Between the iPhone 16 and Phone (3a), the iPhone 16 comes out ahead in antutu and weight, while the Phone (3a) wins on front camera and wired charging. Overall, the iPhone 16 scores 57.4 and the Phone (3a) scores 62.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Phone (3a) edges ahead on the Mars Score (57.4 vs 62.5), but the 5.1-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the iPhone 16 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, weight, pixel density, 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, wired charging, refresh rate, among others.
Both ship with comparable ram, 5g support, optical image stabilization, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Phone (3a) is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPhone 16 wins
- ▲AnTuTu — 97.56% more. 1620000 vs 820000.
- ▲Weight — 31.00 g less. 170 vs 201.
- ▲Pixel density — 18.86% more. 460 ppi vs 387 ppi.
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP64).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 5 (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 — 150.00% more. 50 W vs 20 W.
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲Battery capacity — 40.41% more. 5000 mAh vs 3561 mAh.
- ▲Screen size — 10.98% more. 6.77 " vs 6.1 ".
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 170 glead | 201 g |
| Thickness | 7.8 mmlead | 8.4 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68lead | IP64 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.1 " | 6.77 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 387 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 120 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2000 nits | 3000 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3561 mAh | 5000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 50 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 Wlead | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16 or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has 40.4% more battery — 3561 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16 or Phone (3a)?+
iPhone 16 is 31g lighter — 170g vs 201g.
Is iPhone 16 waterproof?+
iPhone 16 has an IP68 rating.
Does Phone (3a) support 5G?+
Yes, Phone (3a) supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16 or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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