Nothing Phone (3a)vsXiaomi 13T
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
Xiaomi 13T wins
Verdict
Xiaomi 13T wins 4 of 5 categories — our overall pick
Xiaomi 13T is the overall winner, 4 / 5 — display is its standout. It costs USD 499 — USD 120 more than the Nothing Phone (3a). Pay the premium if display is your priority.
- Xiaomi 13T takes Performance — led by storage (256 GB).
- Xiaomi 13T takes Display — led by refresh rate (144 Hz).
- Xiaomi 13T takes Camera — led by video score (93 pts).
- Xiaomi 13T takes Battery — led by charging speed (67 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 6.67 in.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a screen you can read in sunlight — 3,000 nits vs 2,600 nits.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want sharper selfies — 32 MP vs 20 MP.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a lower price — 379 USD vs 499 USD.
Choose Xiaomi 13T if you want…
- Choose Xiaomi 13T if you want a faster phone for apps and games — 1,000,000 pts vs 700,000 pts.
- Choose Xiaomi 13T if you want more room for photos and apps — 256 GB vs 128 GB.
- Choose Xiaomi 13T if you want a sharper screen — 446 ppi vs 388 ppi.
- Choose Xiaomi 13T if you want smoother scrolling — 144 Hz vs 120 Hz.
- Choose Xiaomi 13T if you want better video quality — 93 pts vs 87 pts.
- Choose Xiaomi 13T if you want a better camera — 134 pts vs 126 pts.
- Choose Xiaomi 13T if you want faster charging — 67 W vs 50 W.
At a glance
- Nothing Phone (3a)
- Xiaomi 13T
Click a label to jump to that section ↓
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.
Xiaomi 13T
Choose Xiaomi 13T if display matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 499.
Pros & cons
Nothing Phone (3a)
- Unique Glyph design
- 3x telephoto
- Clean software
- Mid-range chipset
- 50 W charging
- Average selfies
Xiaomi 13T
- Leica cameras
- 144 Hz display
- 67 W charging
- Mid-range chipset
- Software bloat
- No wireless charging