If you’re considering Nothing’s upcoming budget-friendly smartphones, the Phone (3a) and the Phone (3a) Pro, you’re probably wondering which one is the better pick. Both devices bring Nothing’s signature transparent design, Glyph lights, and a clean Android experience with Nothing OS 3. So, what’s the difference and which one should you buy? Let’s find out.
Design
The Nothing Phone (3a) sticks to the design language of the Phone (2a), with a dual-camera setup, transparent back, and Glyph lights arranged in a familiar layout. It comes in White, Black, and Blue colorways.
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro looks vastly different. To accommodate the periscope telephoto camera, it has a much larger camera bump and a redesigned camera layout, which is polarizing. Color options are limited to Grey and Black.
They are IP64-rated for dust and water resistance, offering protection against splashes. The key difference lies in weight: the Phone (3a) weighs 201g, while the Pro model is slightly heavier at 211g, likely due to its better camera hardware.
Both phones include stereo speakers, 360° NFC, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and a full suite of sensors (fingerprint under display, accelerometer, gyro, etc.). The Essential Space feature, tied to the Essential Key, is also available on both phones.
ALSO READ: First Look at Nothing Phone 3a Pro’s Essential Key and its Features Explained
Display
There’s no difference in size or display quality between the two. Both the Phone (3a) and the 3a Pro feature a 6.77-inch AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and 3,000 nits peak brightness.
Both displays are protected by Panda Glass. If you were hoping for a difference here, you won’t find one.
Performance & Software
Both phones run on the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, a mid-range processor with an Adreno 710 GPU. This brings very marginal improvements over the Dimensity 7350 on the Phone (2a) Plus. Performance will be similar across the board, whether you go for the 3a or the 3a Pro.
Software-wise, you’re getting Nothing OS 3 based on Android 15, with three years of major updates and four years of security patches.
Cameras: Where the Pro Stands Out
Here’s where the real difference kicks in. Both phones have the same 50 MP main sensor—Samsung GN9 1/1.57-inch with OIS and AF, and an 8 MP ultrawide camera—Sony IMX355 1/4-inch sensor with FF. However, the (3a) Pro features dual-pixel PDAF while the (3a) only features single-pixel PDAF.
However, the Phone (3a) Pro swaps the standard model’s 50 MP Samsung JN5 1/2.76-inch sensor 2X telephoto lens (no OIS) for a much better 50 MP Sony LYT600 1/1.95-inch 3X periscope telephoto with OIS. If zoom photography matters to you, the Pro is the clear winner.
For selfies, the standard Phone (3a) has a 32 MP front camera, while the Pro upgrades this to 50 MP. If you’re into high-quality selfies or video calls, the Pro has a slight advantage.
ALSO READ: Top Smartphones Launching in March 2025: Nothing Phone 3a Series, Xiaomi 15 Ultra & More
Battery & Charging
Both phones come with a 5,000 mAh battery and 50W wired fast charging, capable of hitting 50% in 19 minutes and 100% in under an hour. No difference here, so battery life and charging speed won’t be a deciding factor.
Storage & RAM
The Phone (3a) starts with 8 GB RAM, while the Phone (3a) Pro starts at 12 GB RAM. If you want more memory out of the box, the Pro makes sense. Storage options are the same—128 GB and 256 GB. The RAM version on both is LPDDR4X and the storage version is UFS 2.2.
Pricing & Value
The Nothing Phone (3a) starts at ₹24,999, making it a solid choice for those who want a good-looking (subjective), capable mid-range phone with some decent zoom without spending too much.
The Phone (3a) Pro starts at ₹31,999, with extra features like a better telephoto lens, a higher-resolution front camera, and that’s all. Whether that’s worth the extra ₹5,000 is a hot debate but personally I don’t think that’s worth it at all, especially given you’ll be paying ₹32,000 for 128 GB storage and that too UFS 2.2, not UFS 3.1. Here is the detailed pricing:
Phone 3a:
- 8/128GB: ₹24,999
- 8/256GB: ₹26,999
Phone 3a Pro:
- 8/128GB: ₹29,999
- 8/256GB: ₹31,999
- 12/256GB: ₹33,999
There is a ₹2,000 bank offer on each model of the Phone (3a) series. Day 1 buyers can aslo enjoy an additional ₹3,000 exchange bonus. The effective price after the offers for the Phone (3a) and the Phone (3a) Pro would be ₹19,999 and ₹24,999, respectively, which is a very sweet deal.
ALSO READ: Nothing Phone 3a Pro Camera App Detailed, Showcases Major Overhaul
Nothing Phone (3a) vs. Phone (3a) Pro: Specs Comparison
| Nothing Phone (3a) | Nothing Phone (3a) Pro | |
| Display | 6.77-inch AMOLED, 120 Hz, 1080 x 2412, 3000 Nits | 6.77-inch AMOLED, 120 Hz, 1080 x 2412, 3000 Nits |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4nm) | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4nm) |
| RAM/Storage | 8/12 GB, 128/256/512 GB | 8/12 GB, 128/256/512 GB |
| Main Camera | 50 MP (GN9, 1/1.57-inch, f/1.88, OIS, PDAF) + 50 MP (JN5, 1/2.76-inch, f/2.55, 2X) + 8 MP (IMX355, 1/4-inch, f/2.2) | 50 MP (GN9, 1/1.57-inch, f/1.88, OIS, dual-pixel PDAF) + 50 MP (LYT600, 3X, f/2.55, OIS) + 8 MP (IMX355, 1/4-inch, f/2.2) |
| Selfie Camera | 32 MP (KD1, 1/3.44-inch, f/2.2, 1080p60) | 50 MP (JN1, 1/2.76-inch, f/2.2, 4K30) |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh, 50W (100% in 56 min) | 5,000 mAh, 50W (100% in 56 min) |
| OS | Android 15, Nothing OS 3.1, 3 OS + 6 security | Android 15, Nothing OS 3.1, 3 OS + 6 security |
| Dimensions & Weight | 163.52 x 77.5 x 8.35mm, 201g | 163.52 x 77.5 x 8.39mm, 211g |
| Extra Features | Glyph Interface, Essential Space, IP64 | Glyph Interface, Essential Space, IP64 |
| Price (India) | 8/128GB: ₹24,999 8/256GB: ₹26,999 | 8/128GB: ₹29,999 8/256GB: ₹31,999 12/256GB: ₹33,999 |
Which One Should You Buy?
If you don’t care about zoom photography and just want a stylish, well-rounded smartphone with Nothing OS 3, the Nothing Phone (3a) is more than enough. But if you’re looking for a better camera system and a sharper selfie camera, you could get the Phone (3a) Pro. But I’d only recommend buying it with bank offers and if you don’t mind the relatively less powerful Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 at this price.
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