I replaced my Pixel 9 Pro with this midrange Android – and can’t go back

, priced at $379, stakes its claim in the competitive mid-tier smartphone market with a striking design, killer display, and a noticeably subdued approach to AI integration. After spending considerable time with the device, including a globe-trotting trip to Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona last month, I can confidently say that Nothing’s formula works exceptionally well at standing out from its midrange competitors.

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Nothing’s hardware design is the most immediately apparent reason to buy into the Nothing ecosystem. In a few short years, Nothing has established itself as a tech brand with an undeniably original aesthetic that centers around transparent casing that showcases select internal components. 

While the transparency primarily reveals framing structures and hex screws rather than circuit boards and memory chips, it still creates a distinctive visual signature. lol

Distinctive design in a sea of sameness

Complementing the design are the Glyph LED lights surrounding the camera bar, which elevate the transparency beyond mere aesthetics into functional artistry. These lights dance and flash for incoming calls, timer alerts, and music playback, adding practical value to the unique design approach. 

I particularly appreciated how the blinking Glyph helpfully notified me of new notifications when I had the phone tucked in my breast pocket during MWC.

The Nothing Phone 3a display is another standout feature, especially considering its price point. The 6.77″ LTPO OLED panel delivers exceptional quality with 3,000 nits peak brightness, rich colors, and sharp detail. Even under direct sunlight, the screen remains bright and punchy, while the 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and animations for eyes like mine that these premium upgrades have spoiled. This display truly rivals what you’d expect from devices twice its cost.

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What’s particularly impressive is the Nothing Phone 3a’s implementation of PWM dimming at 2160Hz, a frequency that’s practically imperceptible to the human eye, making it comfortable for extended viewing. This is significantly better than many premium devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, with its much lower 480Hz PWM frequency, which can potentially cause eye strain and headaches in sensitive users.

Surprisingly restrained software experience

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor is an excellent choice for this mid-ranger, particularly as it’s paired with 12GB of RAM. The processor is designed to bring advanced AI capabilities to lower-tier devices, but considering the Nothing Phone 3a has comparatively minimal AI integrations to begin with, the processor is more than sufficient at driving the software experience and gaming. 

I only noticed occasional lag when capturing certain images with the cameras, and even then, that was mostly detected in low-light situations.

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While the ultrawide camera passes immediate scrutiny on the small screen, image quality deteriorates noticeably upon even minimal zooming, exposing the 8MP sensor’s constraints. The 2x telephoto looks good even when cropped to 4x, but it lacks dynamic range, which was evident in some outdoor shots, with the Barcelona skylines becoming a wash of white against the cityscape below. Portrait mode typically required multiple attempts to achieve acceptable edge detection around my head.

Good-quality low-light photography is possible but inconsistent, demanding exceptional hand stability to compensate for the lack of stabilization. Ultimately, the camera performance is the most obvious sign that this device is a midrange smartphone.