The Nothing Phone 3A Pro has created quite a buzz in the Indian smartphone market, especially among tech enthusiasts who appreciate its unique design and software experience. Priced at around ₹30,000, this phone targets a niche audience that values aesthetics and innovation over raw performance. But does it live up to the hype? Is it worth your hard-earned money? In this detailed review, we’ll dive into every aspect of the Nothing Phone 3A Pro—design, display, software, performance, camera, battery, and more—to help you decide if this phone is the right fit for you.
Design: A Head-Turner with Some Trade-offs
The Nothing Phone 3A Pro stands out with its transparent back panel, a signature feature of the brand. The see-through design, combined with LED notification lights (Glyph interface), grabs attention wherever you go. People around you will likely ask, “What’s that phone?” The fascination with its design is real, and it feels like a breath of fresh air in a market filled with generic-looking smartphones.
However, the phone’s design isn’t without flaws. It’s a large device with a boxy shape and wide frame, which can feel uncomfortable during extended use, especially without a case. The protruding camera module, while stylish, can be irritating when slipping the phone into a pocket with other items. After about 30 days of use without a case, the plastic frame showed minor scratches, and a small dent appeared after an accidental drop. Thankfully, the pre-applied screen guard and the display itself held up well, with minimal scratches even after removing the guard for testing.
The Glyph lights serve as notification indicators, which is a cool feature, but their brightness can be overwhelming in dark environments. You’ll need to manually adjust the intensity to avoid irritation. Overall, the design is a bold statement, but its ergonomics could be better for long-term comfort.
Display: Bright and Reliable, but Not Perfect
The Nothing Phone 3A Pro comes with a display that performs well in most scenarios. Whether you’re using it indoors or outdoors, the brightness levels are sufficient, ensuring good visibility even in harsh sunlight. This is a big plus for users who spend a lot of time on their phones outside.
When it comes to content consumption, the display handles most tasks admirably. Unlike its predecessor, the Nothing Phone 2A, which had issues with noise and black crush in dark scenes, the 3A Pro shows significant improvement. Testing with dark scenes from the web series The Penguin revealed no major issues, making it a solid choice for watching movies or shows.
However, there’s one downside: the display lacks HDR support for Netflix, which is disappointing for a phone in this price range. If you’re someone who prioritizes HDR content, this might be a dealbreaker. Still, for everyday use—be it scrolling through social media or binge-watching—you won’t be disappointed with the display quality.
Software: A Unique and Clean Experience
One of the standout features of the Nothing Phone 3A Pro is its software. Running on Nothing OS, it offers a clean, bloatware-free experience, which is rare in the ₹30,000 segment. Unlike many competitors that bombard you with ads or pre-installed apps, Nothing keeps things minimal and user-friendly.
The software shines with thoughtful additions. For instance, the quick settings panel is highly customizable. You can stretch icons like the sound or Bluetooth toggle to reveal additional options, such as switching between ring, silent, and vibrate modes or viewing connected devices’ battery levels. These small touches make the phone feel intuitive and tailored to your needs.
Nothing’s widgets are another highlight. The recording app widget, for example, allows you to record calls or audio directly from the home screen, though it skips the mandatory call recording announcement (use this feature responsibly). The Photos widget, which displays a black-and-white slideshow of your favorite images, adds a personal touch and even integrates with the Always-On Display and lock screen.
A new addition is the Essential Key, activated by double-pressing the power button. It opens the Essential Space app, which integrates AI features like voice-recorded reminders and screenshot analysis. For example, you can snap a photo of a bill, set a reminder to pay it, and store everything in one place. While the concept is promising, the app needs refinement. Reminders don’t sync with Google Calendar, and there’s no search function for saved screenshots, making it less practical than it could be.
Despite minor bugs—like occasional gallery app crashes and overlapping quick settings toggles—the software experience feels unique and enjoyable. Nothing OS is a big reason why this phone stands out in its price segment.
Performance: Decent but Not a Powerhouse
The Nothing Phone 3A Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, paired with UFS 2.2 storage. While this setup is adequate for everyday tasks, it’s not the best in its class. In 2025, UFS 2.2 feels outdated, especially when competitors offer faster UFS 3.1 or 4.0 storage. The processor, too, is average for the price, making the phone less ideal for heavy multitasking or gaming.
For casual users, the phone runs smoothly 90% of the time. Apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook open without lag, and the phone handles basic tasks with ease. However, it struggles with heavier workloads. For instance, taking multiple photos in quick succession causes noticeable lag, and apps like VN Video Editor show stutters during editing. The phone also exhibits minor stutters after a restart, though these resolve after a few minutes.
Gaming performance is another mixed bag. Casual games like Call of Duty Mobile or BGMI run fine at low settings, but don’t expect smooth gameplay in high-graphics modes. If gaming is a priority, you might want to look at alternatives with more powerful chipsets.
Camera: Surprisingly Impressive
The camera system on the Nothing Phone 3A Pro is a pleasant surprise, especially considering its price. The main camera and the 3x periscope lens deliver excellent results, rivaling phones that cost significantly more. Colors are realistic with slight saturation, skin tones are accurate, and details are sharp without over-processing.
The periscope lens is a standout feature. During a test at a museum with miniature movie sets, the 3x lens captured intricate details with natural blur and accurate lighting. Even macro shots were impressive, outperforming some flagship phones like the OnePlus 13 in close-up scenarios. The consistency between the 1x and 3x lenses is commendable, ensuring uniform colors and quality across zoom levels.
However, the camera isn’t flawless. Taking multiple photos in quick succession leads to inconsistent processing, and challenging lighting conditions can result in halo effects. The 2x zoom shots lack detail, and the 8MP ultra-wide lens is average, which is typical for this price range. Video quality needs improvement, with issues like poor stabilization and HDR performance in tricky lighting.
Despite these shortcomings, the main and periscope lenses make the Nothing Phone 3A Pro a strong contender for photography enthusiasts on a budget.
Battery: Reliable but Not Groundbreaking
The Nothing Phone 3A Pro houses a 5,000mAh battery, which is decent but not exceptional in 2025, where competitors offer 6,000mAh batteries. Still, the phone delivers reliable battery life. With heavy usage—video calls, social media, and Always-On Display enabled—it offers 6.5 to 7 hours of screen-on time. On 5G, it managed 6 hours and 18 minutes, while Wi-Fi usage pushed it to nearly 8 hours.
Charging speed is capped at 50W, which takes about 60-70 minutes to fully charge the phone. Unfortunately, Nothing doesn’t include a charger in the box, adding an extra cost. On the bright side, the phone supports Power Delivery (PD) charging, so you can use a compatible laptop charger or any PD charger to juice it up.
Network and Other Features
Living in New Delhi and using Airtel, the Nothing Phone 3A Pro showed no network issues, ensuring stable calls and data connectivity. The speakers are loud and clear, and the fingerprint scanner is fast and reliable. These basic features, combined with the phone’s unique design and software, make it a well-rounded package for daily use.
Specifications Table
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Display | AMOLED, good brightness, no HDR on Netflix |
| Processor | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
| Storage | UFS 2.2 |
| Battery | 5,000mAh, 50W charging (no charger included) |
| Main Camera | High-quality, realistic colors |
| Periscope Lens | 3x zoom, excellent detail |
| Ultra-wide Lens | 8MP, average performance |
| Software | Nothing OS, clean, bloatware-free |
| Design | Transparent back, Glyph lights, boxy frame |
| Additional Features | Essential Key, customizable widgets |
Should You Buy the Nothing Phone 3A Pro?
The Nothing Phone 3A Pro is a phone of extremes. When it excels, it does so spectacularly—think software, design, and camera quality. But when it falls short, it does so noticeably, particularly in performance and storage speed. So, should you buy it?
If you’re a tech enthusiast who values a unique design, a clean software experience, and a capable camera, this phone is a fantastic choice. It’s perfect for users who don’t prioritize heavy gaming or multitasking but want a phone that stands out in a crowd. The ₹30,000 price tag is justified by its premium software and photography capabilities, though the lack of a charger and average processor might disappoint some.
On the other hand, if you need a phone for gaming, video editing, or top-tier performance, you might want to explore alternatives with faster processors and storage. Brands like Xiaomi or Realme offer more powerful options in this price range.
Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
The Nothing Phone 3A Pro is a bold attempt to break the mold of typical budget smartphones. Its design turns heads, its software feels fresh, and its cameras punch above their weight. While it’s not perfect—lagging performance and outdated storage hold it back—it’s a great pick for those who want something different. If you’re tired of cookie-cutter phones and don’t mind a few compromises, the Nothing Phone 3A Pro is worth considering.
What’s your take on the Nothing Phone 3A Pro? Are you using it, or are you planning to buy it? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s help others make an informed decision!
