Between the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Galaxy A56 comes out ahead in weight, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra wins on main camera and antutu. Overall, the Galaxy A56 scores 62 and the Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 75.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 13.6 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the Galaxy A56 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight.
Pick the Galaxy S26 Ultra if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are main camera, antutu, ram, among others.
Both ship with comparable battery capacity, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Samsung - Galaxy A56 wins
- ▲Weight — 34.00 g less. 198 vs 232.
Why Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra wins
- ▲Main camera — 300.00% more. 200 MP vs 50 MP.
- ▲AnTuTu — 196.15% more. 2310000 vs 780000.
- ▲RAM — 100.00% more. 16 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Wired charging — 44.44% more. 65 W vs 45 W.
- ▲Pixel density — 30.13% more. 501 ppi vs 385 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 2.99% more. 6.9 " vs 6.7 ".
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP67).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 6).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 198 glead | 232 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.6 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP67 | IP68lead |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 " | 6.9 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 385 ppi | 501 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1900 nits | 2600 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 200 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 W | 65 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 0 W | 15 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy A56 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has 0.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy A56 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy A56 is 34g lighter — 198g vs 232g.
Is Galaxy A56 waterproof?+
Galaxy A56 has an IP67 rating.
Does Galaxy S26 Ultra support 5G?+
Yes, Galaxy S26 Ultra supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy A56 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy A56 or Galaxy S26 Ultra?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 200 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
More from the same brands
vsMars is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.