Nothing Phone (3) vs ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G

The Nothing Phone (3) (2025) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, while the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G (2021) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. By overall MobileRank rating, the Nothing Phone (3) leads — 76/100 vs 61/100 (a 15-point difference). Key differences: the Nothing Phone (3) has the bigger battery (5150 mAh vs 4200); the main camera is 50 MP vs 64 MP; the Nothing Phone (3) is faster in AnTuTu (2,306,162 vs 1,119,714); the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G is noticeably lighter (183g vs 198g).

The Nothing Phone (3) is noticeably better than the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G — the overall rating gap is 15 points.
Profile comparison
Category scores
Nothing Phone (3)
Performance 81
Display 85
Camera 81
Battery 63
Portability 49
Value for money 64
ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G
Performance 63
Display 89
Camera 63
Battery 30
Portability 70
Value for money
What makes Nothing Phone (3) better?
  • Higher AnTuTu: 2306162 vs 1119714
  • Better Geekbench Single: 2162 vs 1488
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 6847 vs 3373
  • Bigger battery: 5150 vs 4200 mAh

  • Higher performance (81/100 vs 63/100)
  • Better camera (81/100 vs 63/100)
  • Longer battery life (63/100 vs 30/100)
What makes ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G better?
  • Better main camera: 64MP vs 50MP
  • Higher refresh rate: 144Hz vs 120Hz
  • Lighter: 183g vs 198g

  • Better display (89/100 vs 85/100)
  • Better portability (70/100 vs 49/100)
Comparison verdict

Comparing the Nothing Phone (3) vs the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G, the Nothing Phone (3) scores 15 points higher (76/100 vs 61/100). In the "performance" category, the Nothing Phone (3) leads (81/100 vs 63/100). In the "camera" category, the Nothing Phone (3) leads (81/100 vs 63/100). In the "battery" category, the Nothing Phone (3) leads (63/100 vs 30/100). In the "performance" category, the Nothing Phone (3) notably outperforms the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G (81/100 vs 63/100). In the "display" category, the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G and the Nothing Phone (3) are nearly equal (89/100 vs 85/100). In the "camera" category, the Nothing Phone (3) notably outperforms the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G (81/100 vs 63/100). In the "battery" category, the Nothing Phone (3) significantly outperforms the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G (63/100 vs 30/100). In the "portability" category, the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G notably outperforms the Nothing Phone (3) (70/100 vs 49/100).

Nothing Phone (3): The Nothing Phone (3) is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts.
ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G: The ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G is a better fit for active users.
Specs comparison
Specification Nothing Phone (3) ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
AnTuTu 2306162 1119714
Geekbench Single 2162 1488
Geekbench Multi 6847 3373
Display 6.7" AMOLED 6.7" Amoled
Resolution 2800x1260 1080x2400
Refresh rate 120 Hz 144 Hz
Battery 5150 mAh 4200 mAh
Charging 65W
Wireless charging 15W 0W
Main camera 50 MP 64 MP
Ultrawide 50 MP 64 MP
Telephoto 50 MP 0 MP
Front camera 50 MP
RAM 12GB / 16GB
Storage 256GB / 512GB 128GB
OS Android 15 / Nothing OS 3.0 Android 11 Red Velvet Cake
Brightness (peak) 4500 nits
NFC yes yes
Protection IP68
Dimensions 160.6×75.6×9.0 mm 163.6×75.3×7.9 mm
Weight 198 g 183 g
Price $799
Camera comparison
Nothing Phone (3)
  • Main: 50MP f/f/1.88
  • Ultrawide: 50MP
  • Telephoto: 50MP
  • Front: 50MP
81
camera
ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G
  • Main: 64MP
  • Ultrawide: 64MP
  • Front: —
63
camera
Display comparison
Nothing Phone (3)
  • 6.7" AMOLED
  • Resolution: 2800x1260
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
85
display
ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G
  • 6.7" Amoled
  • Resolution: 1080x2400
  • Refresh rate: 144 Hz
89
display
Battery and charging
Nothing Phone (3)
  • 5150 mAh
  • Wired: 65W
  • Wireless: 15W
63
battery
ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G
  • 4200 mAh
  • No wireless charging
30
battery
Overall performance score

We compared Nothing Phone (3) and ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Nothing Phone (3) Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4
76/100
2306162 AnTuTu
ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
61/100 -106.0%
1119714 AnTuTu

Nothing Phone (3) leads ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G by 106.0% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks
Price and availability
Nothing Phone (3)
$799
ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G
Price unknown
Detailed category analysis
performance

In the "performance" category, the Nothing Phone (3) notably outperforms the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G (81/100 vs 63/100).

display

In the "display" category, the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G and the Nothing Phone (3) are nearly equal (89/100 vs 85/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the Nothing Phone (3) notably outperforms the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G (81/100 vs 63/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the Nothing Phone (3) significantly outperforms the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G (63/100 vs 30/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G notably outperforms the Nothing Phone (3) (70/100 vs 49/100).

Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Nothing Phone (3) or the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G?

The Nothing Phone (3) is noticeably better than the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G — the overall rating gap is 15 points.

What is the rating of the Nothing Phone (3) and the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G?

The Nothing Phone (3) has a MobileRank rating of 76/100, the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G — 61/100.

Which has the better camera: the Nothing Phone (3) or the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G?

The Nothing Phone (3) leads on camera score (81/100 vs 63/100).

Which is more powerful: the Nothing Phone (3) or the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G?

The Nothing Phone (3) leads on performance (81/100 vs 63/100).

Should you choose the Nothing Phone (3) over the ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G?

The Nothing Phone (3) is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts. The ZTE Axon 31 Pro 5G is a better fit for active users.