Between the Galaxy S26+ and Phone (3a), the Galaxy S26+ comes out ahead in antutu and ram, while the Phone (3a) wins on front camera and wired charging. Overall, the Galaxy S26+ scores 68.5 and the Phone (3a) scores 62.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26+ edges ahead on the Mars Score (68.5 vs 62.5), but the 6.0-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Galaxy S26+ 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, ram, pixel density, 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 main camera, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Galaxy S26+ 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+ wins
- ▲AnTuTu — 168.29% more. 2200000 vs 820000.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Pixel density — 32.56% more. 513 ppi vs 387 ppi.
- ▲Weight — 5.00 g less. 196 vs 201.
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP64).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 3).
- ▲Wireless charging: 15 W vs 0 W.
Why Nothing - Phone (3a) wins
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 11.11% more. 50 W vs 45 W.
- ▲Battery capacity — 2.04% more. 5000 mAh vs 4900 mAh.
- ▲Screen size — 1.04% more. 6.77 " vs 6.7 ".
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 196 glead | 201 g |
| Thickness | 7.6 mmlead | 8.4 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68lead | IP64 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 " | 6.77 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 513 ppilead | 387 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2600 nits | 3000 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4900 mAh | 5000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 W | 50 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 Wlead | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26+ or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has 2.0% more battery — 4900 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26+ or Phone (3a)?+
Galaxy S26+ is 5g lighter — 196g vs 201g.
Is Galaxy S26+ waterproof?+
Galaxy S26+ has an IP68 rating.
Does Phone (3a) support 5G?+
Yes, Phone (3a) supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26+ or Phone (3a)?+
Galaxy S26+ offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26+ or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has a 50 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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