Nothing Phone (3a) Lite
#719
Samsung Galaxy M36
#978Category Breakdown
Nothing Phone (3a) Lite
Samsung Galaxy M36
Performance
89.992.7
Camera
93.289.7
Display
95.792.6
Battery
87.783.6
Build
89.989.2
Overall
91.389.6
Summary
- The Nothing Phone (3a) Lite features a glass front and back with a plastic frame, while the Samsung Galaxy M36 uses Gorilla Glass Victus+ for added durability.
- Both devices have a 120Hz display, but the Nothing Phone's AMOLED panel offers higher peak brightness at 3000 nits compared to the M36's Super AMOLED.
- In terms of performance, the Nothing Phone is powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 7300 Pro, whereas the M36 utilizes the Exynos 1380; both provide adequate multitasking capabilities with 8GB RAM options.
- Camera specifications are similar, with both offering a 50 MP main sensor and OIS, but the M36 has a slightly higher resolution selfie camera at 13 MP versus 16 MP on the Nothing Phone.
- Both phones have a 5000 mAh battery, but the Nothing Phone supports faster charging at 33W compared to the M36's 25W.
- Software-wise, both run Android 15, but the M36 offers up to 6 major Android upgrades, while the Nothing Phone promises 3.
Side-by-side Specification Comparison
Nothing Phone (3a) Lite
Samsung Galaxy M36
General
Release Date
2025, October 29
2025, June 27
Announced
2025, October 29
2025, June 27
Description
N/A
N/A
Display
Size
6.77"
6.7"
Type
AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM, HDR, 800 nits (typ), 1300 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak)
Super AMOLED, 120Hz
Resolution
1080 x 2392 pixels (~388 ppi density)
1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~385 ppi density)
PPI
1080
1080
Refresh Rate
120Hz
120Hz
Peak Brightness
N/A
N/A
HDR Support
✓
✗
Protection
Panda Glass, Mohs level 5
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Performance
Chipset
Mediatek Dimensity 7300 Pro (4 nm)
Exynos 1380 (5 nm)
CPU
Octa-core (4x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU
Mali-G615 MC2
Mali-G68 MP5
Memory
128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
Expandable Storage
✗
✗
Card Slot
microSDXC
microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Camera
Main Camera
50 MP
50 MP
Main Camera Details
50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS8 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm2 MP (macro)
50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.96", PDAF, OIS8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm2 MP (macro)
Front Camera
16 MP
13 MP
Front Camera Details
16 MP, f/2.5, (wide)
13 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm
Video Recording
4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps, gyro-EIS
Selfie Video
1080p@30fps
4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps
OIS
✓
✓
Night Mode
✗
✗
RAW Support
✗
✗
Battery
Capacity
5000 mAh
5000 mAh
Battery Details
5000 mAh
5000 mAh
Charging Details
33W wired, 50% in 20 min5W reverse wired
25W wired
Fast Charging
✗
✗
Wireless Charging
✗
✗
Build & Design
Dimensions
164 x 78 x 8.3 mm (6.46 x 3.07 x 0.33 in)
164.4 x 77.9 x 7.7 mm (6.47 x 3.07 x 0.30 in)
Weight
199 g
197 g
Materials
Glass front (Panda Glass), plastic frame, glass back (Panda Glass)
Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), plastic frame, glass back
Water Resistance
N/A
N/A
Colors
Black, White
Orange Haze, Velvet Black, Serene Green
Foldable
✗
✗
Connectivity
SIM
Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Network
GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
Network Speed
HSPA, LTE, 5G
HSPA, LTE, 5G
5G
✓
✓
4G
✓
✓
WiFi
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Bluetooth
5.3, A2DP, LE
5.3, A2DP, LE
NFC
✓
✓
USB
USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
IR Blaster
✗
✗
Headphone Jack
✗
✗
Radio
✗
✗
Positioning
GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS
GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS
Software
Operating System
Android 15, up to 3 major Android upgrades, Nothing OS 3.5
Android 15, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 7
OS Version
Android 15, up to 3 major Android upgrades, Nothing OS 3.5
Android 15, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 7
Security
Fingerprint
✓
✓
Face Unlock
✗
✗
Sensors
Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, compass
Audio
Stereo Speakers
✗
✗
Loudspeaker
Yes
Yes
Audio Jack
No
No