You know what’s cool? A budget phone from a company that isn’t juggling a bunch of pricey flagship models. Enter the Nothing Phone 3A, starting at $379, and the Phone 3A Pro, priced at $459. The names might throw you off a bit—honestly, they confused me too at first—but here’s the simple breakdown: these phones feel shockingly close to those $1,000 flagships, just with a couple of tiny trade-offs. The main difference? The 3A Pro has a beefier camera system. That’s it. We’ll dig into that later, but first, I’ve gotta rave about how these things look—because, man, Nothing phones still have a style all their own.
Design: Still Turning Heads
Nothing Phone 3A Review: Let’s talk about that blue on the 3A. It’s sick. Seriously, it pops in a way that makes other phones look boring. You’ve got that signature split design with the glyphs—those funky lights around the cameras at the top—and while it’s familiar, Nothing’s tweaked a few things. Some screws got shuffled, shapes shifted a bit, and the details feel fresh. It’s still rocking that little red square too, which I’m a sucker for. The 3A Pro? It’s like the monochrome cousin—similar vibes but with a massive camera bump that’s more like a plateau than a cliff.
Now, I know some folks trashed the camera design when it leaked online. It’s not symmetrical, sure, and it’s definitely out there, but I dig it. That giant bump even doubles as a comfy spot to rest my finger when I’m holding it. If Nothing’s goal was to make a budget phone that stands out in a sea of sameness, they’ve crushed it. For more on the design story, check out Nothing’s official site—they’ve got all the juicy details.
Nothing Phone 3A Review: Build Quality and Display: Stepping Up
Using these phones feels like Nothing’s growing up, you know? They’re a bigger deal now, snagging premium parts from better suppliers, and it shows in all the little upgrades. The 3A’s got a glass back now—no more plastic like the older models—and it’s jumped from an IP54 to an IP64 rating, so it’s a bit tougher against water and dust. Small wins, but they add up.
Then there’s the display. Holy cow, it’s a stunner. We’re talking a 6.77-inch AMOLED beast—bigger than the 2A—with even bezels all around and a silky high refresh rate. It hits 800 nits normally but cranks up to 3,000 nits peak for HDR—one of the wildest numbers I’ve seen on paper. Forget the stats, though; this screen feels flagship-level. Sure, it’s not as blinding as the top-tier ultra phones, and the under-display fingerprint reader can lag a tad, but at $379? I’m not complaining.
Nothing Phone 3A Review: Performance: Smooth Moves, Not Spec Wars
Under the hood, both phones pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7S Gen 3 chip with 12GB of RAM. They’ve ditched the MediaTek chip from last gen, but don’t expect a spec-sheet monster here. Some budget phones flex crazy numbers to wow you—this isn’t that. And honestly? It doesn’t need to be. The mid-range chip is plenty, especially since Nothing’s software magic makes it feel way snappier than it has any right to.
Running NothingOS 3.1 on Android 15, these phones glide through everyday stuff. Swiping down the notification shade, popping open folders, flipping between apps—the animations are buttery smooth. It’s not flawless—push it hard with heavy apps or long gaming sessions, and you’ll catch a stutter here and there—but for the price, it’s unreal how polished it feels. Plus, Nothing’s promising six years of software updates, so this thing’s got legs.
Software: Cool Features, Light on AI Hype
Nothing Phone 3A Review: Speaking of software, NothingOS keeps getting better. The lock screen customization is a standout—long press, tweak the clock, drop in some widgets—it’s got that iOS-inspired flair but with Nothing’s own twist. It’s the little things that make it fun to use.
But here’s where it gets interesting: AI. Everyone’s slapping AI into everything these days, right? Not Nothing. They’re holding back—no AI image generators, no fancy writing tools, no notification summaries or photo object removal. Zero. Well, almost. They’ve got one big AI trick up their sleeve: the AI button.
This dome-shaped button sits below the power key, easy to reach, impossible to miss. Double-press it, and you’re in Essential Space—a dedicated spot for saving screenshots, digging up info from them, or setting reminders. Press once to snap what’s on your screen; hold it to record a voice note like, “This is that lawnmower Andrew raved about,” or “Remind me to grab concert tickets tomorrow.” It transcribes, summarizes, and even sets reminders for you. It’s like Google’s Pixel Screenshots app on steroids.
Is it game-changing? Not yet. It’s slick, but it’s tied to the phone—no web or multi-platform access—so I’m not ready to dump my life into it. Still, it’s a cool start, even if I accidentally mash that button way too often.
Battery Life and Charging: Solid, But No Wireless
Nothing Phone 3A Review: Both the 3A and 3A Pro rock a 5,000mAh battery, and the battery life? Stellar. You’ll cruise through a day no problem. Charging’s bumped up to 50 watts—faster than last year—hitting 0 to 100% in about an hour. The catch? No wireless charging. For someone like me, who’s spoiled by tossing phones on a pad, that stings a bit. If you don’t care, though, you won’t miss it.
Cameras: 3A vs. 3A Pro—Spot the Difference
Nothing Phone 3A Review: Here’s where the 3A and 3A Pro split. The Pro’s the camera king, at least on paper, with a beefed-up system for photo buffs. Both share a 50MP main sensor—the Pro’s got slightly better autofocus—and an 8MP ultrawide that’s, uh, fine. Meh, really. The big difference is the telephoto: the 3A’s got a 2x zoom, while the Pro steps up to a 3x periscope lens for better reach and macros.
I shot a ton with both, and here’s the tea: the main cameras are almost identical. Decent pics, soft backgrounds for close-ups, colors that don’t go overboard—though you might spot some fringing or overexposure in tricky light. The ultrawide’s forgettable on both, but that 3x periscope on the Pro? It’s handy. I just expected a bigger gap between the two, especially with the Pro’s giant camera table screaming “I’m fancy!” Turns out, it’s not that dramatic. Good to know.
Final Thoughts: Value Overload and Flagship Dreams
Nothing Phone 3A Review: Coming off reviewing the iPhone 16e, these Nothing phones make it look like a rip-off on paper. Triple cameras, a massive, bright AMOLED display, high refresh rate, killer battery life—all for way less cash than Apple’s asking. The 16e’s stuck with 60Hz, a single camera, and a smaller screen. Nothing’s A-series keeps delivering insane value, and the 3A and 3A Pro are no exception.
But here’s what’s got me buzzing: what if Nothing went all-in on a flagship? They’re nailing software, squeezing premium vibes out of mid-range hardware—if they threw a Snapdragon 8 Elite, a silicon carbide battery, wireless charging, and more into the mix, what could they do? I’m dying to see a Nothing Phone 3 flagship. Fingers crossed it’s coming soon. Curious? Peek at TechRadar’s take for more on Nothing’s journey.
Specifications
Here’s the nitty-gritty on the Nothing Phone 3A and 3A Pro:
- Display: 6.77-inch AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate, 800 nits typical, 3,000 nits peak (HDR)
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7S Gen 3
- RAM: 12GB
- Storage: 128GB or 256GB options
- Battery: 5,000mAh, 50W fast charging (0-100% in 60 minutes)
- Operating System: NothingOS 3.1 on Android 15
- Build: Glass back, IP64 water/dust resistance
- Cameras (3A):
- Main: 50MP with autofocus
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Telephoto: 2x optical zoom
- Cameras (3A Pro):
- Main: 50MP with improved autofocus
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Telephoto: 3x periscope zoom
- Extras: AI button for Essential Space, glyph lighting, optical under-display fingerprint sensor