Nothing Phone (3a) deals

The Nothing Phone (3a) is in our catalog but no UK retailer currently stocks it.

Expert reviews 4.2 (6)

Expert Reviews 5 Tech Advisor 4.5 Engadget 80/100 T3 4 Tom's Guide 4 NotebookCheck 79/100

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Spec scores £200-£399 Phones · 172 phones

Performance 2.4 /5 Average

Display 4.2 /5 Very Good

Rear Camera 2.1 /5 Average

Front Camera 4 /5 Very Good

Battery 2.4 /5 Average

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Budget buyers who want a distinctive, well-designed phone with a telephoto camera, bright display, and Nothing's signature Glyph Interface, without spending more than £400.

50MP telephoto with 2x optical zoom and 30x AI-enhanced digital zoom — rare at this price
6.77-inch AMOLED display with 3,000 nits peak brightness and 120Hz refresh rate
Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset for smooth, efficient performance across everyday tasks

Nothing Phone (3a)

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The Nothing Phone (3a) is in our catalog but no UK retailer currently stocks it. Check back later, or browse Nothing alternatives below.

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Expert Rating

4.2

(6 reviews)

Nothing Phone (3a) vs Nothing Phone (3a) Pro — Key Differences

Feature	Nothing Phone (3a)	Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
Telephoto camera	50MP, 2x optical zoom, 30x AI zoom	50MP periscope, 3x optical zoom, 60x AI zoom
Front camera	32MP	50MP
Back material	Polycarbonate (plastic)	Glass
Display brightness	3,000 nits peak	3,000 nits peak
Weight	201g	211g

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Nothing Phone (3a) worth buying?

Yes, the Phone (3a) is one of the best budget smartphones available in 2025. The combination of a 50MP telephoto camera, bright 3,000-nit AMOLED display, Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 performance, and Nothing's unique design makes it stand out from the crowd of similar-looking budget phones. It is especially strong for buyers who want good zoom photography without spending more than £400.

How good is the Nothing Phone (3a) camera?

The Phone (3a) punches well above its weight in the camera department. The 50MP main sensor with OIS produces sharp, detailed photos with natural colours, while the 50MP telephoto with 2x optical zoom is a rare find at this price. AI-enhanced zoom pushes to 30x for distant subjects. The 8MP ultrawide handles group shots and landscapes, and the 32MP front camera takes clear selfies. Low-light performance is respectable for the price range.

Does the Nothing Phone (3a) have a headphone jack?

No, the Phone (3a) does not include a 3.5mm headphone jack. You can use USB-C wired earphones, a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, or connect wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.4, which supports modern audio codecs for high-quality wireless listening.

What is the Glyph Interface on the Nothing Phone (3a)?

The Glyph Interface is a system of LED light strips embedded in the transparent rear panel. You can assign custom light patterns to different contacts and apps, use them as a fill light for photos, or display a progress bar for timers. It is a signature Nothing feature that adds genuine personality and practical utility to everyday phone use.

How long will the Nothing Phone (3a) receive updates?

Nothing promises three years of major Android OS upgrades and six years of security patches for the Phone (3a). This means the phone will receive Android updates through to approximately 2028 and security patches until around 2031, which is competitive with other phones at this price from Samsung and Motorola.

Is the Nothing Phone (3a) waterproof?

The Phone (3a) has an IP64 rating, meaning it is fully dust-tight and protected against splashing water from all directions. It can handle rain or accidental splashes, but it is not rated for submersion in water. For full submersion resistance, you would need to step up to the Nothing Phone (3) with its IP68 rating.

Should I get the Nothing Phone (3a) or the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro?

The key difference is the camera: the Phone (3a) Pro upgrades from 2x optical zoom to a 3x periscope telephoto with 60x AI zoom, adds a 50MP front camera versus 32MP, and swaps the plastic back for glass. The Pro also gets a slightly brighter display. However, the Phone (3a) starts at £329 versus £449 for the Pro, saving you £120. If the telephoto and selfie camera upgrades matter to you, the Pro is worth the step up. If you want the best value for everyday use, the Phone (3a) delivers brilliantly. Compare Nothing Phone (3a) Pro deals.

Compare Nothing Phone (3a) Pro deals

Nothing Phone (3a) Specifications

Spec Scores

£200-£399 Phones · 172 phones

Snapdragon 7s Gen 3
Octa-core (1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A520)

172 phones in this group →

This phone

48%

Avg

35%

Best

99%

595 phones in catalog →

This phone

48%

Avg

45%

Best

100%

Based on calibrated CPU benchmark rankings (60%) and GFXBench GPU scores (40%). Apple chipsets included via editorial calibration since AnTuTu under-represents Apple's architecture.

6.77 inches
1080 x 2392 pixels (~387 ppi density)
AMOLED, 120Hz, 3000 nits peak

172 phones in this group →

This phone

83%

Avg

63%

Best

97%

595 phones in catalog →

This phone

83%

Avg

60%

Best

100%

Based on panel type (LTPO is the modern flagship gold standard), resolution, refresh rate, peak brightness, screen size, and HDR10+ / Dolby Vision support. Marketing peak-brightness claims are capped at 3500 nits to prevent inflation.

Single camera setup
50 MP main camera
4K video recording

172 phones in this group →

This phone

41%

Avg

34%

Best

73%

595 phones in catalog →

This phone

41%

Avg

39%

Best

90%

Based on main-sensor size (1-inch / 1/1.3" beats 1/2.0"), telephoto reach (periscope > 5x > 3x optical), image processing tier (Apple Pro, Pixel Pro, Galaxy Ultra, Honor Magic Pro, Xiaomi Ultra), pro video features (ProRes, Apple Log, Dolby Vision), camera-partnership branding (Leica, Hasselblad, Zeiss) and OIS. Older flagships are de-rated since image processing pipelines have advanced significantly each generation. Megapixel count is deliberately downweighted — it correlates poorly with real-world camera quality.

32 MP front camera
1080p selfie video

172 phones in this group →

This phone

80%

Avg

61%

Best

92%

595 phones in catalog →

This phone

80%

Avg

55%

Best

92%

Based on selfie megapixels and max selfie-video resolution.

5,000 mAh
50W wired, 50% in 19 min, 100% in 56 min

172 phones in this group →

This phone

47%

Avg

51%

Best

100%

595 phones in catalog →

This phone

47%

Avg

52%

Best

100%

Based on battery capacity (mAh) adjusted for platform efficiency calibrated against NotebookCheck, Tom's Guide, GSMArena and CNET reviewer tests. Apple A-series gets +45% (iOS process freezing + LTPO 1Hz + tuned panels make iPhone Pro Max outlast many 6500+ mAh Android phones in measured tests). Top Snapdragon / Dimensity flagships get +15%, budget chipsets are penalised −15% to −25% to reflect less efficient displays and looser background limits. Charging speed is excluded — see the separate Fast charging tag for that.

General

Dimensions

163.5 x 77.5 x 8.4

Weight

201 g

SIM

Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM

Operating System

Android 15, up to 16, Nothing OS 4.0

Colours

Black, White, Blue, Community Edition green

Radio

Body

Black, White, Blue, Community Edition green

Camera

Primary Camera Megapixels

Primary Camera Video

4K@30fs, 1080@30/60/120fs, gyro-EIS, OIS

Third Camera

50 , f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 , f/2.0, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.74", 0.64µm, PDAF (25cm - ∞), 2x optical zoom 8 , f/2.2, 15mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm

Primary Selfie Camera

32 , f/2.2, 22mm (wide), 1/3.44"

Video Resolution

2160

Selfie Video Resolution

1080@30fs

Display

Type

AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1300 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak)

Display Size

6.77

Display Resolution

1080 x 2392 pixels (~387 ppi density)

Display Protection

Panda Glass, Mohs level 5

CPU & Memory

Chipset

Snapdragon 7s Gen 3

GPU

Adreno 810

CPU

Octa-core (1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A520)

Memory Card Slot

Internal Storage

128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM

Sound

Loudspeaker

Yes, with stereo speakers

3.5mm Jack

Connectivity & Data

2G

GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900

3G

HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100

4G

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66

5G

1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA

Network Speed

HSPA, LTE, 5G

Network Technology

GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Bluetooth

5.4, A2DP, LE

USB

USB Type-C 2.0, OTG

NFC

Yes

GPS

GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS

Battery

5000

Charging

50W wired, 50% in 19 min, 100% in 56 min

Other

Sensors

Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass