Nothing’s Phone 3a Pro is the only budget phone worth buying in India

When I reviewed the Phone 2a last year, I called it the best budget phone of the year. In 2025, the Phone 3a Pro is carrying that mantle. Nothing’s latest phone retains a similar foundation as its predecessor, so you get an interesting design at the back, clean software with useful extras, good customizability, timely software updates, and great cameras.

Interestingly, the 3a Pro gets a 50MP telephoto lens, giving it a distinct advantage over the 2a. Nothing switched over to Qualcomm silicon once again, and that’s a good thing — the phone has much better performance in gaming and daily use versus the 2a and 2a Plus.

I used the Phone 3a Pro for just over a week now, and I’m convinced that this is the only budget phone worth buying in India. I like the POCO X7 Pro as well, but the software on that device isn’t anywhere as good, and it doesn’t quite have the same design flair.

A design that shines — literally

The Phone 3a Pro’s design is divisive — Nothing admitted as much during the briefing. The phone still has a unique see-through pattern at the back, but the camera island has a rounded design and is significantly bigger than last year.

That’s down to the inclusion of the new tele lens, and while there are detractors to the design, I like it; the industrial design makes the phone stand out, and while the camera island could have looked better, it is quirky — and I enjoy that in a phone. The camera island juts out considerably, but because it’s stretched across nearly the entire width at the back, there isn’t any wobble when using the Phone 3a Pro on a table.

Nothing went with a glass back this time, noting that while the plastic back on the Phone 2a made the device lighter, it was prone to scratching. Nothing says its userbase wanted a glass back, so it catered to that demand. The glass is protected by a custom solution, and it is effective against tumbles.

Also, the Phone 3a Pro looks much better in real life than the product renders would suggest, so if you’re unsure about the device solely based on the design, I’d recommend going to a store and trying it out; Nothing sells the device via select big brand retail stores in India.

Of course, the LEDs at the back continue to be a major differentiator, and I like how this feature has evolved over the last two years. The three lighting zones don’t cover much area — unlike the Phone 2 — but they’re just as customizable. I’m using the grey color variant of the device, and while it isn’t quite as striking as the blue model, it does a brilliant job accentuating the design.