Nothing's new budget Android phones make Samsung and Apple look bad

Phone brand Nothing creates some of the most aesthetically striking mobile devices on the market. That pattern will continue into 2025, as the company recently revealed its new Phone (3a) Series. 

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The set consists of the base Phone (3a) and the Phone (3a) Pro. Both models house an optimized Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, ditching the MediaTek hardware present in the previous generation. 

According to Nothing, the new processor allows the duo to be up to “33% faster than [the] Phone (2a)”. The devices are also better at running video games. Players will enjoy more “stable frame rates” plus 11% better graphical fidelity.

To support mobile titles, the smartphones have a 4,500 mm² vapor chamber to keep temperatures low and a RAM Booster. This feature combines “physical and virtual RAM”, enabling up to 20GB of memory. 

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Nothing brings a new feature to this generation of devices called Essential Space. It provides quick access to other on-device tools, such as Camera Capture and Flip to Record.

Be aware that Essential Space will be in “Early Access” mode when the Phone (3a) Series launches. During this initial period, first-time buyers may encounter a few bugs.

The differences between the phones start with their respective designs. You’ll notice that the Nothing Phone (3a) resembles the Phone (2a), although there are three lenses on the new device instead of two. This array includes a 50MP main lens, a 50MP telephoto option, and an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera. The first two lenses come from Samsung, while the third is from Sony.

Nothing states this camera array can take “professional-grade” photographs. The telephoto lens has a fast f/2.0 aperture and a 2x optical reach, allowing it to take high-quality zoomed-in pictures. TrueLens Engine 3.0 delivers extra support by utilizing AI processing and “multi-frame technology” to enhance image quality.

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The Phone (3a) Pro places its lenses in a circular array. I’m unsure if this unique layout gives the mobile device a functional advantage over the base model, but it might. The (3a) Pro has a 50MP 1/1.95-inch Sony LYTIA 600 sensor as its telephoto camera. 

The company says the device possesses a faster f/2.55 aperture plus a 70mm equivalent focal length for an even better zoom. And thanks to optical image stabilization, the lens can take high-quality photos “across [different] lighting conditions”.

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Pre-orders for the Nothing Phone (3a) begin today, March 4, on Nothing’s official website and cost $379. Pre-orders for the Pro model start on March 11 and retail for $459. Stay tuned for our reviews on the Phone (3a) Series. We have review units on hand and will publish our thoughts once we’ve conducted our extensive testing.