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WhichPhoneToBuy

Nothing Phone (3a) vs Xiaomi 15

The Xiaomi 15 comes out ahead on 8 counts and the Nothing Phone (3a) on 3.

Which should you buy?

Pick the Nothing Phone (3a) for

  • Bigger screen: 6.77" vs 6.36"
  • Optical zoom (2×), which the other lacks
  • Newer: launched March 2025

Pick the Xiaomi 15 for

  • Bigger battery: 5,240 vs 5,000 mAh (5% more)
  • Faster wired charging: 90 W vs 50 W
  • Lighter: 191 g vs 201 g (10 g less)
  • Thinner: 8.1 mm vs 8.4 mm
  • More compact: 11.2 mm shorter
  • More RAM: up to 16 GB vs 12 GB
  • More storage: up to 1 TB vs 256 GB
  • Better water resistance: IP68 vs IP64

Size comparison

The Nothing Phone (3a) is 11.2 mm taller, 6.3 mm wider, 0.3 mm thicker and 10 g heavier than the Xiaomi 15. Its screen is 0.41" larger.

  • Nothing Phone (3a)163.5 × 77.5 × 8.4 mm
  • Xiaomi 15152.3 × 71.2 × 8.08 mm

Specs side by side

LaunchNothing Phone (3a)Xiaomi 15
AnnouncedMarch 4, 2025October 29, 20241
ReleasedMarch 11, 2025October 29, 20241
BodyNothing Phone (3a)Xiaomi 15
Size163.5 × 77.5 × 8.4 mm152.3 × 71.2 × 8.1 mm
Thickness8.4 mm8.1 mm (better)
Weight201 g191 g? (better)
Framepolycarbonate1aviation-grade aluminum1
Backglass1—
Water resistanceIP64IP68 (better)
ColoursBlack, White, BlueLiquid Silver, White, Black, Green
DisplayNothing Phone (3a)Xiaomi 15
Size6.77"6.36"
TypeLTPS Flexible AMOLEDCrystalRes AMOLED
Resolution1080 × 23921200 × 2670 (better)
Refresh rate120 Hz120 Hz
Peak brightness3,000 nits3,200 nits
ProtectionPanda Glass—
Performance and softwareNothing Phone (3a)Xiaomi 15
ChipsetQualcomm SM7635 Snapdragon 7s Gen 3Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A520)2 x Prime Core up to 4.32GHz, 6 x Performance Core up to 3.53GHz
Process4 nm3 nm (better)
Ships withAndroid 16 with Nothing OS 4.0Xiaomi HyperOS 2
OS updates3 years (to Mar 2028)—
Security updates6 years (to Mar 2031)—
MemoryNothing Phone (3a)Xiaomi 15
RAM8 GB / 12 GB8 GB / 12 GB / 16 GB (better)
Storage128 GB / 256 GB256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB (better)
Card slotNo—
CamerasNothing Phone (3a)Xiaomi 15
Rear50 MP Main, OIS 50 MP Telephoto (2× optical) 8 MP Ultrawide50 MP Main 50 MP Telephoto 50 MP Ultrawide
Main camera50 MP50 MP
Optical zoom2× (better)None
Front32 MP32 MP
Video4k @30 fps8K (7680x4320) at 24/30fps
BatteryNothing Phone (3a)Xiaomi 15
Capacity5,000 mAh5,240 mAh (better)
Wired charging50 W90 W (better)
Wireless charging—50 W
Reverse wirelessYes1—
ConnectivityNothing Phone (3a)Xiaomi 15
5GYesYes1
Wi-Fi802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 7
Bluetooth5.46.0
NFCYesYes
USBUSB Type-CUSB Type-C
Headphone jackNo—
eSIM—Yes
FeaturesNothing Phone (3a)Xiaomi 15
FingerprintOn-screen optical1Ultrasonic in-screen
Stereo speakersYesYes

Highlighted: the better value where one is clearly better. Sources for each phone are listed on the Nothing Phone (3a) and Xiaomi 15 pages.

Quick answers

Is the Nothing Phone (3a) bigger than the Xiaomi 15?
The Nothing Phone (3a) is 11.2 mm taller, 6.3 mm wider, 0.3 mm thicker and 10 g heavier than the Xiaomi 15. Its screen is 0.41" larger.
Which has the bigger battery, the Nothing Phone (3a) or the Xiaomi 15?
The Xiaomi 15 has the bigger battery: 5,240 mAh against 5,000 mAh. Real battery life also depends on the chip and screen.

More comparisons