Nothing Phone (3a)vsSamsung Galaxy A26
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
Nothing Phone (3a) wins
Verdict
Nothing Phone (3a) wins 4 of 5 categories — our overall pick
Nothing Phone (3a) is the overall winner, 4 / 5 — camera is its standout. It costs USD 379 — USD 130 more than the Samsung Galaxy A26. Pay the premium if camera is your priority.
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Performance — led by ram (8 GB).
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Display — led by peak brightness (3,000 nits).
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Camera — led by telephoto (Yes).
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Battery — led by charging speed (50 W).
- Samsung Galaxy A26 takes Price — led by price (249 USD).
Scores follow our published methodology · v2026.09
In plain English
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want…
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want more apps open at once — 8 GB vs 6 GB.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a bigger screen — 6.77 in vs 6.7 in.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a sharper screen — 388 ppi vs 385 ppi.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a screen you can read in sunlight — 3,000 nits vs 1,000 nits.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want sharper selfies — 32 MP vs 13 MP.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want true optical zoom — Yes vs No.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a better camera — 126 pts vs 114 pts.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want faster charging — 50 W vs 25 W.
Choose Samsung Galaxy A26 if you want…
- Choose Samsung Galaxy A26 if you want a lower price — 249 USD vs 379 USD.
At a glance
- Nothing Phone (3a)
- Samsung Galaxy A26
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Best price now
The cheap alternative
Full record
Every spec, side by side — winners get a check and a proportional bar. Ties share the badge.
Performance score
Approximate benchmark score of the chipset — higher is faster for apps, games and AI.
Chipset
The processor inside — shown for reference, never decides a winner.
RAM
More RAM keeps more apps alive in the background.
Storage
Base onboard storage for photos, apps and media.
Screen size
Diagonal screen size — bigger is better for media, smaller is easier to hold.
Pixel density
Sharpness of the screen — above ~400 ppi looks crisp.
Refresh rate
How smooth scrolling and motion feel. 120 Hz is the modern standard.
Peak brightness
Peak brightness in sunlight — higher stays readable outdoors.
Main camera
Resolution of the primary rear camera — photo quality is judged by the Camera quality score, not megapixels.
Selfie camera
Resolution of the front camera.
Telephoto
A dedicated zoom lens for distant subjects without quality loss.
Video score
Composite video rating — stabilisation, 4K/8K support and colour.
Camera score
Composite camera quality from independent testing — how good the photos actually are.
Battery
Battery capacity — higher generally lasts longer.
Charging speed
Wired charging speed — higher refills faster.
Wireless charging
Whether the phone charges wirelessly.
Price
Typical MSRP in US dollars — lower is better value.
Which one should you buy?
Nothing Phone (3a)
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if camera matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 379.
Samsung Galaxy A26
Choose Samsung Galaxy A26 if price matters most. It costs USD 249, the lowest price in this group.
Pros & cons
Nothing Phone (3a)
- Unique Glyph design
- 3x telephoto
- Clean software
- Mid-range chipset
- 50 W charging
- Average selfies
Samsung Galaxy A26
- 6 years of updates
- 120 Hz AMOLED
- Affordable
- Mid-range chipset
- 25 W charging
- Plastic build