Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MP |
| Wired charging | 45 W | 50 W |
| AnTuTu | 780000 | 820000 |
| Weight | 198 g | 201 g |
| Screen size | 6.7 " | 6.77 " |
| Pixel density | 385 ppi | 387 ppi |
Between the Galaxy A56 and Phone (3a), the Galaxy A56 comes out ahead in weight / water resistance, while the Phone (3a) wins on front camera / wired charging. Overall, the Galaxy A56 scores 63.4 and the Phone (3a) scores 62.4 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (63.4 vs 62.4). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Galaxy A56 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. The single most decisive one: Weight — 3.00 g less. 198 vs 201.
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, antutu, among others. The single most decisive one: Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
Both ship with comparable battery capacity, ram, main camera, so those specs do not 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 says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Samsung - Galaxy A56 or Nothing - Phone (3a)?
Samsung - Galaxy A56 leads the current Mars Score by 1.0 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare screen size, pixel density against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Samsung - Galaxy A56 if…
Samsung - Galaxy A56 has the measurable edge on weight g, ip rating, promised os years.
Choose Nothing - Phone (3a) if…
Nothing - Phone (3a) has the measurable edge on front cam mp, wired charging w, antutu score.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Samsung - Galaxy A56 wins
- ▲Weight — 3.00 g less. 198 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.
- ▲Wired charging — 11.11% more. 50 W vs 45 W.
- ▲AnTuTu — 5.13% more. 820000 vs 780000.
- ▲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 A56 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 198 glead | 201 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.4 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP67lead | IP64 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | 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
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| RAMⓘ | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Storageⓘ | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| AnTuTuⓘ | 780000 | 820000lead |
| CPU total clockⓘ | 9.6 GHz | 10.8 GHzlead |
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | 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 A56 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A56 | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy A56 or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has 0.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy A56 or Phone (3a)?+
Galaxy A56 is 3g lighter — 198g vs 201g.
Is Galaxy A56 waterproof?+
Galaxy A56 has an IP67 rating.
Does Phone (3a) support 5G?+
Yes, Phone (3a) supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy A56 or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has a 50 MP main camera vs 50 MP.