Samsung Galaxy A56 5G (SM-A566B) / Apple iPhone SE (3rd generation, 2022)

120 Hz makes scrolling smoother; 1,200 nits is reached in High Brightness Mode, which switches on automatically in sunlight. Allowing for the rounded corners, the visible area is 6.5 inches.

Typical maximum brightness is 625 nits and typical contrast 1400:1. As an LCD, blacks are not as deep as on OLED and the screen runs at 60 Hz; the small size makes one-handed use easy but leaves little room for video and games.

Glass on the back as well is uncommon in this class; Samsung notes the camera lens covers are not included.

Samsung says a larger vapor chamber than the previous generation spreads heat better in games and multitasking.

With no card slot, storage cannot be expanded later, so the capacity choice matters for heavy photo and video use.

Optical stabilisation (OIS) is on the main camera only and reduces shake at night and in video. There is no telephoto camera; zoom is digital.

4K recording is limited to 30 fps; smoother video needs a drop to 1080p.

45 W speeds need a 45 W USB PD PPS adapter; lower-powered adapters take longer.

No adapter is in the box. MagSafe is not supported, but standard Qi chargers work. The port is Lightning, not USB-C.

USB 2.0 is slower than USB 3 ports for large video transfers and has no video output.

The model on the UK page is A2783; supported 5G and LTE bands vary by model and country.

A virtual proximity sensor uses software and other sensors rather than dedicated hardware to turn the screen off during calls.

This is no guarantee against seawater, pool water or pressurised water.

Apple notes this resistance is not permanent and may decrease with normal wear.

This is the longest support yet in the Galaxy A series; rollout timing can vary by country and carrier.

Knox Vault stores sensitive data such as PINs and passwords in an isolated hardware area separate from the main processor.

It is the same chip as in the iPhone 13 and 13 mini, which is the main reason it handles heavy tasks such as 4K video editing and keeps getting updates for a long time.

Storage cannot be expanded later; 64 GB can fill quickly if you shoot 4K 60 fps video.

There is a single rear camera with no ultra-wide or optical telephoto. Apple’s list does not include Night mode for photos, only Night mode time-lapse video.

There is no Face ID; the phone unlocks and approves Apple Pay payments with a fingerprint instead of face recognition.