Nothing Phone (3a)vsNothing Phone (3a) Pro
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
Nothing Phone (3a) wins
Verdict
Nothing Phone (3a) wins 3 of 5 categories — our overall pick
Nothing Phone (3a) is the overall winner, 3 / 5 — price is its standout. At USD 379, it's also the most affordable of this group.
- Nothing Phone (3a) Pro takes Performance — led by ram (12 GB).
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Display — led by peak brightness (3,000 nits).
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Camera — led by video score (87 pts).
- Too close to call between Nothing Phone (3a) and Nothing Phone (3a) Pro.
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Price — led by price (379 USD).
Scores follow our published methodology · v2026.09
In plain English
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want…
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a faster phone for apps and games — 700,000 pts vs 680,000 pts.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a screen you can read in sunlight — 3,000 nits vs 1,200 nits.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want better video quality — 87 pts vs 74 pts.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a better camera — 126 pts vs 116 pts.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a lower price — 379 USD vs 459 USD.
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want…
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want more apps open at once — 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want more room for photos and apps — 256 GB vs 128 GB.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if you want sharper selfies — 50 MP vs 32 MP.
At a glance
- Nothing Phone (3a)
- Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
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Best price now
The cheap alternative
Full record
Every spec, side by side — winners get a check and a proportional bar. Ties share the badge.
Performance score
Approximate benchmark score of the chipset — higher is faster for apps, games and AI.
Chipset
The processor inside — shown for reference, never decides a winner.
RAM
More RAM keeps more apps alive in the background.
Storage
Base onboard storage for photos, apps and media.
Screen size
Diagonal screen size — bigger is better for media, smaller is easier to hold.
Pixel density
Sharpness of the screen — above ~400 ppi looks crisp.
Refresh rate
How smooth scrolling and motion feel. 120 Hz is the modern standard.
Peak brightness
Peak brightness in sunlight — higher stays readable outdoors.
Main camera
Resolution of the primary rear camera — photo quality is judged by the Camera quality score, not megapixels.
Selfie camera
Resolution of the front camera.
Telephoto
A dedicated zoom lens for distant subjects without quality loss.
Video score
Composite video rating — stabilisation, 4K/8K support and colour.
Camera score
Composite camera quality from independent testing — how good the photos actually are.
Battery
Battery capacity — higher generally lasts longer.
Charging speed
Wired charging speed — higher refills faster.
Wireless charging
Whether the phone charges wirelessly.
Price
Typical MSRP in US dollars — lower is better value.
Which one should you buy?
Nothing Phone (3a)
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if price matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 379, the lowest price in this group.
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) Pro if battery matters most. It costs USD 459.
Pros & cons
Nothing Phone (3a)
- Unique Glyph design
- 3x telephoto
- Clean software
- Mid-range chipset
- 50 W charging
- Average selfies
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
- 3x periscope zoom
- Distinctive Glyph design
- Clean software
- Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 is mid-tier
- No wireless charging
- Average low-light video