Nothing Phone (3a) and (3a Pro) – how can they be so good?! [review] – ORBIT

Summary of the Nothing Phone 3A & 3A Pro Review

Design & Build

• The Nothing Phone 3A follows the design language of its predecessor, featuring a transparent back with visible screws and LEDs (Glyph interface).
• The 3A Pro, however, has a more unusual and layered design, with a significantly protruding camera.
• Both devices now have a glass back (Panda Glass), which is claimed to be as strong as Gorilla Glass 5.
• The frame of the 3A is smooth, while the 3A Pro has a slightly rougher, powder-coated texture.

Display

• 6.77-inch OLED display with Full HD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 3,000 nits peak brightness.
• Slightly less rounded corners compared to the predecessor.

Performance

• Powered by Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, a mid-range chip offering a 33% CPU improvement and 11% GPU improvement over the Nothing Phone 2A.
• Feels smooth most of the time but has occasional minor stutters, especially in power-saving mode and when switching between camera lenses.
• Comes with 8GB or 12GB of RAM and runs a minimalistic, well-optimized software (near-stock Android).

Software & Features

• Nothing OS includes custom widgets, black & white icons, and integrated AI (JGPT).
• A new Essential Key allows for quick screenshots and voice notes but feels somewhat impractical.
• 3 years of Android updates and 6 years of security updates.

Battery & Charging

• 5,000mAh battery, lasting up to two days with 6-8 hours of screen time.
• 50W wired charging (20 minutes for 50% charge), but no wireless charging.

Camera System

• Main Camera (50MP) delivers sharp images with good dynamic range and natural colors, but shutter speed slows down in low light.
• Ultra-Wide Camera downgraded from 50MP to 8MP, with no autofocus and poor low-light performance.
• Telephoto Camera:
  • 3A: 50MP 2x zoom, but not significantly better than cropping the main sensor.
  • 3A Pro: 50MP 3x periscope zoom, 30% larger sensor, similar quality to OnePlus 13 and Oppo Find X6 Pro. Impressive image quality, even for macro shots.

Verdict

• Pros:
  ✅ Premium design for its price.
  ✅ Excellent display and good main camera.
  ✅ Long battery life and fast charging.
  ✅ Smooth performance for daily tasks.
  ✅ Competitive pricing (€329 for the 3A).
• Cons:
  ❌ Ultra-wide camera is a downgrade.
  ❌ Essential Key placement is impractical.
  ❌ No wireless charging.
  ❌ Occasional performance stutters.

For its price, the Nothing Phone 3A offers great value, while the 3A Pro’s periscope zoom camera is a standout feature.

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ORBIT

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I’m Kilian and I review products surrounding tech.

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