sh0ck

_z_ I have already asked the same question few days back.

https://nothing.community/d/27907

Raymond
Hey, so I read this post about why they went with UFS 2.2 for the Phone (3a) series, and I’ve got some thoughts. They’re saying it’s all about “balance” and putting resources where they matter—like battery life and display instead of storage speed. Fair enough, but I’m not totally sold. Here’s what’s bugging me:

1. Does it really feel the same?

They claim you won’t notice the difference between UFS 2.2 and 3.1 for stuff like texting or scrolling X. Okay, maybe for basic things, but what about when I’m juggling a bunch of apps or playing something heavy like Genshin? Even if it’s just a split-second lag, that stuff adds up, right?

2. Software can only do so much.

They’re leaning hard on Nothing OS to smooth things out and make UFS 2.2 feel fast. That’s cool, but why not just start with faster storage like UFS 3.1 and then optimize it? Feels like they’re putting a fancy band-aid on an older part instead of going all-in.

3. Those benchmarks… huh?

They compare the Phone (3a) to a Realme phone with UFS 3.1, but they don’t tell us the whole story—like what else is different between them. If the Realme’s got a beefier processor or more RAM, isn’t that skewing things to make UFS 2.2 look better than it is?

4. Future-proofing feels shaky.

They’re brushing off worries about UFS 2.2 getting outdated, saying it’s fine for now and software will keep it going. But apps and games keep getting bigger—think 8K videos or crazy AI stuff. Won’t this phone start feeling slow way sooner than one with UFS 3.1 or even 4.0?

5. Gaming’s my thing.

They say gaming’s smooth on titles like BGMI because of “data management.” But I’ve played games where textures load late, and faster storage totally helps. Are they saying I won’t care about that, or just that it’s not a big deal for most people?

6. Am I getting my money’s worth?

They’re saving cash by not using UFS 3.1, but where’s that money going? If I’m paying for a 2025 phone, I kinda expect modern guts—not something that feels like a compromise, even if the screen’s pretty or the battery lasts longer.

7. What’s “Smart Clean” anyway?

They throw out terms like “NTFS optimisation” and “Smart Clean” to sound clever, but what does that even mean? Are they just tidying up files, or is this some magic trick? Without numbers—like how much faster it makes things—I’m not sure I buy it.

8. AI’s the future, right?

They tie the phone’s AI chops to the Snapdragon chip, but faster storage could help load those fancy AI features quicker. Are they saying UFS 2.2 won’t hold that back at all, even as AI gets bigger in phones?

9. People aren’t dumb.

They admit folks are bummed about UFS 2.2 and now worry it’s not future-proof. That’s not just nitpicking—if other phones in the same price range have UFS 3.1, it’s hard not to feel like Nothing’s lagging behind, no matter how much they hype “real-world performance.”

10. Show me the trade-off!

They say they can’t max out every spec without jacking up the price—makes sense. But what did UFS 2.2 save them, and what’d they spend it on? Did I get an amazing screen or an extra hour of battery? Give me something concrete so I don’t feel shortchanged.

What do you think? I want to like the Phone (3a), but this UFS 2.2 thing has me second-guessing. Am I overthinking it, or are they dodging the real questions?

Thanks for reading!

Hey everyone, I’ve been using my Nothing Phone (2a) for a while now and love the clean design of Nothing OS. One thing I’ve noticed, though—is it just me, or is the date in the notification drop-down not interactive? On some other Android phones, tapping it opens the calendar , but here it’s just static.

Is this a deliberate choice for simplicity, or am I missing a setting somewhere? Curious to hear what others think—or if the team has plans to tweak this in a future update.

Thanks!

Are we waiting for Feb, March or else April patch.

please confirm

NothingSpain 3a seems better value than 3 pro