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WhichPhoneToBuy

Nothing Phone (3a) vs Samsung Galaxy S25

The Samsung Galaxy S25 comes out ahead on 7 counts and the Nothing Phone (3a) on 4.

Which should you buy?

Pick the Nothing Phone (3a) for

  • Bigger battery: 5,000 vs 4,000 mAh (25% more)
  • Faster wired charging: 50 W vs 25 W
  • Bigger screen: 6.77" vs 6.2"
  • Brighter display: 3,000 vs 2,600 nits peak

Pick the Samsung Galaxy S25 for

  • Lighter: 162 g vs 201 g (39 g less)
  • Thinner: 7.2 mm vs 8.4 mm
  • More compact: 16.6 mm shorter
  • Longer optical zoom: 3× vs 2×
  • OS updates for longer, until Feb 2032
  • More storage: up to 512 GB vs 256 GB
  • Better water resistance: IP68 vs IP64

Size comparison

The Nothing Phone (3a) is 16.6 mm taller, 7 mm wider, 1.2 mm thicker and 39 g heavier than the Samsung Galaxy S25. Its screen is 0.57" larger.

  • Nothing Phone (3a)163.5 × 77.5 × 8.4 mm
  • Samsung Galaxy S25146.9 × 70.5 × 7.2 mm

Specs side by side

LaunchNothing Phone (3a)Samsung Galaxy S25
AnnouncedMarch 4, 2025January 22, 20251
ReleasedMarch 11, 2025February 7, 20251
BodyNothing Phone (3a)Samsung Galaxy S25
Size163.5 × 77.5 × 8.4 mm146.9 × 70.5 × 7.2 mm1
Thickness8.4 mm7.2 mm1 (better)
Weight201 g162 g1 (better)
Framepolycarbonate1—
Backglass1—
Water resistanceIP64IP681 (better)
ColoursBlack, White, BlueIcyblue, Mint, Navy, Silver Shadow, Pinkgold, Coralred, Blueblack1
DisplayNothing Phone (3a)Samsung Galaxy S25
Size6.77"6.2"
TypeLTPS Flexible AMOLEDDynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X
Resolution1080 × 23921080 × 23401
Refresh rate120 Hz120 Hz1
Peak brightness3,000 nits (better)2,600 nits1
ProtectionPanda GlassGorilla Glass Victus 21
Performance and softwareNothing Phone (3a)Samsung Galaxy S25
ChipsetQualcomm SM7635 Snapdragon 7s Gen 3Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite For Galaxy1
CPUOcta-core (1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A520)2x 4.47 GHz Oryon (Phoenix L) and 6x 3.53 GHz Oryon (Phoenix M)1
Process4 nm3 nm1 (better)
Ships withAndroid 16 with Nothing OS 4.0Android 15 with One UI 71
OS updates3 years (to Mar 2028)7 years (to Feb 2032)1 (better)
Security updates6 years (to Mar 2031)7 years (to Feb 2032)1 (better)
MemoryNothing Phone (3a)Samsung Galaxy S25
RAM8 GB / 12 GB12 GB1
Storage128 GB / 256 GB128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB (better)
Card slotNo—
CamerasNothing Phone (3a)Samsung Galaxy S25
Rear50 MP Main, OIS 50 MP Telephoto (2× optical) 8 MP Ultrawide50 MP Main, OIS 12 MP Ultrawide 10 MP Telephoto (3× optical), OIS
Main camera50 MP50 MP
Optical zoom2×3× (better)
Front32 MP12 MP1
Video4k @30 fps8K at 30 fps1
BatteryNothing Phone (3a)Samsung Galaxy S25
Capacity5,000 mAh (better)4,000 mAh1
Wired charging50 W (better)25 W1
Wireless charging—15 W1
Reverse wirelessYes1Yes1
ConnectivityNothing Phone (3a)Samsung Galaxy S25
5GYesYes1
Wi-Fi802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 71
Bluetooth5.45.41
NFCYesYes1
USBUSB Type-CUSB Type-C 3.21
Headphone jackNo—
eSIM—Yes1
FeaturesNothing Phone (3a)Samsung Galaxy S25
FingerprintOn-screen optical1Ultrasonic under-display1
Stereo speakersYesYes1

Highlighted: the better value where one is clearly better. Sources for each phone are listed on the Nothing Phone (3a) and Samsung Galaxy S25 pages.

Quick answers

Is the Nothing Phone (3a) bigger than the Samsung Galaxy S25?
The Nothing Phone (3a) is 16.6 mm taller, 7 mm wider, 1.2 mm thicker and 39 g heavier than the Samsung Galaxy S25. Its screen is 0.57" larger.
Which has the bigger battery, the Nothing Phone (3a) or the Samsung Galaxy S25?
The Nothing Phone (3a) has the bigger battery: 5,000 mAh against 4,000 mAh. Real battery life also depends on the chip and screen.
Which gets software updates for longer?
The Samsung Galaxy S25: its maker promises OS updates until around February 2032, against March 2028 for the Nothing Phone (3a).

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