Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G vs Samsung Galaxy A56: Which model to choose and why? (specs comparison)

Since last week, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 family has been on sale on the Czech market, consisting of a total of five models in the price range of 4 to 10 thousand. This year, too, the Pro 5G version became my favorite (i.e., the second best piece in the series), which for its current price of 6,950 CZK offers exceptionally balanced equipment, which in many aspects overshadows even more expensive competition. 

One of the most ambitious rivals of the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G is the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G. It arrived on the Czech market last March, but despite this, according to Heureka, it is currently the fourth most popular smartphone. While it cost 12,990 CZK at launch, the 256GB memory version can now be purchased for approximately 8 thousand CZK. 

Compared to the Chinese newcomer, it is therefore more expensive, but its price could soon drop again, as its successor, the Galaxy A57 5G, will enter the market. Either way, both phones target a similar type of people – users who don’t want to invest too much money in a smartphone but desire a versatile, reliable device for everyday use. Let’s take a look at the differences in the features of both models and which one you should buy.

Design and Durability

The appearance of a smartphone is, of course, subjective, and each reader may prefer a different model. However, it can be said quite objectively that the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G attracts more attention than the Galaxy A56 5G due to the large camera module located in the center of the upper part of the back. Those who want a less conspicuous device will probably prefer the design of the South Korean model.

Both smartphones come with flat side edges and a completely flat display. Samsung will bring a smile to your face with its metal frame, while with Redmi, you’ll appreciate the visibly thinner bezels. The punch-hole selfie camera is not surprising on either device.

Another difference lies in durability. The Galaxy A56 5G has an IP67 rating, whereas the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G opted directly for IP68. This means that while Samsung can withstand immersion in one meter of water for 30 minutes under laboratory conditions, the Xiaomi model could remain at a 2m depth for the same duration. In everyday use, this doesn’t matter much. 

It is also worth noting that the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on its screen, which is slightly more durable than the Victus+ used by the Galaxy A56 5G.

On paper, the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G wins.

Display

Since we touched upon the display in the previous chapter, let’s focus on it in more detail. It has already been mentioned that both phones feature a flat panel, but we will notice a difference in size. The Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G is equipped with a 6.83” AMOLED, while the Samsung model only has a 6.7”.

Xiaomi can clearly offer you better specifications. The Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G operates with a sharper resolution (pixel density of 447 ppi versus 385 ppi) and also offers higher brightness, reaching up to 3,200 nits at peak or 1,800 nits in HBM mode (the Galaxy A56 5G can manage a maximum of 1,900 nits and 1,200 nits in HBM). The Chinese phone also impresses with more accurate color reproduction – with its 12-bit color depth, it is significantly better in this regard than its competitor with 8-bit depth.

The clear winner is the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G.

Performance

We won’t keep you in suspense: if you crave performance, the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G will satisfy your needs much better. With the Exynos 1580 chipset, which operates at a frequency of up to 2.9 GHz, it handles various types of tasks better overall than the MediaTek Dimensity 7400-Ultra ticking under the hood of the new Redmi. 

Looking at data from the server GSMArena: The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G scored 1,364 points in the single-core and 3,899 points in the multi-core test in Geekbench, while the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G only achieved 1,045 points and 2,913 points. 

In the popular AnTuTu benchmark, the difference between the two models is significant: GSMArena measured 908,689 points for Samsung and 652,862 points for Xiaomi. The Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G therefore performed 28% worse in the test.

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G also uses faster UFS 3.1 storage, which ensures quicker loading of your data.

The more powerful phone is the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G.

Battery

While Samsung is more conservative in the battery area, Chinese brands are not afraid to experiment with new technologies. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G received a silicon-carbon battery with a capacity of 6,580 mAh this year, while the Galaxy A56 5G only has 5,000 mAh.

Interesting information is provided by European “energy labels”, which confirm that the Xiaomi model actually provides longer battery life on a single charge (60 hours and 50 minutes) than the Samsung model (44 hours and 34 minutes). 

It is worth noting, however, that the South Korean model boasts twice the battery lifespan (2,000 cycles compared to 1,000 for Xiaomi).

As for charging speed, both phones are on par with their 45 W, which is a bit surprising, as Chinese models usually boast higher values. With the Pro 5G model, Xiaomi took a step back last year when the phone started supporting only 45 W instead of the previous 67 W, while the Galaxy A56, on the other hand, improved compared to its predecessor with 25W charging.

The Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G offers longer battery life, while the Galaxy A56 5G offers better battery longevity.

Cameras

Both the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G and the Samsung Galaxy A56 offer solid photo quality for their price. However, the Chinese device features a sensor with a larger optical format (1/1.4” compared to 1/1.56”), which should provide better results in low-light conditions. It also offers a higher resolution (200 Mpx vs 50 Mpx).

Regarding other sensors, neither phone is significantly better than the other. The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G offers a 12Mpx ultrawide camera compared to 5Mpx on the Redmi and features a macro sensor, which was removed from the Chinese model this year. We also shouldn’t forget that the Galaxy A56 5G can record with its front camera in 4K, while the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G supports at most FullHD.

The Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G has a better main sensor, while with the Galaxy A56 5G, you get more from the secondary cameras.

System

The system is a similarly subjective item on the list as design. The HyperOS overlay appeals to me more in its appearance than One UI, but what I like about Samsung phone environments is that they don’t contain as much bloatware and give the impression of being more polished. 

The situation would be more interesting if the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G didn’t lack the HyperAI suite, which is only provided by the most expensive Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G in the entire series. As it stands, with both phones having Android 15 out of the box, we are left to focus on the longer support guaranteed by the Galaxy A56 5G. It will receive 6 major updates, while the Xiaomi model only gets 4.

Considering the system, I would opt for the Galaxy A56 5G.

Verdict: Which model to choose?

Both the Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G and the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G boast balanced mainstream features, but each model has its pros and cons. You will appreciate the Chinese model if you are looking for a phone with a great display, long battery life, and a high-quality main camera, whose photos you won’t be ashamed of even when shooting at night. 

Conversely, the South Korean competitor will appeal to those who will utilize higher performance and will not consider an upgrade for the next few years – six years of software support practically matches flagships, and longer battery life means you won’t feel the capacity degradation as quickly as with the Xiaomi model.

Which of these phones would you choose and why?