Samsung Galaxy A26 vs. Nothing Phone (2a) Plus: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-day battery life and a proven track record, the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus emerges as the stronger contender. Its significantly faster 50W charging and superior active use battery score (16:34h) outweigh the Galaxy A26’s longer battery cycle rating (1200 cycles) for most consumers.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy A26 | Nothing Phone (2a) Plus |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, March 02 | 2024, July 31 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, March 19 | Available. Released 2024, August 03 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), plastic frame, glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+) | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back |
| Dimensions | 164 x 77.5 x 7.7 mm (6.46 x 3.05 x 0.30 in) | 161.7 x 76.3 x 8.5 mm (6.37 x 3.00 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 200 g (7.05 oz) | 190 g (6.70 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, Mohs level 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~385 ppi density) | 1080 x 2412 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 107.5 cm2 (~87.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM, HDR10+, 700 nits (typ), 1100 nits (HBM), 1300 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - LATAM | Octa-core (2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A715 & 6x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Exynos 1380 (5 nm) - GlobalExynos 1280 (5 nm) - LATAM | Mediatek Dimensity 7350 Pro (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G68 MP5 - GlobalMali-G68 - LATAM | Mali-G610 MC4 |
| OS | Android 15, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 | Android 14, up to 3 major Android upgrades, Nothing OS 3.0 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm |
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, 720p@480fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm | 50 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.76" |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes, 360˚ |
| Positioning | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | Unspecified | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired | 50W wired, 50% in 21 min, 100% in 56 min |
| Type | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Mint, Peach Pink | Black, Grey |
| Models | SM-A266E, SM-A266E/DS, SM-A266E/DSN, SM-A266B, SM-A266B/DS, SM-A266B/DSN, SM-A266U, SM-A266U1, SM-A266W | A142P |
| Price | $ 194.87 / C$ 292.99 / £ 167.00 / € 194.00 / ₹ 20,398 | € 269.90 / ₹ 22,599 |
| SAR | 0.75 W/kg (head) 1.09 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.41 W/kg (head) 0.96 W/kg (body) | - |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 37:05h endurance, 1200 cycles | - |
| Energy | Class C | - |
| Free fall | Class B (269 falls) | - |
| Repairability | Class C | - |
Samsung Galaxy A26
- Potentially longer battery lifespan due to 1200 charge cycles.
- Global availability and established brand reputation.
- 5nm Exynos 1380 offers decent efficiency.
- Significantly slower 25W charging.
- Lower peak display brightness.
- Older chipset architecture compared to the Dimensity 7350 Pro.
Nothing Phone (2a) Plus
- Much faster 50W charging.
- Brighter display for better outdoor visibility.
- More modern and efficient Mediatek Dimensity 7350 Pro chipset.
- Potentially shorter long-term battery lifespan (fewer charge cycles).
- Brand recognition may be lower in some regions.
- Active use battery score is lower than the A26's endurance rating.
Display Comparison
The Nothing Phone (2a) Plus boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured peak of 1097 nits compared to the Galaxy A26’s 777 nits. This translates to superior visibility outdoors under direct sunlight. While both likely utilize OLED panels (though not explicitly stated), the higher brightness of the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus provides a more vibrant and engaging viewing experience. We lack information on panel technology (LTPO vs standard OLED) which would further refine this comparison, but the brightness difference is a clear win for Nothing.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specifications beyond sensor resolution, a direct comparison is challenging. However, the chipset differences suggest the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus will likely have a more powerful image signal processor (ISP), enabling faster image processing and potentially better low-light performance. The A26’s camera performance will be heavily reliant on Samsung’s software optimization. We can assume both phones will feature a standard multi-camera setup, but the absence of details prevents a meaningful analysis of features like optical image stabilization (OIS) or aperture sizes.
Performance
The Nothing Phone (2a) Plus leverages the Mediatek Dimensity 7350 Pro (4nm) chipset, featuring a more modern CPU architecture with 2x 3.0 GHz Cortex-A715 cores and 6x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A510 cores. This contrasts with the Galaxy A26’s Exynos 1380 (5nm) – or the GlobalExynos 1280 (5nm) in LATAM markets. The Dimensity 7350 Pro’s newer core design and 4nm process node generally translate to better performance and improved thermal efficiency, potentially reducing throttling during sustained workloads. The LATAM variant of the A26 with the Exynos 1280 will likely exhibit a more noticeable performance gap compared to the 2a Plus.
Battery Life
The Nothing Phone (2a) Plus delivers a substantial advantage in charging speed with its 50W wired charging, capable of reaching 50% charge in 21 minutes and 100% in 56 minutes. The Galaxy A26 is limited to 25W charging, resulting in a significantly longer charging time. While the A26 boasts a claimed 37:05h endurance and 1200 battery cycles, the 2a Plus’s active use score of 16:34h suggests more efficient power management. The higher cycle count on the A26 is beneficial for long-term battery health, but the faster charging of the 2a Plus addresses the inconvenience of frequent top-ups.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy A26 if you prioritize maximizing battery lifespan over several years and require a device with guaranteed global availability, even if it means slower charging speeds. Buy the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus if you value rapid charging, a brighter display, and a more modern chipset for smoother performance, and are comfortable with a potentially less established brand in certain regions.