Nothing Phone (3a) (256GB / 8GB RAM) specifications and in-depth review

Nothing Phone (3a) (256GB / 8GB RAM)

Manufacturer: Nothing

The Nothing Phone (3a) is a mid-range Android smartphone running Android 15 on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Built around a 6.77″ OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 387 ppi pixel density, the device delivers a sharp, fluid visual experience backed by HDR10+ support and a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio. At 201 g and 8.4 mm thick, the phone carries an IP64 ingress protection rating, offering resistance to dust and water splashes in a non-folding, non-rugged form factor.

On the imaging side, the Nothing Phone (3a) features a triple rear camera system combining 50 MP, 50 MP, and 8 MP sensors with optical image stabilisation and 2x optical zoom, capable of recording 4K video at 30 fps. The front camera offers 32 MP resolution at an f/2.2 aperture. Charging tops out at 50W via USB Type-C, though wireless charging is not supported and no charger is included in the box. Connectivity options include 5G, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and dual-SIM support, while the audio setup consists of stereo speakers and three microphones with no 3.5 mm headphone jack present.

Pros
  • The triple rear camera system includes optical image stabilisation, 2x optical zoom, phase-detection autofocus, and a wide range of manual controls including ISO, exposure, focus, and white balance, giving considerable shooting flexibility
  • The 6.77-inch OLED display offers a 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, HDR10+ support, and a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio alongside Always-On Display functionality
  • 50W fast charging on a 5000 mAh battery provides a meaningful combination of capacity and replenishment speed
  • The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset is built on a 4 nm process with an octa-core CPU, DDR5 RAM, and an AnTuTu score of 816,384, reflecting solid everyday processing capability
  • Connectivity is well covered with 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, dual SIM support, and Galileo-assisted GPS
  • Android 15 brings a broad set of privacy and usability features including app tracking controls, on-device machine learning, split-screen multitasking, offline voice recognition, and dynamic theming
Cons
  • Wireless charging is not supported, limiting charging flexibility
  • No 3.5 mm headphone jack is present, and none of the high-quality Bluetooth audio codecs such as aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, or LDAC are available
  • The USB Type-C port is limited to USB 2.0 speeds, restricting wired data transfer rates
  • No charger is included in the box despite the device supporting fast charging
  • The phone does not receive OS updates directly from the vendor
  • RAW photo capture and manual shutter speed control are absent, reducing advanced photography options
Who is this for?

This device suits users who want a capable all-rounder for daily smartphone use, particularly those who value a large, sharp display with smooth scrolling — the 6.77-inch OLED panel with its 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support makes it well suited to media consumption, casual gaming, and browsing. The triple rear camera with optical image stabilisation, 2x optical zoom, and a broad set of shooting modes will appeal to users who enjoy mobile photography without needing professional-grade controls. Those who rely on their phone throughout the day will appreciate the 5000 mAh battery paired with 50W fast charging, while the inclusion of 5G, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, and dual SIM support makes it a practical choice for users who need flexible, modern connectivity on the go.

Who is this NOT for?

Users who demand the highest level of audio flexibility will find this device limiting, as there is no 3.5 mm headphone jack and none of the advanced Bluetooth codecs — including aptX, LDAC, or aptX Adaptive — are supported. The USB 2.0 interface will frustrate anyone who regularly transfers large files between their phone and a computer, and the absence of wireless charging rules it out for users who prefer cable-free top-ups as part of their daily routine. Photographers looking for advanced manual control will note the lack of RAW capture and manual shutter speed, and those who rely on rugged durability or enhanced water protection beyond IP64 will need to look elsewhere, as the device does not carry a ruggedised build or a higher ingress protection rating.

Design:

water resistance Water resistant
weight 201 g
thickness 8.4 mm
width 77.5 mm
height 163.5 mm
volume 106.4385 cm³
Ingress Protection (IP) rating IP64
has a rugged build
can be folded

The Nothing Phone (3a) has a non-folding, standard form factor measuring 163.5 mm tall, 77.5 mm wide, and 8.4 mm thick, with a total volume of 106.4385 cm³ and a weight of 201 g. It carries an IP64 ingress protection rating, classifying it as water resistant against splashing from any direction, though it does not feature a rugged build.

Display:

Display type OLED/AMOLED
screen size 6.77"
pixel density 387 ppi
resolution 1080 x 2392 px
refresh rate 120Hz
touch sampling rate 240Hz
brightness (typical) 800 nits
has branded damage-resistant glass
supports HDR10
supports HDR10+
Always-On Display
supports Dolby Vision
contrast ratio 5000000:1
Has a secondary screen
has a touch screen

The Nothing Phone (3a) features a 6.77″ OLED/AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 1080 x 2392 px and a pixel density of 387 ppi, paired with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate for responsive input. Typical brightness sits at 800 nits, and the display achieves a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio, supported by both HDR10 and HDR10+ compatibility, while Dolby Vision is not supported. Always-On Display functionality is available, the panel has no secondary screen, and it does not use branded damage-resistant glass.

Performance:

internal storage 256GB
RAM 8GB
AnTuTu benchmark score 816384
Chipset (SoC) name Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3
GPU name Adreno 710
CPU speed 1 x 2.5 & 3 x 2.4 & 4 x 1.8 GHz
Geekbench 6 result (multi) 3239
Geekbench 6 result (single) 1162
3DMark Wild Life benchmark 4186
3DMark Wild Life Extreme benchmark 1063
Geekbench 5 result (multi) 3242
Geekbench 5 result (single) 893
GPU clock speed 1050 MHz
Has integrated LTE
RAM speed 3200 MHz
semiconductor size 4 nm
Supports 64-bit
DirectX version DirectX 12
Has integrated graphics
OpenGL version 3.2
OpenGL ES version 3.2
Uses big.LITTLE technology
CPU threads 8 threads
Uses HMP
Has TrustZone
maximum memory bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
OpenCL version 2
maximum memory amount 16GB
uses multithreading
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 5W
DDR memory version 5
shading units 128
turbo clock speed 2.4GHz

The Nothing Phone (3a) is driven by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 system-on-chip, built on a 4 nm process with an octa-core CPU configuration running at 1 x 2.5, 3 x 2.4, and 4 x 1.8 GHz using big.LITTLE and HMP technology, alongside a turbo clock of 2.4 GHz and a 5W TDP. Graphics are handled by the integrated Adreno 710 GPU clocked at 1050 MHz with 128 shading units, supporting DirectX 12, OpenGL 3.2, OpenGL ES 3.2, and OpenCL 2. The phone comes with 8GB of DDR5 RAM running at 3200 MHz and 256GB of internal storage, with a maximum supported memory amount of 16GB and a peak memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. It supports 64-bit processing, multithreading across 8 threads, integrated LTE, and ARM TrustZone security, posting an AnTuTu score of 816,384, Geekbench 6 scores of 1162 (single-core) and 3239 (multi-core), and 3DMark Wild Life and Wild Life Extreme results of 4186 and 1063 respectively.

Cameras:

megapixels (main camera) 50 & 50 & 8 MP
wide aperture (main camera) 1.9 & 2 & 2.2f
Has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) main camera
megapixels (front camera) 32MP
has built-in optical image stabilization
video recording (main camera) 2160 x 30 fps
Has a dual-tone LED flash
number of flash LEDs 1
has a BSI sensor
has a CMOS sensor
has continuous autofocus when recording movies
Has phase-detection autofocus for photos
supports slow-motion video recording
has a built-in HDR mode
has manual exposure
has a flash
optical zoom 2x
has manual ISO
has a serial shot mode
has manual focus
has a front camera
Has laser autofocus
Shoots 360° panorama
has manual white balance
shoots raw
has touch autofocus
has manual shutter speed
can create panoramas in-camera
wide aperture (front camera) 2.2f
Has timelapse function
Has a front-facing LED flash
has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) front camera
supports HDR10 recording
supports Dolby Vision recording
has a front-facing camera under the display
Has a RGB LED flash
has 3D photo/video recording capabilities

The Nothing Phone (3a) carries a triple rear camera system with sensors at 50 MP (f/1.9), 50 MP (f/2.0), and 8 MP (f/2.2), supported by optical image stabilisation, 2x optical zoom, phase-detection autofocus, touch autofocus, and continuous autofocus during video. The rear setup uses a CMOS sensor without back-illumination, a single LED flash without dual-tone or RGB capability, and records video at up to 2160 x 30 fps with slow-motion support, though HDR10 and Dolby Vision recording are not available. Manual controls cover exposure, ISO, focus, and white balance, while manual shutter speed and RAW capture are absent; additional shooting modes include HDR, burst, panorama, and timelapse. The 32 MP front camera sits at f/2.2 in a standard single-lens arrangement above the display — not under it — and has no dedicated flash, with 3D or 360-degree capture not supported on either camera.

Operating system:

Android version Android 15
has clipboard warnings
has location privacy options
has camera/microphone privacy options
has Mail Privacy Protection
has theme customization
can block app tracking
blocks cross-site tracking
has on-device machine learning
has notification permissions
has media picker
Can play games while they download
has dark mode
has Wi-Fi password sharing
has battery health check
has an extra dim mode
has focus modes
has dynamic theming
can offload apps
Has customizable notifications
has Live Text
has full-page screenshots
supports split screen
gets direct OS updates
has PiP
Can be used as a PC
Has sharing intents
has a child lock
Supports widgets
Is free and open source
Has offline voice recognition
has voice commands
Tracks the current position of a mobile device
is a multi-user system
has Quick Start

The Nothing Phone (3a) runs Android 15, an open-source platform that supports multi-user profiles, split-screen multitasking, Picture-in-Picture, widgets, dynamic and manual theme customisation, dark mode, and an extra dim mode. Privacy controls include clipboard warnings, location privacy options, camera and microphone access management, and the ability to block app tracking, though cross-site tracking blocking and Mail Privacy Protection are not available. Productivity and usability features extend to customisable notifications, a media picker, full-page screenshots, Live Text, sharing intents, offline voice recognition, voice commands, app offloading, on-device machine learning, battery health checks, and the ability to play games while they download. Wi-Fi password sharing, focus modes, Quick Start, and the ability to use the device as a PC are not supported, and OS updates are not delivered directly from the vendor.

Battery:

battery power 5000 mAh
has wireless charging
Supports fast charging
charging speed 50W
comes with a charger
has a removable battery
has a battery level indicator
has a rechargeable battery

The Nothing Phone (3a) is equipped with a non-removable 5000 mAh rechargeable battery that supports 50W fast charging, allowing for notably quicker top-ups over a standard connection. A battery level indicator is present, though wireless charging is not supported and no charger is included in the box.

Audio:

has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
has stereo speakers
has aptX
has LDAC
has aptX HD
has aptX Adaptive
has aptX Lossless
Has a radio
number of microphones 3

The Nothing Phone (3a) features stereo speakers and a triple microphone setup, but omits a 3.5 mm headphone jack and does not include a built-in radio. On the wireless audio side, none of the high-quality Bluetooth codecs — aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, or LDAC — are supported.

Connectivity & Features:

has 5G support
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
SIM cards 2 SIM
Bluetooth version 5.4
has an external memory slot
Has USB Type-C
USB version 2
has NFC
download speed 2900 MBits/s
Has a fingerprint scanner
has emergency SOS via satellite
has crash detection
is DLNA-certified
has a gyroscope
supports ANT+
Has a heart rate monitor
has GPS
has a compass
supports Wi-Fi
Has an infrared sensor
has an accelerometer
has a cellular module
Has a barometer
has an HDMI output
Uses 3D facial recognition
Has an iris scanner
Stylus included
supports Galileo
Has motion tracking
Has optical tracking
Has a built-in projector

The Nothing Phone (3a) supports 5G connectivity with a maximum download speed of 2900 Mbit/s, dual SIM capability, and Wi-Fi across the 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) standards. Bluetooth 5.4 and NFC are both present, while the USB Type-C port operates at USB 2.0 speed; there is no external memory slot, HDMI output, or DLNA certification. Sensors on board include a fingerprint scanner, GPS with Galileo support, gyroscope, accelerometer, and compass, whereas a barometer, infrared sensor, heart rate monitor, and motion or optical tracking are all absent. Security biometrics are limited to the fingerprint scanner — 3D facial recognition and an iris scanner are not featured — and the device does not include a stylus, built-in projector, crash detection, or emergency SOS via satellite.

Miscellaneous:

has a video light
Has sapphire glass display
Has a curved display
Has an e-paper display

The Nothing Phone (3a) includes a video light for use during video recording, while its display is flat rather than curved and uses neither sapphire glass nor an e-paper panel.

Final Verdict

The Nothing Phone (3a) presents a well-rounded specification sheet for a mainstream Android 15 smartphone, anchored by a large OLED display with HDR10+ and Always-On support, a versatile triple rear camera system with optical image stabilisation, and a 5000 mAh battery with 50W fast charging that together make a convincing case for sustained daily use. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset on a 4 nm node, combined with modern connectivity across 5G, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.4, ensures the device holds up well for typical workloads and on-the-go usage. Some trade-offs are evident — notably the USB 2.0 interface, the absence of wireless charging, and the lack of advanced Bluetooth audio codecs — but these are unlikely to be dealbreakers for the broad audience this device is designed to serve. For users seeking a feature-complete everyday smartphone with a capable camera setup and dependable battery performance, the Nothing Phone (3a) makes a coherent and confident choice.