless charging, so definitely less impressive in the charging department. 

Specs Comparison

Summary

Overall, considering that both phones could end up with a similar $499 price tag attached to them, we might be in for a particularly heated mid-range battle. 

Currently and based on our expectations, it seems like the Pixel 9a could be the better pick, with potentially better performance, better battery life, a better camera, and a design with no camera bump.

The Galaxy A56 5G isn’t a bad phone, but it is shaping up to be a worse deal than the Pixel 9a. Samsung hasn’t made any significant changes with its latest mid-range device, and this could come back to bite it once the phone hits the shelves. 

It looks like a worse bargain in comparison with Google’s upcoming bargain phone.