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Smartphone comparison

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Refurbished vs Nothing Phone 3a

Compare cameras, battery, screen and everyday features.

Compared products
01Selected
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Refurbished

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Refurbished

  • About 6.7 inch screen.
  • Mali-G78 MP14 - International, Adreno 660 - USA/China graphics.
  • 8 GB RAM in this version.
  • 256 GB storage in this version.
  • 4,800 mAh battery capacity.
KSh 38,000In Stock
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02
Nothing Phone 3a

Nothing Phone 3a

  • 201 g.
  • About 120 Hz display refresh rate.
  • About 6.77 inch screen.
  • Qualcomm SM7635 Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4 nm) processor.
  • Storage: UFS 2.2.
KSh 39,300In Stock
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Samsung Galaxy S22 RefurbishedKSh 37,000
Samsung Galaxy Note10 Plus 5G RefurbishedKSh 38,500
Google Pixel 7KSh 39,500
Motorola S50 NeoKSh 37,500
Motorola ThinkPhone 25 5GKSh 36,000
Redmi Note 15 Pro 5GKSh 38,000
Infinix GT 30 ProKSh 37,800
2 of 4 products

Our quick verdict

The Nothing Phone 3a charges faster (50 W), runs newer Android 15 and has a higher-resolution main camera (50 MP) and sharper selfies (32 MP), while the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Refurbished has 4 promised OS upgrades, 4K recording at up to 60 fps, 8K video recording and a sturdier aluminium build with a glass back.

Display

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Refurbished
About 6.7 inch screen
Nothing Phone 3a
About 6.77 inch screen

Performance

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Refurbished
Mali-G78 MP14 - International Adreno 660 - USA/China graphics
Nothing Phone 3a
Adreno 810 graphics

Storage

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Refurbished
UFS 3.1
Nothing Phone 3a
UFS 2.2

Battery capacity

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Refurbished
4,800 mAh battery capacity
Nothing Phone 3a
5,000 mAh battery capacity

Charging

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Refurbished
25 W rated wired charging power
Nothing Phone 3a
50 W rated wired charging power

Key differences

The main differences to help you choose.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Refurbished

  • More promised OS upgrades: 4 (vs 3).
  • FM radio (Snapdragon model only.
  • Aluminium frame and glass back (vs plastic frame and glass back).
  • Higher frame rates for 4K recording: up to 60 fps (vs 30 fps).
  • 8K video recording (vs 4K).
  • 15 W wireless charging.

Nothing Phone 3a

  • Faster rated wired charging: 50 W (vs 25 W).
  • Higher-resolution main camera: 50 MP (vs 12 MP).
  • Newer Android 15 (vs Android 11).
  • Brighter display: up to 3,000 nits (vs 1,300).
  • Newer Bluetooth 5.4 (vs 5.0).
  • Higher-resolution selfie camera: 32 MP (vs 10 MP).

What matters most to you?

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How each product answers the questions buyers ask most. Tick a topic to add it, untick one to hide it.

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6 priorities selected.
How each product answers the selected priorities
PrioritySamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
Display6.7-inch OLED display, 120 Hz, 394 ppi6.77-inch OLED display, 120 Hz, 387 ppi
Camera12 MP main camera with OIS, plus a 1.1x telephoto camera50 MP main camera with OIS, plus a 2x telephoto camera
PerformanceExynos 2100 processorQualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor
Storage256 GB storageUp to 256 GB storage
Battery capacity4,800 mAh battery5,000 mAh battery
Charging25 W wired, 15 W wireless charging50 W wired charging

Detailed comparison

Explore the full specifications, section by section.

General

General specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
BrandSamsungNothing
ModelGalaxy S21 PlusPhone (3a)
Announced2021, January 142025, March 04
Device type / form familySmartphone—
Release statusAvailable. Released 2021, January 29Available. Released 2025, March 11
Model numbersSM-G996B, SM-G996B/DS, SM-G996U, SM-G996U1, SM-G996W, SM-G996N, SM-G9960A059

Design

Design specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
Dimensions161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 mm (6.36 x 2.98 x 0.31 in)163.5 x 77.5 x 8.4 mm (6.44 x 3.05 x 0.33 in)
Weight200 g (Sub6), 202 g (mmWave) (7.05 oz)201 g (7.09 oz)
Build materialsGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frameGlass front (Panda Glass), plastic frame, glass back
Form factorTouchscreen smartphone—
Additional body features—3 LED light strips on the back (notifications, camera fill light, 26 addressable zones)

Display

Display specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
DisplayDynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak); 6.7 inches, 107.8 cm^{2} (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio)6.77 inches, 111.5 cm2 (~88.0% screen-to-body ratio); AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1300 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak)
Screen resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density)1080 x 2392 pixels (~387 ppi density)
Display protectionCorning Gorilla Glass VictusPanda Glass
Display featuresDynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak)Ultra HDR image support
Display technologyDynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak)—
Display size6.7 inches, 107.8 cm^{2} (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio)—
Refresh rate120Hz—

Performance

Performance specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
ProcessorExynos 2100 (5 nm) - International Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/ChinaQualcomm SM7635 Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4 nm)
CPUOcta-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - International Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA/ChinaOcta-core (1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A520)
GPUMali-G78 MP14 - International Adreno 660 - USA/ChinaAdreno 810

Memory & Storage

Memory & Storage specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
RAM8GB8GB / 12GB
Storage256GB128GB / 256GB
Storage technologyUFS 3.1UFS 2.2
Expandable storageNoNo
Memory configurations—128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM

Cameras

Cameras specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
Rear camera12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.74", 0.64µm, PDAF (25cm - ∞), 2x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm
Front camera10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF32 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide), 1/3.44"
Rear camera featuresLED flash, auto-HDR, panoramaLED flash, panorama, HDR
Rear camera video8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS, OIS
Front camera featuresHDR—
Front camera video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps1080p@30fps

Battery & Charging

Battery & Charging specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
BatteryLi-Ion 4800 mAh5000 mAh
Charging25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless50W wired, 50% in 19 min, 100% in 56 min

Software

Software specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
Operating systemAndroid 11, up to 4 major OS updates, One UI 7Android 15, upgradable to Android 16, Nothing OS 4.0, up to 3 major OS updates

Network

Network specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
NetworkGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM · Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 CDMA 800 / 1900 & TD-SCDMAGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 CDMA2000 1xEV-DOHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-G996U1 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - SM-G996B1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66
5G bands2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G996U1 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G996B1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA
Network speedHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL)HSPA, LTE, 5G

Connectivity

Connectivity specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
NFCYesYes
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE5.4, A2DP, LE
Wi-FiWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS
RadioFM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent)No
USBUSB Type-C 3.2, OTGUSB Type-C 2.0, OTG
Ultra Wideband (UWB)Supported—

Durability

Durability specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
Water resistance—IP64 dust tight and water resistant (water splashes)

Features

Features specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
SensorsFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Desktop modeSamsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support)—
Colors—Black, White, Blue, Community Edition green

Audio

Audio specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
LoudspeakersYes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
3.5 mm headphone jackNoNo
Audio featuresHigh-bitrate audio support—

Refurbished unit information

Refurbished unit information specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
ConditionRefurbished / EX-UK—

EU label

EU label specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
Energy—Class C
Battery—43:56h endurance, 1400 cycles
Free fall—Class C (90 falls)
Repairability—Class C

Tests

Tests specifications comparison
SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus RefurbishedNothing Phone 3a
Performance benchmarks—AnTuTu: 828429 (v10) GeekBench: 3278 (v6) 3DMark: 1064 (Wild Life Extreme)
Measured display brightness—1273 nits max brightness (measured)
Measured loudspeaker loudness—-24.1 LUFS (Very good)
Active use battery score—Active use score 13:38h

Similarities

  • Both have 120 Hz displays.
  • Both have optical image stabilisation.
  • Both support Wi-Fi 6.
  • Both have NFC.
  • Both have stereo speakers.
  • Both support 5G networks.

In summary

Get the Nothing Phone 3a if you want faster charging and newer Android 15, or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Refurbished if you would rather have 4 promised OS upgrades and 4K recording at up to 60 fps.

Back to compared products ↑

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