Nothing Phone (3a)vsVivo V40
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
Vivo V40 wins
Verdict
Vivo V40 wins 3 of 5 categories — our overall pick
Vivo V40 is the overall winner, 3 / 5 — display is its standout. It costs USD 449 — USD 70 more than the Nothing Phone (3a). Pay the premium if display is your priority.
- Vivo V40 takes Performance — led by storage (256 GB).
- Vivo V40 takes Display — led by peak brightness (4,500 nits).
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Camera — led by telephoto (Yes).
- Vivo V40 takes Battery — led by charging speed (80 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 true optical zoom — Yes vs No.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a lower price — 379 USD vs 449 USD.
Choose Vivo V40 if you want…
- Choose Vivo V40 if you want more room for photos and apps — 256 GB vs 128 GB.
- Choose Vivo V40 if you want a sharper screen — 450 ppi vs 388 ppi.
- Choose Vivo V40 if you want a screen you can read in sunlight — 4,500 nits vs 3,000 nits.
- Choose Vivo V40 if you want sharper selfies — 50 MP vs 32 MP.
- Choose Vivo V40 if you want better video quality — 89 pts vs 87 pts.
- Choose Vivo V40 if you want a better camera — 133 pts vs 126 pts.
- Choose Vivo V40 if you want longer battery life — 5,500 mAh vs 5,000 mAh.
- Choose Vivo V40 if you want faster charging — 80 W vs 50 W.
At a glance
- Nothing Phone (3a)
- Vivo V40
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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.
Vivo V40
Choose Vivo V40 if display matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 449.
Pros & cons
Nothing Phone (3a)
- Unique Glyph design
- 3x telephoto
- Clean software
- Mid-range chipset
- 50 W charging
- Average selfies
Vivo V40
- Zeiss-tuned cameras
- 5,500 mAh battery
- 4,500-nit display
- Mid-range chipset
- Software bloat
- No wireless charging