Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro: Bold Innovations Challenge the Status Quo in the Midrange Market

Опубликовано: 24 марта, 2025

The Nothing Phone 2a stood out as one of the highlight smartphones of 2024. With its rapid display, large battery, and distinctive character, it came at a modest price of $349. In crafting a sequel, Nothing could have simply enhanced the 2a, and it likely would have still been a solid recommendation. However, the company opted for a different route: it not only upgraded the 2a but also introduced an entirely fresh model.

This new model, the Phone 3a Pro, boasts a feature not commonly seen in midrange devices: a periscope telephoto camera. If you’re comfortable with some additional heft and a somewhat quirky design, the 3a Pro delivers a nearly flagship-level camera experience at $459. Meanwhile, the 3a stands alone as a fantastic device and a clever choice if your budget is even tighter.

Nothing/Engadget

80100Expert Score

Nothing Phone 3a

If you can accept Nothing’s limited warranty in the US, the Phone 3a stands as an excellent budget option. It presents a remarkable display, a playful design, and boasts an impressively good camera suite for the cost.

Pros

Playful design
Spacious 120Hz AMOLED display
Clean and adjustable Android interface

Cons

Limited warranty in the US
No support for wireless charging
Subpar audio quality from speakers

$379 at Nothing

Nothing/Engadget

82100Expert Score

Nothing Phone 3a Pro

As long as you’re fine with the limited warranty provided by Nothing in the US, the 3a Pro makes a strong contender in the midrange smartphone market. It comes with a vibrant display, engaging design, and an impressive telephoto camera.

Pros

Large 120Hz AMOLED display
Excellent, versatile camera system
Streamlined and customizable Android interface

Cons

Limited warranty in the US
Absence of wireless charging
Prominent camera bump

$459 at Nothing

Carrier compatibility

Before diving deeper into this review, there are a few critical points to highlight. In the US, Nothing is offering the 3a and 3a Pro through a «beta» initiative which provides just 14 days of after-sale support. Should an issue arise with your new device and it falls outside this brief warranty window, you may find yourself in a tough position. This is distinct from Nothing’s software support policy, which ensures three years of Android updates and six years of security patches for the 3a and 3a Pro, along with various «corrective and functional updates.»

Moreover, the devices do not support all 5G bands from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Basic connectivity is available, but mmWave speeds are not supported. Furthermore, users on AT&T and Verizon will have to reach out to their carriers to register their new phone’s IMEI to access 5G. I emphasize these details because the 3a and 3a Pro represent outstanding smartphones worthy of consideration, but it’s also reasonable if the limited customer and carrier support gives you pause.

Design

The 3a and 3a Pro exude a premium feel that defies their sub-$500 price point, largely attributed to their new glass back. When compared to my iPhone 12, the 3a and 3a Pro resonate with an Apple-like build quality. I particularly appreciate the finish applied by Nothing to the two devices, presenting a ceramic-like tactile experience. Both models are sizable, and the texture enhances grip, making it comfortable to pull either from my pocket. Additionally, Nothing has incorporated improved water resistance, granting both models IP64 certification against dust and moisture, an upgrade from the IP54 rating of the 2a. If you often find yourself near water, other midrange options, like the new $499 Pixel 9a, provide superior protection.

Another novelty includes a button known as the Essential Key, positioned on the right side beneath the power button. I will delve deeper into its functions later, but for now, I must note that it feels less substantial compared to the other buttons. This is regrettable given the solid craftsmanship seen throughout the rest of the device.

The Phone 3a is offered in three hues (black, white, and blue), whereas the 3a Pro is available in gray and black. Unfortunately, North American consumers cannot acquire the blue 3a, which is a disappointment for me. Nearly three years post the launch of the Phone 1, Nothing’s designs remain distinctive, although I can foresee some individuals having mixed feelings about the aesthetics of the 3a Pro.

Take a look at it. The 3a Pro resembles a contemporary Lumia 1020, sure to draw some puzzled glances. The camera housing not only adds thickness to an already chunky phone, but the additional hardware renders the 3a Pro a full 10 grams heavier than the 3a. Weighing in at 201 grams, the 3a already feels robust.

While it might be hard to see in pictures, there is a noticeable gap between the bottom of the 3a Pro’s camera module and the top of its back casing. In the brief timeframe I’ve had the phone, dust and debris have started to accumulate in that space. Furthermore, the outer ring of the module features a finish that doesn’t quite match the other materials used in the phone. Ultimately, it seems that the 3a Pro compromises some of the 3a’s charming design for camera capabilities. That tradeoff eventually grew on me, but I entirely understand if you find the 3a Pro too much.

Display

The displays on the 3a and 3a Pro are identical. Measuring 6.77 inches, it offers a bit more screen space than the 2a’s 6.7-inch panel. This time, Nothing has also included Panda Glass for scratch protection of the AMOLED display. Although this is a nominal downgrade from the Gorilla Glass that was utilized on the 2a and on devices like the Pixel 9a and Galaxy S24 FE, it’s challenging to ascertain any meaningful difference in durability without a drop test.

The display is visually impressive. It remains an FHD panel that supports a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. Enhanced visibility in bright sunlight is thanks to its peak brightness of 1,300 nits. I had no issues viewing the screen, even on sunny days while wearing polarized sunglasses.

In terms of value, Nothing has selected an ideal display. It’s vibrant and fast, and thanks to a new 480Hz touch sampling rate, it’s also incredibly responsive. However, a potential drawback to some users is the use of an optical in-display fingerprint sensor rather than an ultrasonic one. Ultrasonic sensors generally provide quicker and more precise results, but they also come at a higher production cost, making them found mostly in flagship devices such as the Galaxy S25. That said, you shouldn’t be discouraged by the 3a and 3a Pro. Aside from a bit of sluggishness during setup, I experienced no problems with the fingerprint recognition.

Cameras

While telephoto cameras are becoming more common in midrange devices, they are still not universally available. The 3a’s telephoto camera, priced at $379, pleasantly surprised me with its performance, capturing well-detailed shots. Overall, Nothing provides commendable image processing, although its contrast might feel excessive for some users. Nevertheless, it excels in delivering warm, inviting, and natural colors. Like many devices in its price bracket, the 3a’s cameras may falter in low-light situations or when faced with harsh sunlight.

Notably, an idiosyncrasy of Nothing’s photo processing is that images may appear inadequate before you actually take the shot. Bright scenes, for example, frequently have overexposed highlights. However, once HDR is applied, the resulting images are surprisingly good. I was unaware of this when I initially started using the phone, leading me to abandon some shots prematurely. This characteristic also applies to the 3a Pro, so keep that in mind if you decide to purchase one.

The 3a Pro, on the other hand, provides nearly flagship-level performance with its standout periscope camera. Equipped with a 50MP Sony sensor and an f/2.55 lens with optical stabilization, this telephoto feature supports 3x optical zoom. You can also extend it to 6x using a lossless crop. The images produced by this lens remain sharp and detailed, provided the subject is relatively stationary.

As reflected in the sample gallery, some pictures of neighborhood cats turned out a little blurry due to the 3a Pro trying to use a slower shutter speed. Nevertheless, for less demanding scenes, the periscope camera gives an almost unfair advantage, continuously reminding me it’s a device priced under $500.

This telephoto also features a macro mode, enabling it to focus on subjects located just 5.9 inches away. While it can be challenging to gauge the required distance to achieve focus, when I managed to do so, the 3a Pro produced impressive detail.

Similar to the 3a, the main camera on the 3a Pro also uses a 50MP sensor with an f/1.88 lens. However, it utilizes a different Samsung sensor featuring dual-pixel autofocus, aiding the 3a Pro in achieving quicker and more precise focus. With Nothing’s image processing, the resulting photos are visually satisfying, offering vibrant colors without overwhelming them and enough detail for those who seek it.

I didn’t take many selfies, but the 3a Pro does afford a slight edge in that arena with its 50MP sensor, whereas the 3a has a 32MP sensor. Both front-facing cameras lack autofocus, a feature often neglected in more affordable smartphones.

In the US market, the 3a Pro has no direct competitor. While some phones, such as the Motorola Edge 50 Pro, offer excellent telephoto capabilities at a similar price point, they are not available in North America. If features like a long-range camera are high on your list, the 3a Pro’s closest competitor would be the Galaxy S24 FE, which typically retails for $650. Hence, this makes the 3a Pro a worthwhile option compared to dual-camera smartphones like the Pixel 9a.

Performance

Beyond an enhanced camera system, the 3a and 3a Pro are powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset. Compared to the 2a’s MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro, Nothing claims the Snapdragon SoC offers a 33% improvement in CPU performance and an 11% boost in GPU output. In Geekbench 6 tests, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 registered a single-core score of 1,115 and a multicore score of 3,082. In comparison, the Dimensity processor scored 1,123 and 2,603 during my colleague Sam Rutherford’s review of the 2a last year. Additionally, the Exynos 2400e in the Galaxy S24 FE outperforms both Qualcomm and MediaTek chips with scores of 2,140 and 6,690, respectively.

I realize that’s a lot of numbers, but I present them to frame expectations: you should regard the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 more as a budget chipset than a higher-end one. In daily applications, it proved to be sufficiently powerful for my needs. With 12GB of RAM, both the 3a and 3a Pro have ample capacity for seamless multitasking across social media, various apps, and AI-based services like Gemini.

That said, the phones may not be the best fit for gaming. While I could run games such as Diablo Immortal and League of Legends: Wild Rift at 60 frames per second, both devices occasionally dropped frames, and neither game could run at max graphics settings.

Battery

The 3a and 3a Pro maintain the same 5,000mAh battery capacity as the 2a. In tests with a continuous YouTube playback until depletion, the 3a lasted an impressive 19.5 hours on a single charge. For gaming endeavors, the 3a Pro can sustain about eight hours before needing to recharge. During moderate use, mixing social media engagement and web browsing, I achieved nearly 14 hours of screen time.

Once the battery is drained, both models support fast charging at 50W, a step up from the 45W of the 2a. Neither device includes a power adapter in the package, and as I was not provided one for testing, I rely on Nothing’s claims that the 3a and 3a Pro can charge from 0 to 100% in under an hour with the new charger. Most consumers likely possess a 20W power adapter on hand, and based on my findings, charging from 10% to full should take around one and a half hours.

If your finances permit, investing a bit more for Nothing’s new charger is worthwhile, as it offers one of the quickest charging solutions in this price sector. Though neither the 3a or 3a Pro facilitates wireless charging, I personally would prioritize speed of wired charging over Qi compatibility.

Software

The 3a and 3a Pro come equipped with Android 15 and the latest iteration of Nothing OS right off the bat. As previously mentioned, Nothing guarantees three years of Android updates, so buying one now ensures that you can expect to receive at least Android 18 before contemplating an upgrade. Comparatively, Google and Samsung provide longer software support but, in comparison to the broader Android arena, Nothing’s policy is commendable.

This marks my first experience with Nothing OS, and I must say I’m genuinely impressed. The company hasn’t gone overboard in altering stock Android, and there’s little to no bloatware. Both system and quick settings menus closely mirror Google’s layout, facilitating easy navigation. A notable feature is the monochromatic icon pack provided by Nothing, which includes many widely used third-party applications. There are 18 pre-installed custom widgets included with Nothing OS, all of which look appealing.

A significant new function linked to the Essential Key is introduced in the 3a and 3a Pro. Tapping this button allows for immediate screenshot capture and subsequent annotation. A long press, on the other hand, triggers a voice memo recording. Lastly, a double tap opens the Essential Space, an app designed to store these screenshots and notes. An algorithm will automatically transcribe voice memos and sort clippings into designated categories, though users can personalize categories as well. Nothing intends to expand Essential Space’s capabilities in the future, but as it stands, its functionality is limited, and you cannot reassign the Essential Key functions if that app doesn’t meet your needs.

If you are accustomed to using Apple Notes, the Essential Key and Space could serve as a valued tool for organizing digital notes. However, I found it