Between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Phone (3a), the Galaxy S26 Ultra comes out ahead in main camera and antutu, while the Phone (3a) wins on front camera and weight. Overall, the Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 75.6 and the Phone (3a) scores 62.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 13.1 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the Galaxy S26 Ultra if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are main camera, antutu, ram, among others.
Pick the Phone (3a) if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are front camera, weight.
Both ship with comparable battery capacity, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra wins
- ▲Main camera — 300.00% more. 200 MP vs 50 MP.
- ▲AnTuTu — 181.71% more. 2310000 vs 820000.
- ▲RAM — 100.00% more. 16 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Wired charging — 30.00% more. 65 W vs 50 W.
- ▲Pixel density — 29.46% more. 501 ppi vs 387 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 1.92% more. 6.9 " vs 6.77 ".
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP64).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 3).
Why Nothing - Phone (3a) wins
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Weight — 31.00 g less. 201 vs 232.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 232 g | 201 glead |
| Thickness | 8.6 mm | 8.4 mmlead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68lead | IP64 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.9 "lead | 6.77 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 501 ppilead | 387 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2600 nits | 3000 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 200 MPlead | 50 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 65 Wlead | 50 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 Wlead | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 Ultra or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has 0.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 Ultra or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) is 31g lighter — 232g vs 201g.
Is Galaxy S26 Ultra waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has an IP68 rating.
Does Phone (3a) support 5G?+
Yes, Phone (3a) supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26 Ultra or Phone (3a)?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 Ultra or Phone (3a)?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 200 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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