Phone (3) vs Phone (3a) Pro
It depends
Too close to call outright
These two are within 1 point overall — it genuinely depends on price on the day. The Phone (3) edges both longevity and performance, so prefer it when prices are close.
Value Score: Phone (3) 70 · Phone (3a) Pro 71 — methodology
The lifespan decider
When specs are close, support length decides it — this is what each phone costs per month of safe use.
Category by category
The Phone (3a) Pro's screen is the better one — 6.77-inch amoled, 1080×2392 (fhd+), up to 120hz, 3000 nits peak.
The Phone (3)'s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is simply the faster chip.
Camera systems are comparable on paper — pick by sample photos.
Battery capacities are close enough not to decide this.
The Phone (3) is supported until Jul 2032 — 16 months longer than the Phone (3a) Pro.
Pound for pound, these two are equally good deals.
Full spec table
| Spec | Phone (3) | Phone (3a) Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price (street) | $799 | $429 |
| Display | 6.67-inch LTPS AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 960Hz PWM dimming | 6.77-inch AMOLED, 1080×2392 (FHD+), up to 120Hz, 3000 nits peak |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
| RAM | 12GB/16GB | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB | 256GB |
| Battery | 5,150 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Charging | 65W wired, 15W wireless | 50W wired, no wireless |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main, 50MP ultra-wide, 50MP periscope 3x | 50MP main, 50MP periscope telephoto 3x, 8MP ultra-wide |
| Dimensions | 160.6 × 75.6 × 9.0 mm | 163.52 × 77.50 × 8.39 mm |
| Weight | 218 g | 211 g |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP64 |
| Supported until | Jul 2032 | Mar 2031 |
Scores and verdicts are computed from our verified database — see exactly how. Specs from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers.