Nothing Phone (3a) Pro hands-on review: a quirky design blended with AI
Nothing's latest smartphone promises weird looks, AI, and solid cameras - and we got to go hands-on
📱 Nothing has announced the Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro
💡 The devices come with Nothing’s transparent design and LED lights
📸 They promise better camera quality, performance, and AI
👀 The Phone (3a) Pro is the most interesting of the two
🤳 In my hands-on time, I found this phone to be quite interesting
❌ Unfortunately, it’s only coming to the United States in a beta program
The next Nothing phones have arrived. Today, the company unveiled the new Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro, two new mid-range options designed to take on phones like the Galaxy A56 and upcoming Pixel 9a. I had a chance to go hands-on with both of the new phones ahead of their unveiling at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and I was most curious about the (3a) Pro. What exactly makes it a Pro-grade phone compared to the 3a? Turns out, a lot.
These phones have a lot in common. Both of them come with 6.77-inch 120Hz OLED screens, triple rear cameras, Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processors, big batteries, and a new AI key on the right side. But it seems that Nothing wants to give those who want the “best thing” the “best thing” for less than $500, and the Phone (3a) Pro - at first glance - seems like it’s ready for the challenge.
I’m saving my final thoughts for my full review, but here’s a breakdown of how my hands-on time with the Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro has gone.
Hands-on with Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro
🔍 Transparency is key. Nothing’s design language always sticks out because of how unique it is, and it’s continuing that trend with the (3a) and (3a) Pro. Both phones offer clear backplates with neat internal designs that give the phones a lot of character. Plus, you get the Glyphh LED interface that lights up for notifications, app status like Uber rides, music, and more. These are some of the hardest phones to put in cases.
📸 The weirdest camera bump ever. When I first saw the Phone (3a) Pro’s camera bump, it caught me off guard. The sensors aren’t symmetrical with the rest of the housing at all, and the whole thing is absolutely huge. Is all of this necessary? I’m not really sure; while it doesn’t have a periscope camera, the regular Phone (3a) has a normal-looking camera setup that’s far cleaner and sleeker than the (3a) Pro’s. I’ll have to see if it grows on me during my review.
🫰 They feel… cheap? I know these are meant to be budget phones, but I’ve used budget phones that don’t feel as cheap as these do. The matte plastic frame feels noticeably cheaper than an aluminum frame, and the phones themselves feel more like toys than what I’ve experienced with previous Nothing phones. Maybe that feeling will change over time, but right now, they don’t feel great.
🌆 Camera quality seems respectable. I’ve only had a chance to play with the cameras briefly, but they seem pretty decent. Nothing amped up the quality of the Phone (3a) Pro’s cameras in my pre-briefing ahead of today’s announcement, and all of its materials hint at a big upgrade for the sensors. There’s a 50MP main, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a new 50MP periscope with 3x optical zoom and up to 60x hybrid zoom. In my early testing, these cameras are performing well and capturing good light and detail, while the Phone (3a)’s similar setup (minus the periscope and replaced with a 50MP 2x telephoto) is doing the same. I need more time for a final verdict, but so far, they seem fairly decent.
🔭 I’m intrigued by the periscope. That 50MP periscope lens on the Phone (3a) Pro is interesting since a lot of phones don’t typically include it if it’s not a flagship, yet Nothing leaned in its direction enough to actually use it. Its quality doesn’t appear to be much different than the main lens which is important, although zoom shots past 6x seem to be dropping in detail and clarity fairly quickly. Again, I’ll need to spend more time with it, but I’m intrigued nonetheless.
🤖 Solid performance and efficiency. With Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processors in each, the Phone (3a) series feels responsive and zippy in day-to-day usage. They also come with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which are nice perks for mid-range phones. I also like the fact they come with 5,000mAh batteries and 50W wired charging (no wireless charging here). I haven’t had enough time to test them, but so far, efficiency seems pretty good; they certainly aren’t dying before my day ends, which is a good sign.
📱 Beautiful screens for the price. Strap a big OLED screen to anything and it’s hard to say it looks bad. On the Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro, it’s the same case. The 6.77-inch Full HD+ panels are beautiful with good color and brightness, and I like the fact Nothing included 120Hz refresh rates on both phones - not just the Pro.
🤳 Nothing OS continues to delight. Based on Android 15, Nothing OS continues to delight me every time I use it. I love all the cute widgets and the unique fonts throughout the system, while the iconography stands out as something truly unique. It doesn’t feel as cartoonish as Samsung’s One UI or OnePlus’ OxygenOS by any means; instead, there’s a homey-ness to it that reminds me of using a Pixel. The only downside is it’s limited to three major OS upgrades, but at least you get four years of security patches.
🤔 Essential Space is… interesting. Nothing is leaning into AI with the Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro with its new Essential Key that, when tapped, brings forth a set of AI tools that can analyze what’s on the screen, take voice notes, and more to help you keep track of your to-do list, solve everyday problems, and more. I haven’t had enough time to dive in just yet, but the feature seems promising. I’ll report back in my full review.
Pricing and availability
The Phone (3a) will start at $379 while the (3a) Pro will start at $459. Both will be sold in the United States through a special beta program from Nothing in the 12GB RAM/256GB storage configuration. You’ll be able to buy the (3a) from Nothing.tech beginning on March 11 and the (3a) Pro on March 25.
Stay tuned for the full review
I’m diving into a full review of the new Nothing phones next, so be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on The Shortcut’s full thoughts coming soon.
Max Buondonno is Editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.
