The Nothing Phone (2a) was one of my favorite phones of 2024, so I’ve been rather excited to take a look at its sequel. Now, the Nothing Phone (3a) series is here, and after using the Phone (3a) Pro, I’m pretty happy, but I also have a concern.
Nothing Phone (3a) is the direct sequel to Nothing Phone (2a). And, in that sense, it’s a pretty straightforward product, and I’ll saw a win for everyone. At $379 it’s more expensive, but you get a lot for that extra cost. A sorely-needed telephoto lens (even if it is only 2x), a glass back that looks and feels better, and a faster chipset too.
It’s a solid device through and through, and one I can already tell I’m going to love… but it’s not the only device in the lineup.
Nothing’s other release in the Phone (3a) Pro, which is the one I’ve been using first. As detailed in our launch coverage, the main difference between the base Phone (3a) and the Pro is the addition of a 3x periscope telephoto camera, a better selfie camera, and better camera sensors overall. It’s not very different, and that’s where my concern comes in.
I’m not sure who the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro appeals to.
The price here is tough. The $30 jump on Phone (3a) is completely justified, I feel, but the $80 difference between these phones is a bit harder to get on board with. Like the Phone (2a) Plus last year, I think the Pro has trouble justifying its existence. That said, I do think that having both debut at the same time makes it a better offer as customers can simply choose for themselves.
Plus, it’s not like these phones aren’t great to begin with.
I’ve only been using the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro as my daily driver for a couple of days now, but it’s proven itself solid. It effectively solves all of my complaints from last year. The screen is brighter, the camera has capable zoom, the performance is faster, and the software is as good as ever. Nothing Phone (2a) was already stellar, but Phone (3a), and Phone (3a) Pro, just take that a step further in all of the right ways.
And in my early testing, I’ve already found a lot to love.
The battery life seems solid enough, holding up to a trade show without struggling to last the full day. On my first full day of use, just shy of 4 hours of screen time left the battery with around 35% left in the tank. I’m hoping this will improve as the phone learns my usage, but it’s a good start! The camera also seems pretty good. Still not infallible, but an improvement over the prior generation, and good for the price point. The “Essential Space” feature seems promising, but that’s going to take a while to really test out.
The hardware is also much better than it was. Phone (3a)’s glass back essentially solves the only big problem I had last year. Phone (3a) Pro feels similarly good, though the massive camera bump (and its design) is a choice. I’m not a huge fan of the look of the camera layout, but it fits within Nothing’s general aesthetic.
I’m still not sold on Nothing’s pricing setup, and I think the Phone (3a) is absolutely the better buy of the two, but these are absolutely promising. It also sets the stage for an even better Phone (3) launch later this year.
Stay tuned for our full review coming soon, and drop a comment with any questions you have about either device.
More on Nothing:
- Nothing eyes expansion following successful 2024, $1 billion in lifetime sales
- Nothing Phone (3) will be a ‘first step’ toward ‘AI-powered platform’
- Circle to Search expands to Nothing Phone (2) and Phone (2a) with Android 15 update
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