Competitive launch pricing.

The Essential key's prominent placement has moved the Power button to a new spot that takes some time to get used to.

We definitely liked our time with the Nothing Phone (3a). Surprisingly, we didn't miss the 3x periscope telephoto of the Pro model all that much. Without it, the vanilla model arguably offers a better value proposition. There are other very compelling...

Unique design that stands out ; Fast charging ; Great Battery Life ; Nothing OS is a joy to use ; 120Hz display

Older chipset struggles to keep up ; Limited water resistance ; Camera isn’t consistent ; Essential key placement is odd

“The Nothing Phone 3a is Nothing’s best phone yet and it offers excellent battery life, a unique experience and an abundance of style. There are a few misses, but while it isn't perfect, the Nothing Phone 3a is really good.”

Unique design ; Feature-packed software ; Fun details add to ownership enjoyment ; Versatile camera takes great photos ; Essential Space AI is intriguing

Average battery life ; Poor wide-angle camera

“The Nothing Phone 3a Pro's unique style separates it from the competition, and hides a cracking camera, strong performance, and great software.”

Distinctive, attractive design ; Cohesive software experience with useful widgets ; Strong battery life ; Vibrant, colour-rich and bright display with smooth refresh rates

Only IP64 water-resistance ; Ultrawide camera is quite poor ; Only 3 years of major software updates

If you don’t want to spend a lot on a phone, of all the phones on the market – it’s the Nothing Phone 3a I’d recommend, pretty much without any hesitation.

Mid-tier performance and battery for considerably less cash ; Familiar Nothing hallmarks like glyphs and widget-based OS ; Capable cameras for the money, with mature processing

Essential space hasn’t proven very essential so far ; Can’t match the 3a Pro for zoom clarity

By closely sticking to what made its predecessor such a success, the Nothing Phone 3a delivers a superb all-round experience for affordable money.

Despite rare and understandable compromises in camera quality, the Nothing Phone 3a makes all the right tradeoffs for a budget device. It stands out with its signature design, delivers impressive battery performance, and features a phenomenal display.