The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is a strange entry into the brand’s catalogue for a number of reasons. For one, the a line as a whole got a new entry before the main numbered line, and secondly, the 3a variant is a Pro model rather than Plus. We obviously won’t get into the why, as until the brand or an exec shares the reason, it will remain a mystery to all else. So instead, we’ll just deal with the what.
So what is the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro? On the surface, I would say it’s something of an in-between for the main numbered series and the a subseries. While the base (3a) has a look that’s pretty uniform with the devices that came before, the (3a) pro clearly has a more work done with the way it looks, even if it’s only limited to the camera island.
Beyond that, the Nothing Phone (3a) represents more of what the company has been doing – giving its devices a distinctive look despite smartphone designs being mostly homogenous. It does have a standout feature or two on the inside, but beyond that, it’s just about like any other phone out there.
They way it feels in hand can be a tad unfamiliar, simply because the Nothing Phone (3a) has a slightly textured matte surface on its sides, where most other phones would opt for metal or plastic. It can be argued that the buttons are slightly unconventional as well, as the volume rocker is on the left.
Most notably though is the extra button below the power button, dubbed the Essential Key. This is used to take quick notes of just about any medium, be it a screenshot or a voice memo. These are then stored in the Essential Space, where you can use generative AI tools with your recorded memos.
After giving it a short spin, there’s nothing much to say about the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro that’s particularly noteworthy.,for better or worse. The user experience is smooth, what with the 120Hz refresh rate on the 6.77-inch screen and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset. One can argue that there is some fun to be had with the Essential Space, but that would require more time living with the phone to figure out.
As mentioned in the launch report, the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro will be available early next month, or specifically on 7 April. You can pre-order it if you choose, but either way, it will have a price tag of RM1,999, as it only has a single memory and storage configuration.
