Between the Galaxy A36 and Phone (3a), the Galaxy A36 comes out ahead in weight and water resistance, while the Phone (3a) wins on front camera and antutu. Overall, the Galaxy A36 scores 61.5 and the Phone (3a) scores 62.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (61.5 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 Galaxy A36 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight, water resistance, promised os updates.
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, antutu, wired charging, among others.
Both ship with comparable battery capacity, ram, main camera, 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 Samsung - Galaxy A36 wins
- ▲Weight — 6.00 g less. 195 vs 201.
- ▲Water resistance: IP67 (vs IP64).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 3).
Why Nothing - Phone (3a) wins
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲AnTuTu — 28.13% more. 820000 vs 640000.
- ▲Wired charging — 11.11% more. 50 W vs 45 W.
- ▲Screen size — 1.04% more. 6.77 " vs 6.7 ".
- ▲Pixel density — 0.52% more. 387 ppi vs 385 ppi.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 195 glead | 201 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.4 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP67lead | IP64 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 " | 6.77 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 385 ppi | 387 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1900 nits | 3000 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 W | 50 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 0 W | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy A36 or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has 0.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy A36 or Phone (3a)?+
Galaxy A36 is 6g lighter — 195g vs 201g.
Is Galaxy A36 waterproof?+
Galaxy A36 has an IP67 rating.
Does Phone (3a) support 5G?+
Yes, Phone (3a) supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy A36 or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has a 50 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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