Nothing Phone 3a: A Budget-Friendly Leap into AI and Design
The Nothing Phone 3a, priced at just PhP19,990, is a testament to how far mid-range smartphones have come in 2025. This device not only brings a fresh design but also integrates AI in ways that make everyday smartphone use more intuitive and efficient.
Build and Design
The Nothing Phone 3a continues the brand’s tradition of eye-catching design with its transparent back, showcasing internal components and the signature Glyph LED system. This year, the design has been refined with cleaner lines and a new blue colorway, adding a touch of sophistication.
The phone’s body is made from a combination of plastic and glass, with a new high-grade tempered glass back and precision-machined aluminum accents, striking a balance between elegance and durability. It’s also IP64 rated, offering improved dust and water resistance, which is a practical addition for everyday use.
Display
Featuring a 6.77-inch FHD+ flexible AMOLED display, the Nothing Phone 3a delivers vibrant colors with a peak brightness of 3000 nits, making it one of the brightest screens in its class.
The adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz ensures smooth scrolling and gaming, while the touch sampling rate has been significantly improved, enhancing responsiveness.
Hardware
Under the hood, the Nothing Phone 3a is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 5G, the same chipset found in its Pro variant. This mid-range processor offers a perfect balance of power and efficiency, with a Kryo 8-core CPU built on TSMC’s 4nm process. It’s not just about raw power; the phone also features a 4,500 mm² steel vapor chamber for cooling, ensuring sustained performance during gaming or multitasking.
Benchmark
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 5G in the Nothing Phone 3a provides a benchmark score of 825,564, which is impressive for its price range. This chipset supports on-device generative AI, enhancing the phone’s capabilities in various applications.
Software and Other Features
Nothing OS 3.1, based on Android 15, brings a host of features tailored for productivity and personalization. The Essential Key and Essential Space are standout features. The Essential Key, a new button on the side, allows for quick access to capture content or record voice notes, while Essential Space uses AI to organize and suggest actions based on your captures. Although still in development, the potential here is immense, offering a glimpse into how AI can streamline our digital lives.
Camera
The camera system on the Nothing Phone 3a is where it truly shines. It features a 50MP main camera with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. The camera performance during my recent Europe trip was remarkable.
The photos had excellent detail, vibrant colors, and good contrast. The telephoto lens was particularly useful for capturing distant subjects with clarity, and the portrait mode provided a pleasing bokeh effect, emphasizing the subject beautifully. The front-facing camera, while limited to 1080p video, still offers sharp selfies.
Audio
The phone includes dual stereo speakers and supports a wide range of audio formats for playback and recording. The audio quality is clear, with good volume levels, making it suitable for both media consumption and calls.
Battery
With a 5000mAh battery, the Nothing Phone 3a offers solid endurance. In my testing, it lasted about 15 hours and 23 minutes on a single charge with medium usage, which is commendable. It supports 50W fast charging, providing a day’s power in under 20 minutes, which is a significant convenience. There’s one caveat though – this did not come with a charger out of the box, so you’ll have to source that out from elsewhere.
Verdict
The Nothing Phone 3a is a compelling choice for those looking for a budget-friendly smartphone that doesn’t skimp on features or design. Its integration of AI through features like Essential Space and the Essential Key adds a layer of functionality that’s forward-thinking. While the software might not appeal to everyone with its unique UI, it complements the hardware’s aesthetic beautifully.
If you’re a fan of Nothing’s design philosophy or looking for a phone that offers more than just the basics at a budget price, the Nothing Phone 3a is a must-have. However, if you’re after the latest and greatest, you might want to wait for the Nothing Phone 3, expected later in 2025. For now, the 3a provides an excellent balance of performance, design, and AI-driven features, making it a standout in the crowded smartphone market.
The Nothing Phone 3a is now available in the Philippines for as low as PhP19,990.
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
