In an era where most smartphones look and feel the same, Nothing dares to be different, with its unique design and minimalist software. Recently, the company has unleashed the new Nothing Phone 3a that offers a refreshing break from the typical smartphones which are available in the market. The smartphone has been priced around Rs 25,000 in the Indian market, and it promises more than just specs, but it further focuses on user experience, thoughtful design and more. But is that enough in the crowded mid-range smartphone market?
Let us find out in our in-depth review of the recently launched Nothing Phone 3a.
Design: Same design philosophy as Phone 2a
- Dimensions: 163.5 x 77.5 x 8.3mm
- Weight: 201g
- Build: Glass back, polycarbonate frame
- IP Rating: IP64 (dust and splash resistant)
The Nothing Phone 3a comes with the same design philosophy as its predecessor, the Phone 2a, with minor but meaningful upgrades. The rear panel now uses glass instead of plastic, significantly improving its in-hand feel while also resisting fingerprints, especially in the White colour variant we tested.
The handset is available in a new Blue colour variant (which is available on the Pro version), certainly adding aesthetic appeal to the range.
Despite its nostalgic design, the new Phone 3a stands out boldly against other mid-range smartphones, which mostly use textured plastics or faux leather for differentiation.
Processor and performance
- Processor: Snapdragon 7s Gen 3
- RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X
- Storage: 128GB / 256GB
The new smartphone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, which helps the device handle everyday tasks and casual gaming smoothly. While the UFS 2.2 storage is not that fast (as per our experience), real-world performance during multitasking and app switching remained smooth (without any lag or heating issues).
About the gaming experience, the device was a decent performer. I played NFS, Zombie Run and several other games with high graphics, and it was a very smooth performance. Yes, it was beyond astonishing as the device delivered very high graphics during the gameplay. I must mention that the touch response is limited to 480Hz and only activates in Game Mode. Also, there is a slight heating issue during extended gaming or camera use, but it does not overheat because it has a vapour cooling system.
Camera performance
Rear cameras:
- 50MP primary (OIS, f/1.5)
- 8MP ultrawide (f/2.2)
- 50MP 2x telephoto (EIS, f/2.0)
Front Camera: 32MP (f/2.2)
This is something which I want to appreciate. The camera has gone bold by offering a triple-camera setup, including a 2x telephoto lens, which is quite rare in this price segment.
The primary shooter performs best across all lighting conditions, delivering sharp photos with vibrant yet slightly saturated colours. OIS ensures stable shots and video in daylight.
The ultrawide lens performs decently in daylight but struggles in low light, producing soft and less detailed images. The telephoto lens is a great addition for portraits but lacks OIS, leading to soft details in low light or shaky hands.
Video recording is decent at 1080p and 4K, but suffers in low-light environments.
What really stood out was the camera presets feature which will help you to save customised shooting settings (flash, resolution, zoom level) as widgets on the home screen, which is both fun and practical.
Battery life
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Charging Speed: 50W wired
- Charger in box: No
The Nothing Phone 3a is backed by a 5,000mAh battery that provides excellent battery life. It lasted over a full day with heavy usage and scored an impressive 17 hours 40 minutes in the PCMark battery test.
Charging is not the fastest at 50W, especially when some rivals offer 67W or even 80W charging. But the handset is capable of charging the device to 46 per cent in 30 minutes and takes about 1 hour and 26 minutes for a full top-up.
And sadly, there is no charger included in the box.
Connectivity and call experience
The Nothing Phone 3a offers all standard connectivity options, including 5G, dual-SIM support, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2.
Call quality was excellent across all the networks, with clear audio and strong signal reception.
Best feature: Essential space
The highlight feature on this phone is Essential Space, which is powered by Nothing’s AI vision. This tool will let you take screenshots, add voice or text notes, and automatically generate summaries and to-dos using AI.
Although at present it is limited to screenshots, future updates will expand it to include camera-based contextual data and full meeting transcriptions. It's the kind of AI tool that's genuinely useful for students, professionals, and creatives alike.
However, it lacks a clear export feature for data, and there’s no way to easily move Essential Space content to cloud storage or another OS for now.
Verdict: Should you buy the Nothing Phone 3a in India?
The Nothing Phone 3a is not your average mid-range smartphone. With its striking transparent design, clean and artistic software experience, and surprisingly good battery life, it is a successful device with a clean Android experience.
Buy it if:
- You want a uniquely designed phone that stands out.
- You prefer clean, minimal Android software.
- You enjoy creative features like Essential Space and custom widgets.
Skip it if:
- You’re a heavy gamer or power user looking for max performance.
- You need ultra-fast charging or best-in-class low-light photography.
The Nothing Phone 3a is a mid-range phone that dares to be different—and mostly succeeds.
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