Between the iPhone 16e and Phone (3a), the iPhone 16e comes out ahead in antutu and weight, while the Phone (3a) wins on front camera and wired charging. Overall, the iPhone 16e scores 58.6 and the Phone (3a) scores 62.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Phone (3a) edges ahead on the Mars Score (58.6 vs 62.5), but the 3.9-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the iPhone 16e 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: 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 16e wins
- ▲AnTuTu — 92.68% more. 1580000 vs 820000.
- ▲Weight — 34.00 g less. 167 vs 201.
- ▲Pixel density — 18.86% more. 460 ppi vs 387 ppi.
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP64).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 5 (vs 3).
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 — 24.84% more. 5000 mAh vs 4005 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 16e | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 167 glead | 201 g |
| Thickness | 7.8 mmlead | 8.4 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68lead | IP64 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.1 " | 6.77 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 387 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 120 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1200 nits | 3000 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4005 mAh | 5000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 50 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 0 W | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16e or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has 24.8% more battery — 4005 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16e or Phone (3a)?+
iPhone 16e is 34g lighter — 167g vs 201g.
Is iPhone 16e waterproof?+
iPhone 16e has an IP68 rating.
Does Phone (3a) support 5G?+
Yes, Phone (3a) supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16e or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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