The Samsung Galaxy A56 vs Honor 400 battle is heating up to be the definitive mid-range clash of 2025, and for good reason. For years, the lines between “mid-range” and “flagship” have been blurring, but these two phones might just erase them completely. They pack features, design elements, and performance that would have commanded a four-figure price tag just a couple of years ago. So, if you’re standing at a crossroads, phone in each hand (or at least in each browser tab), trying to decide where your hard-earned money should go, you’ve come to the right place.
We’re going to dive deep, beyond the spec sheet, to give you a real-world look at how these two contenders stack up. From the way they feel in your hand to the photos they capture and the speed at which they charge, this is the ultimate guide to choosing your next phone.
Quick Specs Overview
Let’s start with a bird’s-eye view. The numbers don’t tell the whole story, but they give us a great starting point for understanding what each phone brings to the table.
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A56 | Honor 400 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.7-inch Super AMOLED, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 120Hz | 6.55-inch OLED, 1264 x 2736 pixels, 120Hz |
| Processor | Samsung Exynos 1580 (4nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 (4nm) |
| RAM | 8GB / 12GB | 8GB / 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB | 256GB / 512GB |
| Rear Camera | 50MP Main, 12MP Ultrawide, 5MP Macro | 200MP Main, 12MP Ultrawide |
| Front Camera | 12MP | 50MP |
| Battery | 5000mAh | 6000mAh (Global) / 5300mAh (EU) |
| Charging | 45W Wired | 66W/80W Wired, Wireless Charging Support |
| Operating System | Android 15, One UI 7 | Android 15, MagicOS 9 |
| Build | Gorilla Glass Front, Glossy Glass Back, Aluminum Frame | Glass Front, Matte Glass Back, Metal Frame |
| IP Rating | IP67 dust/water resistant | IP65 dust/water resistant |
Design & Build Quality
The first impression is everything, and how a phone feels in your hand speaks volumes. Both Samsung and Honor have brought their A-game, but with distinctly different philosophies.
The Honor 400 immediately screams “premium.” Holding it, you can’t help but feel it’s a more expensive device than it is. It has a solid metal frame with sharp, flat edges that are undeniably reminiscent of an iPhone’s modern industrial design. Honor offers it in some truly stunning finishes, like Desert Gold, Midnight Black, and a Meteor Silver that beautifully catches the light. The back is crafted from a matte glass that feels silky to the touch and does an incredible job of repelling fingerprints. The camera bump is another highlight; its finely beveled edge is a subtle detail that adds a touch of class.
The Samsung Galaxy A56, true to form, borrows its design language from its more expensive S-series cousins. It features a sturdy aluminum frame and comes in familiar, clean colors like Graphite, Light Pink, and Gray. There’s no denying it’s a well-built phone. However, its glossy glass back is an absolute fingerprint magnet. Within seconds of handling it, it’s covered in smudges, which can detract from its otherwise sleek look. It feels good in the hand, but it doesn’t quite have that same “wow” factor as the Honor when it comes to the finer details of its finish.
Display
This is where you’ll spend all your time, and it’s a critical point in the Samsung Galaxy A56 vs Honor 400 debate.
Samsung is renowned for its displays, and the A56’s 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel is bright, vibrant, and beautiful. However, when you place it next to the Honor 400, some differences become immediately apparent. The bezels on the A56 are noticeably chunkier, especially the “chin” at the bottom, giving it a slightly dated screen-to-body ratio of around 70%.
The Honor 400’s 6.55-inch OLED screen is a showstopper. The first thing you’ll notice is the resolution. While the A56 has a standard Full HD+ (2340×1080) display, the Honor boasts a much higher 2736×1264 resolution. This results in a pixel density of 460 pixels per inch (PPI) compared to the A56’s 385 PPI. The difference is crystal clear; text, icons, and images are noticeably crisper and sharper on the Honor.
Both phones offer a silky-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, but the Honor pulls ahead again in brightness. It has a jaw-dropping peak brightness of 5000 nits, absolutely dwarfing the A56’s 1900 nits. In the bright sunshine of Freetown, the Honor’s screen will be far more legible. Honor also packs in extra software features like Super Rain Touch (for using the screen with wet hands) and an Eye Comfort Display mode, showing a clear focus on the user’s viewing experience.
Cameras: The AI Revolution
Here’s where things get really interesting. On paper, the numbers are big, but it’s the software that tells the real story.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 features a capable triple-camera setup: a 50MP main lens, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 5MP macro. The main camera produces those classic, punchy, and vibrant photos Samsung is known for, which look great straight out of the camera. The ultrawide is solid, but the 5MP macro lens feels more like a spec-sheet filler; its photos lack the crispness you’d want for detailed close-ups. For selfies, you get a 12MP front-facing camera.
The Honor 400 takes a different approach. It has a dual-camera system, but it’s led by a massive 200MP main sensor. This allows for incredible detail and cropping flexibility. It’s paired with what Honor calls a “flagship-worthy” 12MP ultrawide, and the results are impressive. For selfies, the Honor crushes the competition with a 50MP front camera.
But the hardware is only half the battle. Honor has gone all-in on AI. While Samsung reserves many of its best AI tricks for the flagship S-series, the Honor 400 is overflowing with them. You get an “AI Honor Image Engine” that enables sharp 15-30x zoom, an “AI Eraser” that can automatically remove photobombers, an AI reflection remover, and even an AI-powered portrait mode. It’s an entire creative suite built into the camera app, giving users a level of control and creativity that is rare at this price point.
Performance & Features
Under the hood, both phones use modern, efficient 4nm chipsets.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 runs on Samsung’s own Exynos 1580. For day-to-day tasks like Browse, social media, and streaming, it’s perfectly snappy and responsive. Paired with Samsung’s feature-rich One UI 7 software, it provides a reliable and familiar user experience.
The Honor 400 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3. In general use, both phones feel equally fluid. However, for more intensive tasks like gaming, the Snapdragon chip typically holds an edge in GPU performance, which can lead to smoother frame rates.
The software experience also diverges with AI. The Honor’s MagicOS 9 is packed with useful AI features beyond the camera, including AI writing tools, an AI recorder, and real-time AI translation. It’s a “smarter” OS experience. One huge advantage for Samsung, however, is its software update policy. Samsung has promised an incredible seven years of OS and security updates for the A56, a flagship-level commitment that adds significant long-term value.
Battery & Charging
This is a clear-cut win for the Honor 400.
The Samsung A56 has a respectable 5000mAh battery that will comfortably get most users through a full day. It supports 45W wired charging, which is reasonably fast.
The Honor 400, however, blows it out of the water. The global variant comes with a massive 6000mAh silicon-carbon battery. Not only is the battery larger, promising multi-day use for many, but it also charges faster with 66W or even 80W wired charging depending on the model. To top it all off, the Honor 400 supports wireless charging, a true flagship feature that is completely absent on the A56.
Pros and Cons
Let’s break it down.
Samsung Galaxy A56
- Pros:
- Vibrant, large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display
- Industry-leading 7 years of software and security updates
- IP67 water and dust resistance
- Familiar and reliable One UI software experience
- Cons:
- Glossy back is a fingerprint magnet
- Slower charging and no wireless charging
- Processor is slightly less powerful for gaming
- Lacks the advanced AI features of the Honor
Honor 400
- Pros:
- Stunning, premium design with matte glass back
- Ultra-crisp, high-resolution, and incredibly bright display
- Massive 200MP main camera and 50MP selfie camera
- Extensive suite of useful AI camera and OS features
- Larger battery, much faster wired charging, and wireless charging support
- Cons:
- Lower IP65 water resistance rating
- Software update policy is good, but not as long as Samsung’s
- Availability can be an issue in some regions, like North America
Latest Pricing
Pricing is always subject to change, so we recommend checking the official websites and retailers like Amazon for the latest deals.
- Samsung Galaxy A56: Last seen starting around $499 USD.
- Honor 400: Last seen starting around £400 / €499.
Final Verdict
This Samsung Galaxy A56 vs Honor 400 comparison doesn’t have one simple winner. Instead, it presents two incredible phones for two different types of users.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 is the safe, reliable, and sensible choice. It’s for the person who values a great screen for media, a clean user experience, and the unparalleled peace of mind that comes with seven years of software support. It’s a fantastic all-rounder that will serve you well for a very long time.
The Honor 400 is the ambitious challenger. It’s for the person who wants to feel like they’re getting a $1000 flagship for half the price. It pushes the boundaries in design, display quality, camera technology, and battery performance. If you’re a power user, a mobile photographer, or simply someone who loves having the latest and greatest tech, the Honor 400 is an incredibly compelling package that’s hard to ignore.
Get Samsung Galaxy A56 Here
Get Honor 400 Here
Check out Samsung Galaxy A56 Review here
Check out Honor 400 Series Review here
This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue providing content. Also, prices accurate at the time of writing. Thank you for your support!
