The London-based consumer tech brand Nothing has launched two new phones as part of its Phone (3a) series. Today, we’ll compare the Phone (3a) Pro against the newly-launched Samsung Galaxy A36 5G, another solid mid-range contender.
Both phones offer a solid build, a capable processor, a multi-camera setup, and 5G connectivity. However, there are several key differences you should know before getting either of the smartphones.
Phone (3a) Pro vs. Galaxy A36: Tech Specs
| Nothing Phone (3a) Pro | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G | |
| Dimensions | 163.5 x 77.5 x 8.4 mm | 162.9 x 78.2 x 7.4 mm |
| Weight | 211 grams | 195 grams |
| Screen | 6.77-inch AMOLED screen; 120Hz | 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen; 120Hz |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4nm) SoC | Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4nm) SoC |
| Memory and RAM | Up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage | Up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage |
| Cameras | Rear: 50MP + 50MP + 8MP Front: 50MP | Rear: 50MP + 12MP + 5MP Front: 12MP |
| Operating System | Nothing OS 3.0 based on Android 15 | One UI 7.0 based on Android 15 |
| Software Support | 3 years | 6 years |
| Battery Capacity | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Charging Speed | 50W wired charging | 45W wired charging |
| Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.4 | 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.4 |
Phone (3a) Pro vs. Galaxy A36: Design
Materials
Nothing says that the (3a) Pro features an aluminum mid-frame along with high-grade tempered glass on the front and the back.
The Galaxy A36 5G uses Gorilla Glass Victus+ on its front and back, but unlike the A56 5G, it features a plastic frame.
Dimensions & Weight
- Phone (3a) Pro: 163.5 x 77.5 x 8.4 mm; 211 grams
- Galaxy A36 5G: 162.9 x 78.2 x 7.4 mm; 195 grams
The Galaxy A36 is significantly thinner and lighter than the Phone (3a) Pro, resulting in a more comfortable in-hand feel.
Design
Since its inception, Nothing has been known for its uniquely designed smartphones, and the Phone (3a) Pro isn’t different. Subjective outlook aside, the handset features a punch-hole screen with symmetrical bezels at the front.
The back, however, is where Nothing outsmarts all other smartphones in the market. The Phone (3a) Pro’s back panel features a transparent panel, below which are the aesthetically-placed internal materials like the Glyph Interface (three LEDs) and the circular camera island.
It’s worth mentioning that the Phone (3a) Pro has a new button called the Essential Key (underneath the power button). The button can take screenshots and save them along with audio recordings as reminders to help you organize information using AI (developed using both OpenAI and Google Gemini’s AI).
The Galaxy A36 5G, on the other hand, follows the template set by Samsung’s flagship smartphones: minimalist yet classy. On the front is a punch-hole screen with a slightly thick bottom chin, while the rear Gorilla Glass Victus+ panel houses a vertically-stacked pill-shaped camera island.
There’s no direct comparison between the design of the Phone (3a) Pro and Galaxy A36. After all, both products have a different target audience, with the former appealing to youngsters who want a conversation-starter design, while the latter is for people who don’t care about how their phone looks.
Colors
- Phone (3a) Pro: Black, Gray
- Galaxy A36 5G: Awesome White, Awesome Black, Awesome Lavender
IP Rating
While the Phone (3a) Pro has an official IP64 dust and water resistance rating, the Galaxy A36 5G gets an IP67 rating.
Phone (3a) Pro vs. Galaxy A36: Display
The Phone (3a) Pro ships with a 6.77-inch AMOLED screen that goes up to 120Hz refresh rate and has a resolution of 2412 x 1080 pixels (387 ppi). It can achieve a peak outdoor brightness of 1,300 nits (800 nits typical, 3000 nits local peak brightness). Further, the screen supports HDR10+ content.
Besides, the (3a) Pro also offers a 1000Hz touch sampling rate and 2160Hz PWM dimming rate for a comfortable viewing experience.
The Galaxy A36 5G has a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen that also supports a 120Hz peak refresh rate and a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels (385 ppi). However, the Galaxy A36 5G’s panel can only shine as bright as 1,900 nits (limited to 1,200 nits in the high-brightness mode).
Both phones feature an in-display fingerprint scanner. With a higher typical brightness, the Galaxy A36 5G should provide a slightly better viewing experience.
Phone (3a) Pro vs. Galaxy A36: Performance
Under the hood, the Phone (3a) Pro runs on the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4nm) SoC, comprising one 2.5GHz prime core, three 2.4GHz performance cores, and four 1.8GHz efficient cores. Besides the CPU, the chipset features the Adreno 710 GPU, up to 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage. The chipset scores around 1170/3140 points in the GeekBench 6 CPU performance test.
On the other side, the Galaxy A36 5G runs on Samsung’s new Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4nm) SoC, which has four 2.4GHz performance cores and four 1.8GHz efficient cores. The chipset runs alongside Adreno 710 GPU, up to 12GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of UFS storage. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 scored around 1017/2910 points in the GeekBench 6 CPU test.
While the benchmark scores favor the Galaxy A36 5G, we’ll wait until the phone appears on the GeekBench 6 benchmarking platform to comment on its performance. If the scores are maintained, Samsung’s handset might have the upper hand on the Nothing (3a) Pro in terms of raw performance.
Phone (3a) Pro vs. Galaxy A36: Software
Out of the box, the Phone (3a) Pro runs on Nothing OS 3 based on Android 15. The operating system offers features like an AI-powered Smart Drawer, Partial Screen Recording, improved lock screen customization options, and auto-archive for unused apps.
While the user interface is relatively clean and easy to use, Nothing only offers three years of operating system updates, which is a bit disappointing.
In comparison, the Galaxy A36 5G runs on One UI 7 based on Android 15. It gets plenty of “Awesome Intelligence” features, including Circle to Search, Object Eraser, Filters, Edit Suggestion, and AI Select.
Backing the software experience is Samsung’s promise to provide six years of operating system and security updates, which remains unmatched in the segment.
Phone (3a) Pro vs. Galaxy A36: Camera
Phone (3a) Pro Camera Configuration
- Primary camera: 50MP Samsung (f/1.88, OIS) sensor with 84.5° field of view and 2x in-sensor zoom
- Secondary camera: 50MP Sony LYTIA 600 (f/2.55, OIS) sensor with 3x optical zoom lens (6x in-sensor zoom)
- Tertiary camera: 8MP (f/2.2) ultrawide sensor with 120° field of view
- Front camera: 50MP Samsung (f/2.2) selfie shooter
The zoom sensor on the handset provides 3x optical zoom and 6x in-sensor zoom and goes up to 60x ultra zoom. It also allows users to capture macro photographs. Video recording abilities are locked at 4K (30 fps) and 1080p (up to 60 fps).
Galaxy A36 Camera Configuration
- Primary camera: 50MP Samsung (f/1.8, OIS) sensor
- Secondary camera: 8MP (f/2.2) sensor with 123° field of view
- Tertiary camera: 5MP (f/2.4) macro sensor
- Front camera: 12MP (f/2.2)
The Galaxy A36 also allows 4K video recording at 30 fps. However, the 50MP dedicated zoom camera and the higher resolution front camera on the Phone (3a) Pro turn things in its favor.
Phone (3a) Pro vs. Galaxy A36: Battery Life And Charging Rate
The Phone (3a) Pro features a 5,000 mAh battery that supports 50W wired charging speed (100% in 56 minutes). Further, the phone also supports 7.5W reverse wired charging speeds.
The Galaxy A36 also gets a 5,000 mAh battery, but it supports a slower 45W charging rate (100% in 68 minutes). Since both phones are based on 4nm fabrication technology, there shouldn’t be a significant difference in power consumption.
Phone (3a) Pro vs. Galaxy A36: Connectivity
Connectivity options on the Phone (3a) Pro include 16 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.4, GPS (L1), NFC (compatible with Google Pay), and a USB Type-C 2.0 port.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy A36 supports 13 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.4, GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C 2.0 port. Moreover, the connectivity options remain the same on both smartphones.
Phone (3a) Pro vs. Galaxy A36: Price And Conclusion
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro Price
- Nothing Phone (3a) Pro (8GB + 128GB): Rs. 29,999
- Nothing Phone (3a) Pro (8GB + 256GB): Rs. 31,999
- Nothing Phone (3a) Pro (12GB + 256GB): Rs. 33,999
If you want a unique smartphone with a decently bright screen, a capable chipset, and extended software support doesn’t matter to you, you can’t go wrong with the Phone (3a) Pro.
It offers a premium design, a clean user interface, and a dedicated 3x optical camera sensor for photography enthusiasts. What’s odd is that Nothing hasn’t included eSIM support for the Indian market (which happens to be one of the key markets for the company).
Last but not least, a lower introductory price could be a big reason to consider the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro.
Samsung Galaxy A36 Price
- Samsung Galaxy A36 (8GB + 128GB): Rs. 32,999
- Samsung Galaxy A36 (8GB + 256GB): Rs. 35,999
- Samsung Galaxy A36 (12GB + 256GB): Rs. 38,999
If you aren’t into the Glyph Interface, want a simple and sober smartphone that shares its looks with the flagships, are familiar with the One UI operating system and the AI-based features it provides, and want the extended software support that Samsung provides, the Galaxy A36 is a solid option. The cameras might not be as good, but you still get support for 4K video recording.
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