Nothing Phone (3a) Pro Review 2025: Worth $459 for Style and Zoom?

The smartphone market in 2025 is crowded, but Nothing—a UK-based startup founded by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei—continues to carve out a niche with its quirky, transparent designs and budget-friendly prices. The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, launched in March 2025, promises to elevate the midrange game with a sleek look, a telephoto camera, and AI-driven features, all for $459. After importing one (it’s only available in the U.S. via a beta program), I’ve spent weeks testing it to see if it lives up to the hype. Does it outshine rivals like the Google Pixel 8a or Samsung Galaxy A56, or is it just another flashy midranger? From its Glyph LEDs to its 60x zoom, here’s my deep dive into the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro’s price, specs, and real-world performance.

Unboxing: Apple Vibes with a Twist

Opening the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro’s box feels like unboxing an iPhone—if Apple embraced sci-fi aesthetics. The compact, minimalist packaging screams premium, with a sturdy cardboard case protecting the contents. Inside, you get the phone, a USB-C cable, a SIM ejector tool, and a quick-start guide. No charger or screen protector, though—you’ll need to buy those separately, which is a bummer at $459. The absence of a charger aligns with industry trends, but for a midrange phone, it stings. A 50W fast charger costs about $30 extra, so factor that into your budget.

The phone itself is a stunner. I got the Grey model (Black is the other U.S. option), with a transparent glass back revealing ribbon cables and screws—a nod to Nothing’s “tech is art” ethos. The circular camera module, housing three lenses, protrudes about 5mm, making it look like a futuristic puck. It’s divisive—some love the bold design, others find it clunky. At 211 grams and 8.4mm thick, it’s heavier than the Pixel 8a (188g) but feels balanced, with a plastic frame coated to mimic ceramic. The IP64 rating (splash and dust resistance) is decent but lags behind the Pixel 9a’s IP68 water submersion protection.

Design: Glyph Lights and a New AI Key

Nothing’s design language is unmistakable. The transparent back, paired with three Glyph LED strips (26 addressable zones), lights up for notifications, calls, or timers, adding flair to mundane tasks. I set a custom Glyph pattern for texts, and it’s oddly satisfying to see it pulse across the room. Critics call it a gimmick, but it’s a conversation starter—my friends couldn’t stop asking about it. You can disable it if it’s not your thing, but why would you? It’s pure Nothing charm.

The 6.77-inch AMOLED display (1080×2392, 120Hz) is a highlight, hitting 800 nits typical brightness, 1300 nits outdoors, and 3000 nits peak for HDR content. Colors pop without oversaturation, and the adaptive refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling, from Twitter feeds to PUBG Mobile. Compared to the $379 Nothing Phone (3a), the Pro’s screen is identical, so you’re not paying extra for display upgrades. Dual stereo speakers deliver crisp audio, and dual high-quality mics make calls clear, even in windy conditions. The in-display fingerprint sensor is fast, though I wish it were lower for easier thumb access.

A new addition is the Essential Key, a button below the power key that triggers AI-powered features. Tap it to screenshot, hold to record a voice memo (transcribed instantly), or double-tap to open Essential Space, an app that organizes notes and images with AI suggestions. It’s a godsend for journalists or students—imagine snapping a lecture slide and adding a voice note, all cataloged automatically. For casual users, though, it feels niche. I rarely used it beyond testing, and Nothing’s plan to charge $120/year for advanced Essential Space features seems steep for a budget phone.

Performance: Solid but Not a Powerhouse

Under the hood, the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage (no microSD slot). It’s the same processor as the $379 Phone (3a), so don’t expect a performance leap. Geekbench 6 scores (1153 single-core, 3261 multi-core) match the Phone (3a), lagging behind the Pixel 8a’s Tensor G3 (1675 single-core, 4076 multi-core). Graphics performance, via the Adreno 710 GPU, hits 3994 in 3DMark Wild Life (720p) and 1059 in Wild Life Extreme, decent for a midranger but far from flagship territory like the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

In real-world use, it’s snappy for emails, streaming, and light gaming. I played Asphalt Legends Unite at medium settings with no lag, but demanding titles like Genshin Impact stuttered on high graphics. If gaming’s your priority, the $499 Pixel 8a offers better GPU grunt. The phone stays cool under load, unlike some MediaTek-powered rivals, but I noticed occasional UI hiccups in Nothing OS 3.1—minor lags when switching apps. Nothing’s software optimizations are solid, but the chip’s limits show in heavy multitasking.

Camera: Zoom Steals the Show

The Phone (3a) Pro’s biggest upgrade is its camera system. The triple rear setup includes a 50MP main sensor (f/1.88, OIS), an 8MP ultrawide (f/2.2), and a 50MP periscope telephoto (f/2.55, 3x optical zoom). The front camera jumps to 50MP (from 32MP on the Phone (3a)), supporting 4K video. The telephoto is a rarity under $500, offering 3x to 60x zoom (6x in-sensor, 30x ultra, 60x digital). Compared to the Phone (3a)’s 2x telephoto, it’s a clear win for photographers.

Daylight shots from the main camera are sharp, with natural colors and solid dynamic range, though highlights can clip in high-contrast scenes. The ultrawide is softer, fine for landscapes but not pixel-peeping. The telephoto shines at 3x, capturing crisp portraits and distant subjects—like a street performer 50 feet away—with pleasing bokeh. At 60x, images get noisy, but 6x in-sensor zoom is usable for social media. Night mode performs well, balancing shadows and lights, though it washes out colors slightly compared to the Galaxy S24 FE.

The 50MP selfie camera is a mixed bag. It’s detailed in good light, but skin tones look unnatural indoors, and 4K video is shaky without stabilization. Compared to the Moto G Power 2025 ($299), the Pro’s telephoto gives it an edge, but the Pixel 8a’s AI-enhanced processing delivers more consistent results across lenses. Nothing’s TrueLens 3.0 software adds fun filters (warm, black-and-white), but overprocessing can make zoomed-in shots grainy.

Battery and Charging: All-Day Power

The 5000mAh battery lasts about two days with moderate use—think 7 hours of screen time, including YouTube, Twitter, and Spotify. Heavy gaming or camera use drops it to a day, still impressive for a midranger. The 50W wired charging (up from 45W on the Phone (3a)) hits 50% in 25 minutes, though you’ll need a compatible charger. No wireless charging is a letdown—Motorola’s $299 Moto G Power 2025 has it, making Nothing’s omission glaring.

Software: Nothing OS Shines, with Caveats

Running Android 15 with Nothing OS 3.1, the Phone (3a) Pro offers a clean, playful interface. Dot-matrix widgets, monochrome icon packs, and chirpy Tamagotchi-like sounds give it personality—think iOS polish with Android flexibility. The Smart App Drawer (beta) auto-categorizes apps but misfiles some, like putting Twitter under “Social.” Nothing promises three Android upgrades and six years of security patches, trailing Google’s seven-year Pixel support but beating Samsung’s A-series.