Samsung has debuted its latest midrange phones, the $500 Galaxy A56, $400 A36 and $300 A26. All three devices have larger displays, more powerful processors and, inevitably, new AI features. I got a first look at the phones during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona,

Samsung says the A36 and A56 have a larger vapor chamber cooling system for better heat dissipation during intense processing activities like gaming, and that this system is nearly the same size as last year's Galaxy S24+. They also support 45-watt fast charging, which should get you up to 70 percent in 30 minutes.

With advanced AI features and improved build quality, Samsung's Galaxy A26 5G, A36 5G, and A56 5G show what affordable hardware is capable of.