Nothing phone 3A and 3A Pro in MWC 2025 are fun, intrusive and affordable
London -based technology company has nothing pleased us before with its light Android phones which provide some of the necessary frivolity in a world full of ordinary, gray smartphones that are taken too seriously. The Nothing Phone 3A and 3A Pro are cut from the same towel as their predecessors, packing solid features, affordable price labels and design, infused by an LED that stands out from the crowd.
The Nothing Phone 3A is the main model in the new series, starting at $ 379 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB storage. In the UK, you can pick up a pared-back model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage for only £ 329, or get 12GB/256GB models for £ 379. Phone 3A Pro has a more fulfilling system for cameras than the base 3A, but shares the same processor, display and batteries. It costs $ 459 (449 pounds) for the 12GB/256GB model.
I tested The Nothing Phone 3a Pro while I was in Barcelona for this year’s Mobile world congressS I am quite passionate about the price and performance of the phone and look forward to seeing how it sorts against other affordable phones like new Samsung Galaxy A series and Google Pixel 8a – as well as more expensive budget phones such as iPhone 16ES
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Nothing phone 3A on Flashy Design
Intrusive lights? Yes, please.
Design is the first thing that stands out for these phones. The main back reveals screws and data ribbons, giving it an industrial look that seems attractive to me. LED lights – which is nothing calling the glyph – scattered around the camera units both on the phones and to light you to warn you of incoming notifications. They are a fun addition to the phones of nothing that you won’t find anywhere else.
Both phones have a 6.7-inch displays that looked bright and vibrant over time, easily counteracting the gray, cloudy weather of Barcelona. These under the bright lunch California Sun may have different experience. With the evaluation of the water resistance of the IP68, the acceptance of conversations in the rain of pouring (again, not you, California) will not be a problem.
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Nothing phone 3A and 3A Pro performance
The display is vibrant and sharp.
The 3A series power is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7S Gen 3 processor, which provides decent results of our comparison tests, especially given the price of phones. Although it does not exceed the present day Flagship3A Pro results are more in line with Pixel 8a and Galaxy A35 5GBoth are great phones.
With daily use, the phone has a lot of power for basic tasks, while games like Alto Odysse and vampire survivors were smooth.
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Nothing phone 3A and AI
Both phones manage Android 15 at their base, but nothing has customized the interface with a great, monochrome aesthetics. It looks elegant, but sometimes I struggle to distinguish the icons of applications when they are reduced to minimalist black and white buttons. However, you can be in the mono look and, if not, you can customize the layout to your liking. Nothing promises a total of six years of software and security support, which is good, especially given the price.
Gemini Advanced, Gemini Live and Circle to Search are available for use of phones, and although nothing has thrown anything in much of my own AI things (for which I am grateful), it launches an instrument I like. Called Essential Space, it is designed as a central center for storing your thoughts, notes, screenshots and ideas throughout the day.
The main space will be filled with all your thoughts and ideas. Maybe.
See some shoes you like? Open the camera and use the special Essential Space button on the side of the phone to save a shot – along with your voice note for them – for your space. You need to buy brie, vodka, party hats and snake food on the way home? Pressing the button will allow you to dictate your shopping list to add it to your space to check later.
This is a good idea in theory, though it currently seems limited to its functionality. The main space is essentially a hub for screenshots and voice notes, but I see its potential. It is refreshing to find a feature that is unique and really useful. Nothing emphasizes that the essential space is still in beta, with more features along the way – so be careful about this space.
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Nothing phone 3A Pro Camera
Both phones pack 50 megapixel main cameras, and although nothing says that the Pro model has upgraded autofocus and a dynamic range, I have not yet been able to compare them, so my thoughts are based on using the 3A Pro phone.
Taken with the main camera, this frame is vibrant and sharp.
Despite the challenging scene with high contrast, the Phone 3A Pro does a decent job, balancing bright accents and shady areas.
There are different filters, but I especially like black and white.
The Ultrawide camera provides a well -balanced exposure to this frame.
While the base 3A packs a 50-megapixel telephoto camera capable of 2x optical magnification, the 50-megapixal periscope camera of 3A Pro offers a 3x optical increase, with a 6x “in-sensor” increase, which effective increase, which effective increase sensor crops to achieve a longer increase.
Taken in 6x zoom, this shot remains pleasant and sharp
The 3A baseline has a 32-megapixel front camera, and the 3A Pro has a 50-megapixel sensor that is larger to help with sharper photos.
Testing the Pro front camera was the perfect excuse to get a big beer. The image itself is good, especially given the relatively low light environment.
Nothing phone 3A, 3A Pro or competitive phone?
Nothing 3A (left) and nothing 3A Pro (right).
I am surprised by how small there is a difference between the two models. With the same processor, 5000mAh display and battery (with 50W fast charging), the main differences are the added increase in Periscope and the front camera with higher resolution. Is photography important to you? If so, maybe spring for the professional. Otherwise, save a few dollars and go for the base model.
Both phones seem to offer a solid overall experience at a really reasonable price. At $ 379, this is a lot for a phone that can handle almost anything – especially when Apple considers $ 599 for “affordable” for iPhone 16ES However, unless you need a new phone right away, it may be worth waiting for you to see how Samsung’s Galaxy A26 and A36 A36 A36 or Google’s Pixel 9A is just around the corner.
Watch this: Nothing phone 3A unboxing
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