Premium aluminium body, 5,000mAh battery, 50MP telephoto camera & lots more: Nothing Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro

A few years back, the word ‘nothing’ had little significance in our daily lives. But today, standing here in 2025, the tables have turned – ‘Nothing’ is not just another word but a brand that stands out in its own form.

Image Source: Nothing website

Premium design, fast charging & lots more

Founded by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei in 2020, the British consumer electronics manufacturer based in London has finally unveiled its much-awaited mid-range smartphone - the (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro series. Departing from the plastic and back panel of the previous Phone (2a) and (2a) Plus, the new Phone (3a) series now features aluminium and glass, delivering a more premium feel and enhanced durability.

The mid-range smartphone market has seen little innovation, leaving a gap for something new. Nothing’s unique design approach and custom OS appeal to budget-conscious users seeking a fresh, distinctive experience — perfectly filling this unmet market need. These devices not only feature a more refined build but also mark Nothing’s debut in the telephoto camera space.

Both models are powered by a 5,000mAh battery, matching the capacity of their predecessors. Nothing claims the battery can deliver up to 26 hours of YouTube playback or 11 hours of PUBG gaming. It’s also built to last, retaining over 90% of its maximum capacity after 1,200 charge cycles. The devices support 50W fast wired charging via USB-C, though wireless charging is still absent.

Powerful camera setup, enhanced IP rating & more

The camera packs a powerful setup with features like a 50MP main camera with a 1/1.57″ sensor and OIS, paired with an 8MP ultra-wide camera sporting a 1/4″ sensor. The third lens is a 50MP telephoto camera with a 1/2.75″ sensor, offering 2x optical zoom, 4x in-sensor zoom, and up to 30x Ultra Zoom. On the front, there’s a 32MP selfie camera with a 1/3.44″ sensor.

The Nothing Phone (3a) resembles last year’s Phone (2a) but swaps out the design for a horizontal triple-camera setup, seemingly inspired by the Google Pixel 9 series. Meanwhile, the Phone (3a) Pro stands out with a distinctive, protruding circular camera bump, where the lenses are arranged asymmetrically.

While both models share nearly identical specs, they stand apart in design, with the most noticeable difference being the distinct camera bump on each device. Both the Phone (3a) and (3a) Plus also come with an improved IP64 rating (up from IP54), offering better protection against dust and splashes.

The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro also steps up its selfie game with a 50MP front camera, featuring a larger 1/2.76″ sensor for sharper, more detailed shots. The Phone (3a) will be available in Black, White, and Blue, while the Pro version comes in Grey and Black.

Image Source: Nothing website

A perfect blend of style & functionality

For its 2025 mid-range lineup, Nothing is elevating its game with upgraded materials while staying true to its iconic semi-transparent design and Glyph interface, which functions as customisable notification lights. The easiest way to tell the two phones apart is by their camera bumps.

Both models sport a 6.77″ Full HD+ AMOLED display with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, an impressive peak brightness of 3000 nits, a 1000Hz touch sampling rate, and 2160Hz PWM dimming for eye comfort. Moving away from MediaTek, the Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro now run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 5G platform, paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

One of the most exciting new features is the addition of a physical button called the Essential Key. Rather than summoning an AI assistant like Google Gemini, this button is designed to access Essential Space — a dedicated hub for capturing content, ideas, and inspirations on the fly.

A single press of the Essential Key captures whatever’s on your screen, while a long press lets you record voice notes or spontaneous thoughts. Double-pressing the button takes you straight to Essential Space, where your saved content is neatly organised with the help of AI, keeping everything important right at your fingertips.