iPhone XS vs Nothing Phone (3a)
30Performance35.1
29.7Display58.8
35.3Camera54.7
21.3Battery59.2
73.3Features73.3
5 spec wins — iPhone XS13 spec wins — Nothing Phone (3a)
InnoReviews verdict
Nothing Phone (3a) wins this phone face-off, 52.4 to 33.6, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+38) and display (+29). iPhone XS still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the iPhone XS
- 100% higher OS update pledge: 6 years vs 3 years
- 18% higher Pixel density: 458 ppi vs 387 ppi
- 12% lower weight: 177 g vs 201 g
Reasons to pick the Nothing Phone (3a)
- Stronger performance score: 35 vs 30
- Stronger display score: 59 vs 30
- Stronger camera score: 55 vs 35
- Stronger battery score: 59 vs 21
- 380% higher Peak brightness: 3,000 nits vs 625 nits
- Lower launch price: $379 vs $999
Display
| Spec | iPhone XS | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 5.8 ″ | 6.77 ″+17% |
| Panel type | OLED | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2436x1125 | 1080x2392 |
| Pixel density | 458 ppi+18% | 387 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 625 nits | 3,000 nits+380% |
| Screen-to-body | — | 87.4 % |
Performance
| Spec | iPhone XS | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A12 Bionic | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
| AnTuTu 10 | 720,000Top 68% | 800,000+11%Top 61% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,100Top 63% | 1,150+5%Top 61% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 2,800Top 67% | 3,250+16%Top 61% |
| RAM (max) | 4 GB | 12 GB+200% |
| Storage options | 64GB / 256GB / 512GB | 128/256GB |
| Storage type | NVMe | UFS 2.2 |
Camera
| Spec | iPhone XS | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 50 MP+317% |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.88 |
| Ultra-wide | — | 8 MP |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 50 MP+317% |
| Optical zoom | 2 x | 2 x |
| Max video | 4K@60fps | 4K@30fps |
| Front camera | 7 MP | 32 MP+357% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | iPhone XS | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 2,658 mAh | 5,000 mAh+88% |
| Wired charging | 15 W | 50 W+233% |
| Wireless charging | 8 W | 0 W |
| Active use endurance | — | 11 h |
Design
| Spec | iPhone XS | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 177 g+12% | 201 g |
| Thickness | 7.7 mm+8% | 8.4 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP64 |
| Frame material | Stainless steel | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | iPhone XS | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.4 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 2.0 |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | iPhone XS | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | iOS 12 | Android 15 (Nothing OS 3.1) |
| OS update pledge | 6 years+100% | 3 years |
Audio
| Spec | iPhone XS | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |