Nothing Phone 3a vs Nothing 3a Pro: Is paying Rs 5,000 extra worth it?

The Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro have been introduced in India by the UK-based smartphone brand Nothing. This new series from Nothing replaces the Phone 2a series that was introduced last year and features the company's recognizable transparent back design. Additionally, both smartphones have excellent performance, long battery life, cameras, and stunning screens. What is the difference, therefore, and which one ought to be purchased? 

Nothing Phone 3a vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Design

The Nothing Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro have a transparent back with Glyph lights in a recognizable arrangement, which is comparable to earlier Nothing smartphones. The Phone (3a) features a horizontal camera module with three cameras at the rear and comes in white, black, and blue color options. However, because to its new camera configuration and somewhat higher camera hump, the Nothing Phone ((3a)) Pro has a completely different appearance. There are just two color options for the phone: black and grey. At 211g, the Pro model weighs a little more than the Phone (3a), which weighs 201g.

In addition, both phones come with dual speakers and a new Essential Key that uses AI to provide a number of features.

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Nothing Phone 3a vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Display

Regarding the display, the Phone (3a) and the Phone (3a) Pro both have a 6.77-inch AMOLED screen with a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, compatibility for HDR10+, and a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits. Panda Glass protects both screens.

Nothing Phone 3a vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Processor

The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 CPU with an Adreno 710 GPU powers both devices. Compared to the Dimensity 7300 chipsets included in the Phone 2a series, it provides a little improvement. Regarding the operating system, the Nothing Phone (3a) series will have Nothing OS 3, which is based on Android 15, along with four years of security patches and three years of major Android upgrades. 8 GB of RAM is standard on the Phone (3a) series. Nonetheless, there is a 12GB RAM version of the Phone (3a) Pro. Both smartphones include 128 GB and 256 GB of storage, which are identical possibilities.

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Nothing Phone 3a vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Camera

The camera is where these two phones diverge most from one another. The 50 MP Samsung GN9 1/1.57-inch primary sensor, which supports Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Auto Focus (AF), is the same for the Nothing Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro. They also have a 1/4-inch Sony IMX355 8 MP ultrawide sensor.

The Phone (3a) Pro, on the other hand, has a more sophisticated periscope with a 50 MP Sony LYT600 1/1.95-inch sensor that supports OIS and has 3X optical and 6X in-sensor zoom. A normal 50 MP Samsung JN5 1/2.76-inch sensor telephoto lens with 2X optical zoom is included on the Phone (3a), in comparison. It does not, however, support OIS, just as the Pro model. The 3a Pro boasts a better resolution 50 MP lens for selfies, while the normal phone has a 32 MP front camera.

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Nothing Phone 3a vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Battery

Both phones feature 50W wired fast charging and have a 5,000 mAh battery. There are no promises that these phones can be fully charged in less than an hour or charged 50% in 19 minutes. Unfortunately, neither item comes with a charger in the packaging.

Nothing Phone 3a vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Price and verdict

The Phone (3a) Pro starts at Rs 29,999, while the Nothing Phone (3a) starts at Rs 24,999. The Nothing Phone (3a) provides better value at a difference of Rs 5,000 since, aside from the Pro model's zoom photographic features, it has comparable hardware at a lesser asking price. Additionally, the performance, battery life, and display experience of both phones are comparable. However, the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, which costs Rs 5,000 more, does provide a better overall photography experience if you enjoy taking pictures of distant objects and want a higher quality selfie camera.