WhichMobile · News · Compare phones · About · Editorial policy · Contact

Nothing Phone (3a) vs Samsung Galaxy A56

The Nothing Phone (3a) wins on personality - transparent design, Glyph lighting, and a genuinely useful telephoto camera - while the Galaxy A56 wins on practicality: IP67 durability, a lower price, and Samsung's software longevity. Pick based on which of those you actually care about.

Category by category

Design: Nothing Phone (3a) – Nothing's signature transparent back and Glyph LED lighting are a genuine design differentiator next to the A56's conventional glass slab.
Display: Tie – Both are 120Hz AMOLED panels with HDR10+ support in the same size and brightness class.
Performance: Tie – The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 and Exynos 1580 sit in a similar upper-mid-range performance bracket.
Camera: Nothing Phone (3a) – The Phone (3a)'s dedicated 50MP 2x telephoto lens is a genuine functional advantage the A56's ultrawide-plus-macro combo can't match for portraits and zoom shots.
Battery: Nothing Phone (3a) – 50W wired charging on the Phone (3a) is faster than the A56's 45W, on the same 5000mAh capacity.
Software: Tie – Nothing OS's clean, near-stock feel and Samsung's feature-rich OneUI are both well-supported with multi-year update promises - a genuine preference call, not a clear win.
Value for Money: Samsung Galaxy A56 – The A56 is around 8% cheaper and adds a confirmed IP67 rating the Phone (3a) doesn't list - Samsung wins on practicality and price.