Nothing Phone (3a)vsSamsung Galaxy A56
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 — price is its standout. At USD 379, it's also the most affordable of this group.
- Samsung Galaxy A56 takes Performance — led by performance score (950,000 pts).
- 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).
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Price — led by price (379 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 a bigger screen — 6.77 in vs 6.7 in.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a screen you can read in sunlight — 3,000 nits vs 1,900 nits.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want sharper selfies — 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want true optical zoom — Yes vs No.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want better video quality — 87 pts vs 80 pts.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a better camera — 126 pts vs 112 pts.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want faster charging — 50 W vs 45 W.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a lower price — 379 USD vs 449 USD.
Choose Samsung Galaxy A56 if you want…
- Choose Samsung Galaxy A56 if you want a faster phone for apps and games — 950,000 pts vs 700,000 pts.
- Choose Samsung Galaxy A56 if you want a sharper screen — 394 ppi vs 388 ppi.
At a glance
- Nothing Phone (3a)
- Samsung Galaxy A56
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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 price matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 379, the lowest price in this group.
Samsung Galaxy A56
Choose Samsung Galaxy A56 if performance matters most. It costs USD 449.
Pros & cons
Nothing Phone (3a)
- Unique Glyph design
- 3x telephoto
- Clean software
- Mid-range chipset
- 50 W charging
- Average selfies
Samsung Galaxy A56
- Great value
- 5,000 mAh battery
- 6 years of updates
- Mid-range Exynos chip
- Plastic frame
- No wireless charging