Phone (3)
Phone (3a)
🏆 Verdict
Phone (3) is the better pick overall by 20.7 points, leading in Build & durability, Performance and Charging. The gap is large; Phone (3a) only makes sense for a lower price or one specific feature.
Phone (3a) offers more for the money ($379 vs $799 at launch).
By category
Performance
Phone (3) is faster with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 (performance index 86 vs 52). You notice it in heavy games and video editing, less in daily use. Phone (3) has more RAM (16 GB vs 12 GB), which helps multitasking.
Camera
Phone (3) zooms further optically (3× vs 2×). Phone (3) has the higher-resolution selfie camera (50 MP vs 32 MP).
Battery
Phone (3)'s battery is 150 mAh larger (5,150 vs 5,000 mAh), about 3% more. Real battery life also depends on chip and display efficiency.
Charging
Phone (3) charges faster over cable (65W vs 50W). Only Phone (3) supports wireless charging.
Display
Phone (3a) has the larger screen (6.77" vs 6.67"). Phone (3)'s screen gets brighter (4,500 vs 3,000 nits), which shows outdoors. Phone (3)'s screen is sharper (460 vs 388 ppi).
Build & durability
Phone (3) is rated IP68 vs IP64 on the other. Phone (3a) is 17 g lighter.
Updates
Both have about the same update window (3 years).
Specifications
| Phone (3) | Phone (3a) | |
|---|---|---|
| Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 | Chipset | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
| 12 GB / 16 GB | RAM | 8 GB / 12 GB |
| 256 GB / 512 GB | Storage | 128 GB / 256 GB |
| 6.67" LTPO AMOLED | Display | 6.77" AMOLED |
| 120 Hz | Refresh rate | 120 Hz |
| 2800×1260 (460 ppi) | Resolution | 2392×1080 (388 ppi) |
| 4,500 nits | Peak brightness | 3,000 nits |
| 50 MP | Main camera | 50 MP |
| 50 MP | Ultrawide | 8 MP |
| 50 MP · 3× | Telephoto | 50 MP · 2× |
| 50 MP | Front camera | 32 MP |
| 5,150 mAh | Battery | 5,000 mAh |
| 65 W | Wired charging | 50 W |
| 15 W | Wireless charging | None |
| IP68 | Water & dust rating | IP64 |
| aluminium | Frame | plastic |
| 218 g | Weight | 201 g |
| 3 years | OS updates (estimated) | 3 years |
| $799 | Launch price | $379 |
| 2025-07 | Released | 2025-03 |
Phone (3)
Pros
- Faster chip (Snapdragon 8s Gen 4)
- 16 GB RAM
- 3× optical zoom
- 15W wireless charging
- 4,500 nits peak
Cons
- Pricier ($799)
Phone (3a)
Pros
- Lower price ($379)
Cons
- Slower chip
- No wireless charging
- Dimmer screen
- Only IP64 rated
How is the score calculated?
Each phone gets 0–100 points in seven categories (performance, camera, battery, charging, display, build, updates), computed only from its published specs, then combined with fixed, published weights. A gap under 2.5 points counts as a tie. The performance index is an estimate based on benchmark results published at launch.
Figures come from the manufacturers’ official pages. Some specs vary by market. We do not sell devices or earn commissions.