Spec Ledger

Devices

US starting price: $1,099 launch; iPhone 17 Pro · Apple, Sep 2025
US starting price: $899.99 launch; Galaxy S26 · Samsung, Mar 2026
Published from: $799; Nothing Phone (3) · Nothing index
US price: Not sold; Pura 80 Pro · no official US MSRP

Apple

iPhone 17 Pro

Announced 9 September 2025, released 19 September 2025. This is the 2025 Pro, not the iPhone 18 Pro announced 9 September 2026. Compared here because it was requested. US model A3256 is eSIM-only.

Apple publishes a 6.3-inch class size and a much higher outdoor peak than the Galaxy S26’s FHD+ panel. Independent lab numbers are lower than the marketing peak, which is normal for small-window HDR peaks.

Technology

Super Retina XDR OLED. ProMotion up to 120Hz. Always-On. HDR10 and Dolby Vision are listed by GSMArena; Apple’s newsroom confirms Dolby Vision video and a Super Retina XDR panel.

Size

6.3-inch class. Measured as a rectangle, 6.27 inches. Actual viewable area is smaller because of rounded corners.

Resolution and density

2622 × 1206 pixels at 460 ppi.

Brightness

Apple: up to 3000 nits peak outdoor, and the company advertises about 1000 nits manual maximum and 1600 nits for HDR playback. GSMArena lab (30 Sep 2025): 818 nits manual, 1012 nits in bright ambient light, 2755 nits on a 15% white window.

Protection and shape

Ceramic Shield 2 front with an anti-reflective coating. Apple says 3× better scratch resistance versus prior glass. Ceramic Shield also covers the back. Corners are rounded inside a rectangular display. Not marketed as a curved-edge waterfall panel.

Screen-to-body

About 89.4% as calculated by GSMArena. Apple does not publish this ratio.

Other groups stay in the data. Pick a category, or search, to open them. Search is empty, so the open category is complete.

Hardware, side by side

Bars use only figures with a stated unit. The iPhone’s battery is missing from the capacity chart because Apple does not publish milliamp-hours. A lab estimate is not drawn on the same axis as official typical capacities.

Weight

iPhone 17 Pro206 g

US listing

Galaxy S26167 g

Official

Phone (3)218 g

Official

Pura 80 Pro219 g

About 219 g

Official battery, typical or stated

iPhone 17 Pro—

Not disclosed

Galaxy S264300 mAh

Typical · rated 4175

Phone (3) intl.5150 mAh

India reported 5500

Pura 80 Pro CN5700 mAh

Intl. page 5170

Display, in practice

The iPhone and the Nothing Phone (3) are both 460 ppi. The Galaxy S26 is FHD+ — about 411 ppi by GSMArena’s math — on a 1–120Hz panel Samsung does specify. The Pura 80 Pro matches the 460 ppi class and is the only one here with an official 1–120Hz LTPO line plus 1440Hz PWM. Peak-nit marketing is not comparable: Apple’s 3000, Samsung’s 2600, and Nothing’s 4500 are highlights, and only the iPhone and the Phone (3) have independent nit readings in this file.

Performance, without fake scores

A19 Pro and the US-pattern Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 are the two high chips, and they are not the same chip. Exynos 2600 is a different S26. Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 in the Phone (3) is a tier down by Qualcomm’s own naming. Kirin 9020 has no official clocks. One European review found it unimpressive against older flagships. No Geekbench number is printed, because a shared lab table was not retrieved.

Charging claims versus watts

Samsung’s 55% in 30 minutes is a lab condition: 25W adapter, screen off, from empty. Apple’s claim is 50% in 20 minutes with at least a 40W adapter, plus 25W MagSafe. Nothing publishes times (about 60 minutes full, under 20 minutes to 50%) and the 65W figure comes from launch coverage. Huawei’s 100W and China’s 80W wireless require Huawei chargers, some sold separately.

How they feel

The S26 is the light, thin slab: 167 g and 7.2 mm. The iPhone is denser, with a camera bar across the back and a 6-meter IP68 rating. Phone (3) is the thick one, at 8.99 mm and 218 g, and the Glyph Matrix is the thing you notice on a table. The Pura 80 Pro is about the same weight, slightly thinner, and adds IP69. Repair scores were not retrieved for any of the four.

Cameras, without a winner’s trophy

No lab in the sources checked published a four-phone photo ranking. The notes below are hardware differences, not a claim that one JPEG is better.

Scene	What the hardware implies
Daylight	All four have large main sensors on paper. Only Huawei officially says 1-inch, and only Huawei officially offers a variable aperture. That can mean more control over depth of field. It does not, by itself, mean cleaner color.
Night	Apple, Samsung, and Nothing all advertise night processing. Huawei lists a super night mode. No matched night test was retrieved, so there is no ranking.
Portraits	The iPhone’s 100 mm 4× lens is a classic portrait field of view, and Apple ships Photographic Styles including a Bright style. Huawei’s 4× telephoto also focuses close, which the others do not officially match. Samsung’s portrait lens is 3× at 10MP.
Zoom	Reach, officially: iPhone 4× optical and 8× optical-quality, Samsung 3× optical and 2× optical-quality, Nothing 3× optical periscope, Huawei about 4× optical and 100× digital. Digital 100× and digital 40× are not optical.
Ultrawide	iPhone and Nothing are 48MP and 50MP. Samsung is 12MP. Huawei is 40MP at ƒ/2.2. Autofocus on Samsung’s and Nothing’s ultrawide cameras was not clearly specified.
Skin tones	Not ranked. Apple documents Photographic Styles that deliberately shift skin brightness. Huawei adds a 1.5MP spectral color sensor. Neither fact is a measured skin-tone win.
Dynamic range	Not measured across the four phones in one lab for this app. HDR stills and HDR video exist on the iPhone as Dolby Vision. Huawei lists HDR Vivid video. Samsung’s HDR photo standard was not on the spec row.
Video	The iPhone is the only one with verified 4K120, ProRes RAW, and Apple Log 2. The Galaxy S26 is the only one with verified 8K30. Huawei discloses that 960 fps is frame insertion. Nothing’s ceiling in secondary specs is 4K60.
Front camera	iPhone 18MP Center Stage with a square sensor. Galaxy 12MP with autofocus. Nothing 50MP. Huawei 13MP with autofocus and up to 4K. Resolution is not quality.
Computation	Apple’s Photonic Engine, Samsung’s ProVisual Engine, Nothing’s processing, and Huawei’s AI camera modes are all manufacturer pipelines. They are named where the maker named them. They are not scored.

Software

Features are limited to what was verified for these models and these versions. Older phones in the same brand are not treated as proof.

iPhone 17 Pro · iOS 27

Version

Shipped on iOS 26 in September 2025. As of 1 October 2026 the current major release is iOS 27, which Apple lists as compatible. iOS 27’s headline assistant is Siri AI, English first, not initially in the EU.

Lock Screen and Home Screen

iOS 26 introduced Liquid Glass and kept the Lock Screen’s depth, widgets, and always-on clock. The Home Screen is still an icon grid plus a dock. There is no classic app drawer. The App Library is the full catalog. Widgets can sit on the Home Screen and Lock Screen.

Control Center and notifications

Control Center is a separate surface from notifications, with grouped connectivity, media, and focus controls. Notification grouping and scheduled summary are iOS behaviors. Focus modes still gate who can break through.

Multitasking

One full-screen app at a time on this phone size, plus picture-in-picture, Slide Over is an iPad behavior and is not claimed here. The app switcher is a card stack. No desktop mode.

Apple Intelligence tools from iOS 26 (Live Translation, visual intelligence, on-device model for developers) plus iOS 27 Siri AI. The 17 Pro is in the hardware tier MacRumors says can run the heavier on-device model. Language and EU availability are limited.

Privacy

App Tracking Transparency, on-device processing for parts of Apple Intelligence, Lockdown Mode, and Face ID. iMessage and FaceTime are end-to-end encrypted in Apple’s normal deployment. Apple still holds iCloud keys unless Advanced Data Protection is turned on. That last point is a standing Apple design, not a new 17 Pro-only feature.

Customization

Tinted icons, widgets, Lock Screen, Focus, and Control Center shortcuts. Much less free-form than One UI. No system-wide icon pack store from Apple.

Continuity

Handoff, Universal Clipboard, AirDrop, iPhone mirroring on Mac, and Continuity Camera are the Apple stack. They require other Apple devices. They do not extend to a Windows PC the way Link to Windows does.

Galaxy S26 · One UI 9 rolling out

Version

Launched on One UI 8.5 / Android 16. One UI 9 / Android 17 started reaching US units in the last week of September 2026. On 1 October 2026 that update is a rollout, not a guarantee.

Lock Screen and Home Screen

One UI uses a large-type Lock Screen, widget stacks, and a Home Screen that can hide the app drawer or keep it. Icons, grid, and folders are adjustable. Edge panels have been part of One UI; whether every edge gesture from older flagships survived unchanged into One UI 9 was not re-tested here.

Quick Settings

The notification shade and quick-settings tiles are one pull-down surface, split by swipe direction. Tiles are reorderable. That layout is the One UI pattern, distinct from iOS Control Center.

Multitasking

Split screen and pop-up view are standard One UI phone features. DeX for PC is discontinued on One UI 7 and later. Samsung tells S26 owners to use Link to Windows, which does not mirror a full Android desktop onto the PC. Monitor DeX is listed by GSMArena and not confirmed in that support note.

Galaxy AI

Photo Assist, Creative Studio, Now Nudge, Now Brief, and Bixby are on the US product page. Language lists are shorter for some of those tools. Good Lock on One UI 9 was not re-verified, so it is not described as a confirmed S26 feature.

Privacy

Google Play Protect, Android permission dashboard, Samsung Knox, and a secure folder have been Galaxy flagship features. Private folder behavior on the One UI 9 build was not independently re-tested for this page. Google account sync is present because this is a GMS phone.

Ecosystem

Quick Share, Smart Switch, Galaxy Watch, Buds, and Link to Windows. The S26 is named on Samsung’s Link to Windows device list.

Nothing Phone (3) · Nothing OS 4.1 stable

Version

Launched on Nothing OS 3.5 / Android 15. Stable software on 1 October 2026 is Nothing OS 4.1 / Android 16. Nothing OS 5.0 / Android 17 is in open beta, with stable scheduled for mid-October 2026.

Home, lock, quick settings

Nothing OS is a monochrome, dot-grid skin on Android. It has a Lock Screen, a Home Screen, an app drawer, and quick settings. Widgets exist. The visual identity is the dot matrix, not a copy of One UI or iOS.

Glyph Matrix

The rear is a round LED matrix (launch coverage: 489 micro-LEDs) for notifications, timers, and a Glyph progress language. A red recording light shows when video is capturing. This is hardware UI, not just a software theme.

Nothing apps

Essential Space and Essential Search are the named organization tools. Essential Notifications and a Glyph developer API are documented. There is no Nothing desktop mode.

Essential-series tools are Nothing’s AI surface. Nothing OS 5.0 is described by the company as adding further Essential AI features, but that build is still beta on this date.

Privacy and apps

It is a normal Android phone with Google Mobile Services in markets where Nothing ships GMS, including the US model’s retail positioning. Play Store availability is the practical difference versus Huawei. A Nothing-specific privacy white paper was not retrieved.

Customization

Nothing keeps the system visually strict. Icon and widget options exist inside Nothing OS, but the point of the skin is fewer themes, not Good-Lock-style theming. Do not describe older Phone (1) Glyph toys as Phone (3) features unless they were carried into the Matrix.

Pura 80 Pro · two operating systems

China

HarmonyOS 5.1, with an official path to HarmonyOS 6. Some units ship on HarmonyOS 6. This is Huawei’s own operating system. Apps are HarmonyOS packages. Calling it Android or iOS is incorrect.

International

EMUI 15.0 on the Hong Kong and European spec pages. EMUI sits on Android’s open-source code. A 2026 EU review identifies that base as Android 12. Huawei does not print the AOSP version on the spec page, so treat “Android 12” as a reviewer finding.

Home and controls

Both skins use a home screen, a control panel, notifications, and widgets. HarmonyOS 5’s control layout is often compared with iOS by reviewers. EMUI keeps an Android-style app drawer. The simulation below switches between those two layouts. It is not an official screenshot.

Multitasking

Split screen and floating windows have been part of recent Huawei phones. Which of those gestures shipped unchanged on EMUI 15 versus HarmonyOS 5.1 was not re-verified feature by feature, so this page does not claim a specific split-screen limit.

Apps

Huawei Mobile Services and AppGallery on both variants. International phones can sideload many Android APKs; Petal Search helps find them. Google Mobile Services are not official. MicroG is a community workaround and breaks pieces of Google Pay, Android Auto, and some banking apps. China HarmonyOS 5 does not use APKs as its native format.

Huawei’s camera spec lists AI composition, AI night, and other camera modes on the China page. A full HarmonyOS 6 assistant feature list for this model was not verified line by line.

Privacy

No Google account is required, which some people want and which also removes Google’s spam and account protections. Huawei ID is the account. Independent security audits of HarmonyOS 5.1 versus iOS 27 were not retrieved.

UI lab

Switch the phone, then the surface. The Huawei control toggles China HarmonyOS and international EMUI, because those are not the same operating system.

Original layout simulation of public interface patterns. Not an official screenshot, and not a copy of proprietary icons or wallpapers.

9:41iOS · wifi

Thursday 1 October

9:41

Lock Screen widgets sit under the clock. Always-On is an official iPhone 17 Pro display feature.

FlashCamera

UI simulation

Editorial scores

These 1–10 marks are an editorial evaluation for a United States buyer on 1 October 2026. They are not measurements, not benchmarks, and not manufacturer claims.

Customization

iPhone6

Galaxy8

Nothing5

Huawei7

One UI exposes more layout controls than iOS. Nothing OS is intentionally narrow. HarmonyOS/EMUI are flexible, but Good Lock on One UI 9 was not re-verified, so Galaxy is not scored as a 10.

Privacy controls

iPhone8

Galaxy7

Nothing7

Huawei6

iOS permission prompts and on-device Apple Intelligence are the clearest documented model. Galaxy and Nothing inherit Android’s permission dashboard plus Google. Huawei avoids Google and also avoids Google’s review pipeline. None of these scores is an audit.

Multitasking

iPhone6

Galaxy8

Nothing7

Huawei7

Android split screen and pop-ups beat the iPhone’s single window. Galaxy loses points because DeX for PC is gone. Huawei’s floating-window set is not fully re-specified here, so it stays even with Nothing.

Ease of use

iPhone9

Galaxy7

Nothing8

Huawei5

For a US buyer. iOS 27 is a finished release. One UI 9 is mid-rollout. Nothing OS is simple if you accept the monochrome rules. Huawei in the US means missing apps and no official support.

AI integration

iPhone8

Galaxy8

Nothing6

Huawei6

Siri AI and Galaxy AI are shipping product surfaces with published language limits. Nothing’s bigger AI pass is still a beta. Huawei’s confirmed AI list in this pass is mostly camera modes.

Notification management

iPhone8

Galaxy8

Nothing7

Huawei6

iOS Focus and One UI’s shade are both mature. Nothing adds a rear LED channel, which is useful and also another place to look. Huawei’s two skins are not scored from a side-by-side notification test.

File management

iPhone5

Galaxy8

Nothing8

Huawei7

The Files app on iOS is still more locked down than Android’s file managers. EMUI can manage files but sharing them into Google apps is the weak point.

App ecosystem

iPhone9

Galaxy9

Nothing9

Huawei3

US context. iPhone, Galaxy, and Nothing Phone (3) can run the Play Store or the App Store. The Pura 80 Pro cannot officially. A 3 is “possible with compromises,” not “no apps exist.” Inside China, HarmonyOS would score much higher. That is a different market.

Cross-device

iPhone9

Galaxy8

Nothing4

Huawei4

Apple continuity is the deepest if you own the other devices. Samsung’s Link to Windows is real and DeX-for-PC is not. Nothing’s ecosystem is phones and audio. Huawei’s Super Device story does not include US Google or Apple gear.

Accessibility

iPhone9

Galaxy8

Nothing6

Huawei6

Apple documents a broad iOS 27 accessibility set, including richer VoiceOver image descriptions. Samsung’s accessibility suite is long-standing. Nothing and Huawei were not compared feature by feature in this pass, so they are not given a high score by inheritance.

Gaming

iPhone8

Galaxy8

Nothing6

Huawei5

A19 Pro and the US Snapdragon S26 are the current-class chips, with ray tracing on the Apple side officially. Nothing’s 8s Gen 4 is a step down. Kirin 9020 was not shown to match either in the one lab review retrieved. No frame-rate table is invented.

Productivity

iPhone8

Galaxy8

Nothing6

Huawei4

iPhone plus Mac, or Galaxy plus Link to Windows, are the workable US setups. Nothing is a phone, not a desk system. Huawei’s missing Google Workspace and office-app friction dominates the US score.

Ecosystems

Apple

Computers: Mac. iPhone Mirroring, Handoff, and Universal Clipboard require a Mac on a current macOS. No official Windows companion with the same depth.
Tablets: iPad. Sidecar and Universal Control are Mac/iPad features, not iPhone features. iPhone pairs for calls and hotspot.
Watches: Apple Watch. watchOS 27 shipped alongside iOS 27. An Apple Watch does not pair to the Galaxy, Nothing, or Huawei phones.
Earbuds: AirPods. Spatial audio and automatic switching are inside the Apple account. Other Bluetooth headphones work without those features.
Cloud: iCloud. Advanced Data Protection is optional. Photos, Keychain, and device backup are the core.
Sharing: AirDrop between Apple devices. NameDrop and proximity features depend on the other device also being Apple.
Messages and calls: iMessage and FaceTime are Apple-only. RCS and SMS still exist for everyone else. Live Translation in Phone was language-limited at the iOS 26 launch.
Smart home: HomeKit, and Thread via the N1 chip on this iPhone. Matter accessories can also be reached through other ecosystems. HomeKit Secure Video 4K is an iOS 27 item Apple has described for supported cameras.

Samsung and Google

Computers: Link to Windows is the supported PC path on One UI 7 and later, including the S26. DeX for PC is discontinued. A Samsung PC is not required.
Tablets: Galaxy Tab can pair through Samsung’s shared features and Quick Share. Exact Tab S continuity features were not re-listed from a 2026 support page.
Watches: Galaxy Watch. Wear OS watches from other brands can also pair because this is Android. Apple Watch cannot.
Earbuds: Galaxy Buds4 launched with the S26 series. Standard Bluetooth audio works with other buds.
Cloud: Google account plus Samsung account. Photos can live in Google Photos. Samsung Cloud is not a full replacement for iCloud device restore in Apple’s sense.
Sharing: Quick Share with nearby Android and Chromebook devices. Wireless PowerShare is for charging accessories, not for files.
Messages and calls: Google Messages, RCS where the carrier supports it, and phone-link calls on Windows. No iMessage.
Smart home: SmartThings, plus Google Home. Bixby routines exist. A full SmartThings device matrix was not copied into this app.

Nothing

Computers: No Nothing computer. File transfer is Android’s usual USB, Nearby Share / Quick Share, and cloud drives.
Tablets: No Nothing tablet line was confirmed as part of this phone’s continuity story.
Watches: No Nothing watch was verified. Wear OS or other Bluetooth watches may pair as generic Android accessories. That was not lab-checked.
Earbuds: Nothing Ear and CMF audio products. The phone’s 5W reverse wireless is explicitly aimed at topping those up. Integration is audio and Glyph-adjacent, not a watch-style health platform.
Cloud: Google account. Nothing does not operate an iCloud equivalent in the sources checked.
Sharing: Android nearby sharing. No proprietary high-speed fabric was documented.
Messages and calls: Google Messages and the Phone app. Essential Space can hold notes and captures. It is not a messaging network.
Smart home: Not a Nothing platform in the sources checked. Google Home would be the Android path. Not re-tested on this phone.

Huawei

Computers: Huawei PC collaboration features exist in markets where Huawei sells them. They were not verified against a US Windows or Mac workflow, and Google Drive integration is not official.
Tablets: Huawei MatePad devices run HarmonyOS or EMUI depending on region. They do not join an Apple or Samsung account.
Watches: Huawei Watch. It does not replace an Apple Watch or a Galaxy Watch on those phones, and the reverse is also true.
Earbuds: Huawei FreeBuds. LDAC and L2HC are listed on the China Pura 80 Pro spec page.
Cloud: Huawei ID cloud. Google Photos and iCloud are not system services. International users often add a third-party cloud by sideload.
Sharing: Huawei Share between Huawei devices. Not AirDrop, not Quick Share with the Google stack, unless an app provides it.
Messages and calls: Huawei’s own messaging stack in China, including the BeiDou path. International SMS/MMS works as a phone. iMessage, FaceTime, and Google Messages features that need GMS should be assumed absent until an app proves otherwise.
Smart home: Huawei’s home platform is a China-centered system. It is not HomeKit and it is not SmartThings. US device support was not verified.

Matrix

	iPhone 17 Pro	Galaxy S26	Phone (3)	Pura 80 Pro
Hardware class	2025 flagship. Vapor chamber, A19 Pro. Superseded by iPhone 18 Pro in September 2026, but still a current supported phone.	2026 flagship, compact. Split chip by region. The most current of the four on a calendar.	2025 upper-mid flagship silicon (Snapdragon 8s Gen 4), not an 8 Elite phone. Still Nothing’s top model.	2025 camera flagship. Kirin 9020 is official. Its performance class is not established against A19 Pro or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
Display	Sharper (460 ppi, 2622×1206). 3000-nit marketing peak. Lab: about 2755 nits on a 15% window, about 1000 nits in bright ambient.	FHD+ 2340×1080, officially 1–120Hz. 2600-nit peak is a US page claim, missing from the global spec table. No lab nits retrieved.	1260×2800, 460 ppi, 120Hz. 4500-nit claim. PhoneArena measured 1501 nits at 20% APL. Probably not LTPO to 1Hz.	2848×1276, true 1–120Hz LTPO, 1440Hz PWM, Kunlun Glass 2. Peak nits not on the official page retrieved.
Performance	A19 Pro, 6-core CPU, 6-core GPU, ray tracing. RAM not published by Apple. No benchmark number is shown.	US-pattern silicon is Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Europe-pattern silicon is Exynos 2600. Do not mix their scores.	Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, up to 3.2 GHz, 4 nm, UFS 4.0. A step below the other two US-sold chips.	Kirin 9020 octa-core. Clocks, GPU, and process: not officially specified. One EU review found it uncompetitive for the money.
Battery	mAh not official. Lab: about 4252 mAh eSIM-only, about 3998 mAh SIM tray. Claim: up to 33 h video.	4300 mAh typical, 4175 mAh rated. Video claim 30 h (US) or 31 h (Japan).	5150 mAh international. 5500 mAh reported for India. Nothing’s own support page only states 5150.	5700 mAh typical in China (5580 rated). 5170 mAh on international pages. Largest official cells in this set, and they are not the same cell.
Charging	50% in 20 min from a ≥40W USB-C adapter. MagSafe and Qi2 up to 25W. China wireless may be 15W.	25W wired, 55% in 30 min under Samsung’s lab conditions. Wireless watts not stated officially. PowerShare exists.	About 60 min to full. 1–50% in under 20 min. 65W is launch-coverage, not the support-page sentence. 15W wireless, 5W reverse wireless.	100W wired with Huawei’s charger. China: 80W wireless with a separate charger, 18W wired reverse. Not a generic-brick guarantee.
Cameras	Triple 48MP. 4× optical at 100 mm, 8× optical-quality at 200 mm. 18MP front. No image-quality ranking is claimed.	50+10+12. 3× optical, 2× optical-quality crop. The most conservative zoom hardware here.	Triple 50MP including a 3× periscope. Sensor part numbers come from secondary sources. No ranking is claimed.	50MP 1-inch, variable ƒ/1.6–ƒ/4.0, 48MP 4× macro tele, 40MP ultrawide, spectral color sensor. Strongest official hardware list. Not a tested image-quality win.
Video	4K120, Dolby Vision, ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2, genlock with accessories. The deepest verified pro-video feature list.	8K30 and high-frame slow motion are official. Log and pro cinema modes were not on the spec rows retrieved.	4K60 reported by GSMArena. 8K and Log not found.	4K, Log, HDR Vivid. 1080p960 is AI frame insertion, which Huawei discloses.
Build	206 g US listing (some regions print 204 g). IP68 to 6 m. Aluminum unibody, Ceramic Shield 2. Dimensions in mm not captured from Apple.	167 g, 7.2 mm, IP68. Lightest and thinnest official body here. Gorilla Glass Victus 2.	218 g, 8.99 mm, IP68, aluminum frame. The thickest of the four.	About 219 g, 8.3 mm, IP68 and IP69. Heaviest official weight, tied with Nothing within a gram.
Software	iOS 27 is out and compatible.	One UI 9 / Android 17 is rolling out, not universal on 1 Oct 2026.	Nothing OS 4.1 stable. OS 5.0 stable is scheduled mid-October, so it is still beta today.	China HarmonyOS 5.1/6. International EMUI 15.0. Different products.
Customization	Widgets, Lock Screen, Focus, Control Center. No deep theming.	One UI layout controls are broad. Good Lock on One UI 9: not re-verified.	Strict visual system. Glyph Matrix is the custom surface.	Both skins are configurable. The limit is apps, not toggles.
AI	Siri AI on the high hardware tier, with language and EU limits.	Galaxy AI tools shipped, with shorter language lists for some of them.	Essential tools now. Larger pass is in beta.	Camera AI modes are official. A system-assistant parity claim is not.
Privacy	Tracking prompts, Lockdown Mode, optional Advanced Data Protection.	Android permissions plus Knox. Google account is in the loop.	Android permissions plus Google, unless the buyer sideloads around that. No extra Nothing audit was found.	No GMS. That removes Google and also removes Play Protect. Not automatically more private.
Ecosystem	Deepest, if the rest of the house is Apple.	Broad Android plus Link to Windows. DeX for PC is gone.	Phone, Glyph, earbuds. Little else.	Coherent inside Huawei’s own devices. Disconnected from Google and Apple.
App availability	App Store. US banking, transit, and government apps are generally present.	Play Store. Same practical US coverage.	Play Store on the US retail phone.	AppGallery and sideload. US daily apps are the failure point. China HarmonyOS has its own store and is not the Play Store.
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread, eSIM-only in the US. Satellite features are listed by GSMArena, not quoted from Apple in this pass.	US unlocked band list is Sub-6, including n71. mmWave not listed. Wi-Fi 7 is an aggregator line.	Wi-Fi 7 is on Nothing’s page. US Sub-6 bands are listed by GSMArena. No mmWave. NFC not re-confirmed.	Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.2 official on the China page. BeiDou messaging is mainland China only. US bands unknown.
Update support	On iOS 27. No fixed end date from Apple.	Seven OS generations and seven years of security, per Samsung’s flagship policy as reported at launch.	Reported as five OS upgrades and seven years of security. Not re-read from a Nothing legal page.	HarmonyOS 6 upgrade is official for China. A year count is not on the spec page. EU five-year obligation is a reviewer’s citation.
Value	Launched at $1,099. A year old, so street prices are lower. Current Apple Store price was not re-checked.	Launched at $899.99. Newest of the US-sold pair, and the cheapest official starting MSRP among phones Huawei doesn’t undercut with a missing US price.	Published from $799. Older silicon than the S26. The price is the argument, not the bench.	No US price. Hardware per dollar cannot be scored without an official local price.
US usability	Designed for this market. eSIM, major carriers, Apple stores.	Official US retail. Confirm mmWave only if you need it; the unlocked band list does not show it.	Official US sale. Carrier certification was not verified. Bands look Sub-6 capable on paper.	Not a practical US primary phone. No official sale, no GMS, no verified carrier bands, no BeiDou outside mainland China.

Best overall

Galaxy S26, for a US buyer who is not already bought into Apple

The useful question in October 2026 is not which spec sheet has the largest number. It is which phone you can buy, update, and live in. The Galaxy S26 is the only 2026 phone in the set, it launched at $899.99, Samsung states a seven-year update policy, and it ships with Google services. One UI 9 is still rolling out, and the base model’s 25W charging and FHD+ screen are real limits next to the S26 Ultra and next to the iPhone’s sharper panel. The iPhone 17 Pro is the better phone if you already use a Mac, an Apple Watch, or iMessage, or if you want the pro video tools. It is also last year’s Pro: Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro on 9 September 2026. Nothing Phone (3) is the right name for Nothing’s flagship, and it is the wrong answer if raw performance is the goal. The Pura 80 Pro’s hardware does not survive contact with a US SIM and a US app list.

Best for hardware and camera

Huawei Pura 80 Pro on the spec sheet. iPhone 17 Pro for verified pro video you can actually use in the US.

Huawei is the only company here that officially specifies a 1-inch main sensor, a variable aperture, a 48MP macro telephoto at about 4×, IP69, and 100W charging. The China battery is also the largest official cell. That is a hardware lead. It is not an image-quality lead. No DXOMARK or other cross-lab photo scores for all four phones were retrieved, so this app does not declare a picture winner. Among phones sold in the United States, the iPhone 17 Pro has the strongest verified video feature set: 4K120, Dolby Vision, ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2, and an 8× optical-quality telephoto. The Galaxy S26’s 10MP 3× telephoto is the shortest reach. Nothing’s 50MP 3× periscope is more interesting on paper than Samsung’s 10MP tele, and its computational results were not ranked. If “best camera” means “best hardware list,” say Huawei and then say you may not be able to use the phone. If it means “best verified camera system in the US,” say iPhone 17 Pro.

Best for software and ecosystem

iPhone 17 Pro

iOS 27 is a finished release, not a staged carrier rollout, and Apple’s continuity features are still the most complete set if the other devices are Apple’s. Samsung is close, and Link to Windows is a real advantage for people on Windows, but Samsung has removed DeX for PC. Nothing OS is pleasant and thin: there is no watch platform, no computer, and the next OS is still in beta on this date. Huawei’s software story is the most important factual split in the whole comparison. HarmonyOS 5 is not Android. EMUI 15 is Android-based and still has no official Google services. Neither one joins the Apple or Google ecosystems a US household already uses. Software support math also favors Samsung on paper (seven stated years) and Apple in practice (no promised end date, but iOS 27 already landed). Nothing’s five-plus-seven policy is reported, not re-read from Nothing’s legal text.

Sources and verification

Every specification row carries a source, a source type, the check date (1 October 2026), and a confidence label. Aggregators such as GSMArena are not treated as the manufacturer.

VERIFIEDINDEPENDENTLY_VERIFIEDREGIONALUNCONFIRMED

iPhone 17 Pro

Spec	Label	Source	Type	Checked
Official name	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom, 9 Sep 2025; Apple specs page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Launch	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom (announce); GSMArena (release date)	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
US launch price	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom, 9 Sep 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Sold in the United States	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom financing footnote, 9 Sep 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Finishes	VERIFIED	Apple technical specifications	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Technology	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom, 9 Sep 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Size	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom footnote 2	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Resolution and density	VERIFIED	Apple technical specifications	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Brightness	INDEPENDENTLY_VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom; GSMArena review lab, 30 Sep 2025	Independent lab	2026-10-01
Protection and shape	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom, 9 Sep 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Screen-to-body	INDEPENDENTLY_VERIFIED	GSMArena specification record	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Chipset	VERIFIED	Apple technical specifications and Newsroom	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Process and clocks	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena; not on Apple’s spec page	Aggregator	2026-10-01
RAM	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena; MacRumors, 9 Sep 2026	Specialist press	2026-10-01
Storage	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom (capacities); GSMArena (NVMe label)	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Sustained performance	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom, 9 Sep 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Benchmarks	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Independent lab	2026-10-01
Capacity	INDEPENDENTLY_VERIFIED	Apple specs (no mAh); GSMArena review, 30 Sep 2025	Independent lab	2026-10-01
Official endurance claim	VERIFIED	Apple product page and technical specifications	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Wired charging	VERIFIED	Apple technical specifications	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Wireless	REGIONAL	Apple technical specifications; GSMArena (China 15W note)	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Reverse charging	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Main	VERIFIED	Apple technical specifications and product page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Main sensor size	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Ultrawide	VERIFIED	Apple product page; GSMArena (PDAF wording)	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Telephoto	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom, 9 Sep 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Front	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom, 9 Sep 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Video	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom, 9 Sep 2025; GSMArena video row	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Depth	VERIFIED	Apple Support, model identification, updated 28 Sep 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Dimensions and weight	REGIONAL	Apple US specs (206 g); regional Apple pages (204 g); GSMArena (mm)	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Ingress	VERIFIED	Apple technical specifications	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Controls and port	VERIFIED	Apple Support model page; Apple technical specifications	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
SIM	REGIONAL	Apple Support, updated 28 Sep 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Repairability	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Independent lab	2026-10-01
Launch OS	VERIFIED	Apple, iOS 26 release coverage and device record	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Current OS as of 1 Oct 2026	VERIFIED	Apple iOS 27 compatibility page; Apple Support “About iOS 26 Updates”; MacRumors 14 Sep 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Update policy	VERIFIED	Apple iOS 27 compatibility list, Sep 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Apple Intelligence / Siri AI	REGIONAL	Apple iOS 27 page; MacRumors, 9 Sep 2026; Apple Newsroom 2025 footnotes	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Thread	VERIFIED	Apple Newsroom, 9 Sep 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Cellular	UNCONFIRMED	Apple carrier checkout list; GSMArena band table	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Satellite	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
NFC	VERIFIED	Apple product capabilities; GSMArena comms row	Manufacturer	2026-10-01

Galaxy S26

Spec	Label	Source	Type	Checked
Official name	VERIFIED	Samsung Newsroom, 25 Feb 2026 and 10 Mar 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Launch	VERIFIED	Samsung Global Newsroom; Samsung Newsroom US, 10 Mar 2026; GSMArena	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
US launch price	VERIFIED	Samsung Newsroom US, 10 Mar 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Sold in the United States	VERIFIED	Samsung Newsroom US, 10 Mar 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Colors	VERIFIED	Samsung Newsroom US, 10 Mar 2026; Samsung regional spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Technology	VERIFIED	Samsung Global Newsroom spec table, Feb 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
How size is measured	VERIFIED	Samsung Global Newsroom footnote	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Resolution and density	INDEPENDENTLY_VERIFIED	Samsung spec pages (resolution); GSMArena (ppi)	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Peak brightness	UNCONFIRMED	Samsung US product page summary; GSMArena	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
HDR	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Always-On Display	UNCONFIRMED	Samsung spec table excerpt, checked 1 Oct 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Protection and shape	VERIFIED	Samsung US product page; GSMArena build row	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Chipset	REGIONAL	Samsung Global Newsroom spec table; Samsung Korea, Gulf, Japan, Hong Kong spec pages; GSMArena	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
CPU	REGIONAL	Samsung regional spec pages; GSMArena citing Samsung’s Exynos 2600 announcement	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Manufacturing process	REGIONAL	GSMArena report of Samsung’s Exynos 2600 announcement, Dec 2025; GSMArena phone record	Specialist press	2026-10-01
RAM and storage	VERIFIED	Samsung regional spec pages; Samsung Newsroom US	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Thermals	UNCONFIRMED	Samsung US marketing pages, 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Benchmarks	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Independent lab	2026-10-01
Capacity	VERIFIED	Samsung Global Newsroom spec footnote, Feb 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Video playback claim	REGIONAL	Samsung US, Gulf, and Japan spec/product pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Wired charging	VERIFIED	Samsung Global Newsroom charging footnote	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Wireless and PowerShare	UNCONFIRMED	Samsung Newsroom (feature names); GSMArena (watts)	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Rear system	VERIFIED	Samsung Global Newsroom spec table and regional spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Sensor sizes	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Ultrawide autofocus and macro	UNCONFIRMED	Samsung regional spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Front	VERIFIED	Samsung spec pages (12MP ƒ/2.2 AF); GSMArena (geometry and video)	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Video	VERIFIED	Samsung regional spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Dimensions and weight	VERIFIED	Samsung spec pages and newsroom dimension line	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
SIM	REGIONAL	Samsung Gulf spec page; GSMArena US vs international SIM row	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
USB-C	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
S Pen	VERIFIED	Samsung Korea spec page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Repairability	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Independent lab	2026-10-01
Biometrics	VERIFIED	Samsung sensor list; GSMArena (ultrasonic)	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Launch OS	VERIFIED	SamMobile, 25 Feb 2026, citing the launch software; GSMArena	Specialist press	2026-10-01
Current software as of 1 Oct 2026	VERIFIED	GSMArena, 23 Sep 2026; 9to5Google, 28–29 Sep 2026	Specialist press	2026-10-01
Update policy	VERIFIED	SamMobile, 25 Feb 2026	Specialist press	2026-10-01
DeX	REGIONAL	Samsung Gulf support, updated 6 Jul 2026; GSMArena feature row	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Galaxy AI	VERIFIED	Samsung US Galaxy S26 product page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
US bands	REGIONAL	GSMArena Galaxy S26 specification record	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Satellite features	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01

Nothing Phone (3)

Spec	Label	Source	Type	Checked
Which model	VERIFIED	Nothing product index; Gadgets360 launch report, 1 Jul 2025; GSMArena; 91mobiles, 30 Sep 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Price	VERIFIED	nothing.tech US product index (llms listing); UK product page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Sold in the United States	VERIFIED	Nothing US product index	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Colors	VERIFIED	Nothing product pages; PhoneArena	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Panel	VERIFIED	Nothing product page; Nothing does not dispute GSMArena’s resolution figure, which matches the product page’s 1260×2800 / 460 ppi line	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Brightness	INDEPENDENTLY_VERIFIED	Nothing product page; PhoneArena display test; 91mobiles long-term review, 2026	Independent lab	2026-10-01
PWM	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena vs Wikipedia	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Always-On Display	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Screen-to-body and shape	INDEPENDENTLY_VERIFIED	GSMArena; Nothing Phone (3) reviews	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Chipset	VERIFIED	Nothing Phone (3) product page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
CPU and GPU detail	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
RAM and storage	VERIFIED	Nothing product page footnote; GSMArena memory row	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Benchmarks	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Independent lab	2026-10-01
Capacity	REGIONAL	Nothing Support, 1 Jul 2025 (5150 mAh); GSMArena and Wikipedia (India 5500 mAh)	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Chemistry	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Wired charging	VERIFIED	Nothing Support and product page (times); Gadgets360, 1 Jul 2025 (65W)	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Wireless	VERIFIED	Nothing product page; Gadgets360, 1 Jul 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Main	VERIFIED	Nothing (“four 50MP”); GSMArena and Wikipedia for aperture, size, and part number	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Telephoto	VERIFIED	Gadgets360 launch report; GSMArena; Wikipedia	Specialist press	2026-10-01
Ultrawide	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena; Wikipedia	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Front	VERIFIED	GSMArena selfie row; Nothing “four 50MP” count	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Video	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Glyph Matrix	VERIFIED	Nothing product page; Gadgets360, 1 Jul 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Dimensions and weight	VERIFIED	Nothing Support, 1 Jul 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Materials	VERIFIED	Nothing IP68 disclaimer on the product page; GSMArena materials	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
SIM	REGIONAL	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
USB and biometrics	UNCONFIRMED	PhoneArena; GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Repairability	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Independent lab	2026-10-01
Launch OS	VERIFIED	Nothing; GSMArena; Wikipedia	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Current software as of 1 Oct 2026	VERIFIED	91mobiles, TechRepublic, and Gizmochina, Sep 2026, citing Nothing’s OS 5 schedule	Specialist press	2026-10-01
Update policy	UNCONFIRMED	Wikipedia, citing Nothing; BGR, 19 Jul 2026	Specialist press	2026-10-01
Nothing-specific software	VERIFIED	Nothing product and site index	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Wi-Fi	VERIFIED	Nothing product page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Bands	REGIONAL	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Satellite	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
NFC	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01

Huawei Pura 80 Pro

Spec	Label	Source	Type	Checked
Official name	VERIFIED	Huawei consumer spec pages, China and international	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Launch	VERIFIED	GSMArena; Wikipedia	Aggregator	2026-10-01
US price	VERIFIED	Huawei regional availability; Wikipedia availability list	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Sold in the United States	VERIFIED	Wikipedia availability; absence from Huawei US retail	Specialist press	2026-10-01
Colors	REGIONAL	Huawei China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Spain, and Germany spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Panel	VERIFIED	Huawei China and international spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Size and resolution	VERIFIED	Huawei spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Brightness	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Always-On Display	UNCONFIRMED	tech-zentrum review, Nov 2025	Independent lab	2026-10-01
Flat versus curved	UNCONFIRMED	Huawei spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Screen-to-body	INDEPENDENTLY_VERIFIED	GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Chipset	VERIFIED	Huawei international spec pages; Wikipedia for the China-model chip assignment	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
RAM and storage	REGIONAL	Huawei China spec page; Huawei Hong Kong, Malaysia, Spain, Germany spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Benchmarks	INDEPENDENTLY_VERIFIED	Mobilarena, 17 Feb 2026	Independent lab	2026-10-01
Capacity	REGIONAL	Huawei China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Spain, and Germany spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Wired charging	VERIFIED	Huawei spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Wireless	REGIONAL	Huawei China spec page; ezone.hk retail spec summary, Sep 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Main	VERIFIED	Huawei China and international spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Telephoto	VERIFIED	Huawei China spec page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Ultrawide	VERIFIED	Huawei spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Spectral camera	VERIFIED	Huawei spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Zoom range	VERIFIED	Huawei China spec page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Front	VERIFIED	Huawei China spec page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Video	VERIFIED	Huawei China spec page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Dimensions and weight	VERIFIED	Huawei spec pages	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Materials	UNCONFIRMED	GSMArena build row; Huawei (front glass only)	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Ingress	VERIFIED	Huawei China spec page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
USB-C	VERIFIED	Huawei China spec page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Fingerprint	VERIFIED	Huawei China sensor list	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
SIM	REGIONAL	Huawei China NFC footnote; GSMArena	Aggregator	2026-10-01
Repairability	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Independent lab	2026-10-01
China operating system	VERIFIED	Huawei China spec page; Huawei Central, Jul 2025	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
International operating system	VERIFIED	Huawei international spec pages; Mobilarena, Feb 2026 (AOSP version)	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Google Mobile Services	VERIFIED	Huawei Central; Mobilarena, Feb 2026; tech-zentrum, Nov 2025	Specialist press	2026-10-01
Huawei Mobile Services	VERIFIED	Huawei spec pages; international reviews	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Update policy	UNCONFIRMED	Huawei China upgrade note; Mobilarena, Feb 2026	Independent lab	2026-10-01
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth	VERIFIED	Huawei China spec page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
Satellite	REGIONAL	Huawei China spec page	Manufacturer	2026-10-01
US network compatibility	UNCONFIRMED	This research pass, 1 Oct 2026	Manufacturer	2026-10-01