Nothing Phone (3a) vs Samsung Galaxy S23

Nothing Phone (3a)

The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 handles everyday use and casual gaming at 60fps, but it can stutter under heavier loads and the UFS 2.2 storage is slow.

• It runs a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB UFS 2.2 storage.
• You can find ways to make it stutter when gaming or moving through heavy apps, but the performance still can't be faulted for the price.
• Gaming is solid for a budget phone — Call of Duty Mobile, Genshin Impact and Asphalt all held ~60fps at default settings (33–37°C).
• Demanding titles like Genshin or Wuthering Waves can't hold a constant 60fps for more than 30 minutes or at higher settings.
• The slow storage and processor raise real questions about long-term performance expectations.
• Nothing's software is well optimised — there are occasional stutters when heavily loaded, but overall it runs nice and smooth for the price.

Samsung Galaxy S23

Same bespoke Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (3.36GHz) chip as the Plus and Ultra — no compromise. 40% faster than the S22 Ultra and meaningfully cooler. 8GB RAM keeps multitasking smooth even 3 years on.

• Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy at 3.36GHz with 8GB RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1 base — same chip as the Plus and Ultra, no Exynos split.
• Bespoke 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is up to 40% faster than the S22 Ultra and adds Ray Tracing support for certain games.
• Cool under normal use — even at 38-39°C ambient temps, no overheating issues; long-term performance holds up.
• Three years in (2026): app opening, multitasking and Call of Duty still smooth — chip plus 8GB RAM has aged well.
• Ars Technica caught a 60GB Samsung Android system partition out of the box — 4x the size of a Pixel 7 Pro's 15GB, and only one OS copy means ~30 min downtime during updates.

Nothing Phone (3a)

A 5,000mAh cell that comfortably lasts a day to a day and a half with no overheating, plus fast ~50W wired charging — though there's no wireless charging and no charger in the box.

• The 5,000mAh battery easily delivers a day and a half, sometimes two, with zero overheating.
• Real-world screen-on time ran roughly 6.5–8.5 hours, including an 8.5-hour run on mobile data with hotspot use.
• Even with the 5,000mAh cell it's still a one-day battery champ, comfortably ending the night with 25–30% left.
• A measured charge test took it 1% to 90% in exactly one hour on a 45W charger, with a 50W charger faster and a full charge in ~1h10–15m.
• It supports up to 50W wired charging but there's no wireless charging — a notable omission even at this price.
• Against newer 6,000–7,000mAh competitors the 5,000mAh capacity is starting to look modest, though it's far from bad.

Samsung Galaxy S23

3,900mAh — the family's weakest point. Real-world ~5-6 hours of SOT typical (worsened by One UI 6/7), and only 25W charging means ~1h12m to full. The compact form factor's main cost.

• 3,900mAh battery — only 200mAh more than the S22, no 4,500mAh+ like the Plus. The smallest cell in the family.
• Real-world: ~5-6 hours of SOT typical, comfortably a full day of moderate use, 1-1.5 days possible.
• Battery life noticeably dropped after One UI 6 update — owner went from 5-6h SOT on 5G to barely 2h, recommends staying on Android 13 for best results.
• Feb 2026 update real-world: ~4h SOT on Wi-Fi, drops to <2h on 5G — battery efficiency has gotten worse with time.
• Charging caps at 25W (the Plus and Ultra get 45W): 0-100% takes ~1h12m on Samsung's 25W charger.

Nothing Phone (3a)

At $379 it's repeatedly called the best-balanced, most distinctive phone in its class — beating the iPhone 16e on spec-sheet and trading blows with the Pixel 9a and Galaxy A56.

• Starting at $379/€379, it aims to deliver a premium experience without breaking the bank — and largely succeeds.
• Coming straight from the iPhone 16e, the Phone (3a) spec sheet on paper makes the 16e's look terrible.
• It's better than most, if not the best, at the price — a phone reviewers are glad exists.
• After a few weeks the reviewer was truly impressed: snappy mid-range performance, good gaming, clean Android, unique design, excellent battery and guaranteed long-term support.
• It's become one of the best-selling Nothing phones of all time, with an enduring battery and clean UI — though recent bloatware additions mar the experience slightly.
• Against the Galaxy A56 it's the better pick for a unique experience, while the A56 wins purely on longer software updates.

Samsung Galaxy S23

$799 launch with the same chip as the $1,199 Ultra — strong value despite the 25W charging and smaller battery. Now $300-400 used, often the best compact-flagship option versus Pixel 7/8 and OnePlus 11.

• Launched at $799 with the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip as the $1,199 Ultra — outstanding flagship value at the base tier.
• Engadget verdict: 'A solid phone that's probably not worth the upgrade' from a recent S22 or S21 — Samsung's iterative cadence.
• Notebookcheck calls it 'the small S23 that makes the biggest leap' — the S23 family's largest year-over-year improvement is on the standard tier.
• Best compact Android flagship at ₹45k in 2024 — still recommended for buyers who want a one-handed phone with good cameras.
• vs Pixel 7 — Pixel wins on haptics, one-handed design and software smarts; S23 wins on chip speed, battery life and update commitment.