Nothing Phone 3a/Pro: Now Do a Flagship!

Summary

The Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro are budget-friendly phones that impress with flagship-level features. Starting at $379, they offer a unique design, solid build quality, and a smooth user experience, thanks to Nothing's polished software. The phones come with a bright AMOLED display, Snapdragon 7S Gen 3 chip, and great battery life, though they lack wireless charging. The 3a Pro adds a better camera system and a periscope zoom, but the difference between the two models is minimal. Overall, these phones offer great value, and the reviewer is curious about what a future Nothing flagship could bring to the table.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Nothing Phone 3a offers flagship-like features at a budget-friendly price, starting at $379, with the Pro model priced at $459.
• 😀 The design of the Nothing Phone 3a is unique and stands out, with a signature blue color, glyphs around the camera, and a refreshed camera bump on the 3a Pro.
• 😀 The display on the 3a is a large 6.77-inch AMOLED with a high refresh rate and impressive peak brightness of 3000 nits, making it bright for a budget phone.
• 😀 Performance is powered by the Snapdragon 7S Gen 3 chip, with 12GB of RAM. The phone is smooth and responsive due to excellent software optimization by Nothing.
• 😀 The phone's build quality has improved, featuring a glass back and an IP64 rating for water and dust resistance.
• 😀 Nothing OS 3.1, running on top of Android 15, is fast and smooth, with well-designed animations and up to six years of software updates.
• 😀 The Nothing Phone 3a doesn’t focus heavily on AI features but introduces an interesting AI button for saving screenshots, voice memos, and setting reminders.
• 😀 Battery life is excellent with a 5,000mAh battery and 50W fast charging, allowing a full charge in about an hour. Wireless charging is not supported.
• 😀 The 3a Pro offers a slightly better camera setup with a 50MP primary sensor and a 3x periscope zoom lens, while the 3a has a 2x telephoto lens.
• 😀 Despite the large camera bump on the 3a Pro, the difference in camera performance between the two models isn’t as dramatic as expected, with both providing decent photo quality.
• 😀 Overall, the Nothing Phone 3a offers great value for its price, outshining competitors like the iPhone 16e with its larger display, higher refresh rate, and better specs.

Q & A

What makes the Nothing Phone 3a stand out in terms of design?

The Nothing Phone 3a stands out due to its unique design, including a blue color that the reviewer describes as 'sick,' a split design with glyphs around the camera, and a distinctive red square. The design is unconventional, with the camera system featuring a large, asymmetric bump, which also serves as a comfortable place to rest your finger while holding the phone.

How does the display of the Nothing Phone 3a compare to other phones in the same price range?

The display of the Nothing Phone 3a is impressive for its price, offering a 6.77-inch AMOLED screen that gets up to 3,000 nits peak brightness for HDR, which is one of the highest figures in its class. The screen feels flagship-quality despite the phone’s budget price.

What improvements have been made to the phone's build quality compared to previous models?

The Nothing Phone 3a now features a glass back instead of the plastic used in previous models. Additionally, it is IP64 rated for water and dust resistance, a step up from the IP54 rating of earlier models.

What is the key difference between the Nothing Phone 3a and the Nothing Phone 3a Pro?

The main difference between the two models is the camera system. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro has a better camera setup with a larger sensor and improved autofocus, as well as a periscope telephoto lens for enhanced zoom capabilities.

How does the performance of the Nothing Phone 3a hold up in daily use?

The Nothing Phone 3a performs well in daily tasks, feeling as smooth and quick as many flagship phones. Despite not being a 'spec monster,' it runs a Snapdragon 7S Gen 3 chip with 12GB of RAM and is praised for its software optimization, which helps it maintain a smooth experience even during demanding tasks.

What is notable about the Nothing OS software on the Phone 3a?

Nothing OS 3.1, running on Android 15, is well-regarded for its smooth animations and features. The software offers up to six years of updates and includes thoughtful features like lock screen customization, app animations, and optimized gestures for smooth navigation.

How does Nothing handle AI integration in their devices?

Nothing does not heavily emphasize AI in their phones compared to other brands. However, they have introduced a unique AI feature: a dedicated AI button that allows users to capture screenshots with voice recordings and set reminders. The feature is still being developed and is limited to the phone, with no multi-platform support.

What is the battery performance like on the Nothing Phone 3a?

The Nothing Phone 3a comes with a 5,000 mAh battery, providing excellent battery life. It also supports 50W fast charging, which can fully charge the phone in about an hour. However, it does not offer wireless charging, which might be a downside for some users.

How do the camera systems of the Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro compare?

Both phones have similar primary cameras, with the 3a Pro featuring a slightly larger sensor and better autofocus. The 3a Pro also offers a periscope telephoto lens, which provides more versatile zoom options, but overall, the difference between the two cameras is minimal in most situations.

What makes the Nothing Phone 3a a strong contender against competitors in its price range?

The Nothing Phone 3a stands out for offering a premium experience at a budget price, with features such as a large AMOLED display, solid build quality, fast performance, and long software support. It is particularly noted for its unique design, strong software optimization, and good battery life, making it a strong competitor against other budget phones like the iPhone 16e.