Head to head

Dcode Cygnal 3 vs ZTE nubia A57

Full specification and price comparison for Pakistan, updated 15 Jan 2026.

The short answer

The Dcode Cygnal 3 is the stronger phone of the two, scoring 65 against 43 on our combined specification score. It leads on performance, camera and value for money. The ZTE nubia A57 still wins on battery & charging and memory & storage, so it remains the better choice if that is your priority. The Dcode Cygnal 3 is the cheaper of the two at PKR 24,999 against PKR 36,499.

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The verdict

Spec-derived

Dcode Cygnal 3 takes it by 21.7 points on our weighted spec score.

Performance Dcode Cygnal 3 leads

Gaming score where available, otherwise chipset tier plus usable RAM.

Camera Dcode Cygnal 3 leads

Camera Score where available, otherwise sensor resolution and lens count. Megapixels alone do not measure image quality.

Battery & charging ZTE nubia A57 leads

Cell capacity in mAh weighted with rated wired charging output.

Display Level

Pixel density, refresh rate and panel technology.

Memory & storage ZTE nubia A57 leads

Highest advertised RAM and internal storage configuration.

Value for money Dcode Cygnal 3 leads

Combined spec score divided by current Pakistani retail price.

What actually differs

  • Dcode Cygnal 3 costs PKR 11,500 less.
  • ZTE nubia A57 charges 12.5W faster.
  • ZTE nubia A57 ships with 64 GB more storage.

Buy the Dcode Cygnal 3 if…

you care most about performance, camera and value for money.

Buy the ZTE nubia A57 if…

you care most about battery & charging and memory & storage.

Full specification comparison

Specification Dcode Cygnal 3 ZTE nubia A57
Price in Pakistan
Retail price PKR 24,999 Cheaper PKR 36,499
Design & build
Release date January 2024 July 30, 2026
Dimensions 165.3 × 76.3 × 9.0 mm 160.1 × 70.4 × 8.0 mm
Weight 205 g 193 g Better
Water resistance No official IP rating (not water- or dust-resistant) IP64 — dust-tight and protected against water splashes
Display
Screen size 6.52 inches 6.75-inch Better
Resolution 720 × 1600 pixels (~269 ppi) Better 720 × 1570 pixels
Panel type IPS LCD Capacitive Touchscreen, 16M Colors, Multitouch IPS LCD, 120Hz refresh rate
Protection Not listed Unspecified.
Performance
Chipset MediaTek Helio G37 Unisoc T7250 (12 nm)
CPU 2.3 GHz Octa-Core Octa-core
GPU PowerVR GE8320 Mali-G57 MP1
Operating system Android 13 OS Android 16
Memory & storage
RAM 4GB (+3GB Extended RAM) 4GB
Internal storage 64GB 64GB/128GB Better
Card slot microSD (up to 1TB) Dedicated microSDXC Slot
Camera
Main camera Triple Camera – 13 MP + AI + AI with LED Flash 13 MP, LED flash, HDR, panorama
Selfie camera 8 MP selfie 8 MP, f/2.0
Video recording 1080p@30fps 1080p@30fps (rear), 1080p@30fps (front)
Battery & charging
Battery capacity Non-removable Li-Po 5000 mAh Li-Ion (non-removable) 5000 mAh
Wired charging 10W wired 22.5W wired fast charging Better
Connectivity & extras
SIM Dual SIM, Dual Standby (Nano-SIM) Dual Nano-SIM, Dual Standby
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
Bluetooth v5.0 with A2DP, LE 5.2, A2DP, LE
NFC No No
Sensors Accelerometer Face Unlock Fingerprint Proximity Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass
USB USB-C port USB Type-C OTG

“Better” marks the higher (or, for price and weight, the lower) figure. It is a specification difference, not a judgement about real-world experience.

Questions people ask

Which is better, Dcode Cygnal 3 or ZTE nubia A57?

Dcode Cygnal 3 comes out ahead on our combined spec score, leading by 21.7 points. It wins on performance, camera and value for money. ZTE nubia A57 can still be the better buy if your priorities sit elsewhere or if you find it at a lower street price.

What is the price of Dcode Cygnal 3 and ZTE nubia A57 in Pakistan?

Dcode Cygnal 3 is listed at PKR 24,999 and ZTE nubia A57 at PKR 36,499. That makes Dcode Cygnal 3 cheaper by PKR 11,500. Retail prices move often, so treat these as indicative.

Which has the better camera, Dcode Cygnal 3 or ZTE nubia A57?

Dcode Cygnal 3 scores higher in our camera assessment. Both use comparable main sensors, so day to day results come down to processing.

Which phone has the better battery, Dcode Cygnal 3 or ZTE nubia A57?

ZTE nubia A57 leads on battery. Dcode Cygnal 3 carries a 5000 mAh cell and ZTE nubia A57 a 5000 mAh cell, with 10W and 22W wired charging respectively.

Which is better for gaming, Dcode Cygnal 3 or ZTE nubia A57?

Dcode Cygnal 3 is the stronger gaming phone here. Dcode Cygnal 3 runs the MediaTek Helio G37 while ZTE nubia A57 runs the Unisoc T7250 (12 nm).

Related comparisons

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Tools that use this data

Camera Score Tool Battery Score Tool Gaming Performance Checker AI Mobile Recommendation Tool All comparisons

Scores are calculated from the published hardware specification of each device using the same formula for every phone on WhatMobilePK — they are not paid placements and they are not laboratory test results. Prices are indicative Pakistani retail prices and change frequently.