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.