The Nothing Phone (3a) is a fascinating entry in the mid-range market, successfully blending a sleek, lightweight software experience with ambitious, AI-focused hardware and software features like the Essential Key and the ever expanding Essential Space.
It delivers a remarkably stable and smooth user experience, though a few areas still need refinement to fully realize its potential.
The Experience
The device truly shines in its core performance: it is fast and responsive, backed by very good system stability and a lightweight software experience that has resulted in no app and system crashes in my 4 months of use so far. The bright and colorful 120Hz display is a major visual highlight. The good cameras and good price make it a strong value proposition, especially given the innovative and ever-expanding Essential Space and smart use of AI. The phone also manages thermals exceptionally well, as it stays cool even under load.
The Compromises
On the flip side, some hardware elements are merely average, including battery life, haptics, buttons, and overall performance. Furthermore, there are some notable compromises, such as the lack of wireless charging and specific software annoyances.
The voice transcription for the German language in the Essential Space is not very accurate, and users can't remap the Essential Key. The minimal UI customization, bad color accuracy when switching between lenses while using the camera, and lack of an in-house file explorer also hold back the user experience.
Future Outlook
To realize its full potential, the Nothing Phone (3a) needs refinement, including: haptic improvements; the ability to resize Nothing widgets; optional, better Google integration into Nothing apps and the Essential Space; local AI capabilities; camera features like applying custom filters in the gallery and shooting a filtered photo + unfiltered RAW image would be appreciated if possible; the crucial ability to assign specific features to the Essential Key; a user experience adjustment to place the Essential Space to the left of the homescreen instead of the Google Feed or to the right since that is where the Essential Key is located, along with a smoother animation for opening it; and separate volume controls for the assistant (Gemini, GPT etc.).
Verdict
The Nothing Phone (3a) is a bold, clean, and stable smartphone. It is an easy recommendation for users prioritizing minimal distractions, a lightweight OS and innovative AI value, but those needing top-tier battery life or extensive customization as well as flagship performance may find it slightly lacking.
Note
The device this review is based on is the 8+128GB version.
For transparency reasons and to comply with the user guidelines, I want to mention that this text was created by the Google Gemini AI.
The content of this review however was compiled and corrected by me and reflects my personal experience with the device.
Cheers
