Nothing is a brand that’s doing something different with smartphones and in a industry plagued by convergence to black rectangles, I strongly support innovation in this space.
The Phone (3a) Pro recently landed in Australia, after having success internationally. Having spent a few weeks living with this device, it’s clear that Nothing is on a mission to make tech exciting again.
What makes this phone interesting, is its refreshingly unique design, with a transparent body and triple LEDs lights, while also offering solid construction and a premium feature set at an affordable price.
In this review, we’ll dive into its design, performance, features, and a few areas where it could improve, all while keeping an eye on how it fits into the Aussie tech landscape.
Design
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro immediately grabs attention with its distinctive aesthetic. The transparent back, a signature of Nothing’s lineup. This showcases the internal components in a way that feels both futuristic and industrial.
Over the years, transparent chassis have been popular in consumer gadgets and I’m glad to see it back. Our phones are beautiful pieces of engineering and it’s such a shame we often wrap them in cases, hopefully you’ll find a clear one if you have to wrap this to maintain it’s unique design.
Part of any smartphone’s design is the camera array and Nothing have gone for a circular design, which has throwbacks to the Nokia Lumia series. Around the edges of this circle are 3 LED lights, by far the most I’ve experienced on a phone and there’s a damn good reason for them.
Not only does the Glyph system illuminate to notify you of calls or alerts, it also offers multi-directional lights which effectively makes for a built-in light ring for photos. This creates a dramatically different lighting impact on your photos, when you grab a trip and take photos of yourself, your face is evenly lit, giving a much more professional result.
When it comes to the body of the phone, its slimmer and lighter than many mid-range options, while that camera array almost doubles the thickness of the device.
The phone achieves the now expected IP64 rating to ensure it’ll survive dust and splashes.
Performance
When it comes to speed, the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro delivers impressive performance for the dollars. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset and with up to 12GB of RAM, it’s handled everything I’ve thrown at it with ease.
One of the easiest ways I can compare phone is the launch time of Pokemon Go, a game that is traditionally fairly intense to load. Having done a side-by-side cold launch on both the Nothing (3a) Pro and my Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, the two have virtually identical load times. This result is really impressive when we consider the more than $500 price difference between the two.
The 6.77″ AMOLED FHD+ display provides a great experience particularly with support for up to 120Hz refresh rate. There’s the expected massive 5000mAh battery that made it through the day with regular use, and when you need a charge, there’s 50W fast charging charging (full charge in under an hour).
Day-to-day use feels snappy, thanks to NothingOS 3 (based on Android 15), which is clean, bloat-free, and customizable. I’ve had no crashes or lag, and the Nothing icon pack took a bit to get used to (you can switch to regular icons), but I liked the feeling of something different, while a little quirky, it’s grown on me.
Features
The phone packs a lot of features for the price, including:
6.77″ FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED Display
This screen is a highlight—crisp, colorful, and smooth, it’s perfect for gaming or binge-watching. The flat design reduces edge distortion, making it ideal for my sim racing HUD.
Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 Processor
A mid-range powerhouse that handles demanding tasks well. It’s not a flagship killer, but it’s more than enough for most users, especially at this price.
50MP Triple Camera System
With a 50MP main sensor (OIS), 8MP ultrawide, and 50MP 3x periscope telephoto, it’s versatile and delivers solid shots. Low-light performance is decent, though not class-leading.
5000mAh Battery with 50W Charging
Long-lasting and quick to recharge, this keeps me going through a full day of sim racing or work without worry. No wireless charging.
Glyph Interface
The LED strips on the back light up for notifications or calls—a fun, functional touch that’s uniquely Nothing.
Eco-Friendly Build
Over 50% recycled plastic makes this a greener choice, appealing to environmentally conscious buyers without sacrificing quality.
Issues and Opportunities
While the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is a solid device, it’s not flawless.
Easily the biggest miss for me is the lack of wireless charging. I first imagined this to be a symptom of the price point they were trying to reach, but having rested it on my regular charging stand I discovered there may be more to the story.
Due to the large camera array, the phone sits proud of where the regular charging coil would make contact with the phone. This feels like a substantial design drawback that will take some re-engineering in future versions to resolve.
Price and Availability
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is available now in Australia, available with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, the phone comes in either Grey or Black for a very affordable A$849.
That price represents a stunning value for money, as the price indicates a mid-tier phone, while offering many of the same features you’d find in a flagship (minus wireless charging).
You can grab it directly from Nothing’s Australian site (au.nothing.tech), or retailers like JB Hi-Fi (jbhifi.com.au) who offer discounts for trading in your old phone.
If your budget is tight, you may want to consider the Nothing Phone (3a) which comes in a nice blue colour, for A$689.
Overall
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is a refreshing addition to the mid-range smartphone market, and after a few weeks of use, I’m still loving it’s unique blend of style, performance, and value. It doesn’t feel like a Pixel or Galaxy, or really any other Android phone, it’s something very unique.
It’s a fantastic pick and I think it’s a steal for what you get, a premium design, smooth performance, and a feature set that punches above its weight.
For Australians seeking something different that doesn’t compromise on the essentials, the Phone (3a) Pro is absolutely worth adding to your short list. What we don’t know yet is how rapidly Nothing will iterate their custom OS, as we move from Android 15 to Android 16, let’s hope the answer is quickly.
