Galaxy A56 vs OnePlus 13R: All the differences compared
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Intro
After a brief hiatus, Samsung is finally ready to reassert some presence on the US mid-range market with its fresh new Galaxy A56. The latest mid-ranger is coming to the US soon with a $500 price tag, potentially clashing with the iPhone 16e and the upcoming Pixel 9a.
How does it fare against a more exotic offering, though, one like the OnePlus 13R?
We will look at the main differences between the two phones, but also their similarities. The A56 is shaping up to be a pretty good bang for your buck, just like its predecessors, but it might leave some disappointed with the lack of substantial upgrades.
Galaxy A56 vs OnePlus 13R expected differences:
| Galaxy A56 | OnePlus 13R |
|---|---|
| More understated design with flat sides and curved corners | Sticks out a little more because of the large circular camera module |
| Slightly smaller 6.7-inch display | Slightly larger 6.8-inch screeen |
| 1,200 nits peak brightness | Higher brightness |
| 8GB RAM | 12GB RAM |
| Six years of software support | Four years of software support |
| Weaker Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (5nm) chipset | Significantly faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset (4nm) |
| Main, ultra-wide and macro cameras | Has a 2x telephoto camera instead of a macro (more useful) |
| Fast 45W wired charging and no wireless charging | Even faster 80W wired charging with charger included in the box; also no wireless charging |
| Expected price of $499 | Goes for $599 |
Table of Contents:
Read more:
- Samsung Galaxy A56 vs A55 vs A54: Breaking down the evolution in Samsung’s mid-range series
- Samsung Galaxy A56 vs Galaxy A36 preview: Almost the same phone
- OnePlus 13R review: The best flagship-killer from OnePlus is here
Design and Size
Nothing too noteworthy
The Galaxy A56 is similar in size to its predecessor and still utilizes an aluminum design that is slightly more upscale than the plastic Galaxy A36. Standing at 162.2 x 77.5 x 7.4 mm versus the OnePlus 13R's 161.72 x 75.77 x 8.09 mm, it's the Galaxy that's taller and wider, but slightly thinner. Samsung's phone is also a little lighter at 195gr.
The glass used on both phones will probably be different. The Galaxy will likely come with Gorilla Glass Victus, which should be more durable compared to the Gorilla Glass 7i on the 13R.
Looks-wise, it really comes down to personal opinion. Both phones are nice in their own right. The A56 has a revamped camera module, switching to a vertical elongated bar housing all three cameras instead of three individually protruding lenses.
In comparison, the OnePlus comes with a design that is more akin to what we are seeing from Chinese phone manufacturers, featuring a circular camera module that sticks out.
Something worth mentioning in the unboxing experience is that you get an 80W charger with the OnePlus 13R. Since Samsung hasn't included a charger with its phones for ages now, we don't expect that to be the case with the A56, even though it boasts much faster 45W wired charging speeds.
Display Differences
Display technology is one area where Samsung definitely excels at, but that's mostly when it comes to its more premium phone models.
The Galaxy A56 comes with a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with up to 120Hz refresh rate and 1,200 nits of peak brightness. Great for the mid-range segment, that's for sure.
Meanwhile, the OnePlus 13R has a gorgeous display that is not only higher resolution, but also comes with higher brightness levels, way above the 1,200 nits advertised by Samsung.
We expect the OnePlus to win the battle here.
Performance and Software
More money gets you more power, like usual
The chipset is one of the most, if not the most, expensive parts in a phone. That's why when manufacturers want to keep the price low they tend to downgrade that part first, although there are exceptions.
OnePlus has a history of delivering high-end performance in more affordable phones, and that is still true with the OnePlus 13R. Still, the 13R costs considerably more than what we expect the A56 to go for once it hits the market, and a large part to play in that is its flagship-level processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
In contrast, the Galaxy A56 comes with the Exynos 1580, the latest version of Samsung's mid-range chipsets. It's built on a 4nm manufacturing node, so it's just a step below the OnePlus 13R's more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. Based on performance benchmarks we have done on previous models of budget Exynos silicon from Samsung and how it compares to flagship Qualcomm chips, it's safe to say that the 13R will be much more powerful.
Not to mention that the 13R comes with 12 GB of RAM, helping for the fluidity and snappiness of the phone, compared to the 8 GB we get on the A56.
OnePlus has also invested into something called Parallel Processing with the latest version of its Oxygen OS software. Put simply, this makes animations happen without any delay and makes the user experience even smoother.
The Galaxy A56 comes with Awesome Intelligence, which is Samsung's AI solution for the mid-range market. It comes with features like Best Face, Object Eraser, and Circle to Search, among others. The suite is not as comprehensive as the Galaxy AI that's on the flagships, but still, it's great to see Ai trickle down the line.
One area where Samsung definitely wins, however, is with its software support. OnePlus has improved on this and has promised four years of OS updates for the 13R. At the same time, the Galaxy A56 will be supported for up to six years.
Camera
Samsung needs to get with the program
For a mid-range phone, the OnePlus 13R's camera system showcased solid performance during our camera test and in real life during our review. One of the best parts about it was that OnePlus decided to drop the macro camera for a 2x telephoto one, which immediately boosted zoom quality. The main camera is also one of the best we have tested on a device at this price point.
Now, unfortunately, Samsung hasn't ditched the macro camera on the Galaxy A56. This already puts it behind the 13R as far as camera versatility goes. The Samsung phone comes with a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and a 5MP macro. There's a new 12MP front-camera, though. Given that the A55 front camera already performed slightly better in our tests compared to that of the 13R, we expect the new selfie snapper to be even better.
As for video, we were quite impressed by what last year's mid-ranger from Samsung could do. In fact, if it had a telephoto camera, it would have been a better phone for video recording compared to the 13R, as the video from the ultra-wide was already better. That said, if Samsung sticks to the same setup one could argue that the versatility of the 13R would make it the winner for video too.
Battery Life and Charging
A big step for Samsung's mid-ranger, but still not big enough to catch up
The OnePlus 13R comes with a 6,000 mAh silicon-carbon battery that helps the phone last quite a bit longer than its competition. In our testing, it got an estimated 7 hours and 22 minutes of battery life.
Arriving on the Galaxy A56 is the same 5,000 mAh battery as the Galaxy A55. With that battery, the predecessor got an estimated 6 hours and 36 minutes during our battery life tests. That said, the new chip on the A56 might bring better power efficiency, so the numbers might be closer to those of the 13R.
As for charging, this is where things get interesting. Samsung has made a pretty big move with the Galaxy A56, giving it 45W of fast wired charging, the same speeds that the Galaxy Ultra models are capable of.
But even with those 45W, the Galaxy A56 would still be no match for the 80W that the OnePlus 13R is capable of.
Wireless charging one thing that we sorely missed with the 13R, and sadly the A56 does not feature it either.
Specs Comparison
Here's a quick overview of the two spec sheets, but if you want a more detailed look, check out our Galaxy A56 vs OnePlus 13R specs page.
| Galaxy A56 | OnePlus 13R |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 162.2 x 77.5 x 7.4 mm, 198 gr | Size, weight 161.7 x 75.8 x 8 mm, 206 gr |
| Screen 6.7" OLED 120Hz refresh rate 1200 nits peak brightness | Screen 6.78" OLED 120Hz refresh rate 4500 nits peak brightness |
| Processor Exynos 1580 4nm | Processor Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 4nm |
| Versions: 8GB/128GB 8GB/256GB LPDDR5 | Versions: 12/256GB LPDDR5X |
| Cameras: 50MP main 12MP ultra 5MP macro 12MP front | Cameras: 50 MP main 8 MP ultra 50 MP 2X zoom 16 MP front |
| Battery: 5000 mAh | Battery: 6000 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 45W wired No wireless | Charging: USB-C 80W wired No wireless |
The OnePlus 13R seems to be the much better equipped device as far as specs go. With just a quick glance at the spec sheets above, the more powerful chipset, telephoto camera (instead of a useless macro), and the even faster charging speed already make it stand out. Then again, the 13R does cost a lot more at $599 compared to the $499 price for the A56 in the US, making it a slightly more appealing purchase.
Summary
Samsung is definitely taking a step in the right direction by giving the Galaxy A56 that faster 45W charging as well as Awesome Intelligence features and long software support. The phone sounds like it will be what it always has been—a great all-rounder for a good price. It covers all the basics pretty well, enough to satisfy most people.
The OnePlus 13R might be quite a bit pricier, but that's because it throws in enough goodies to make you forget that you don't have a flagship phone. Whether the "extra" it includes adds more value, well, that is determined on an individual level.
But if you can afford it, the 13R has a good chance of making a happy buyer out of you than what the A56 is shaping up to be.
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