Why buying a Galaxy S26 might be a waste of money after the A57 launch

Tuesday, 20 January 2026 at 10:20

If you’re waiting for the Galaxy S26 to drop next month, you might want to pause for a second. In a move that feels like a total departure from their usual script, Samsung is reportedly getting ready to dump the Galaxy A57 (and the A37) onto the market before the flagship S-series even makes its debut.

A recent TENAA certification (model SM-A5760, if you care about the paperwork) basically just laid the whole thing bare. And honestly? The specs are a bit of a curveball.

Key Points

Thinner Profile: The A57 matches the flagship S26’s rumored 6.9mm thickness.
Large Battery: Despite the slim build, it retains a 5,000mAh capacity with 45W charging.
February Launch: Samsung is expected to release the A57 and A37 before the S26 lineup.
Exynos 1680 Power: Features the new mid-range chipset with upgraded Xclipse 550 graphics.
Stagnant Cameras: The rear setup likely remains a 50MP/12MP/5MP configuration, similar to the A56.

Slimmer than a Mid-Ranger Has Any Right to Be

The thing that immediately jumped out at me—and probably will for you, too—is the thickness. Or rather, the lack of it. This thing is reportedly just 6.9mm thick.

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To put that in perspective, that’s exactly as thin as the rumored base S26. We’ve spent years with A-series phones being the "chunkier" siblings, but Samsung seems to have figured out how to shave down the chassis without sacrificing the 5,000mAh battery. I’m usually the first to complain that "thinness for the sake of thinness" is a bad trade-off, but if they’ve kept the battery life intact at 6.9mm, I’ll happily eat my words.

The Silicon and the Staggered Launch

Under the hood, we’re looking at the Exynos 1680. Now, before you roll your eyes at the "Exynos" name, the early benchmarks for the Xclipse 550 GPU inside this thing are actually looking pretty solid for a mid-ranger. It’s paired with up to 12GB of RAM, which—let’s be real—is more than most people will ever need for scrolling Instagram.

What’s truly weird is the timing. Samsung usually holds the A-series for the spring, somewhere around late March. Moving it to February, potentially ahead of the Unpacked event, feels like they’re trying to capture the "reasonable" buyers before the $1,200 flagship hype takes over.

A Familiar View?

If there’s a downside, it’s the cameras. It looks like we’re getting the same triple-sensor setup from last year: a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and that 5MP depth/macro sensor that I’m convinced nobody actually uses. It’s a bit of a bummer that they didn't swap the macro for a telephoto, but I guess you have to save something for the S26.

At the end of the day, a 6.9mm phone with a 5,000mAh battery and 45W charging is a hell of a package for a mid-ranger. If they price it right in February, the S26 might have some serious competition from within its own house.