Nothing Phone (3a)vsSony Xperia 1 VI
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
Sony Xperia 1 VI wins
Verdict
Sony Xperia 1 VI wins 3 of 5 categories — our overall pick
Sony Xperia 1 VI is the overall winner, 3 / 5 — camera is its standout. It costs USD 1,299 — USD 920 more than the Nothing Phone (3a). Pay the premium if camera is your priority.
- Sony Xperia 1 VI takes Performance — led by performance score (2,000,000 pts).
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Display — led by peak brightness (3,000 nits).
- Sony Xperia 1 VI takes Camera — led by camera score (143 pts).
- Sony Xperia 1 VI takes Battery — led by wireless charging (Yes).
- 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 6.5 in.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a screen you can read in sunlight — 3,000 nits vs 1,300 nits.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want sharper selfies — 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want faster charging — 50 W vs 30 W.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a lower price — 379 USD vs 1,299 USD.
Choose Sony Xperia 1 VI if you want…
- Choose Sony Xperia 1 VI if you want a faster phone for apps and games — 2,000,000 pts vs 700,000 pts.
- Choose Sony Xperia 1 VI if you want more apps open at once — 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- Choose Sony Xperia 1 VI if you want more room for photos and apps — 256 GB vs 128 GB.
- Choose Sony Xperia 1 VI if you want a sharper screen — 396 ppi vs 388 ppi.
- Choose Sony Xperia 1 VI if you want better video quality — 95 pts vs 87 pts.
- Choose Sony Xperia 1 VI if you want a better camera — 143 pts vs 126 pts.
- Choose Sony Xperia 1 VI if you want the convenience of wireless charging — Yes vs No.
At a glance
- Nothing Phone (3a)
- Sony Xperia 1 VI
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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 costs USD 379, the lowest price in this group.
Sony Xperia 1 VI
Choose Sony Xperia 1 VI if camera matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 1,299.
Pros & cons
Nothing Phone (3a)
- Unique Glyph design
- 3x telephoto
- Clean software
- Mid-range chipset
- 50 W charging
- Average selfies
Sony Xperia 1 VI
- Continuous optical zoom
- Headphone jack
- Creator tools
- Expensive
- 30 W charging
- Only 3 OS updates