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Nothing Phone (3a) Pro Unboxing: A Fresh Design & Powerful Camera Upgrade
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro has finally arrived, and we got our hands on a review unit sent by Nothing. In this article, we will share our first impressions after using the phone for a few days.
Unboxing Experience
Nothing has always made its packaging unique, and this time is no different. The box opens from the back, revealing a sleek new design. Inside the box, you get the phone, a Type-C charging cable, a SIM ejector tool, and documentation. However, unlike previous models, the cable is no longer transparent.
New Design & Build Quality
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro has a new camera bump with a triple-camera setup, including a periscope camera. The back of the phone is now glass, giving it a premium feel, unlike the previous plastic design.
Nothing has also changed the Glyph Lights, making them circular instead of vertical. The phone still features three Glyph Light sections, including a progress bar.
The device feels grippy and comfortable to hold, and at 211 grams, it has a solid build. The phone also comes with an IP64 rating, making it resistant to water splashes.
Display & Features
The phone features a 6.77-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2392 pixels). It supports HDR with a peak brightness of 3000 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even outdoors, with 1300 nits HBM and 800 nits typical brightness. Instead of Gorilla Glass, Nothing has used Panda Glass, which offers similar durability, but I’m not sure about it.
A new Essential Space feature has been introduced, activated via a special button below the power key. This allows quick access to screenshots, notes, and reminders, powered by AI.
Performance & Software
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, the same as in the standard (3a) model. It comes with Nothing OS 3.1 based on Android 14, with a promise of three years of major updates and six years of security updates.
In benchmark tests:
- Geekbench scores: Single-core – 1163, Multi-core – 3256
- AnTuTu score: Around 715,399
The UFS 2.2 storage could be a downside, as UFS 3.1 would have been a better choice for long-term performance.
Battery & Charging
The phone has a 5000mAh battery with 50W fast charging. A full charge takes about 56 minutes with a compatible charger. However, wireless charging is not available, which might disappoint some users.
Gaming Performance
The phone currently supports 90 FPS in BGMI, and an upcoming update might enable 120 FPS. Gaming tests showed no major frame drops, and thermals were well managed, keeping the phone cool.
Camera System
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro features a triple-camera setup:
- 50MP Primary Camera
- 8MP Ultra-Wide Camera
- 50MP Periscope Camera (3x Optical Zoom, OIS)
The periscope camera delivers clear and detailed zoom shots, especially at 3x and 6x zoom. It supports up to 60x digital zoom, though the quality degrades beyond 10x.
The camera app now includes custom presets for different photography styles, allowing users to adjust focus, exposure, and filters.
Pricing & Conclusion
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is priced at:
- Rs 32,000 for 8GB RAM + 256GB storage
- Rs 33,000 for 12GB RAM + 256GB storage (with bank offers available)
Pros:
- Unique design & glass back
- Periscope camera with 3x optical zoom
- Bright AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Essential Space AI feature
Cons:
No wireless charging
UFS 2.1 storage instead of UFS 3.1 Some color inconsistency in ultra-wide and main cameras (can be fixed via updates)
Overall, the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro offers a fresh design, great cameras, and smooth performance, making it a solid mid-range option for users who want a unique smartphone experience.
Nothing has released a new update (v1.0.12) for its Essential Space app, bringing two exciting sharing features to select Nothing phones. The update is currently available via the Play Store for Nothing Phone 3A, 3A Pro, and CMF Phone 2 Pro.
What’s New in the Update?
The update (around 94MB in size) focuses mainly on improving sharing options within the app:
- Audio Recording Sharing Enabled
Users can now record audio using the “Flip to Record” feature and directly share those recordings with others. Previously, Essential Space only supported sharing images, PDFs, and Markdown files. The new update now supports audio file sharing in AAC format. - Image Capture with Smart Text Summary
Users can capture images using the Essential key in the camera app, and the app uses AI to summarize what’s in the image. For example, if a photo includes a Nothing phone and white earbuds, the app automatically generates a description. This summarized image can then be shared along with the AI-generated text.
UI & Functionality
While the user interface hasn’t seen major changes, the new features add a practical edge to the app. The shared content even includes Nothing branding and a “Your Second Memory” tag, enhancing the brand’s unique style.
Supported Devices
These features are currently live on:
- Nothing Phone 3A
- Nothing Phone 3A Pro
- CMF Phone 2 Pro
- Nothing Phone 3
Make sure your Essential Space app is updated to version 1.0.12 to access these features.
The popular third-party dialer app N Dial, inspired by the clean design of Nothing OS, has received a major update called the Nimbus Update. This update brings a completely new user interface, smoother animations, and several practical improvements that enhance the overall calling experience on Android smartphones.
One of the biggest highlights of the update is the redesigned interface for Recents, Dialpad, Contacts, Favorites, and Contact Cards. Everything now looks more modern and minimal, matching the style seen on Nothing Phones. A new light theme called Nimbus has also been added, giving users a clean and bright look. Additionally, the navigation bar has been improved for better usability.
The app now includes haptic feedback when scrolling through contacts or using the dialpad, giving a more responsive feel. Users can also view and delete individual call entries for each contact, making call history management more flexible. Contact photos are now supported, and a new Albums View has been added in the Favorites section, alongside the classic grid layout.
To improve performance, N Dial now allows users to set a limit on call logs. Incoming calls no longer appear as pop-ups but are shown in the notification panel, providing a less distracting experience. The update also introduces features like quick notes during ongoing calls and external links for additional functionality.
In terms of technical improvements, the app’s animations are smoother, and overall performance has been boosted. Important bugs have been fixed, including issues with the proximity sensor and Bluetooth connections with smartwatches. The quality of contact images has also been enhanced.
N Dial is available for all Android smartphones, not just Nothing devices. It aims to provide a smooth, beautiful, and easy-to-use calling experience. Users can download the updated version from the Google Play Store, making sure the version name includes “Nimbus.”
Overall, the Nimbus Update brings major upgrades to N Dial, both in looks and performance. If you’re looking for a dialer that feels modern, simple, and closer to the Nothing Phone experience, this is a great option to try.
The Nothing Phone (3) was launched about a month ago with a starting price of around Rs 80,000. But recently, people have noticed listings on Amazon showing the phone for as low as Rs 56,500. This huge price drop of almost Rs 24,000 is raising questions—is this offer real or a scam?
Currently, Nothing has not officially announced any price drop. However, they are running bank offers on Flipkart, which can reduce the price by up to Rs 10,000. Even with these offers, the phone still sells for around Rs 70,000.
So, where did this Rs 56,500 price come from?
When you search for the Nothing Phone (3) on Amazon, you will see some listings showing the 12GB + 256GB variant at Rs 56,500. But if you look closely, these phones are not sold directly by Amazon or by Nothing, but by third-party sellers like “BeautyVerse” and “Jai Ram Wholesale”.
Although Amazon will ship the product, the sellers are unknown and could be selling used, open-box, or even fake units. In fact, Nothing does not sell any of its products officially on Amazon India. Their official partners are Flipkart, Croma, Vijay Sales, and select offline stores.
If you’re planning to buy the Nothing Phone (3), it’s better to wait for the Big Billion Days sale, where you might get an official price drop. Right now, you can get the phone for about Rs 70,000 with card discounts, or even lower if you exchange your old phone. For example, if you exchange a Nothing Phone (2) in flawless condition, you could get the Phone (3) for as low as Rs 45,000.
Final Advice:
Do not trust listings on Amazon for Nothing phones. These are not official and may be risky. Always buy from trusted and official sellers to avoid scams or fake products.