Between the iPhone 17 and Phone (3a), the iPhone 17 comes out ahead in antutu and pixel density, while the Phone (3a) wins on front camera and wired charging. Overall, the iPhone 17 scores 61.7 and the Phone (3a) scores 62.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (61.7 vs 62.5). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the iPhone 17 if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. The biggest gaps in its favor are antutu, pixel density, weight, among others.
Pick the Phone (3a) if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are front camera, wired charging, battery capacity, among others.
Both ship with comparable ram, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Apple - iPhone 17 wins
- ▲AnTuTu — 141.46% more. 1980000 vs 820000.
- ▲Pixel density — 18.86% more. 460 ppi vs 387 ppi.
- ▲Weight — 7.00 g less. 194 vs 201.
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP64).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 3).
- ▲Wireless charging: 25 W vs 0 W.
Why Nothing - Phone (3a) wins
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 85.19% more. 50 W vs 27 W.
- ▲Battery capacity — 35.43% more. 5000 mAh vs 3692 mAh.
- ▲Screen size — 7.46% more. 6.77 " vs 6.3 ".
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 194 glead | 201 g |
| Thickness | 8.1 mmlead | 8.4 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68lead | IP64 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.3 " | 6.77 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 387 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2200 nits | 3000 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3692 mAh | 5000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 27 W | 50 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 25 Wlead | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 17 or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has 35.4% more battery — 3692 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 17 or Phone (3a)?+
iPhone 17 is 7g lighter — 194g vs 201g.
Is iPhone 17 waterproof?+
iPhone 17 has an IP68 rating.
Does Phone (3a) support 5G?+
Yes, Phone (3a) supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 17 or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
More from the same brands
vsMars is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.