Hi Guys,
Welcome back to my post, Today I’m sharing the full & final review, it is based on 2 weeks of usage, I tried to cover almost everything including Pros & Cons of the device.
Nothing has been steadily carving a niche in the smartphone space with its unique design language and clean Android experience. The Nothing Phone (3a) brings that same philosophy to a more accessible mid-range price point while packing in some compelling hardware.
Design & Build:
Nothing Phone (3a) continues the brand’s iconic transparent design with its Glyph Interface, which serves both aesthetic and functional purposes. The lights on the back now integrate better with notifications, timers, and call indicators.
Despite being a mid-ranger, the device feels premium in-hand with its clean, minimalist & futuristic transperant design approach.
For Unboxing, First Impression & Design details check out this post — ‘Click Here’
Display:
Nothing Phone 3a have a 6.77″ FHD+ flexible AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, delivering fluid visuals and smooth scrolling. It’s bright enough for outdoor use and the 2160Hz PWM dimming ensures eye comfort, especially during night usage.
With a 1000Hz touch sampling rate, the display is highly responsive in real life. It has Panda Glass Protection which holds up well against scratches and minor drops.
It’s not the best display in segment but it is sharp, smooth, and visually engaging.
Performance:
Under the hood, the Nothing Phone (3a) is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, a capable 4nm chipset that balances performance and efficiency well. Everyday tasks, multitasking, and moderate gaming are handled without lags. I was getting stable 80-90 FPS during 2hrs of BGMI Gaming and didn’t faced overheating issue, it gets warm but not heat too much.
- not for heavy gaming.
8GB LPDDR4x RAM & UFS 2.2 Storage well manage the everyday tasks. But at this segment there must be UFS 3.1.
NothingOS 3.1:
Experience is further enhanced by NothingOS 3.1, based on Android 15, which is clean, bloat-free, and creatively designed.
3 years of OS upgrade and 6 years of security patches, longevity is a key strength of this device.
Check out my NothingOS experience & review here - ‘Click Here’
Battery & Charging:
Nothing Phone 3a has 5000mAh battery, easily lasting a full day and some under moderate usage. Charging is quick with 50W charging. There’s no wireless charging here, but that’s acceptable given the price point.
Check out my detailed Charging Test & Battery Review here - ‘Click Here’
Audio & Connectivity:
The dual stereo speakers provide a balanced and fairly loud audio output for media consumption.
Connectivity is robust with -
- Wi-Fi 6
- Bluetooth 5.4
- NFC
- 16 5G bands, ensuring excellent network compatibility and future-proofing.
Cameras:
The Nothing Phone (3a) camera setup is descent for a mid-ranger:
- 50MP OIS Main Sensor
- 8MP Ultra-Wide
- 50MP 2x Telephoto
- 32MP Front Camera
Check out my detailed camera review & samples here - ‘Click Here’
Glyph Interface & Extras:
The Glyph lights is offering more customization and practical use-cases, including integration with apps and notifications. While it may seem gimmicky at first glance, it genuinely adds to the phone’s personality and can be quite useful.
- In-display fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable
- IP64 rating
If you’re looking for a stylish, feature-rich smartphone along with clean user experience, the Nothing Phone (3a) is a standout option in the mid-range segment.
📌 Rating: 8/10 (Review)
📌 Pros:
- Unique and premium design
- Clean, bloat-free software
- Long software support
- Descent camera setup (not best in segment)
- Smooth and responsive display
- Animations integration in UI
- Strong Network Connectivity
- Doesn’t heat too much (<43°C)
📌 Cons:
- Ultra-wide sensor is average
- No wireless charging
- performance is good, but not for heavy gaming
- UFS 2.2
- Easily capture dust & fingerprints
- Apps often reload when opened from recent tasks
- No case or charging adapter included in the box
- No 4K recoding from Telephoto lens
- Competitors giving higher rating than IP64
- No eSIM support
- The Essential key’s prominent placement has moved the Power button to a new spot that takes some time to get used to
- Display bezels are equal but thick in segment
I hope you liked my review, share your opinion in comment section.
Special thanks to the Community Review Program for giving me the opportunity to review Nothing Phone (3a).
Thank you,
Ishan Wankhade 🙂
