Nothing Phone (3a) Pro vs Samsung Galaxy A36: Which One Should You Buy and Why?

Nothing just dropped the Phone (3a) Pro in India, featuring a new essential key, a periscope lens and fast charging, positioning it as a strong competitor against other mid-range devices in the segment. Though the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro stands out from the crowd for its unique features and design, there are other alternatives available that offer similar or better performance.

The Samsung Galaxy A36 is a great alternative to the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, which recently made its debut in the country. To make your job easy, we'll compare both the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro and the Samsung Galaxy A36, which will help you pick the right one.

Nothing Phone (3a) Pro vs Samsung Galaxy A36: What's the Difference?

Design: The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro stands out with its unique design, featuring a centered circular camera module surrounded by three LED strips. It has a Panda Glass back with a plastic frame, giving it a premium look. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy A36 also features a glass back and plastic frame, maintaining a sleek design.

In terms of thickness, the Galaxy A36 is 7.4mm, making it slimmer than the 8.39mm Nothing Phone (3a) Pro. Additionally, the Galaxy A36 offers IP67 water and dust resistance, compared to the IP64 rating of the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro.

Display: The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro boasts a 6.77-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and excellent color accuracy. The Galaxy A36, on the other hand, has a slightly smaller 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display.

Processor: The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, a 4nm mid-range processor designed to handle multitasking, gaming, and AI-powered tasks efficiently. The Galaxy A36 runs on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, which is slightly less powerful.

Software: On the software front, both phones ship with Android 15 out of the box with their custom skin on top. However, Samsung provides a significant advantage with six years of software updates, while the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is only eligible for three years of OS updates.

AI Features: The Galaxy A36 includes Samsung's "Awesome Intelligence" AI features, offering features like Object Eraser and Google Circle to Search. The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, on the other hand, introduces "Essential Space", an AI-powered hub for organizing notes, ideas, screenshots, and audio recordings, enhancing workflow and productivity.

Battery: Both phones pack a 5,000mAh battery, but the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro supports 50W fast charging, delivering 50% charge in 19 minutes and a full charge in under an hour. The Galaxy A36 supports 45W fast charging.

Camera: The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro features a 50MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS support, making it a better choice for detailed zoom shots. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy A36 comes with a 50MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 5MP macro lens for close-up photography.

For selfies, the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro boasts a 50MP front camera, offering sharper images and improved video call quality. It also includes AI-powered image processing, such as TrueLens Engine 3.0 and Super Moon Mode, which enhance low-light performance and color accuracy. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A36 is equipped with a 12MP selfie camera with HDR video, the same front camera found in the Galaxy S24 series.

Nothing Phone (3a) Pro vs Samsung Galaxy A36: Price

Nothing Phone (3a) Pro

8GB/128GB - ₹29,999
8GB/256GB - ₹31,999
12GB/256GB - ₹33,999

Samsung Galaxy A36

8GB/128GB - ₹32,999
8GB/256GB - ₹35,999
12GB/256GB - ₹38,999

Nothing's base variant is more affordable, making it a better value option if you're on a budget.

Which One Should You Buy?

The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro offers a unique design, AI-powered features, and faster charging, while the Galaxy A36 provides a slimmer build, a better water resistance rating, and longer software support.

So, if you want a flashy-looking phone, go for the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro. For a detailed breakdown of its performance and features, check out our full review of the Phone (3a) Pro. However, if you value pure specs with longer software support, you can get the Samsung Galaxy A36.