Nothing Cellphone (3a) and Cellphone (3a) Professional Evaluate: Price range Excellence

I’ve not had many points with efficiency. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 inside feels snappy nearly all over the place. Within the digital camera app, you may even see some stutters or shutter lag, and that is the one space the place I felt that this telephone was outfitted with a midrange processor. In all different respects, it feels simply as highly effective as a flagship, although intensive video games like Genshin Impression could not provide the very best graphics constancy.

I am glad to see Nothing stuff 256 GB of storage in right here—it is excessive time telephone producers began making this the default. Nothing has additionally beefed up the software program replace coverage with three Android OS updates and 6 years of safety updates, which is respectable, although Samsung is promising 6 years complete for each on its new Galaxy A sequence telephones. Nothing will argue that Samsung is a megacorp whereas it’s a lowly startup. Honest. I am simply glad to see these firms growing software program assist yearly.

My solely complaints are the dearth of an IP68 score and wi-fi charging. Motorola simply debuted its finances Moto G Energy of 2025 a couple of weeks in the past, and it sports activities an IP68 score for the primary time, to not point out it might wirelessly cost. The IP64 score on the Nothing telephones means they are going to be superb within the rain, however you possibly can’t submerge them underwater, so watch out across the pool. It is exhausting to ding the corporate too harshly for wi-fi charging because it’s nonetheless not too frequent on sub-$500 telephones, however that definitely appears to be altering. One thing to contemplate for the Cellphone (4a).

The Glyph lights stay on the again. I nonetheless like these LEDs—they’ll mild as much as music, notifications, present the remaining time left on a timer, and extra. Do I discover them tremendously helpful? No, however they are a enjoyable contact that add a little bit of levity. It is a dialog starter.

Considerate AI Touches

There’s a new button on the Cellphone (3a) sequence: the Important Key. (Of no relation to the notorious Important Cellphone.) Faucet it as soon as, and it’ll seize your display screen and allow you to add a voice or textual content observe to it. This will likely be analyzed within the Important Area app by way of synthetic intelligence, extracting any helpful info out of the screenshot. It is much like Google’s Pixel Screenshots app, besides you possibly can infuse your notes. You may also press and maintain the button to file a voice observe—these are analyzed and saved as recollections, so you possibly can come again to them later. If it detects you wished to behave on one thing, it’s going to generate a activity. A double-tap of the button opens the Important Area app.

In comparison with how each different smartphone maker appears to be shoving the identical generic AI options down our throats—AI transcribing! Writing instruments! Summaries!—Nothing’s method right here is at the very least completely different. Initially, it took me a while to begin utilizing the characteristic. I ended up by chance urgent the button a couple of too many occasions as a result of it is near the ability button (a textured button would’ve been good). However now I am slowly beginning to press it down and file a fast voice observe of one thing I need to bear in mind or accomplish in a while.

The Important Key sits proper beneath the ability button.

{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu

There’s additionally a brand new Important Area widget.

{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu

These recollections are transcribed, summarized, with duties created on my behalf if that is what I wished. I may play my audio clip and listen to myself instantly. That is paired with an Important Area widget, which is essential in reminding me about these duties and recollections.

That is Nothing’s first actual AI rodeo, and I had some qualms concerning the safety and privateness of all these private notes I am creating, so listed here are some solutions: Nothing says many of the information in Important Area is saved in your gadget, just like the audio information that is transformed to textual content. For the textual content and screenshot processing, this information is shipped to Nothing’s servers (in France for world customers, India for Indian customers) and subsequently deleted. Another information can be uploaded to “enhance processing accuracy,” like time, time zone, and placement information, although this is not saved. Nothing says this information is just not used for promoting and isn’t shared with third events “past the scope of the service request.” That final bit refers back to the third-party firms Nothing works with to allow Nothing AI’s performance, although the corporate declined to share precisely who its companions are.