- Big, beautiful display
- Exceptional performance for the price
- Funky transparent design
- Lack of eSIM support
- Comparatively limited software updates
- Lower water resistance rating
When you’re looking for a phone that costs less than $600, it’s guaranteed that there will be some compromises. For some devices, that’s a lower-spec processor. For others, the camera quality takes a hit. The Nothing Phone 3a, too, has made sacrifices. But these sacrifices result in a phone that, by and large, feels leagues ahead of its competitors
What we like about the Nothing Phone 3a
Unique design and gorgeous display. Nothing has become well-known for its playful, industrial, almost retro-futuristic aesthetic, and the Phone 3a is no exception. Available in white, black, or blue, the transparent back harkens back to the see-through tech of the 90s, like the clear purple Nintendo 64 controller I always used to fight my brother for. It’s bold, sleek, and such a refreshing change from the boring, featureless slabs we’ve become so used to.
Surrounding the camera bump at the rear, the Phone 3a sports three LEDs called “glyphs”, a toned-down version of the cluster of lights found on Nothing’s previous devices. These glyphs function as your camera flash and torch, but they can also show timers counting down, or display different flashing patterns for silent notifications.
Around the front, you’ll find an expansive 6.77-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate with an embedded fingerprint scanner. It’s a huge screen, one that’s a little too big for my personal preference, but it’s so bright and crisp that it’s hard not to love.
Snappy performance and all-day battery. The Nothing Phone 3a runs the minimalist Nothing OS on a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 5G chipset, the same found in the pricier Nothing Phone 3a Pro. No, it can’t compete with the likes of flagships from Samsung and Google, but it’s exceptionally capable for its budget price, whether you’re mobile gaming or editing a TikTok. Although an 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant does exist, only the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage variant is sold in Singapore, which is better value anyway.
The 5,000mAh battery will keep you going for at least a full day (I managed two with lighter use), and when it does time come for a recharge, 50W wired charging will get you from empty to full in under an hour. Unfortunately, as is to be expected in this price range, there’s no wireless charging capability.
Overall, the camera is great. The Nothing Phone 3a features a 50MP primary lens, 50MP telescope lens, and an 8MP ultrawide lens, plus a 32MP selfie camera. Somewhat surprisingly for a budget phone, those big numbers actually translate into some really solid photos, particularly landscape shots. The only area it struggles with is moving objects (like my dog). The 2x optical zoom and 4x in-sensor zoom capture exceptional detail, and it even manages in low-light conditions without too much noise—as long as you can hold still, that is.
Nothing Phone 3a camera samples
Check out these camera samples taken on the Nothing Phone 3a. Click or tap on any photo to see a larger version.
Hard-to-beat value. The good things about the Nothing Phone 3a aren’t just good for a budget device. They’re just straight-up good, regardless of price point. The fact that it costs just $549 is a very welcome bonus.
What we dislike about the Nothing Phone 3a
No eSIM. This won’t be a dealbreaker for everyone, but the lack of eSIM means you can’t switch as quickly between providers, nor can you use travel eSIMs. On the plus side, the Nothing Phone 3a does have dual SIM slots, so as long as you stick to physical SIM cards, you’ll be fine. If you simply can’t live without eSIM, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro does support it, but you’ll have to fork out an extra $100.
Limited software updates. While Nothing has committed to six years of security patches for the 3a, you’ll only get three years of software updates. Beyond that, you’ll miss out on any major Android releases. Three years isn’t terrible, but it pales to the OPPO A5 Pro’s five years and the Honor 400’s six. What does that mean in practice? Basically, the Phone 3a will be safe to use for six years, but it’ll stop feeling new after about three.
Water resistance could be better. As I mentioned earlier, Nothing has made some sacrifices to keep the Phone 3a under $600. One of those sacrifices is water resistance. At a rating of IP64, it’ll be able to handle the odd spray or bit of rain, but don’t expect it to survive a drop in the pool.
Essential Space is a missed opportunity. You may be wondering what the button below the Nothing Phone 3a’s power button is for. Quick camera access? A customisable shortcut button? No, it’s for Nothing’s Essential Space, which is Nothing-speak for what is essentially an AI-powered dumping ground of your screenshots, quick notes, reminders and other bits and bobs. It’s not terrible, but it’s not particularly useful either, and feels like a bit of a waste of a button
Nothing Phone 3a - Final thoughts
It’s not often that a budget smartphone truly impresses me, but the Nothing Phone 3a did just that. Its zippy performance, capable cameras and unique design make this $549 phone feel surprisingly premium. Sure, stronger water resistance would’ve been nice, and we certainly wouldn’t say no to a few more years of software updates, but for the price, the Nothing Phone 3a is hard to beat.
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