Nothing has consistently shown that smartphones don’t have to be bland, especially in terms of design. With the new Nothing Phone 3a Lite, the company aims to extend this unique philosophy to a wider audience. This latest device serves as an entry point into the Nothing ecosystem, positioned just below the Phone 3a series. Despite its more accessible pricing, Nothing has packed in many of its signature features, including a transparent back panel, the distinctive Glyph interface, a vibrant AMOLED display, and a streamlined user interface. Notably, this is also the first Nothing phone to ship with Glance and some pre-installed applications. We’ve spent some time with the device, and here’s our initial take.
Regarding pricing, the Nothing Phone 3a Lite is set at EUR 249 (approximately Rs. 25,580) for the base model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. The higher-end version, featuring 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, is priced at EUR 279 (approximately Rs. 28,660). This smartphone will be available for purchase in Europe and the UK starting October 29, 2025. While Nothing has confirmed plans to bring the device to the Indian market, a definite launch timeline is yet to be announced.
The smartphone features a transparent back panel and is available in White and Black color options.
With the pricing out of the way, let’s dive into the design. The new Lite variant from Nothing truly embodies the aesthetic hallmarks of a typical Nothing smartphone. Its transparent glass back panel unmistakably screams ‘Nothing’ from a distance. Furthermore, the camera sensors bear a strong resemblance to those found on the Phone 3, though the brand has managed to introduce subtle distinctions.
The smartphone features volume controls on the left, and a power on/off button and an Essential Key on the right.
The battery module on the Phone 3a Lite showcases a distinctly rugged appearance, while other panels maintain a more streamlined look. A single Glyph light is positioned at the bottom right. The phone is built with a flat aluminum frame, which provides a comfortable and secure grip despite the inherently smooth nature of the glass back. On the right side of the device, you’ll find the power on/off button and a dedicated Essential Key, while the left side houses the volume controls.
All buttons are elegantly blacked out, adding a stylish touch to the overall design. The bottom edge includes a speaker grille, a SIM tray, and a USB Type-C port. Weighing in at 199 grams and boasting a slim 8.3mm thickness, the phone is easy to handle. It is available in two classic color options: White and Black.
The smartphone is equipped with a 6.77-inch flexible AMOLED display featuring a 120Hz screen refresh rate.
Turning our attention to the display, the Nothing Phone 3a Lite boasts a 6.77-inch flexible AMOLED panel with a Full HD+ resolution (1080×2392 pixels). It offers a smooth 120Hz screen refresh rate and an impressive peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits. Additionally, you get a 10-bit color panel, 2160Hz PWM dimming, and a 1000Hz instant touch sampling rate. During our brief initial experience, the display performed admirably in indoor settings, exhibiting decent colors. We look forward to delving deeper into its capabilities in our upcoming full review.
Another significant highlight from the brand lies in its camera system. The Nothing Phone 3a Lite features a versatile triple-camera setup on its rear. This includes a 50-megapixel Samsung sensor with an f/1.88 aperture, supported by both Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS). Complementing this is an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2-megapixel macro shooter.
The handset features a 50-megapixel triple-camera setup on the rear panel.
For selfies and video calls, the front of the handset houses a 16-megapixel camera. Interestingly, the phone incorporates the TrueLens Engine 4.0, a technology first introduced with the Phone 3. This software provides valuable features such as AI scene detection, Ultra XDR, and Auto Tone for highly accurate skin tones.
Under the hood, the Nothing Phone 3a Lite is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro processor, the same chipset found in the CMF Phone 2 Pro. This chipset is built on a 4nm process, promising efficient performance. The device also offers 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage, which can be expanded further up to 2TB using a microSD card.
The handset is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro processor.
The device runs on Nothing OS 3.5, which is based on Android 15. The company is committing to 3 years of software updates and 6 years of security patches. The user interface introduces the ‘Essential Space,’ an AI-powered library designed for organizing notes, transcribing audio to text, and more. A dedicated ‘Essential Key’ offers quick access to this Space.
The Nothing Phone 3a Lite also marks a notable shift for the brand. This device will come with Glance and several pre-installed applications. However, the company assures users that they will have full control to either enable or completely disable Glance. Currently, Nothing is including three pre-installed apps—Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok—though more may be added in the future.
The latest smartphone is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery and supports 33W fast charging.
Finally, the Nothing Phone 3a Lite is equipped with a robust 5,000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. The brand claims this battery can deliver up to 55 hours of music playback, up to 22 hours of YouTube streaming, and up to 9.5 hours of gaming on a single charge.
In conclusion, the Nothing Phone 3a Lite appears to effectively bridge the gap between the CMF series and the Phone 3a series. It comfortably fits into this segment, providing consumers with more choices in its price bracket. The brand offers a compelling value proposition, boasting a transparent back, a clean user interface, a quality display, and solid overall performance. It will be particularly interesting to observe how Nothing positions and prices this device in competitive markets like India, especially within the Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 30,000 price range.