The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is here, following the launch of the standard 3a model. With a transparent design, clean software, improved hardware, and a bold new look, Nothing continues to challenge the mid-range smartphone market.
But does the Phone 3a Pro bring enough to stand out in a sea of aggressively priced rivals? Let’s find out.
Design
The design continues Nothing’s legacy with a transparent back, now sporting a large circular camera module. It sets the Pro version apart from the regular 3a.
This model swaps the plastic back for glass, giving it a more premium in-hand feel. The frame, though polycarbonate, gets a soft matte finish that feels sleek.
It weighs 211g and is 8.39mm thick, making it comfortable enough for daily use. There’s also IP64 certification, offering splash and dust resistance.
However, the big circular camera ring might make the phone a little awkward to hold, especially when resting your index finger on the back.
The Glyph interface wraps around this camera unit and retains its customisation perks like music syncing, timer alerts, and notifications.
Display
You get a 6.77-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. With HDR10+ and 10-bit colour support, it’s a treat for watching high-quality content. The display is flat, bright, and sharp, avoiding the reflection issues that come with curved panels.
Touch response is smooth thanks to the 480Hz sampling rate, and you can pick between Alive and Standard display modes depending on your colour preference.
The screen is protected by Panda Glass and houses an in-display fingerprint sensor, which is fast though placed a bit low. Stereo speakers further enhance the media experience, especially when paired with the Glyph lighting.
Software
The phone runs on Nothing OS 3.2 based on Android 15. The software experience is minimalist, clean, and bloat-free, which is rare in this segment. You get the dot matrix fonts, monochrome UI elements, and no unnecessary third-party apps.
There’s also a feature called Essential Space, which is Nothing’s AI-based dashboard to help surface key information. The OS promises three years of software updates and six years of security updates, making it a future-proof choice.
Performance
Powering the phone is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, built on a 4nm process. Daily tasks like video playback, web browsing, and multitasking are handled smoothly. With up to 12GB RAM and UFS 2.2 storage, the phone is snappy in day-to-day use.
In benchmarks, the Phone 3a Pro performs reasonably well though not on par with some heavy hitters:
| Benchmark | Nothing Phone 3a Pro | iQOO Neo 10R |
|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu v10 | 801,123 | 1,491,562 |
| Geekbench 6 Single Core | 1173 | 1927 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi Core | 3239 | 5047 |
| 3DMark Wild Life | 3988 | 7797 |
Gaming performance is decent. Call of Duty: Mobile runs smoothly at high settings, and the 480Hz touch sampling helps with responsiveness during gameplay. Thermals are handled well — it gets warm but cools down quickly.
Cameras
The camera setup is where the Pro differs the most from the standard model. It has a 50MP main sensor with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 50MP 3x telephoto lens. On the front, there’s a 50MP selfie camera.
Daylight shots are sharp and vibrant. The telephoto lens especially shines in portrait shots and macro photos. The primary camera handles exposure and dynamic range well, while the telephoto sensor captures crisp 3x zoom images with natural skin tones and good detail.
Low-light performance is also solid, particularly from the main and telephoto cameras. The ultrawide, however, is the weakest link — images lack sharpness and detail. Selfies come out well in both bright and dim conditions, and portraits have decent edge detection.
Video recording supports 4K on both front and rear main cameras, while the ultrawide and telephoto are limited to 1080p. Video quality is impressive, especially in 4K.
Battery
The phone features a 5,000mAh battery, offering over a day of usage with mixed activities like streaming, gaming, and navigation. It scored 29 hours and 15 minutes on the HD video loop test and 18 hours, 10 minutes in PCMark’s battery test.
Charging is via 50W fast charging, though no adapter is included in the box. Using an 80W GaN charger, the phone charged to 47% in 30 minutes and took about 1 hour and 20 minutes for a full charge. While not class-leading, it’s respectable.
Verdict
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro offers meaningful upgrades in design, software, camera, and display. Its standout design, smooth performance, clean UI, and improved camera experience make it a solid option in the ₹30,000–₹34,000 price range.
It may not beat rivals in raw power, but it scores with its overall experience and personality. If you’re after a smartphone that looks and feels different, offers clean software, and has reliable performance with good cameras, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is worth a serious look.
That said, alternatives like the Realme GT 7T, iQOO Neo 10R, and Motorola Edge 50 Pro offer stiff competition with better specs in some areas. So, it depends on what you value most — design and clean experience, or raw performance.
FAQs
What is the price of Nothing Phone 3a Pro?
Starts at ₹29,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant.
Does the Phone 3a Pro have wireless charging?
No, it supports 50W wired charging only.
Is the camera better than the Phone 3a?
Yes, especially with the upgraded 3x telephoto lens.
How many years of updates are promised?
Three years of software and six years of security updates.
Does the Nothing Phone 3a Pro support 4K video?
Yes, 4K recording is available on front and rear cameras.
