Xiaomi 15vsNothing Phone (3a) Pro
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
Xiaomi 15 wins
Verdict
Xiaomi 15 wins 4 of 5 categories — our overall pick
Xiaomi 15 is the overall winner, 4 / 5 — camera is its standout. It costs USD 899 — USD 440 more than the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro. Pay the premium if camera is your priority.
- Xiaomi 15 takes Performance — led by performance score (2,500,000 pts).
- Xiaomi 15 takes Display — led by peak brightness (3,200 nits).
- Xiaomi 15 takes Camera — led by video score (95 pts).
- Xiaomi 15 takes Battery — led by wireless charging (Yes).
- Nothing Phone (3a) Pro takes Price — led by price (459 USD).
Scores follow our published methodology · v2026.09
In plain English
Choose Xiaomi 15 if you want…
- Choose Xiaomi 15 if you want a faster phone for apps and games — 2,500,000 pts vs 680,000 pts.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 if you want a sharper screen — 460 ppi vs 387 ppi.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 if you want a screen you can read in sunlight — 3,200 nits vs 1,200 nits.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 if you want better video quality — 95 pts vs 74 pts.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 if you want a better camera — 147 pts vs 116 pts.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 if you want longer battery life — 5,400 mAh vs 5,000 mAh.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 if you want faster charging — 90 W vs 50 W.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 if you want the convenience of wireless charging — Yes vs No.
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want…
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want a bigger screen — 6.77 in vs 6.36 in.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want sharper selfies — 50 MP vs 32 MP.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want a lower price — 459 USD vs 899 USD.
At a glance
- Xiaomi 15
- Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
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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?
Xiaomi 15
Choose Xiaomi 15 if camera matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 899.
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if price matters most. It costs USD 459, the lowest price in this group.
Pros & cons
Xiaomi 15
- Elite chipset
- 90 W charging
- Compact flagship
- HyperOS bloatware
- Limited availability
- No charger in box
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
- 3x periscope zoom
- Distinctive Glyph design
- Clean software
- Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 is mid-tier
- No wireless charging
- Average low-light video