Nothing Telephone (3a) overview: Unbelievable worth

Nothing is increasing. At MWC 2025, the corporate launched its newest and best price range telephones — gadgets that take the torch from the well-received Nothing Phone (2a). However in contrast to the Telephone (2a), there are literally two Nothing Telephone (3a) gadgets — within the type of the Nothing Telephone (3a) and Telephone (3a) Professional. We regarded on the Telephone (3a) Professional in a separate overview, nevertheless it definitely begs the query. If there’s a “Professional” Telephone (3a), why would anybody purchase the bottom mannequin?

To be clear, the Nothing Telephone (3a) is definitely cheaper than the Professional mannequin, sitting in at $379 for the one mannequin out there within the U.S. (lower-end fashions can be found elsewhere). However that’s not radically cheaper than the Telephone (3a) Professional, and for those who’re enthusiastic about considered one of them, you could be enthusiastic about each.

How does the Nothing Telephone (3a) carry out towards its dearer sibling — and is it price shopping for, or must you save up a little bit?

Nothing Telephone (3a) specs

Nothing Telephone (3a) overview: Design

The Nothing Telephone (3a) retains Nothing’s beloved clear rear design, however its general look doesn’t fairly match the (3a) Professional. In reality, it’s a lot nearer to the Phone (2a) earlier than it — with its centered and horizontal digital camera bar.

It does have some distinctive design components to it although. The LED glyph design on the again is barely totally different, as are the clear components below the rear glass. You’ll nonetheless get the fashionable feeling flat edges too, which I fairly like — although to be honest it’s beginning to really feel barely drained.

The Nothing Telephone (3a) additionally has Nothing’s new “Important Key” on the proper aspect. Like on the Professional mannequin, the Important Key’s placement is a little bit awkward, and also you’ll seemingly use it as an influence button initially. You’ll get used to the format, however for those who’re something like me, it’s possible you’ll not discover a lot of a use-case for the Important Key. If you press it, the system will take a screenshot of no matter you’re and file your voice, which it’s going to then transcribe. We’ll get into the Important House, the place it saves this content material, extra later.

Picture supply: Christian de Looper for BGR

The Glyph interface, in fact, is a giant a part of the Nothing expertise. It’s a neat contact, and I like having it notify you that Do Not Disturb is enabled, for instance, whenever you place the cellphone face down on a desk.

Typically, the Nothing Telephone (3a) appears distinctive and fascinating, and whereas it’s not that totally different than Nothing telephones earlier than it, there’s nonetheless nothing else prefer it on the market proper now.

Nothing Telephone (3a) overview: Show

The Nothing Telephone (3a) has a shiny, colourful AMOLED show that makes all the things from scrolling by way of social media to watching movies really feel clean and satisfying. Whereas the decision isn’t the best on the market, the deep colours and powerful distinction make up for it, making certain a fantastic viewing expertise for many customers. In almost each approach besides decision, the show holds its personal towards flagship telephones, which is spectacular at this value level.

Picture supply: Christian de Looper for BGR

Probably the most stunning options is the 120Hz refresh charge, which makes interactions really feel fluid and snappy. This type of responsiveness is uncommon on this value vary, particularly because the Nothing Telephone (3a) makes use of LTPO know-how—one thing often reserved for dearer gadgets. LTPO additionally helps with battery effectivity by dynamically adjusting the refresh charge primarily based on what’s on the display screen.

With a peak brightness of 3000 nits, the show stays seen even in direct daylight, which is nice for outside use. Some competing telephones might need barely sharper screens, however the Nothing Telephone (3a) makes up for it with wonderful brightness, clean efficiency, and vibrant colours, making it a stable alternative for anybody searching for a high-quality show with out breaking the financial institution.

Nothing Telephone (3a) overview: Efficiency

The Nothing Telephone (3a) packs a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, paired with both 8GB or 12GB of RAM — and our overview system has 12GB. Impressively, it options the identical chip because the dearer Telephone (3a) Professional, which means efficiency variations between the 2 are minimal in on a regular basis use.

Picture supply: Christian de Looper for BGR

For a mid-range cellphone, it handles all the things you throw at it with ease, from gaming to multitasking. Whereas it doesn’t match the sheer energy of flagship gadgets, it additionally prices considerably much less. You would possibly discover some slowdowns after a number of years as apps turn into extra demanding, however for now, it delivers a clean and dependable expertise.

In comparison with equally priced telephones, the Nothing Telephone (3a) holds its personal as one of many better-performing choices.

Nothing Telephone (3a) overview: Battery and charging

The Nothing Telephone (3a) comes outfitted with a 5,000mAh battery, providing stable battery life that simply lasts a full day for many customers. Gentle customers would possibly even squeeze out two days, however average and heavy customers will nonetheless have to cost in a single day.

Picture supply: Christian de Looper for BGR

Charging speeds are respectable, with 50W wired charging making certain you may prime up shortly, although it’s not the quickest in the marketplace. Sadly, there’s no wi-fi charging, which is a bit disappointing. Even primary wi-fi charging assist, even when not the most recent Qi2 commonplace, would have been a welcome addition for added comfort.

Nothing Telephone (3a) overview: Digicam

The Nothing Telephone (3a) comes with a succesful digital camera system, that includes a 50-megapixel major digital camera, a 50-megapixel telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor. The primary and ultrawide cameras ship pretty constant outcomes, however the telephoto lens has noticeably totally different colour tuning, which might make photos look barely off when switching between lenses.

Picture supply: Christian de Looper for BGR

That mentioned, having a devoted telephoto digital camera at this value is a rarity, and it’s a welcome addition. The cellphone makes use of sensor cropping tech to realize as much as 4x lossless zoom, which is stable, although not fairly on par with the 6x zoom out there on the 3a Professional. Past 5x zoom, element begins to drop off shortly, however for on a regular basis pictures, the telephoto lens nonetheless provides a great quantity of versatility.

In shiny lighting, the Nothing Telephone (3a) captures colourful photos throughout all its cameras, although picture processing is a little bit awkward and infrequently a little bit brighter than it needs to be. Low-light efficiency is respectable, although not distinctive—images can come out barely noisy, and a few finer particulars get misplaced in the dead of night.

Regardless of its quirks, the digital camera system is kind of good for the worth. The 3a Professional could have a extra succesful zoom, however for many customers, the Nothing Telephone (3a) provides a well-rounded and dependable digital camera expertise that beats many different budget-friendly choices.

When you’re searching for an reasonably priced cellphone with a stable digital camera setup, this one is unquestionably price contemplating. It’s not good, nevertheless it’s spectacular for the worth and may deal with a wide range of taking pictures conditions with ease.

Nothing Telephone (3a) overview: Software program

The Nothing Telephone (3a) delivers a stripped-back software program expertise, staying true to Nothing’s signature aesthetic. The interface options monochrome logos and retro-feeling widgets, giving it a definite and minimalist look that units it other than different Android skins. Whereas it’s clear and easy, the software program nonetheless brings a number of new options to reinforce usability.

Certainly one of these is an AI-organized app drawer, which works equally to the App Library on iOS. It robotically categorizes apps, making it simpler to seek out what you want. I discovered it helpful, nevertheless it’s not for everybody—fortunately, it’s utterly elective, so you may keep on with a standard app format for those who choose.

Picture supply: Christian de Looper for BGR

One other addition is the brand new Important House characteristic, which saves screenshots and voice memos captured utilizing the Important Key. It permits for fast entry and group, although I’m unsure how helpful it is going to be for most individuals. It’s an fascinating thought, nevertheless it won’t be a must have characteristic.

In relation to software program assist, Nothing falls a bit brief in comparison with manufacturers like Google and Samsung. The Telephone (3a) is promised three years of OS updates and a further three years of safety patches. Whereas that’s respectable, it lags behind the seven years of OS updates supplied by some opponents, which is one thing to contemplate if long-term software program assist is a precedence for you.

Conclusions

The Nothing Telephone (3a) delivers lots of worth for its $379 value, making it one of the vital compelling price range smartphones out there. It provides a smooth design, a shiny and clean show, and a digital camera setup that features a uncommon telephoto lens on this value vary. Efficiency is powerful for on a regular basis use, and whereas it received’t match flagship telephones, it holds up effectively towards equally priced competitors. Battery life is stable, and whereas the shortage of wi-fi charging is disappointing, the 50W wired charging helps make up for it.

That mentioned, software program assist is a bit restricted in comparison with manufacturers like Google and Samsung, and the digital camera, whereas versatile, isn’t with out its quirks. Nonetheless, for those who’re searching for a classy and succesful cellphone that punches above its weight, the Nothing Telephone (3a) is a wonderful possibility that delivers a premium really feel at an reasonably priced value.

The competitors

At this value level, the competitors isn’t the strongest. The Samsung Galaxy A36 and OnePlus Nord N200 are each severely underpowered in comparison with the Telephone (3a), and whilst you might spend extra for a greater system, in doing so that you’ll seemingly find yourself with the Nothing Telephone (3a) Professional.

Ought to I purchase the Nothing Telephone (3a)?

Sure. It’s the most effective cellphone in its value vary.