Nothing is one of the few brands in India which believes in delivering something unique to its customers. Right from its inception, the brand has always focused on providing a device which stands out from your usual smartphones. And it’s not just about the design; it’s an entire package. Right from the transparent back panels to the unique user interface, Nothing has been able to establish itself as a brand that brings fresh perspectives to a smartphone. And now, the brand is taking this legacy forward with its Nothing Phone 3a series. We have already reviewed the Nothing Phone 3a, and now it’s time for the Pro variant.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro price in India starts at Rs. 29,999 for the base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. The 8GB RAM + 256GB storage option comes with a price tag of Rs. 31,999. Lastly, we have the top-end variant, which comes with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, priced at Rs. 33,999. The question is whether the Nothing Phone 3a Pro 5G can offer a value-for-money proposition in this price segment. Let’s find out in this in-depth review.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro 5G Design: Notable
- Dimensions – 163.52 x 77.50 x 8.39mm
- Weight – 211g
- Colours – Black and Grey
Nothing’s design philosophy largely remains the same with the new Nothing Phone 3a Pro. You still get the signature transparent rear panel, which has been the highlight since the brand’s inception. However, it does look different from the regular Phone 3a, all thanks to the big circular camera module. This makes it a bit different from the rest of the lineup from the brand, which is a good thing.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is available in two colour options.
The brand has also made some improvements in the design of the Pro variant, and the most noticeable one is the inclusion of a glass panel instead of plastic, which was prominent in the previous generation models.
I received the Grey colour option for review, and it certainly looks premium when held. The frame is made of polycarbonate but comes with a different finish, which is a soft matte finish. The brand has also updated the ingress protection, and the device now features an IP64 rating, which is an upgrade, but the competition is way ahead in this segment.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro ports and button placement are comfortable enough.
Moving on, the rear panel comes with a large circular module, as I said earlier. Although some might like the new bold look at the back, it makes it a bit uncomfortable for me to hold, as I was not able to comfortably place my index finger. That said, you also get the Glyph interface around the camera module, which looks good, to be honest, and complements the whole look. Just like the previous generation models, the Glyph can act as a timer, music visualiser, notification indicator, and more. You can customise it as you wish by going to Settings> Glyph Interface.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro 5G Display: Sharp and Bright
- Display – 6.77-inch FHD+ flexible AMOLED display
- Refresh Rate – 120Hz screen refresh rate
- Other Features – 480Hz touch sampling rate, Panda Glass protection, 10-bit colour, HDR10+, 3,000nits peak brightness
The Phone 3a Pro is loaded with a 6.77-inch OLED display that offers a resolution of 1080 x 2392 pixels. The display comes with up to 120Hz screen refresh rate and up to 3000nits of peak brightness while playing HDR content. The panel and the glass are flat, meaning you get excellent viewing angles that do not reflect, which is a persistent problem with quad-curved displays.
The smartphone comes with a bright display, which makes it easier to read texts in outdoor conditions.
You get two different modes for the colours: Alive and Standard. The Alive mode is on by default, and you get poppy and vivid colours. So, if you are one of those who love watching Anime, then you will definitely enjoy watching it on this device. For those who want a more natural feel, you can go for the Standard mode. You also get HDR10 and HDR10+ certification, which makes it a delightful experience to watch high-definition content on Netflix and YouTube.
Coming to the high screen refresh makes the whole scrolling and swiping experience a butterfly-smooth one. The outdoor visibility is great as well, and you won’t feel much trouble reading text on a bright, sunny day. The smartphone also features an in-display fingerprint sensor, which is fast, although I believe it is positioned a bit lower. The phone also features stereo speakers that deliver a good sound output while playing music. This, coupled with Glyph lights, can almost act as your personal DJ.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro 5G Software: Unique and Artsy
- Software version – Nothing OS 3.1
- Android version – Android 15
- Promised updates – 3 years of software, 6 years of security updates
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro runs on the latest version of NothingOS 3.2, which is based on the Android 15 operating system. The NothingOS is surely one of the most minimalist and unique user interfaces that we have seen in recent years. And the company will make sure that it remains this way.
The NothingOS provide a clean and bloat-free experience.
Just like the older versions of NothingOS, this one also comes with the iconic dot matrix font and monochromatic aesthetics. Moreover, you get a bloat-free experience, which is a rare thing in the smartphone industry. I really appreciate the brand for not adding a single third-party bloatware to complicate things further.
Just like the Nothing Phone 3a, the Pro version also comes with Essential Space, which is the brand’s AI tool to provide information to customers. We have talked in-depth about the Essential Space in the Nothing Phone 3a review, which you can check out here.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro 5G Performance: Good Daily Usage
- Processor – Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, 2.5GHz, 4nm
- RAM – Up to 12GB (LPDDR4X)
- Storage – Up to 256GB (UFS 2.2)
The performance of the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is good. The handset comes loaded with a decent processor that is capable of handling most of the daily tasks you throw at it. So, if you are watching a video, scrolling Reels, or listening to music while reading an article on the internet, you will not feel any sluggishness or lag. The high screen refresh rate is optimised to provide a better experience here.
| Benchmark | Nothing Phone 3a Pro | iQOO Neo 10R |
|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu v10 | 801,123 | 14,91,562 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 13,554 | 12,072 |
| Geekbench 6 Single Core | 1173 | 1,927 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi Core | 3239 | 5,047 |
| 3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL | 5528 | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Slingshot | 6,854 | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Wild Life | 3,988 | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Wild Life Unlimited | 4,175 | 7,797 |
| GFXBench T-Rex | 60 | 121 |
| GFXBench Manhattan 3.1 | 55 | 114 |
| GFXBench Car Chase | 28 | 71 |
Coming to the gaming bit, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro can handle most of the games with ease. I played Call of Duty: Mobile at Very High frame rates and graphics and didn’t feel any lag or stutter. The 480Hz touch sampling rate does improve the touch sensitivity, but it is only available when you turn on the Game Mode. The phone also manages the thermals efficiently while gaming. It does get a bit toasty, but it also cools down faster, which is a good sign.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro 5G Cameras: Decent Enough
- Primary camera – 50-megapixel, OIS, f/1.5 aperture, AF
- Ultrawide camera – 8-megapixel, f/2.2 aperture, FF
- Telephoto camera – 50-megapixel, 2X, OIS, f/2.0 aperture, AF
- Selfie camera – 50-megapixel, f/2.2 aperture, FF
One of the biggest differences between the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro lies in the camera department as well. Although the phones come with a triple-camera setup on the rear panel, the company has used different sensors.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro comes with a periscope lens that captures good photos.
While the Phone 3a gets a 50-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GN9 sensor, the Pro uses a Samsung ISOCELL GNJ sensor. Moreover, the Pro also comes with a slightly better telephoto lens. You get a 50-megapixel Sony LYTIA 600 sensor that delivers a 3x telephoto zoom (70mm equivalent focal length) with OIS support, while the Phone 3a uses a 2x telephoto lens with a 50-megapixel Samsung sensor and EIS support.
Moreover, the phone also features a better selfie camera compared to the Phone 3a. You get a 50-megapixel selfie shooter with the Phone 3a Pro, while the Phone 3a comes with a 32-megapixel shooter. Now that you know the differences, let’s talk about the camera performance.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro daylight primary camera samples. (Tap to open)
The primary sensor captures sharp and crisp images in daylight. The details are great. The contrast and dynamic range are also good, while the colours look vivid during the day. The primary camera can also capture 2x digital zoom photos, which also deliver good details and the colours are captured accurately.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro daylight camera samples clicked using telephoto lens. (Tap to open)
Coming to the telephoto sensor also captures sharp and detailed photos, which is well-matched with the primary camera and is surely the star of the show here. The portraits came out to be good as well, with good separation and edge detection. The skin tones are well-maintained, and the colours look natural. Interestingly, the telephoto lens also doubles as a macro shooter, capable of taking good photos in daylight, and the OIS helps capture steady shots.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro daylight camera samples clicked using wide-angle lens. (Tap to open)
That said, the ultrawide sensor is the weakest of the lot. Although it captures decent results, the details are a bit lower compared to the other two sensors. The barrel distortion is under control, but in most cases, the photos came out a bit soft for my liking.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro low-light camera samples clicked using primary sensor. (Tap to open)
Coming to low-light camera quality, the primary sensor holds up well. The sensor is able to capture plenty of details while still maintaining the dynamic range. The shadows and highlights are well-balanced in low shots taken from the primary sensor.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro low-light camera samples clicked using the telephoto lens. (Tap to open)
The telephoto sensor does a noticeably better job in low-light conditions. The 3x telephoto shots came out to be sharper and have more details. This is where OIS support really helps capture steady, low-light shots. The colours are well-mentioned, though I noticed that the light sources were a bit blown out, though it was not out of proportion.
Coming to the selfie camera, the phone is able to capture detailed shots in daylight conditions. In low light, you get decent photos that are social media-ready. The phone is able to capture natural skin tones. The portraits also came out to be good from the front camera in both day and low-light conditions.
I really liked the fact that the company has given me the option to shoot 4K video from both rear and front cameras. However, the telephoto and ultrawide sensors only allow video capture at 1080p. The quality of the videos is excellent in 4 K. The details are great, and so are the colours.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro 5G Battery: Good output
- Battery Capacity – 5,000mAh
- Wired Charging – 50W
- Charger – Not Included in Box
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro packs a 5,000mAh battery, which is slightly underwhelming compared to the other phones in the same segment. However, I must say that the company has optimised the battery well to make it last longer. During our HD battery test, the phone easily lasted 29 hours and 15 minutes. Moreover, in the PCMark Work battery test, the phone scored an impressive 18 hours and 10 minutes of continuous usage, which is again an impressive feat.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro offers a 50W fast charging support.
The benchmark results also reflect similar results in day-to-day life. I easily got more than a day’s worth of battery life with medium to heavy usage. My usual day included scrolling Reels, playing a couple of TDM matches on BGMI, using Maps during my commute, and watching videos on YouTube.
Regarding charging speeds, the phone supports 50W fast charging, and sadly, the company does not provide any charging bricks for the Phone 3a Pro. Additionally, the 50W fast charging is not the fastest in the segment, as some phones offer 100W fast charging support. I used an 80W GaN charger for this, and the phone managed to charge to 47 percent in 30 minutes and took almost 1 hour and 20 minutes to charge fully.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro 5G Verdict
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro 5G sure seems to be an interesting smartphone. The company has made all the much-needed upgrades over its predecessor to make it look more unique and upmarket. The design is surely debatable here. Some might like the new big circular camera module, but for me, it was a bit uncomfortable to hold it. That said, the device remains sleek and feels premium when held.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro offers a good value-for-money proposition in this price segment.
The performance is up to the mark, and the device can handle most of the tasks that you throw at it without much hassle. The cameras are surely an upgrade over the previous models and deliver good results in various lighting conditions. The user interface is clean and bloat-free, which is a rarity in this price segment. With that said, if you are looking for a unique smartphone that can stand out from the crowd in terms of design, deliver stable performance, and offer decent cameras, then you can definitely consider the Nothing Phone 3a Pro.
For alternatives, the smartphone will face a tough competition from the likes of Realme GT 7T, iQOO Neo 10R, Motorola Edge 50 Pro, and more.
