Nothing Phone (3a) Lite vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
28.9Performance37.2
58.6Display56.3
30.7Camera72
47.8Battery46.4
49.3Features78.7
4 spec wins — Nothing Phone (3a) Lite9 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra wins this phone face-off, 53.9 to 41, pulling ahead mainly in camera (+41) and features (+29). Nothing Phone (3a) Lite still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite
- 100% higher Peak brightness: 3,000 nits vs 1,500 nits
- 32% higher Wired charging: 33 W vs 25 W
- 13% lower weight: 199 g vs 228 g
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Stronger performance score: 37 vs 29
- Stronger camera score: 72 vs 31
- Stronger features score: 79 vs 49
- 150% higher Front camera: 40 MP vs 16 MP
- 116% higher Main camera: 108 MP vs 50 MP
Display
| Spec | Nothing Phone (3a) Lite | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.77 ″ | 6.8 ″ |
| Panel type | AMOLED | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1084x2392 | 3200x1440 |
| Pixel density | 387 ppi | 515 ppi+33% |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 3,000 nits+100% | 1,500 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Nothing Phone (3a) Lite | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro 5G | Samsung Exynos 2100 |
| AnTuTu | — | 783,817Bottom 22% |
| AnTuTu 11 (CPU) | — | 263,424Bottom 17% |
| AnTuTu 11 (GPU) | — | 126,989Bottom 33% |
| AnTuTu 11 (Memory) | — | 165,563Bottom 35% |
| AnTuTu 11 (UX) | — | 227,841Bottom 20% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | — | 1,430Top 46% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | — | 3,550Bottom 50% |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB | 12 GB+50% |
| Storage options | 128/256GB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB |
| Storage type | — | UFS 3.1 |
Camera
| Spec | Nothing Phone (3a) Lite | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 50 MP | 108 MP+116% |
| Main aperture | f/1.88 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 8 MP | 12 MP+50% |
| Telephoto | — | 10 MP |
| Optical zoom | — | 10 x |
| Max video | 4K@30fps | 8K@24fps |
| Front camera | 16 MP | 40 MP+150% |
| OIS | No | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Nothing Phone (3a) Lite | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 33 W+32% | 25 W |
| Wireless charging | 0 W | 15 W |
Design
| Spec | Nothing Phone (3a) Lite | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 199 g+13% | 228 g |
| Thickness | 8.3 mm+7% | 8.9 mm |
| IP rating | IP54 | IP68 |
| Frame material | — | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Nothing Phone (3a) Lite | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.2 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | — | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | — | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Nothing Phone (3a) Lite | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 15 | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) |
| OS update pledge | 3 years | 4 years+33% |
Audio
| Spec | Nothing Phone (3a) Lite | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | — | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | — | No |
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